Fight or Flight

Veronica huffed, completing the set of fifty push-ups that she did almost every morning. She sat back on her heels, trying to even her breathing. She pushed the loose strands of hair from her sweaty forehead. She sniffed, knowing that she definitely needed a shower. She figured she would have another movie day as always. Her cell phone ringing brought her out of her thoughts. She reached over, grabbing her phone from the bed.

“Hello?” She answered with the phone to her ear.

“Hey, it’s me,” It was Matt. He’d begun to call her every now and then.

“Oh, hey,” Her voice raised an octave in surprise. “What’s up?”

“Well, it’s Sunday and I was just wondering if you were busy today?” He asked rather than stating.

“I, um, just finished my workout so I’m free. Why, what did you have in mind?” She asked curiously, already sensing that he was going to invite her somewhere.

“Great,” He said with a hint of excitement. “If you want to, I was thinking we could grab lunch or something.”

“Yeah, we can. I didn’t eat yet, so what did you have in mind?”

“There’s a really good place down by the pier,” He suggested. “I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, it’s called Duke’s.”

“Can’t say that I have,” She said, wondering if it was a place that she should have known about.

“Then you’ve gotta try it. It’s all American. Burgers, fries, everything,” He persuaded her.

“Sounds like my kind of place,” She smiled. “Are the other guys going too?”

She heard him chuckle, “Nope, it’s just me and you. What time do you want to meet?”

“Uh,” She glanced at the alarm clock on her nightstand. It was a few minutes past noon and she always got ready quickly. She was never the type of girl to spend hours getting ready, mainly because she never had the time. “Fourteen- I mean, two o’clock is good.”

She caught herself using military time.

“Sounds good. It’s right down PCH on the left, by the pier,” He told her. “You can’t miss it.”

“Okay, I’ll call you if I get lost or something,” She said.

“It’s impossible to get lost.”

“You never know,” She shrugged. “I’ll see you later.”

“Bye, Veronica.”

She ended the call, throwing her phone back onto the bed. She got up from her spot on the floor and put her hands on her waist, turning to her closet to figure out what to wear.



“The city sure cleans up fast,” She murmured in his ear from behind him, placing her hands on his broad shoulders. She’d made a detour to Main Street on her way to the restaurant. There were only little traces of damage to the businesses and streets. The street that was filled with garbage a few days before was clean and back to normal. It looked like nothing had ever happened.

“You trying to sneak up on me?” Matt laughed, turning his head to face her. His eyes were covered by his shades.

“Maybe,” Veronica grinned teasingly, pushing her own shades to the top of her head. She embraced him for a moment before taking the seat in front of him. They’d ended up with a table outside by the pier, overlooking the water. “I’m starving.”

Just then, a waiter in a black Duke’s t-shirt came up to their table. Veronica read his nametag, eyeing him as he took his notepad from the apron around his waist.

“Aloha,” He greeted in the typical SoCal accent. “I’m Ramon and I’ll be your server for today. Can I start you guys off with drinks and appetizers?”

“Matt, you can order first. I don’t know what I want yet,” Veronica told him. She flipped open the menu, her eyes speed reading the different drink descriptions while Matt ordered a beer. She settled on a drink that was one of her favorites. “I’ll just take a mojito.”

“You got it,” Ramon scribbled down their drink orders on his notepad. “You guys are both over twenty-one, right?”

“Yes,” Veronica answered for them.

“Would you guys like any starters also?” The waiter asked.

She glanced at Matt, who shook his head. She silently agreed, not finding any of the appetizers too appealing. “I think we’re good.”

“Alright, I’m gonna go get your drinks and then I’ll take your orders,” He said, turning and walking away.

“That guy is trying a little too hard,” Matt commented, nodding in the waiter’s direction.

“Just a little bit,” Veronica snickered. She turned the menu page to read the lunch specials. “I think I’m gonna get the fish tacos.”

