Page 18 of Collin: Episodes 10-12
“Everyone gets their own plate and rice, and then the meat and curry dishes and anything else is in the middle, yes.”
“And there’s going to be meat? I want meat.” Ash started to fold up his menu.
“I always order meat.” Damian nodded solemnly.
“Okay, I’ll try.” Ash pushed his menu toward Damian as well. “But I want a lassi. Collin said they’re good.”
“I got you.”
When the waiter came to the table Damian barely needed the menu. He ordered tandoori chicken for an appetizer, two curries, dhal, naan, and vegetable sides with three mango lassis and rice for everyone.
Collin groaned as the waiter walked away. “I’m going to roll home.”
“You both need the food.” Damian eyed Ash and Collin up. “You were both sticks when I met you, and you’re only slightly bigger sticks now.”
Collin stuck out his tongue. “Ash is still growing.”
“So, what’s your excuse?”
Collin huffed. “I eat. You see me. I eat every day, three-plus meals a day. I’ve put on five pounds.”
“You need another fifteen.”
Collin rolled his eyes and went back to leaning on the table. Not sleeping in a proper bed the night before was starting to catch up with him. He yawned.
Damian patted his arm. “Go ahead and sleep if you need to. We’ll wake you up when the food comes.”
“But sleeping is rude.”
Damian glanced around. “I don’t think anyone is going to mind that much, and I’ll tip them well. Just rest.”
Collin smothered another yawn. “Sorry, Ash.”
Ash huffed through his nose. “You’re old. You should sleep.”
Collin turned his head to glare. “And you’re what, still a baby?”
Ash put his nose in the air. “Young enough to stay awake on Red Bull and spite.”
Collin snorted into his sleeve. Maybe he should have gone home. He really was tired. “Fine. Entertain yourself with Damian. I’m just going to close my eyes.”
He actually did pass out to the muted sounds of the half-full restaurant. Ash poked him awake as the main dishes arrived. He’d slept through the lassis and the tandoori chicken being brought over, but they’d saved him a chicken leg and one of the drinks.
“So, were you ever actually in prison?” Ash asked after helping himself to curry and dhal.
Damian shook his head, mouth full of naan. He swallowed before answering. “No. Lots of relatives but not me. Could have been. Came close to juvenile detention a few times.”
“But you never went?”
Damian smiled. “I came very, very close. It’s not something I would wish on anyone. And I’m lucky I got out.”
Ash put his elbow on the table. “You scared me, you know.”
“Someone needed to do it. There was no good reason for you to get wasted going in there, not when you didn’t need it.”
“How did you know I didn’t need it?”
Damian’s eyes softened. “Someday, if you still want to know, I might tell you. But it’s not really a story for, well, here.”
