A few people stared as I pulled in and parked. I really didn’t care, so I took off my helmet and headed inside. My training kicked in and I searched the room before I proceeded. It was a small little dinner, styled like the fifties. But what caught my eyes were the surprised green eyes sitting in a booth towards the back of the restaurant. He smiled at me and waved for me to join. Not really knowing what to do, my body walked to him on its own accord.

“Well this is a surprise.” Shane said on a chuckle as I slid into the booth. Instincts made me fidget and want to break eye contact so I could look back and check the door.

“Was out for a ride and got hungry.” I shrugged as I started to sweat. I hated have my back to the door. Giving in I glanced back and took in the surroundings again. Movement from the corner of my eyes made me look back and watch as Shane rose from his seat and stood away.

“Take my seat.” He said softly. I didn’t hesitate as I nodded and slipped out of my seat to just slip into his seat. Sighing in relaxation, I looked back at Shane as he slid into the booth. He gave me a soft smile before he sipped a cup of coffee.

“What are you doing here?” I asked to break the silence between us.

“Day off.” He said with the coffee still at his lips. His eyes though were staring at me again. The silence stretched again but luckily a waitress walked over, and I stifled a groan when I recognized her.

“Well look at you Luke.” Juliann beamed as she sat a menu in front of me. “I was wondering who roared up in that bike. Who other than one of the younger heartbreakers of the Willows.” Juliann stood there with arms crossed before I finally looked at her with a blank face and a killer glare.

She froze and looked a little shocked from the glare but recovered. “It’s not polite to ignore someone who is talking to you.” She said with the sweet smile in place again.

“The only reason you should speak is to take my order, ask if I liked the meal and ask if I’m ready for the check. Other than that you lost privilege to talk to me casually. Go blow you cousin if you are just going to stand there.” I growled at her in a hushed voice that only people in a four foot range could hear.

Her cheeks blushed before she paled to almost as white as her apron. Nodding she waited with a pad and pen. I just got coffee and fries, before I sent her on her way.

Finally after I watched her disappear into the kitchen I looked at Shane. Surprisingly his face was blank except for the little curiosity that shown in his eyes. I just shrugged my shoulders before I started sipping my coffee black.

“I would love to hear the story behind that.” Shane said as I smiled took his face, and something in me relaxed. It then occurred to me that I was waiting for him to speak so I knew if he didn’t like my behavior.

“Ex-girlfriend who thought she could hide her sexual deeds with her cousin from me in high school. The guy had a loud mouth and bragged about this girl he did around one of my brothers. I of course beat the shit out of him before I dumped her in front of most of the school.” Shane started laughing and I sat there silently watching him. It was amazing how much better I felt after hearing him laugh. There wasn’t any pain in my side or leg, and I didn’t even have the urge to rub them free of pain. When Shane’s eyes opened I saw the mischief in them and froze at his words.

“I know, I was there when you did it. You also humiliated her.” I stared at him in shock.

“What?” I whispered. Shane just continued to smile but it was lopsided.

“I know who all of you are.” I stared at him and he continued. “I was in your grade. We are the same age. Marcus was two grades below us with your brother.”

“I remember Marcus because of him teasing our sister.” I said softly as I searched my brains for my memories.

“Don’t bother thinking about it. I look completely different then I did back then.” Shane chuckled. We went silent when a waitress, a different one I noticed, dropped off my fries and Shane’s Shrimp basket.

“I swear I should remember you.” I mumbled as I bit into a fry. The look Shane sent me from beneath his lashes was both erotic and unnerving.

“No you wouldn’t.” He whispered before he ate a few bites. After he washed it down he looked at me again before continuing. “I didn’t let myself stand out. My hair was long as well. I didn’t hang around the same crowd as you did. I was more of the stand in the background and observe. That’s how I figured out, and continue to know, that Marcus has and will always be in true love with Alison.” I stiffened at his words. When I opened my mouth to protest he stopped me with his fork pointing at me. “I’m not done. He only did those things because of peer pressure. Him, his friends and brothers straightened up after their friend died. Anyways.” Shane paused so we could eat a little more. “Like I was saying, I stayed in the background. Only my friends knew I was there.”

“Who were your friends?” I asked intrigued. I knew everyone in school, I made sure of it.

