Coffee Boy (Dallas Liu FF)

11

Kiawentiio and I sauntered through the shopping mall, each of us laden with a few bags, before settling down to eat. "So he finally kissed you?" she asked, excitement bubbling in her voice. I nodded, unable to contain my grin. "So are you his girlfriend now?" she inquired, taking a bite of her pizza. Furrowing my brows, I replied, "I don't know. We didn't talk about it." "But you behave like a couple and you kissed!" Kiawentiio exclaimed, her confusion evident. "Yes, but I don't know... what if it's not like that for him?" I expressed, the doubts creeping in. "I mean, he's leaving for LA in a few months... what if it's not serious for him?" I pondered aloud. "That's absurd, Cara," she retorted. "It's not absurd... I mean, it's a 20-hour drive. What if he doesn't want to do long distance?" I questioned. "Girl, planes exist," she reasoned. "Maybe you should just ask him." "Maybe," I mumbled.

***

Nervously, I knocked on Dallas's apartment door. He promptly opened it, as though he had been anticipating my arrival. I couldn't suppress my smile, despite my nerves. He pulled me into his arms, planting a soft kiss on my lips. I kissed him back eagerly, already missing this feeling. "I waited for this the whole day," he remarked, pulling away. "Did you find something nice?" Dallas attempted to peek into my bags. "Yeah, quite a lot actually. Kiawentiio gives the best fashion advice," I smiled, walking past him. "Will you give me a fashion show?" he asked, amused. "Of course I will," I replied, entering his room and placing the bags on the floor, "but first, I wanted to talk to you." I looked at him shyly as he sat down on his bed, pulling me between his legs. I placed my hands on his shoulders. "Is something wrong?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. "No... it's not. I just—" I struggled to find the right words. "Dallas, I—" I just couldn't find them. "Are you dumping me?" he whispered, a sad look clouding his eyes. "What? No! Why would you think that?" I asked, taken aback. "I don't know... you're just so nervous," he murmured, "it makes me nervous too." "No, actually, it's the opposite..." I mumbled, "what is this between us, Dallas?" "What do you mean?" he asked, confusion etched on his face. "Like, are we together, or is this just some sort of situationship for you? I just can't live in the dark anymore," I mumbled. "I thought it was clear that you are my girlfriend," he said. I looked at him dumbfounded. "Huh?" I asked, baffled. How could I have a boyfriend without even realizing it? "I thought it was clear, that's why I didn't ask you," he reiterated. A smile spread across my face, warmth rising to my cheeks. "Oh..." I mumbled. "Unless you don't want to be," he said, amused. "Are you kidding me? Of course I want to be!" I laughed. He pulled me onto his lap. "Well then, it's sealed," he declared, smiling and pressing his face into the crook of my neck. I giggled. "Wait, so what's our anniversary? Since when exactly am I your girlfriend?" I asked, wrapping my arms around him. "The moment I kissed you the first time, silly," he mumbled, his breath tickling my neck. I laughed quietly. "What?" he asked. "I have a boyfriend for two weeks and I didn't even notice," I replied. "Why did you think we weren't together?" he asked, looking up at me. "Well... I don't know. You'll have to go home soon, and I had doubts about whether you wanted to do the whole long-distance thing," I whispered. "The location I'm at won't change my feelings for you. I can visit you, and maybe you can visit me sometimes. We can make it work," he said, pulling me closer to him. I nodded. "You're right," I mumbled. He looked at me. "Can I have my fashion show now?" he asked. I laughed and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. "Yes, you can," I replied, standing up.