"Im not going to tell you anything until I know your name"

NILAH.

 The chatter in the diner was the only noise surrounding me as I watched the boy, whose name I still don't know of, eat. My father was making it really easy for me to hate him. He always has to be in control of everything. That's probably why mom left him. He must of noticed me staring at him because he looked up and smiled.

"What?"

I looked down at my full plate of food. "Um, nothing." I could feel the heat rising on my cheeks.

"Aren't you going to eat?"

I looked up at him, noticing the small smile plastered on his beautiful face. Picking up my fork, I slowly started picking at the food. I didn't want to be rude and not waste what he bought for me, but I wasn't hungry. I haven't been that hungry at all, lately.

His smile soon turned into a frown, his black eyebrows furrowed. "Are you okay?"

I shot my head up, looking him dead in the eye. "Everything's fine."

"Bull." I heard the clatter of his fork slam onto his plate as he leaned back.

"I'm not going to tell you anything until I know your name." I smirked, looking up at him through my eyelashes.

He chuckled, the sound causing a million butterflies to enter my tummy. "Okay. It's Justin."

I smiled and looked down at my pancakes and hashbrowns. "Nilah." I mumbled.

He leans forward, asking; "Hmm?"

Looking up at him, I say, "My name. It's Nilah."

He smiles, picking up his fork once again. "Well, Nilah. That's a very beautiful name."

I could feel the blush rise once again on my face. I realized I loved the way my name sounded when he spoke it. It was silent for a few moments before I replied with, "Thank you."

"So, Nilah. Tell me something about you." I smiled, folding my hands under my chin.

"Um, what do you want to know...Justin?"

He chuckled, and started, "I don't know. Tell me...where you lived before you came here?"

"I lived in good ol' California." I replied, taking a bite of my pancake.

"Oh really? How's the weather there? Warm, I'm guessing." He smirked, taking a bite also.

"Eh, you could say that. It's always warm." I giggled, figuring out questions to ask him.

I finished the last of my pancake before looking up at him, his brown eyes were brighter now than before. They were easy to get lost in. "So, tell me something about you. Have you lived in Atlanta all your life?"

He smiled, and replied. "No, I moved here when I was ten. Parent's divorced."

My smile dropped instantly. "Oh, I'm sorry."

Justin chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, it's cool. Although, I wished my father was here. I need him more now than I did before."

I gave him a confused look. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "Um, my mom is always working. She's never home, so I'm always by myself. I don't really have any friends. I have two, but they live farther in town. Ryan and Chaz."

I cleared my throat and took a drink of my water. "I'm sorry, Justin."

He shook his head and placed a couple of dollars on the black table. "Don't be. I don't need sympathy."

As I stood up along with Justin, I realized that he was just like me.

 

Lonely.