“What did you say this was again?”

Day took a sip of his water before answering. “Butternut squash risotto. Do you like it?”

Onyx nodded. “Yeah. It’s really good.”

Day smiled, drumming neatly clipped fingernails against the side of his glass. “Sorry for taking it upon myself to order for you. I just kinda assumed—” He trailed off, looking to Onyx as if he expected him to finish the thought for him. 

“What?” Onyx asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. “I’m not a mind reader.”

“I just assumed you’ve never been here before judging by your reaction when we pulled up in the parking lot and I just assumed—” Day cut himself off again with a shrug. 

“That I’m too poor to afford to eat here?”

“Not necessarily.” Day shifted a bit in his seat and Onyx had the suspicion that it was because he was expecting another kick to his shin. “You just don’t seem like the type to want to come here in the first place. Besides, you’re probably busy with school and—”

“I dropped out of school,” Onyx said and apparently, Day hadn’t been expecting that sort of honesty from him because his eyes widened dramatically at the admission. Onyx shrugged, more to himself than anything. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Are you doing online school?”

“I was,” Onyx muttered, “but I dropped out of that, too.”

“Are you joking?”

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

Day only continued to stare at him for another few minutes. If he was waiting for the punchline to come he was going to be sorely disappointed. The blue-eyed male leaned forward a bit, the finger wrapping against his glass coming to a halt, and all Onyx could do was mentally prepare for the questioning he was sure was about to follow.

“How long have you been out of school?” Day asked and Onyx couldn’t even attempt to stop himself from rolling his eyes because here we go. “Just recently?”

“Since the beginning of my junior year,” he answered. “Why does any of this matter? Are you put off or something?”

“Well—”

“I take my last comment back,” Onyx interrupted. “I don’t want you getting the idea that your opinion matters because it doesn’t. Not even in the slightest.”

Day’s brows furrowed in a show of obvious irritation and Onyx could admit to being surprised at the obvious show of negative emotion. All this time he’d always just assumed Day was one of those ‘fake happy’ people that could somehow go by in their everyday life pretending as if the world was full of nothing but rainbows and unicorns. Not that that was his ideal image of happiness. Not even remotely. If it were up to him, that image would be something that derived from Hell’s gates themselves.

Onyx’s gaze briefly fell to the small bowl of half-finished risotto that Day had barely touched because he was far too busy digging for more information concerning Onyx’s personal life. Oddly enough, Onyx couldn’t bring himself to care, really. What was somewhat bothering him was the risotto across from him that was no doubt beginning to get cold. 

And how sad that was considering he would have gladly eaten the rest of it rather than wasting it as he was sure the teen across from him planned to do.

“I just don’t understand,” Day sighed, breaking the long silence. “Why?”

Oh. He’d completely forgotten they were still on that subject.

“Do I need a better explanation other than the fact I hated the place?”

Day gave him a dubious look. “Not even you seem like the type of person to drop out of school just because you hate it.”

“Financial reasons,” Onyx answered simply, truthfully. “Someone has to pay the bills.”

Onyx didn’t think it was possible for Day to look more confused than he already did, but here they were. 

“What do you mean?” he asked. “Your mom—”

“—Is as unreliable as a candle in the wind,” Onyx finished for him. “I work on weekdays at a cafe not too far from here. My boss is cool so she usually lets me work overtime for a larger pay. I usually try to come in on the weekends, too, but I can’t do that when I’m dealing with your shit.”

“Isn’t that illegal?” he asked, concern as apparent as day across his face. Why he seemed to be so concerned, Onyx would never understand. “Working that many hours as a minor, I mean.”

“Don’t know, don’t care.”

“Well, you should. Providing for you is your mom’s job, not yours. You should still be in school so you can work toward your future and your mom should step her shit up.” Day absentmindedly picked at a piece of thread on his shirt, twisting it around his finger. “What is your goal for the future, anyway? If you had it your way, what career would you pursue for the rest of your life?”

Onyx shrugged. “I’ve always wanted to be an artist but that career choice doesn’t seem as realistic as it once did.”

Day’s eyes widened a bit in shock. “You mean like a… paint to a canvas, artist?”

“More like a pencil-to-paper artist, but sure.”

Day once again gave him a look as if he thought he was pulling his leg. After a few moments passed, Day let a small smile grace his lips and let out a soft laugh. “That’s so cute. I wouldn’t have expected that sort of answer from you.”

“Nice to know drawing lines on a piece of paper makes you cute,” Onyx scoffed. “You learn something new every day.”

Day let out a laugh that had Onyx’s stomach twisting in ways that managed to confuse him in ways like never before. “You know what I mean. Do you have a portfolio of your art?”

“No.”

“No?”

“Well, yeah, but I don’t have a portfolio I’d be willing to show you.” Onyx paused to smile up at the waiter as she set their entrees down on the table. Unable to help himself, he immediately began to dig into his meal which smelled of literal heaven.