The waiter comes over, dressed in all black with a neon glow stick necklace around his neck. His face is sour, and he glares at Lily. “What can I get you?”
“Hey, Luke,” Lily says, smiling up at him. “I’d like some more fries.” She then looks at me critically, a sneaky smile on her lips. “You want a beer?”
“Uh, sure?” I say. I try to look at Lily. Surely they wouldn’t serve alcohol to minors? She doesn’t look at me, but her smile is still blindingly happy.
“Two Pilsners and fries please,” Lily says to Luke, waving him off with a dismissive hand.
Instead of answering, Luke huffs and stalks away. My eyes widen – what was up his butt? She clearly knows him. Lily sees my expression and gives a chuckle.
“Luke’s my brother,” she explains. She gestures to the place around her. “And this is our weird restaurant.”
“Oh shit,” I breathe out. I cover my face with my hands briefly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to-”
But Lily is grinning, more amused than offended. “I know, I didn’t design it. My mom did. Apparently this style is all the rage in New York.”
“She’s an architect?” I ask.
“Yeah, she designs buildings and stuff.”
“What does your dad do?”
“He’s a stock-broker.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“Neither do I,” Lily admits, and we grin at each other. “What do your parents do?”
“Mom’s a Registered Nurse, and my Dad is like a technical electrical guy.”
“Nice,” she says, and the genuine warmth in her tone makes me feel happy.
“So how exactly do you guys own a restaurant?”
Lily shakes her head. “Sorry, I should’ve been more clear. Dad buys properties and rents them out. He normally does like duplexes and things like that. This is one of his first commercial buildings, and Mom cut them a deal on the designing. And basically
we eat here for free, and Luke gets me drinks.” Her eyes cut past me, and she grins. “Don’t you, Luke?”
Luke appears with our drinks and another basket of fries. He sets them down before me and sends his sister an acidic glare. She simpers and blows him a kiss. It’s all I can do to refrain from laughing, and I hide my smile into my shoulder.
“If you guys basically own this place, why are you working?” I ask Luke.
He looks like his sister – he’s got mousy brown hair that’s shorn close to his head. There’s several tattoos on his arms, and the tail end of one on his neck, and he looks like a rich kid trying to be gangster. Both of them are delicate, with thin wrists and narrow chests.
“Work ethic,” he says. “Dad says it’s good for us.”
“Luke also skipped out on college when he graduated last year, so Dad says he needs to work until he goes to Yale.”
The casual mention of Yale sends dollar figures before my eyes. Luke doesn’t look like the kind of person who wants to go to an Ivy League college. But hell, I know that attending a place like Yale means legacies are first priority.
“So you went to WJ Prep?” I wonder what his experience was with The Elites.
He wrinkles his nose. “Unfortunately. I take it you do now?”
“Yeah,” I say, but then fall silent. I want him to offer up his own interactions with The Elites, but the way he’s holding himself – cornered, with his arms crossed and his body leaning away from me – tells me that he’s not going to divulge his story freely.
“Thanks, Luke,” Lily says. “Ophelia and I are gonna chat now.”
He nods curtly. “Good to meet you, Ophelia.”