W

by Anne Leigh

  There was no place for roses in my life.

  That part of me had been dormant for such a long time.

  And I had no will to have it resurrected.

  “How are you liking the chicken empanadas?” Raising a small piece of the puff pastry to his mouth, I touched my finger to my chin indicating that Denton had a crumb sticking to the side of his mouth.

  “It’s really good,” I replied, while sipping on the virgin grapefruit nectar mixed with lemon and ginger drink.

  Turning to Mario, I wondered out loud, “How did you manage to get us in? This place is packed!”

  The line was a mile-long. There were so many restaurants in L.A., especially in the downtown area, so for a place like La Cantina, which had been open for a week now, according to Mario, to still have this draw for a crowd – it was crazy. But for Mario, this was nothing. He was a foodie. We’ve gone to the Pho Queen, China Empress, and Italian Rama – all new restaurants within ten miles of the university, courtesy of Mario’s food-hunting skills. All were excellent choices, I’d say.

  Mario had both of his hands wrapped around a giant of a burrito, lifting a brow, he smirked, “Well, ya know. I got me some connections.”

  “Dude, you’re full of it. They wouldn’t let us in because of you.” Denton stopped the descent of another empanada to his mouth and Mario let out a, “Whatever.”

  The burly security personnel had stopped us from coming in because Mario was wearing sneakers. Business casual was the dress code for the restaurant and his purple, black, and orange shoes were definitely not going to cut it. Denton had briefly talked to the guy-in-charge and it was only then that Mario was allowed in.

  I laughed at the good-natured jokes between those two – they were constantly ribbing and teasing each other, even in class. One time Professor Wallaby had to ask Mario to sit in the back of the hall because the actions of these two caused a lot of distraction to the other students.

  “So where’s your cute friend tonight?” Mario brows wiggled, his finger thumbing through his cellphone.

  “Dyan?” I questioned, placing my fork down on the illuminated glass table. This place was a retro mix of old and young Hollywood – the fanciful floral designs, the eclectic Mexican-inspired art on the walls, and the tux-and-formal wear that the servers wore were treats to one’s senses.

  “Yep. She’s a hot mamita.” His dyed blue hair with shocks of orange along the sideburns bobbed up and down.

  “Hmm…I don’t think you’re her type.” Dyan went for the preppy-looking guys. She had a profile on three popular dating websites, which was why she wasn’t here with me tonight. She was out meeting with a tall, slightly dark, hopefully handsome guy who was supposedly a football player at UCLA. 80 percent of the time, they were flukes – the pictures didn’t match their personalities and vice-versa.

  “What?” His nose crinkling, Mario objected, “This studliness is not her type?”

  Smacking his friend’s head, Denton laughed, “Burn dude. Burn.”

  “Oh shut up! Like you’re anyone’s type…” Mario threw a silver wrap at Denton’s head, hitting his face square in the jaw. Combing the top of his hair with his free hand, he turned his attention on me, “Right Athena? He’s not anyone’s type, right? Especially not yours?”

  The barrage of questions had me reaching and sipping, no, swallowing my drink faster, with a good portion of the liquid going down the wrong pipe.

  Denton’s hand slowly tapped on my back, “You okay?” he asked empathically.

  Nodding my head, I fought for composure. Mario had put me right on the spot. Denton had been putting his foot out there, along with the rest of his body, to show his full-blown interest in me. Since that almost-kiss at the frat party, the number of texts he’d sent had tripled and the space he’d left between our bodies when we were together, walking to and from classes, had decreased to mere inches. He wasn’t pushy, but he was definitely dropping all the hints that his interest in me was more than friendship.

  “I’m good,” I replied, feeling Denton’s hand slowly rub against my spine. This was what I’d hoped for for so long. He was a good guy. College fame didn’t rub off on him. He was great to look at but he was even better up close – kindness and being down-to-earth amid fame were rare qualities nowadays.

  “Do you want to try my Melon Horchata?” he asked, his green eyes focused on me, bringing the light orange drink closer to my side. “It’s really good.”

  I hesitated for a second, then I opened my mouth, “Sure, why not?”

