(want to skip to 1:00?)
Macha exhaled, running her fingers over the cracks in their kitchen table. If she had friends, she'd probably be texting them about her upcoming lunch right now. Since she didn't, she grabbed a notebook and a pencil and began to write.
(Yeah that sounds good)
Tyler grabbed the money at around 12:45 and walked down to the lake, finding the restaurant fairly quickly.
Macha was already inside, sitting at a table next to the windows. Her gaze snapped up when the door opened, and her eyes met Tyler's. She waved him over.
Tyler smiled and walked over to her. “Hey. How’s it going?” He asked, sitting down.
Macha's stomach proceeded to tie itself into an elaborate knot. "Hi. I'm good, you?" She was talking to someone. Someone was talking to her. Without a trace of hostility. And she was responding without a tremor in her voice. I never thought I'd see the day.., she thought to herself.
“I’m fine. Are you sure you’re okay? Pardon me for intruding but you seemed worried this morning.”
Macha laced her fingers together, laying her hands in her lap. "I'm fine, just a bit of a mix-up.", she lied. She was a good liar, but wasn't really sure how well her tactics would work on the boy who was also inside her head.
“Mmhm. If you don’t want to tell me that’s fine.”
Macha smoothly moved on to a different topic by picking up the menu. "What are you thinking of getting?"
"I don't know. Probably sushi." He grinned, looking over the menu.
"That's basically all they serve here.", she laughed. "Want to share some nigirizushi?"
"Sure why not." He smiled at her. She's so pretty- shut up she can probably hear you.
Macha probably would've blushed if her skin wasn't made out of stone from the thought that had just been projected into her head. Pretending she hadn't heard anything, she caught the attention of a passing waiter. "Could we have some of this nigirizushi as a starter please? Also Tyler, what would you like to drink?"
"Uh just water is fine thanks." He said quickly. Shit she heard that didn't she..
Macha ordered their drinks and leaned forward in her seat, propping her elbows up on the table. It was much easier to talk to Tyler than most people, she felt like he would judge her less. Mind skipping back to the unintentional thought he’d sent her, she tried to think of something to say. “So…. um, do you work anywhere? Like, Starbucks or whatever?”
"Dad won't let me. He says I should be focusing on getting my applications done for college and that he makes enough money for the two of us." He sighed.
Macha had to restrain herself from reaching across the table and squeezing Tyler’s hand reassuringly. Where was this coming from? Her want to touch him? Her need to even talk to him? She’d always avoided contact, always avoids talking when it wasn’t necessary. What was happening to her? Besides, she thought, he doesn’t want you touching him. As soon as the thought was out she wished she could take it back, in case he could here. “Where would you want to go? For university I mean.”
He felt his face turn a bit red as he heard her thought. "Uh..um..well I hadn't really thought about it. I mean, somewhere near here would be less expensive then out of state but I would be farther away.."
Macha nodded in understanding, noticing the blush on his face and fidgeting flusteredly. “What courses would you want to take?” She felt like she already knew the answer.
"Ahh..something that would make me money? I have no idea. I was pretty good at math and science in high school but.." He felt like laughing, something he did when he was nervous.
Macha wrung her hands in her lap, social anxiety taking over. She could feel her breath coming in shorter spurts, the initial adrenaline of holding an actual conversation with someone wearing off and making way for internal panic. “Maybe a biology course? Chemistry?”, she suggested, shifting nervously in her seat. “I think ancient history would be interesting or um, poetry or literature… or something.”
(lol they're so scared of each other but in like, a cute way)
"A-are you okay? I can feel you silently freaking out over there." He laughed a little, running his hand through his hair.
(Lol)
Macha tried to exhale as smoothly as possible. “I’m fine.”, she said, voice strained, feeling hard lump of anxiety in her chest. This was why she didn’t talk to people much. Afraid that she’d sounded too harsh, she amended herself. “I just don’t do…. this much.” He probably already knew about her social anxiety, but she was careful with her words anyways.
"It's perfectly fine. But don't feel nervous around me I mean, you've known me your whole life." He smiled warmly.
Macha bit her lip and nodded tentatively, trying out a smile. It felt good, she didn’t smile a whole lot. “Thanks.”
"No problem. That's what i'm here for." He said, smiling wider.
Macha’s heart squeezed, but not from anxiety. She swallowed. “Me too. For you I mean.” Looking off to the side for a second to gather herself, she took a steadier breath. “Are you happy to be out of highschool?”
"I don't know really. It was something to fill up the day with." He said thoughtfully.
Macha played with a strange of her hair. “I guess. I hated it though, I’m very happy to have gotten out.”
"Yeah all the glares and weird looks weren't very fun.."
