Never Fade Away by E. L. Esch

Author:E. L. Esch [Esch, E. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-10-19T16:00:00+00:00

Nine

Pineapple and Mint

I’d thought Lyra was kidding, that there was no way such a travesty as what I laid my eyes upon now existed. The delicious sanctity of pizza was ruined. Anno had taken it, beaten it to death, resurrected it, and then incinerated it to ash. Even the sight of the pineapple and ham atop his two pizza slices was enough to amplify the pangs of pain in my stomach.

“What are you?” I shook my head as Anno sat across from me at a table at Wally’s. “You’re not human; I can assure you of that.”

Anno narrowed his eyes. Slowly he took a bite of pizza, never taking his gaze off me. “Mm.” He exaggerated a moan.

Ugh, I couldn’t even watch.

He swallowed dramatically. “At least I'm not a basic pizza bitch.” He gestured at my slice of pepperoni and cheese.

“Nothing you say has any credibility after you just shoved that in your mouth.”

“Pineapple’s good for you. Makes your ejaculate sweet.” He picked a piece of pineapple off his pizza and flicked it at me.

Feeling bold, I found where it had landed on my plate and slipped it leisurely into my mouth. Immediate regret filled me and I cringed. So stringy…

Anno called out my failed attempt at seduction without mercy. “Real sexy.”

“I try.” I washed the taste out with the bottle of water I’d ordered with my food. “You know you can probably take those off.” I motioned to the aviator sunglasses resting on Anno’s face. “Place is dead.”

Wally’s was a small restaurant with only a handful of tables. Other than us, only a group of teenagers were seated. People had been coming in fairly frequently for takeout orders, which were the majority of the pizzeria’s customers, but none had taken any notice of us.

Anno removed his glasses and hooked them over the neckline of his shirt. “You just want to see my pretty eyes.”

That hadn’t been my intention, but it was certainly a bonus. I shrugged. “Sue me.”

We sat in silence for a while as Anno chowed down on the monstrosity that he’d ordered. I refused to call it food. He finished his first slice rather quickly while I barely nibbled mine.

“I hope you didn’t invite me out for food just because my stupid stomach couldn’t keep quiet.” Anno gestured at my full plate.

“Nah.” I rubbed the back of my neck, looking for any excuse that wasn’t the truth. Then I remembered what Anno had said earlier when I’d tried to hide feeling unwell from him—“I’ll understand”—and decided lying wasn’t worth the effort. “I was also hungry, and when we left the house I felt able to eat. Now my body doesn’t want to cooperate.”

“I can take my food to go.” Anno moved to stand.

“I’m okay. I go through phases where I’m put off food all the time. It’s fine.”

Anno settled back down in his seat. He folded his hands on the table and began tapping a nail on the chipped plastic cover. His lips were drawn in a tight line.

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