"RARE AS CAN BE"

Esme had the attuned ears of a hunter and a hungry pang in her gut. The dilated eyes of someone eying prey.

She found it fascinating. How even one of her own managed to smell like a scared animal.
The heartbeat of the boy next to her resounded in her ears like a drum. The telltale sign of fear.
She smiled at the realization that humans and animals are the same when feeling endangered.
The car ride was tense and the boy's white knuckles gripped the wheel.

Even when they arrived at a diner outside of the town, the tension in the air suffocated Lee. He was scared. Mostly for his life. What did this girl want with him? Wasn't he one of her own?

The diner was a buzz of workers and waiters, most were on their lunch breaks on their way back into town. But Lee knew he was on his way out.

The 40-year-old bear of a woman, who all the town knew to be Aunt Pat, hollered from the bar, "Sit wherever you like kiddos, I'll be right with you."

Esme led the way, and Lee let her. He would never want to turn his back on her.
She took off her leather jacket, odd for the summer heat, and she slumped into a rusty old chair, the sticky tabletop under her elbows as she held her chin, staring up at the boy in front of her.
Lee couldn't seem to make eye contact. But if he had, he would have seen a very hungry glint in the eye of a starving animal.

Their tense silence broke as Aunt Pat came over, slapping two menus on the table, eyebrows raised at the odd pair. "I'll be back in a second, what are you fixin' to drink?"

Esme found her eyes drawn to the gray hairs poking through the woman's bleach blonde do. She replied, "I'll have some iced tea."

She smiled, her canines glinting in the diner lighting, making Lee hurriedly answer too. "I'll have the same."

Aunt Pat nodded and left the two to look at the menus.

As Esme looked down at the menu, Lee stared at her, he watched her every move, how she blew a stray strand of hair out of her eyes, and how she smiled when she realized he was watching.
"Not hungry?"

He quickly grabbed his menu, his mind racing and hands clammy as he pretended to read.

Lee thanked the Lord when Aunt Pat came back, pen poised on her notepad. "What will you be having young lady?" She stared down at the strange girl in front of her.

Esme smiled, "I'll have the country-fried steak."

"How do ya want that cooked?" Aunt Pat asked as she wrote.

Esme responded coolly, making eye contact with Lee, "Rare, please. Rare as you can make it."

"Alright. And you young man? What'll you be having?"

Lee turned away from Esme's captivating gaze,
"Umm, I'll have the same."

Aunt Pat wrote it down. "I'll have it right out for you."

Esme's stare hadn't wavered. "Is the steak here good?"

He cleared his throat, "Yeah, it's good here. Jimbo's Diner is everyone's favourite."

She leaned in. "So you like steak? Like me, right?"

Her implications weren't lost on him.

He nodded, not sure what else to tell her. He didn't know her and he certainly didn't trust her.
She leaned back in her chair, apparently satisfied with that answer.

He couldn't keep his eyes off of her now, she was pretty now that he thought about it. He didn't even feel scared anymore.

"You're not from around here, are you?"
He watched her face, his curiosity piqued.

She snorted, and replied,
"You're not used to hiding bodies, are you?"

"It was my dad." A bold confession. She grinned, excited.

"A barn? Really?"

He grimaced, "I didn't like him very much. He was a terrible person and I didn't have a choice."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "We always have a choice, but I understand."

He wanted to ask what that meant, this strange girl was so interesting. They were interrupted by Aunt Pat laying down their plates of food.
"Here we go, your steaks. I told Jimbo to make it as rare as can be."

Esme smiled, thanked her, and immediately closed her eyes and prayed, her hands clasped over her food.
This made Aunt Pat nod in approval before raising an eyebrow at Lee and walking away from the table.

Esme opened her eyes and immediately began cutting into her bloody steak. Lee stared. 

"Are you religious?" 

She nodded, pointing her knife at his face,
"You have a problem with that?"

He shook his head, grabbed his utensils, and looked down at this food, wanting her to forget about his triggering question.

She nodded, mouth full of steak, a streak of blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. "Good."

She finished her steak before Lee did, she had seriously been hungry. Probably ravenous from the looks of her cleared plate.
"I realize we've shared a meal and I don't even know your name yet."

"They call me Lee. And you?"

She hummed, "Esme."
When she held her pale hand out, he shook it.
"Nice to meet you Esme... is that short for something?"

"Yes, Esmeralda."
Her eyes glazed over, suddenly distant and Lee recognized that as the end of that topic.

He wasn't sure what to say, but they were again, interrupted by Aunt Pat, who hurried over.

"Y'all better mosey on outta here. Jimbo said he don't like the looks of ya."
She put down the check in front of Lee.

They both nodded and hurriedly gathered their things.
Esme pulled on her leather jacket.

He paid the bill with what cash he had, and he smiled shyly, "I figured I'd pay since I made you lose out on a meal."

"Thanks, let's get out of here."

He held the door for her on their way out and she smiled at him, it made him nervous in a good way this time.

Lee drove them back to the barn.
Esme had said she wanted to show him something, with a smile in her voice, and a wild look in her eyes.

Happy New Years!! surprise 🤭🫶