ALL I WANT [S.M]

12. Perspective

I sipped on my smoothie as she began to speak. "So I had this boyfriend, and he was really sweet. Like, too sweet. But anyway, we dated for over a year. I asked to have sex with him, because I had done it several times before. He said no. Like, seriously? What a wimp, right? Every boy wants to have sex and he said no. Obviously it was because he didn't love me, so. Or because he was gay. Haven't quite figured that one out. Moving on. It was our fourteen month anniversary, and I forgot. So I invited over my brothers friend to have sex with me because Shawn wouldn't. OH WAIT I DIDN'T MEAN TO SAY HIS NAME! Oh well, ha. Whatever, anyway! Shawn knew where the key to my apartment was and walked in on us, well, you know. He was wearing a tuxedo and had flowers too. I stopped and got up and went over to him, saying sorry. He started crying. I explained to him that the only reason I did what I did was because he wouldn't have sex with me. He yelled at me that it was because he was scared, and I laughed at him. He kept crying, so I broke up with him. I don't miss him, though. I never even liked him that much anyway. Hate to say it, but I think I just used him for his looks, because damn. He was hot."

I narrowed my eyes at her. I had finished my drink and sandwich, so the only reason I was still there was to hear what she had to say.

She finished off her story with an eye roll. My hands clutched into fists. I had so many things I wanted to scream at her. Have you ever had so many things to say that you just don't say anything at all? Because that's what I was doing. But one word came to mind, and that seemed like the perfect word to use in this situation.

"Bitch," I spat, standing up and storming out of the building. She sat, confused, staring ahead of her.

I stomped myself all the way home where I entered the house being greeted by Leo. "Leave me alone," I snapped, barging into my bedroom and pacing around my room. I despised that girl, and all those nasty things she said about Shawn. Sweet, innocent, darling Shawn.

I painted to get my mind off of what had happened. I had designed my room to be inspiring, and it was.

My walls were painted white, and I had some plants on top of my bookshelf. I had a red wall tapestry hanging over my bed, and a curtainless window. Across from my bed (which was in the middle of my room) was my bookshelf. My canvas stood beside the window to the left of my bed. On the wall to the right of my bed was several paintings of mine all hung up.

I decided to paint a picture of a sunrise, and I don't know why. I was just inspired for some reason. When I was finished, I was impressed with the outcome. The sky in my painting obtained several shades of pink and orange, leading up to a lavender at the top. The water under the sunrise was purple and pink, reflecting the vivid sky. I found an empty space on my art wall and hung it, stepping back to admire my new masterpiece.

The ticking clock above my bookshelf caught my eye. It read: 4:30 PM. I looked over at my alarm clock to confirm it, and sure enough. It was 4:30. I got dressed quickly before Shawn arrived at five. Here's how his coming to my house went:

He knocked.

My dad opened the door.

"Hi, sir. I'm a friend of Olivia's. I'm here to pick her up?" Shawn greeted him politely. (We had decided on the previous day's phone call that we wouldn't tell anyone about our 'thing' we had.)

"Olivia, your friend's here," my dad called.

"Coming," I yelled back, straightening out my hair with my fingers.

I could hear their conversation from my bedroom.

"So, you're Olivia's friend?" my dad asked.

"Yessir."

"Just a friend?"

"I think so,"

"You think so. Okay, well that's not reassuring."

Just about then I walked out of my room, stepping in front of my dad so he wouldn't give Shawn any more grief.

"Give him a break, dad. We're friends." I said, and Shawn sighed shakily behind me.

"Okay, fine! Fine. I believe you." he said, throwing his hands in the air. "What's your name, son?"

"Shawn Mendes."

"And where are you taking my daughter?"

"Well it was going to be a surprise, but I--"

"If it's gonna be a surprise, then let it be one. But hey," my dad said, leaning in some. "Keep your hands to yourself, boy."

"DAD." I whined, laughing.

"Sorry, just looking out for my daughter. But I'm serious." he said to Shawn. "Anyway, don't be back too late. Have fun."

Shawn smiled uncomfortably to him and we walked down the house's pathway and climbed into his vehicle.

"A surprise, huh?" I asked when he got in the car.

"Yep." he smiled as we started to drive off. He reached his hand to my leg where my hand was resting to hold it, but I smacked it away playfully, making him pull back quickly. "Hey! You heard my dad, keep your hands to yourself, boy." I mimicked, trying too hard to be serious. He laughed, and I laughed too.

After a thirty minute car ride of blasting music, singing at the top of our lungs, and dancing in our seats, finally we pulled over and we were (literally) no where. There was a road going straight and nothing but grass and a few trees here and there on either side. In the distance you could see a vacant gas station, but that was it. You couldn't see anything else but plains for a long way. The sun was beginning to set, and the scenery was looking beautiful. The sky's blue had alternated to bold shades of pink and red, reminding me of my painting from earlier. The sun was merely peeking up from the side of the earth, and everything was quiet.

We parked the car on the side of the one-lane road, and Shawn hopped out, jogging around to open the door for me. I got out and started looking around the deserted area. He went back around the to open the trunk, and came clutching a plastic bag in one hand with a blanket tucked under his arm. I watched as he placed the bag on the ground and laid out the blanket in the grass. He then grabbed a lighter out of the bag and a candle-type-thing.

"What's that?" I asked, pointing to the odd object.

"What, this? It's citronella. It's like a candle, you light it and as it burns it keeps mosquitoes away." he explained, lighting the --um--citronella candle.

"Oh," I said, leaning against his car to stare out at the scenery.

He sat down, leaning his weight on his arms with his legs outstretched comfortably across the blanket. Shawn simpered adorably as he patted the spot beside him, suggesting for me to sit. So I did.