“Those are good,” He approved of her choice. “The pulled pork sandwich is my favorite. We can share if you’d like to try it.”

“I can’t,” She said slowly as if she’d offended him. “I don’t eat pork.”

“God, you’re missing out,” He teased her. “Why don’t you eat pork?”

“Eh,” She shrugged, glancing around the restaurant before lowering her voice. “It’s a Muslim thing. We couldn’t eat it over in Iraq, so I just cut it out of my diet completely.”

“Oh. Right,” He nodded in understanding.

“I mean, I’m not vegetarian, but you know,” She figured he caught the idea. “It’s all about respecting customs.”

“Your drinks,” Ramon came back, setting a Guinness beer in front of Matt and Veronica’s mojito in front of her. “You guys ready to order?”

“We are actually,” Veronica said. Matt motioned for her to order first. “Um, I’ll have the fish tacos.”

“Good choice. I can tell you’re a first timer,” Ramon said with a friendly smirk, observing her behavior.

Veronica smiled nervously, taking a sip of her bubbly, mint beverage.

“I’ll be back with your food shortly,” Ramon said after writing down Matt’s order.

“Thanks,” Veronica said to Ramon as he walked away to actually place the order. She rested her chin on her fist, trying to see if she could see Matt’s eyes behind his dark aviators.

“What?” He asked with a curious expression. “Why are you staring at me?”

“Nothing,” She smirked mischievously. “I’m just wondering why you’re hiding your eyes.”

She pushed her glass out of the way, careful not to knock it over. She reached across the table, holding the silver temples of his shades. She pulled the glasses off his face, gazing into his honey-colored eyes. She watched his pupils shrink from the brightness of the sun. She smiled at how the sunlight added a bit more green to his irises. He squinted a bit from the sun’s rays, his eyes getting adjusted. His tattooed hand combed through the front of his hair right where his natural part was. She kind of liked his hair, as long as it was.

“That’s better,” She smiled coyly, hooking his aviators onto the front of her shirt.



“How much is my half?” Veronica questioned, digging through her purse for her wallet when the check came. She found her wallet but didn’t get a response from Matt. She estimated the cost of her meal, pulling out two twenties from her wallet. “Here.” She placed the bills on the table.

“I got it,” Matt said, sliding his card into the checkbook. “Keep it.”

“Matt,” She groaned. “Come on, I’m paying for my half.”

“No, you’re not,” He shook his head, pushing the money towards her. “I asked you to come, so I’m paying.”

“Well, if you’re paying with your card then take the cash,” She insisted, trying to hand the money to him.

“Veronica, keep it,” He said. He held her hand in his, folding the money into her palm.

She groaned again when Ramon swiped up the checkbook without her paying for her half. She gave him a stubborn look. “Well, thanks.”

Matt laughed at her frustration, “It’s no problem.”

Ramon came back with two copies of the receipt, asking Matt to sign one. Matt scrawled his name quickly, putting his copy of the receipt into his jeans pockets.

“Thanks for eating at Duke’s and have a great day,” Ramon said the line, which was blatantly required for all the employees.

“You ready to get out of here?” Matt asked Veronica, standing up.

“Yeah,” Veronica nodded, following him.

The two of them navigated their way through the closely situated tables to the exit by the pier.

“That’s a nice spot on the beach,” Veronica thought out loud, looking over at the vacant spot on the crowded beach.

“You wanna go down there for a bit?” Matt asked, taking the hint that she wanted to.

“Yeah, sure,” Veronica said. She took her sunglasses from the top of her head, placing them onto the bridge of her nose.

“Oh yeah,” Matt interjected. “Excuse my hands.” He swiftly brought his hands close to her chest, unhooking his own shades from the front of her v-neck.

“Real smooth,” She joked, bumping him with her elbow.

“Ah, I’m always smooth,” He said in his husky tone, slipping his aviators onto his face and putting an arm around her shoulders.