Chapter 29
Chapter 29 The fluorescent lights of the all-night diner cast a surreal glow over everything as we slid into a worn vinyl booth. I watched, bemused, as Derek charmed the tired-looking waitress into bringing us a stack of blueberry pancakes "on the house." "I didn't know you had it in you, Hawthorne," I teased, surprised by how easily the banter came. He grinned, a boyish glint in his eye that I'd never seen before. "There's a lot you don't know about me, Chen." As we dug into our pancakes, the conversation flowed effortlessly. Derek regaled me with stories from his law school days, including a particularly hilarious incident involving a moot court competition and a pair of misplaced pants. "You're kidding," I gasped between laughs. "You argued your case in gym shorts?" Derek nodded,
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