As it Was / A Joseph Quinn story.

6.

"I found two tickets for the Paolo Nutini concert in Hyde Park on sunday. Would you like to go?"

Joe texted me a few days later asking to go to a concert together. I don't know how he knew I loved Paolo Nutini's music; I was sure Lucy was behind all of this.

"If I do accept, does that mean that I get to see you on Saturday AND Sunday?"

"I'm sure Jamie and Lucy would love to go..."

"NO WAY! I love Paolo Nutini!"

He sent me a smiley face. It would have been a busy weekend. Ian McEwan on Saturday and Paolo Nutini on Sunday. I couldn't ask for more and I really couldn't wait for the weekend to come, but it was just wednesday.

"So, you're not just into Metallica" he texted later on that night

"Not really. I listen to a lot of different music. For example, now I'm headed home and I'm listening to the Beatles"

It was late night and I was coming back from work. I was tempted to see if he was working but there was no need to. I was walking past the pub when I heard him calling out my name.

"Hey, Andy! Wait!" He ran to me "I'm done in ten minutes. Tonight's not busy and Donald is letting me go earlier. What are your plans for the night?"

"Dinner and Netflix?"

He giggled "We could have dinner and watch Netflix together, if you'd like"

"And where this is suppose to happen?"

"I'm not the one living in the neighborhood"

I smiled "So, let me get this straight. We're having three dates in just one week?"

"Well, technically, dates are planned way before they happen. So, tonight's not a date. And I don't usually count concert as dates. Saturday, that's a date" I liked how he always found a way to turn things around. I giggled.

"I can tell you're an expert in all this dating stuff, so I guess you're right"

"Trust me"

That's a big word. Trust.

"Do you like chinese? There's a restaurant just around the corner. I can order something to go while you finish your shift. See you in a bit, yeah?" He nodded and as I walked towards the Chinese restaurant I thought maybe everything was happening all so fast. Too fast. Maybe I was taking the worst decisions, but it was just one month. I could take the best of it. Be happy for a while. I already knew the date of expiration of this sort of bet we took. I was an adult and I did consent to this. So, why worry? Carpe the shitty diem and live a little, Andy. In one month everything will be over and you'll go back to your normal life.

He came by about half an hour later; we sat on the floor in front of my TV, eating Chinese food and watching The Big Bang Theory together. We laughed a lot.

"Sheldon's the best character ever" he said as I turn off the TV.

"When I'm sad, watching an episode makes me feel better" I explained.

"What makes you sad exactly?" He asked. What an odd question.

"Tons of things. Rude people, injustice, lack of rights for minorities, people who abandon their pets... I could go on and on for days"

"Do I make you feel sad?" He asked, gently.

"As for now, no, you're not"

"Good" we stared at each other and I felt my cheeks burning up. I cleared my throat to avoid whatever he had in his mind. Not that I didn't think of kissing him, I sure did, but I felt somehow awkward. "Hey, it's pretty late" he said standing up "I think I should better get going"

I followed him to the front door "See you on saturday"

"Goodnight Andy" I replied and waited for him to get quite far.

I came back in closing the door and leaned back against the wall. Damn, we were so close.
I felt he wanted to lean in and try to kiss me. Did I want it as well? He was making me feel good, I was living the moment, I wasn't overthinking -but I kinda am right now, am I?-, so why was I still that uncomfortable around him? Fear, that's what it was. I was afraid. I knew myself, and in my little twisted mind some voice in the back of my head was telling me it was too good to be true and that he was just trying to get in my pants. If I let myself go, I would have been hurt. For sure.

I was about to go upstairs when I heard a knock on the door.

What the hell?

I opened and Joe was there. Again. Standing right in front of me.

"What...?" He didn't let me finish.

It was all so quick that I couldn't even manage to understand what was going on. He suddenly put his lips on mine and gently kissed me. It was a brief kiss. So brief that when it ended, he just walked away without saying anything else, leaving me there, with a dumb expression on my face.

~

And here It is!!! Enjoy!

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Danielle