  My phone dinged at the exact moment I took a sip.

  Liam treating you good?

  The refreshing, cinnamon-y drink coated my throat and I sighed, “Yum. This is good.”

  “Told ya.” Denton half-grinned, “These drinks are the bomb!”

  “Yo gringo, if you’re trying to impress your girl, screaming in my ear is not the way to do it.” Mario bumped Denton’s head with his right hand. Denton’s enthusiasm while over-the-top was also contagious. I loved the drink and I’d definitely be ordering it in the future.

  My phone made another sound.

  Where you at?

  Denton nudged my side, “Is everything okay, Athena?”

  “Yeah, I just need to check in,” I answered. I’d disclosed to Denton and Mario that because of my father’s job, I had a bodyguard who followed me around. It wasn’t like I could hide it from them. It wasn’t hard to miss since the infamous frat party that made the LA Times’ front page because of the unprecedented number of students arrested for disorderly conduct. I’d say it was a typical college party, but who was I to be the judge and juror of what college parties were supposed to be like. My expertise came from watching Spring Breakers and Van Wilder because James Franco and Ryan Reynolds, well, need I say more?

  “I haven’t seen your shadow today,” Denton commented, his green eyes roaming around the restaurant’s entrance. Webb usually stayed outside when I was eating with my friends. He maintained a healthy perimeter, as he called it, away from me. “In fact, I didn’t see him yesterday either. Did he call in sick?”

  Mario snorted, “As if Conor Mcgregor ever calls in sick.”

  Mario said that Webb reminded him of UFC’s elite fighter while conceding that Webb was a taller and more silent version of the ill-tempered MMA star.

  “He’s out of town,” I said. “Liam’s covering for him.”

  Two days ago, Webb brought his brawny brown-eyed friend and introduced us. He’d merely said, “Liam will be here for you. I have some business to take care of.”

  Liam gave me a huge smile, Webb grunted, and that was it.

  “Does it feel weird?” Mario asked, after taking a huge bite from the Monster Burrito he ordered after cleaning up the plate of chimichangas and empanadas that Jolene, our server, served us. How did this guy pack all that food in his stomach?

  “Weird?” My brows lifted, my hand pausing to send a text back.

  Mario chomped on his food, “To be followed all the time?”

  “Sometimes,” I admitted. “Webb’s not obtrusive. He gives me a lot of space. I know he’s just doing his job.”

  Denton lifted a brow as he threw a small chip in Mario’s face. Boys.

  “Don’t you think it’s a bit extreme though?” Denton chimed in, curiosity scattered all over his handsome face. “My mom’s a governor and I don’t have Secret Service at my beck and call.”

  “Dude, the Secret Service would quit on the first day if they had to follow your stinky ass all the time.” Mario snickered, finally giving his burrito a breather, “My homie’s got a point, what does your dad really do?”

  Ah.

  There it was.

  The million-dollar question.

  What does my dad not do?

  “Dad does a lot of things for the CDC,” I said, in truth, he is the CDC. His research had pioneered millions of dollars in disease control and without him, the country’s right arm would be fractured. Seventy percent of Americans
think that the strength of the country relies solely on its military. Yes, the military is the country’s most obvious defense against visible armed threats. But the most harmful ones, the ones that could obliterate towns, cities, and countries are the invisible threats. My dad once said that biological warfare is the most underused yet most effective way of annihilation. Tap into the water system and millions would be wiped from the face of the earth. Spread a toxin in the air and humankind would be utterly destroyed instantaneously.

  “Dude, I bet your dad’s a gazillionaire, what will all the products attached to his name. I googled him, ya know. Just got curious and I had a lot of time to spare between classes. He also sounds super smart. I’ve heard your old man speak on YouTube and he sounds like a dude who could challenge Einstein’s theories about relativity and win,” Mario stated while winking at me.

  “Relativity?” Denton’s voice reflected amusement. “Since when do you study Einstein’s stuff?”

  “The speed of light within a vacuum stays the same no matter the speed at which an observer travels,” Mario explained.

  My.

  Jaw.

  Dropped.

