Page 9 of Even After Sunset

“I sell cookies… Homemade. They’re amazing—and I’m not just saying that because I’m selling them.”

He arches a perfect eyebrow. “You bake cookies in that camper?”

“Yeah. There’s a long shelf; like a counter, that just slots in above the couch. I keep it in the underside storage compartment when I don’t need it.”

“Huh.”

Another awkward silence.

“So, do you still play baseball?” I finally ask. “I remember how much you loved little league.” I smile. “Man, you werefast.”

“I quit in seventh grade.”

“Oh.”

More silence. Until my food comes, and then it’s even worse because I’m sitting there with this big plate of food: fried eggs with bacon and hash browns and toast… and Silas is already done his glass of juice.

“I feel bad,” I tell him. “That I have this huge breakfast and you’re not eating anything.”

He doesn’t respond, and I push the plate toward him.

“Will you at least take a few of the hash browns or something? I’m never going to finish all of this.”

“I’m fine,” he says curtly, like I’m a stranger on an airplane in the seat next to him that he’s trying to shut out.

I pull the plate back and start spreading peanut butter on my toast, pretending it doesn’t feel weird to be eating when he’s not.

“So, are marshmallow bananas still your favorite candy?”

He gives me a funny look. “Huh?”

“Marshmallow bananas… they used to be your favorite. I’m just curious if they still are.”

He shrugs. “I don’t really eat candy.”

“Oh. Okay… What about your favorite movie?”

He sighs, leaning back in his seat. “I don’t know… probably Pulp Fiction.”

“Cool. I’ve never watched it.”

I will now, though.

“What about the one thing you—”

“Why are you doing this?” he leans forward.

“Doing what?”

“This one-hundred questions bullshit.”

I feel like he just slapped me. He is someannow.

“I’m just… I’m trying to find out what you like now and stuff.” I shrug. “I guess I’m trying to be friends again?”

The last sentence sounds more like a question than an answer, though.

“What for?” He asks, like he is legitimately baffled. “You don’t even know me anymore.”

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