Shane smiled before he chuckled into his mug. “Most of the female population of the school.” My eyes widened in shock at him. Shane’s eyes held humor as he smiled at my reaction.

“none of them ever-“

“Of course not. They wouldn’t tell a guy about me. I was their little secret and best friend, or brother when they needed me. The only one that didn’t need me was Alison, but that’s because she had you four. That and she moved.”

I sat there silent as I absorbed what I subconsciously believed. Shane was gay and open about it. What had me stumped right now… other than hiding his presence during school from me… was –

“Why Me?” I asked softly and out of the blue. Shane’s eyes had been on his food, but they snapped up to meet mine and I saw something flicker in his eyes. I recognized the confusion flicker through him, before Fear, pain, and hope, all flickered in his eyes. Just as quick as they flashed, they were gone.

Shane sat there in silence across from me ask I waited for him to answer. No more emotions were leaking out but I knew he was thinking about it. What surprised me was that I was holding my breath as I waited for him to finally speak.

“You are a breath of fresh air in your own way.” He said softly before he went back to his food.

“I don’t understand” I said under my breath. Shane looked up at me and I was caught in his unnerving gaze again.

“You think everyone can’t see your pain, but it’s so obvious that you are constantly in pain. You are a challenge, as I said before, I love a challenge.”

“So I’m a game to you?” I sneered to hide my fear of everyone seeing what happened to me.

“No.” He said frowning. “I would never see a living person as a game. Maybe in high school, the challenges were games but no longer.”

“So again. Why me?” I said with a softer tone.

Shane sat there in silence again as he looked into his empty mug.

“You and your siblings have changed so much since everyone last saw you. In high school you were so alive that I guess my curiosity has gotten the best of me after Alison explain that you had changed dramatically. She doesn’t remember me from school because I was a few grades older, but that’s also because I kept my distance from your family.”

“What?”

“Don’t take offense. I had my reasons and I was happy observing from the sidelines.” Shane sat the mug down and looked up at me. I paused at the sight of his eyes. The green had gotten darker, and something in me coiled tightly. “But once I realized who Alison was, I wanted to see what had changed. And to my surprise you were completely different.”

“A lot can happen in a minute.” I murmured as I sipped my cold coffee.

“That it can. Alison is a prime example.” We sat in silence as the waitress refilled our mugs and handed each a check. Quickly I snatched Shane’s away from his hands and paid both.

“I interrupted your meal. I pay.” I said firmly and dismissed the waitress. Shane gave a lopsided smile before putting his wallet back.

“That was very kind of you.” He smiled again and I felt pain that had started to creep up, get stomped down to the floor.

“No problem.” I mumbled as I waited for him to continue. I watched as he added two packets of sugar and a dash of creamer to his coffee while I sipped mine black.

“Anyways, the lively person that I knew in high school is hiding, isn’t he?” Shane asked out of the blue.

“No. He’s gone.” I said with my coffee still at my lips. Shane just raised an eyebrow at me.

“I don’t believe that. You are hiding him. That carefree Luke is still in there, I have seen him briefly, but he is there.” Shane said softly as my whole body stiffened.

“What are you talking about?” I said sternly as I set my mug down. Shane just smiled at me as I tried to listen to him and ignore my rapidly beating heart at the same time.

“You love Molly so dearly that you don’t even realize that your old self is peaking out for her.” Shane shrugged and I went silent as I thought of his words. The waitress came back with my card and I slipped it back into my wallet. Shane slipped out of the booth and I followed, still lost in my thoughts.

Once we were outside and basically at my bike I looked at Shane, he was smiling, but it was a gentler smile than earlier that was filled with mischief.

“Thank you for lunch.” He said while sticking a hand out. With the hand that wasn’t holding my helmet; I clasped his hand and felt that lightning bolt slide up my arm again. Suddenly Shane’s mouth was whispering in my ear. “Bring the Luke that had my full attention in high school out again. I miss him.” With that he released me and walked away. Numbly I watched him climb into a black Jeep and leave the parking lot. I slipped my helmet on and rolled my Cycle out of the parking spot before I started it.

Cruising down the highway I had to pull over when it finally clicked. He liked me in high school? I laid out in the grass and stared at the clear sky and tried to think back to high school. I knew everyone in it, so why didn’t I remember Shane Caudwell? Frustrated I hoped back on my cycle and sped home.