  Denton’s mouth formed a big “O” and when he could finally speak - “What the fuck?” came out.

  “I’m not stupid.” Mario lifted his shoulders, with his left brow up, he added, “I had a big crush on this cute Latina girl, Leila, in fifth grade and she was a science geek. I wanted to impress her so I memorized a little trivia and factoids.”

  “Hmm…where is she now?” I asked as I grabbed a small tortilla chip from the woven basket that we shared.

  “Last I heard she’s studying at Cal Tech.” Mario tapped his left finger on the lower side of his chin, then looking down on his phone, he said, “Actually, maybe I should connect with her again. I’m sure she grew up hot.”

  I let out a laugh.

  Denton shook his head and rolled his eyes. These two had an easygoing, fun friendship. Denton came from a royal family in California, with his grandparents and parents all serving in the halls of Sacramento while Mario grew up in the poverty ridden streets of Boyle Heights. These two couldn’t have been more opposite in how they viewed the world yet they’re the best of friends. The one passion that brought them together was basketball. Mario was on a basketball scholarship at SC and that’s where he met Denton. The rest they said was history in the making.

  “Athena.” A distinct voice, definitely used to being heard, cut into our conversation.

  “Hey Liam,” I acknowledged Webb’s friend. I wasn’t really sure if he was Webb’s friend, but I knew that Webb wouldn’t leave me with him if he didn’t trust him one iota. From the corner of my eye, I saw Denton and Mario eyeing the brusque military guy. Webb never really spoke to me when I was with my friends, so this was a break in the established, though unspoken, protocols.

  “What’s going on?” I started to stand up, but Liam raised a hand to signal that I remain seated.

  “W’s on the line for you.” He said W, dub-ya, in a Brooklyn accent. In the short amount of time that I’ve gotten to know him, I’d learned that he grew up in New York and became a transplant in Arizona in his high school years. “He wants to talk to you.”

  Now was implied.

  He handed me his phone.

  “Hey Muscle Man,” I said, smiling into the speaker. “You miss me?”

  “Athena, why aren’t you picking up your phone?” Even over the phone, he can wake up the dead and have them stand in line, ready to obey.

  “Sir yes sir,” I answered, giggling over his authoritative voice. Nothing could shake Webb, but it didn’t hurt to try.

  “I’m being serious.” Of course I knew he was being serious. When was he not serious?

  “I’m fine, Master Sergeant of the Universe.” I could hear chuckles from Liam’s side.

  “Athena…” Webb said, his voice feigning patience. The man could use some loosening up in his life. He was always so tight. Spring-loaded. Always in control.

  “Do you want a Swedish massage when you get back?” Massage Spa in Los Feliz gave great massages. I didn’t doubt that Webb had a lot of kinks and knots in his body that needed to be relieved.

  “What?” The incredulity in his voice was apparent, but he’d never lost patience. Or control.

  “Do. You. Want. A. Massage?” I asked again. I highly doubted Webb would let anyone touch his pressure points, but hey, a girl’s gotta try. “I can call Miranda for you – she’s really great at making me feel relaxed. We should go on Tuesday after I get out of class. They have a twenty percent off discount on non-busy days.”

  “Athena…” He did love saying my name. At least that’s what I thought. “Why weren’t you answering your phone? I saw that you were trying to text me and then you didn’t. That’s why I called Liam.”

  “I was responding back to you and then Mario distracted me with his expertise in relativity.” My right hand wrapped around a yellow table napkin. Mario and Denton were now talking about baseball. Mario was a big-time Dodger fan and they were playing tonight so naturally their conversation would go there. Liam was now sitting on the chair beside Mario and from his facial expressions, he looked like he was enjoying listening to my two friends bicker.

  “I’m okay, Webb. Liam’s taking good care of me. I haven’t stepped outside without him. He keeps me company in my bed at night and I don’t know if you know this, but Liam’s a great cuddler.” Liam gave me a side eye and shook his head to the negative.

  “I’m arriving tomorrow.” Of course Webb would ignore everything that I just said.

