Inside David's car, it took awhile for either of us to say anything. The awkwardness had begun, and anything I wanted to say or talk about wouldn't have helped the uncomfortable atmosphere between us. 

I sat stiffly with my legs together, tapping my feet to a random rhythm in my head. David had looked over at me a few times, as if he was going to start conversation- but never did. We'd gotten about 15 minutes deep in silence when David finally broke it.

"Haven you eaten today?" He asked, seeming tense.

"Uh... no actually. I wasn't very hungry this morning."

"Well are you hungry now?"

Before I could voice my answer, my stomach did. David chuckled at my growling belly and that alone seemed to loosen him up a bit.

"How's Sonic sound?"

My mouth watered at the thought of good 'ole fast food. Who doesn't love a nice hot greasy order of mozzarella sticks? I nodded my head, "Sonic always sounds okay."

Less than five minutes later we pulled into a Sonic drive-thru. There was a small line of cars in front of us which was understandable since it was noon. When it was our turn at the menu board, David rolled down his window and we were greeted my a friendly female voice who, after introducing herself as Grace, asked us to wait a moment. David took this time to ask me what I wanted.

"Uhm, can I get a medium order of mozz sticks with marinara and a large coke?" I asked carefully, I felt a little hungrier than a medium, but I didn't know what my price limit was.

David eyed me over as 'Grace' came back over the speaker asking for our order. 

"Yes ma'am; can I get two large orders of mozzarella sticks and two Route 44 cokes?" He requested as he turned and winked at me.

I gave a relieved smile and mouthed 'thank you'.

"Oh and for the sauces can I get marinara and ranch?" He added before the lady gave us our total. My smile fell and I instead grimaced in disgust.

As we drove toward the next window, I calmly voiced my opinion, "Ranch is gross."

David gasped dramatically, "I'll steal your cheese sticks if you continue to say such vile and untrue things."

"I'll bite your finger off." I retorted quickly, raising my eyebrow at him like I was challenging him to even try.

Upon my threat, David laughed, which got a bigger grin out of me because that's the exact reaction James would have if I had said something similar to him.

When we got to the window, 'Grace' turned out to be a pretty young woman with bright red lipstick and long blonde hair falling out the back of her Sonic hat. She wore a bright smile, which had to be fake because there was no way someone could be this happy working at a fast food place. 

"Hiya guys, y'all had the two orders of cheese sticks and two large cokes?" It was too easy to point out how southern she was just from her accent. 

David agreed and traded his card for our drinks, which was when I noticed that Grace wasn't smiling because her job required her to, she was smiling because of David. I thought her lips were going to rip at the strain from smiling too big. When we'd gotten our food, Grace winked at David and told us to have a great day.

Driving off, I grabbed our food out from the bags and handed David his half. "So," I started, not hiding the tease in my voice, "Ms. Grace seemed very happy to have you as a customer."

"Yeah I guess." David chuckled, "But I'm thinking if shes gonna throw herself at me that hard then she should've paid for our food."

"I don't think your wife would've appreciated that." I joked.

David smile twitched and fell, I noticed his grip tighten around the steering wheel. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it and stayed silent.

I furrowed my brows as a truckload of curiosity hit my brain. I looked over at his left hand and saw a ring sitting on his finger, then looked back up at David trying to meet his eyes but they refused to move from the road.

Giving up, I turned my attention to my lap where my food sat, and began eating. The silence was soon replaced by our munching and slurping as we continued driving.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Questions were multiplying faster than they were being answered. The main one still being; why did David wait until now to come into my life? As much as it badgered my brain, I wasn't about to start that sensitive conversation now and make the car ride more awkward than it already was. I'd just wait till we got to his home.

Our home? I guess.

I was still having a hard time wracking my brain about all the changes that were going to come to me. One thing I hadn't gave much thought yet was, would I be enrolled in school? I only have my senior year left. But how would it be, starting it off with an entirely new set of students and teachers.

The only school I'd ever known was Primrock elementary, middle, and high school. Me and most of the other foster children. The exceptions were simply home-taught due to being afraid of public school, and I don't blame them.

Even though I grew up in those schools till my Junior year, I strayed from making too many friends. I kept mostly to myself and my 'family'. We looked out for each other, especially me and James.

Though I made good grades every year, I never really retained the knowledge. I remembered it when I needed to, then it flew out of my brain as soon as school let out for Summer.

The things I do remember though were the reactions and comments I grew up with due to being an orphan. When we were in our youngest grades most kids were just confused on how it was possible for a child to not have a mommy and daddy. I was in 6th grade when some jerks called me a freak and an alien because I didn't have an explanation for how I came into this world. James took care of them, then taught me how to defend myself. Thankfully everyone started to mature in highschool and then we just got flooded with questions of how our lives looked on a daily basis at the foster home.

It wasn't the comments that ever hurt me though. I painfully remembered how much was taken away from my school experiences without a parent by my side. I always had to be the kid that held the teacher's hand during field trips because I didn't have my mother's. I always had to be the kid missing a father from career day because I didn't have mine.

My chest tightened as the melancholic memories flooded my mind. But before my eyes had the chance to tear up, my gloom turned into anger.

While it was inevitable for me to go through school with my parents, I still should've had someone. An Uncle apparently. What was he doing while I was feeling so alone? Did he even think about me?

Why did he wait until now to come into my life?

Nothing I came up with was a good enough reason.

I could've let my brain rant the rest of the way home, but David's sudden voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"Robin... Do you hate me?" He questioned as if he read my mind. I hoped I hadn't said anything out loud.

I hadn't noticed my hands had been so clenched that my knuckles were turning white. I turned my head towards him, my scowl fell from my face too when I realized David had been looking sad. Almost like a little puppy.

"Well, no. I mean, I guess- I don't think..." My words stumbled clumsily out of my mouth.

David sighed, "I know you're not exactly happy with me right now. But please don't sit there and let the anger boil inside you. I promise I have a reason for this. And I'll let you be the one to finalize if its a good enough reason or not."

He was trying. I could appreciate that.

"Ok." Was all I said.

I already promised James I'd give him a chance.

And now I was promising myself the same thing.