Chapter 22 #2
We walked over, and I slid into one side. Callan sat across from me. He leaned back against the booth, with his hands resting on the table, and his posture easy. The menus were already set out, and I picked mine up because doing nothing with my hands felt too exposing.
He watched me for a few seconds before picking up his menu too. “How many pieces can you eat?”
I looked up and shrugged. “Fifteen, maybe?”
He nodded, tilting his menu slightly to show me what he was pointing at. “They have an all-you-can-eat option. Includes dessert and one drink.”
I pursed my lips. “That sounds great.”
We placed our order when Emiko came to our table, and as we waited for the first round, we sat there looking at each other.
He didn’t seem in a rush to talk, and neither was I, so I let my eyes drift toward the window.
The sun had already set, and the sky outside had that deep blue tint that came right before everything turned fully dark.
A few stars were already visible, and the moon too.
I leaned closer to the window, letting that comforting feeling I always felt when I looked at the sky come over me.
“You always stare at the sky like that?” Callan asked. His tone wasn’t teasing.
I looked back at him. “Yeah. I do.”
He waited for an explanation.
“I’ve always liked the stars. When I was younger, I’d sit outside almost every night and just…watch. It made me curious.”
He set his forearms on the table. “Curious how?”
I rubbed my thumbs over the edge of the menu. “How far and old they are. How there probably are billions of them and I can only see a handful with my own eyes. Things like that.”
He nodded slowly, giving me his full attention.
“I actually wanted to study astronomy at first,” I said. “Before I picked film.”
“What made you change your mind?”
“Realizing how much math was involved.” I grimaced.
“I like science, and I like everything that makes me think about things outside of myself. I used to read books about planets and stars and nebulae, and I thought maybe I’d go into something related to it.
But everything about those studies always includes math, and my brain isn’t built for that level of calculation. ”
He tilted his head, showing interest in what I was saying. “So you switched to writing.”
“Yeah. It made more sense.”
He watched me like everything I said mattered to him, and his focus made me fidget a little. I reached for my water, took a sip, then placed the glass back on the table.
“So, astronomy is more like a hobby now.”
I nodded. “Yeah. I read books about it, watch documentaries, and all that. And I often go to the Griffith Observatory.”
“Ah, where that big telescope is.”
I smiled. “Yes. Have you ever been?”
Callan nodded before taking a sip of his beer. When he set the glass down, he said, “Drove up there once to film a video, but I’ve not had the chance to check out that telescope.”
I wanted to ask him what kind of video he shot up there, but I had a strong feeling that it had to do with porn, and so I ignored that information and focused on the “never had the chance to check out that telescope” part.
“It’s worth getting a look through it. You can see the planets on good nights, and it’s really impressive. The first time I went, I was amazed by how clear they were. It’s like looking at pictures of the planets on the internet, but you’re seeing them with your own eyes instead.”
A small smile tugged at his mouth when I continued to tell him about the many different exhibits in and around the observatory, and when I was done talking, he said, “You sound like someone who should’ve kept going with astronomy.”
That made me proud to hear. Mostly because he wasn’t making fun of the things I liked and sat there listening without a hint of judgment in his eyes.
“I just like that there’s no pressure coming with it, you know? I can learn about it when I want, without having to prove myself to anyone.”
“I get that. Keep that up. Not many have hobbies they’re passionate about.”
His words stuck with me as Emiko approached with the first tray of sushi. She set down plates of nigiri and rolls, then stepped back with a quick “Enjoy,” before heading over to a different table.
I picked up my chopsticks, and Callan waited until I chose my first piece before grabbing one of his.
I tried a slice of salmon nigiri and chewed slowly, savoring every bite. It tasted fresh. Way fresher than the sushi from the grocery store.
“This is delicious,” I said after swallowing.
“Yeah? You like it?”
I nodded. “Very much.”
“Good.” He looked pleased as he took another piece for himself.
We kept eating, taking our time with each plate that Emiko brought out. Neither of us rushed, and despite the recurring silence, it was never awkward between us. Every now and then, he’d glance at me, like he was making sure I was still comfortable. I was. More than I expected to be.
I started to feel full, but in a satisfied way, and when I was finished with my plate, I leaned back and watched Callan eat one more round. Once those pieces were gone, he wiped his mouth with a napkin and leaned back too.
“You good?” he asked.
“Yeah. That was amazing.” I smiled. “Thank you for bringing me.”
“You’re welcome.”
He waved Emiko over when she passed our table, asking her to bring the check. As much as I wanted to put my share in, I knew he’d reject the offer. He was already holding his card between his fingers, ready to pay.
I smiled up at Emiko when she came back, and while Callan paid, I told her, “It was delicious. This was definitely the best sushi I’ve ever had.”
She collated the empty plates and smiled back at me. “I’m glad to hear.”
“She’s only ever had sushi from the grocery store,” Callan told her, putting me on blast.
Emiko gasped, pressing her free hand to her chest.
I pressed my lips together, feeling my cheeks flush. “I’m sorry.”
“Now that you’ve eaten our sushi, I’m sure you won’t go anywhere else from now on.”
“Definitely not,” I assured her. “I’ll come back for sure.”
Her pleased smile was comforting. “Good.”
She left the table again, and Callan and I sat there for another moment before we both slid out of the booth. “Thank you,” I said. “For taking me here.”
“No worries.” He glanced at me, then nodded toward the exit. “Let’s go.”
We walked together toward the door, and Emiko lifted a hand in a small wave.
“Good night,” she said.
“Night,” I replied as Callan opened the door for me.
Once we stepped outside, he placed a hand on my lower back and guided me to his car. I felt my body lean more into him, not wanting him to stop touching me. He walked me over to the passenger side and opened the door, but instead of letting me get inside, he turned me around to face him.
Both his hands came around my waist, and his body pressed into mine until my back was pushed up against the car. I looked up at him, unsure what was happening, but I didn’t move or speak. I waited for him to say or do something.
His expression was hard, and his silence made the tension in me grow. I expected something to happen. Something like a kiss or a hug, maybe. But…nothing.
He stepped back again, clearing his throat as he opened the door wider, and inviting me in. I licked my lips, feeling a bit perplexed after that intense moment of staring into his eyes, and without questioning anything, I got into the car.
Callan pulled the car out of the lot, and after a few turns, the road gained elevation. At first, I thought he was taking a different way home, but I knew the surroundings too well not to know where we were headed.
I looked over at Callan. “We’re going to the observatory?”
“Yeah. You convinced me to go look through that telescope.”
I pursed my lips to hide the stupid grin that tried to spread across my face. “Really? Oh, you’ll be so fascinated!”
He chuckled and glanced at me for a second. “Let me be the judge of that.”
“Okay, okay.” I smiled brightly and clapped my hands, feeling a bit too excited about this.