  “I’ll welcome you with open arms,” I replied, Denton looked over at me for a minute, wondering if I was serious about it. Maybe I was, maybe I wasn’t.

  Jolene, our server, was now back at our table, her eyes flickered to Liam. “Any drinks for you?”

  Liam gave her a quick smile, “Coke please.”

  “Did I just hear Liam ordering drinks?” Webb asked. Not once had Webb joined me and my friends when we ate. The man had an unparalleled work ethic and a stomach that seemed to withstand hunger.

  “Liam’s not a robot like you, Hulk,” I retorted. “He gets hungry and he smiles and he talks and did I mention he’s a great cuddler?”

  “Athena…” His scolding voice penetrated the line. I could just picture him right now – his glacial eyes boring holes into mine, his lips, oh those lips, in a straight line, and his brows slightly furrowed.

  “You like saying my name don’t you?”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.” His voice was all business-like. “Behave.”

  “When do I misbehave? ” I challenged, the pang that started in my chest since he’d been on the line not easing. He’d been gone for two days, but it felt longer. I kept telling myself that I wouldn’t miss his surly face, but when I woke up for the past two mornings, it was odd to meet brown eyes instead of the color of the Pacific waters.

  “Tomorrow,” he said, his tone unchanging. Even his voice was tempered, modulated. Never rising in anger or excitement. Did they teach that in military school too? How to control your responses? How to not show emotion in the way you spoke?

  “Semper fi, Muscle Man,” I said. “See you tomorrow.”

  After I hung up, Liam shook his head, “You do know he’s from the Navy and not the Marines.”

  I nodded.

  “So why did you say Semper Fi?” he questioned, Mario and Denton were now glued to their phones. The game must be close.

  “Because that’s the only Latin I know. And I know it annoys him when I say it even if he doesn’t show it.”

  “You got lady balls, Athena.” Liam laughed while drinking his Coke. “Webb’s a SEAL through and through and it must grate on his nerve when you greet him with the devil dog’s motto.”

  “What should I say then?” Curiosity got the best of me. I’d only said Semper Fi a handful of times to Webb and like always, he just ignored it, but if my eyes weren’t deceiving me, I thought I s
aw a muscle tic in his jaw a few times.

  “Semper fortis,” Liam answered, his brown eyes lighting up in amusement. “It means ‘always strong.’”

  “Hmm…that’s interesting. Semper fortis. It suits Webb. He’s always strong.” I looked down to my phone and sent a quick text to Webb.

  The bubbles appeared on my phone, signaling that he was responding.

  Cras.

  “What does ‘cras’ mean?” I asked to anyone who was listening at our table.

  “It means tomorrow,” Liam quickly responded before looking at the TV by the bar. Why can’t Webb be as easygoing and friendly as his buddy Liam?

  How does he know how to speak Latin anyways?

  “I know three languages aside from English,” he answered. Oops, I had spoken out loud.

  “Man, that’s a lot. I only know my Essspañol and Ingles.” Mario was now paying attention to Liam and me. Denton was still glued to his phone. It’s hard to get between the man and sports.

  Liam chuckled and addressed Mario, “Who’s leading now?”

  “Dodgers. But Anaheim’s got all their bases loaded up.”

  “Shit.” Denton rarely cussed and Mario held his phone up, shifting his focus to the game. Why did they even invite me to eat out when all they were doing now was watching the game?

  “How many languages does Webb speak?” I might as well get all the information I can from his buddy since Webb is oh-so-tight with divulging his life story. “Did you guys meet in the Navy?”

  Liam popped a chip in his mouth, chewed on it for a bit and replied, “No, we met in training. I’m loyal to the Marine Corps, but Webb’s one of toughest motherfu-,” he fake coughed, “that I’ve ever met. I hadn’t spoken to him in two years, but I called him since I was going to be here for a while and he asked me if I could help him out.”

  “Where is he right now, Liam?” I didn’t even get the chance to ask Webb because he just said he was leaving for a couple of days, and Liam got dumped with babysitting me.

  “Ask him tomorrow,” Liam said evasively. “I hope you understand, Athena. My buddy’s gotta be the one to tell you things he wants you to know.”