In My Mind

Chapter Thirty four - Aria's POV

We park in front of a little cafe with yellow bricks and a red door. There is a cute chalk board outside with all the menus. He swings his leg off the motorbike and I try to do the same but instead my leg gets caught on the leather seat and I fall far first into he pavement.
I stay there for a few seconds scared of his reaction. I'm so embarrassing...
"Need a hand?" He says.
I look up and he's got that cute smile on his face again.
"Thanks," I say.
I'm pretty sure I'm bright red and my hair is now I mess across my face. Ugh.
I take his warm hand and follow him inside the cafe.
We sit in the corner by a window. Behind me is a bookshelf and I'm quizzical. This doesn't seem like the kind of place he would go to. Is a book cafe...
"What do you want?" He smiles.
"Um.."
Today's the day I weigh myself for mum... I don't really want anything.
"Just one of those melting moments."
I adore melting moments. Adore! They way the biscuit just crumbles...
I pull out my cream purse.
"No no," Danny shakes his head. "My shout."
I blush.
He goes up to the counter and orders for me. Behind me a see a copy of Little Women and I seriously doubt this is where he usually comes. Danny returns with a coffee, mocha and a melting moment. How does he know I love mochas?! He's perfect...
"I got you a drink if you don't mind..."
He runs his hand through his hair.
"No no," I lie. "That's good."
I don't really want to be tempted. Danny takes a seat.
"So," he says. "I thought we could chat and get to know each other a bit better before our date."
I blush at the word date. I've never been on one.
"Sure," I stir my mocha. "What do you wanna know?"
I watch the frith leaf pattern swirl around and disappear into a blob of pretty browns.
"I wanna know you," Danny says. "Everything."
"Okay," I bite my lip and smile. "I am in year ten and I am fifteen years old. I want to be a music therapist when I grow up and I really liked riding that motorbike even though I've never done anything too adventurous before. Not even gone on a roller coaster."
I realise I kind if just blurted that out. I wonder if he even understood what I said. Ugh. I'm so stupid.
Luckily he's seems to have understood, "I and almost seventeen and in year eleven. You must be quite a young year ten then? Anyway, I would really love to be an artist when I'm older and I like my motorbike too. Have you really never been on a roller coaster?"
He's so serious it makes me chuckle.
"Yeah. I've always been the bag holder and official photographer at any place with rides."
"Wow," he smiles. "You have a lot to learn."
I blush and he takes another sip.
"You haven't touched your food yet."
"Oh," I smile fakely. "I'm not really hungry."
I stare at my drink. I haven't taken a sip. My melting moment almost looks at me with a death wish.
"I'll take them home with me," he almost looks disappointed so I jump in, "but I really can't wait to eat them. They look so good."
"Sure."
I take one sip of the mouth watering mocha. It's so good.
"You've got a little," he points to his upper lip.
Milk moustache. Classy, Aria, real classy.
I grab a napkin with pray mantis reflexes. I'm such and embarrassment cliché. Milk moustache, falling over when trying to be casual... What's next?
We chat for about an hour about everything a about our day.
At the end I package my my mocha and biscuit in a takeaway container. We sit outside.
"Need a ride?"
"Sure. Can you drop me off at Cara's?"
"Yeah. How come?" Danny asks.
"Long story."
I manage to sit on without falling and hold him tightly as I look at the sky.
The clouds are the clearest they've been all week.
When we get to Cara's so he parks and helps me off the black seat.
"Thanks," I mumble.
"No problem," he answers.
We stand in silence and then I wave, walking down to Cara's house.
Inside I see Cara, Luke and Maddi at the table with paper everywhere.
"Where have you been?" Cara asks.
They look busy so I lie.
"Sorry I was held back by Mr G."
"Mr G never hold anyone back," Cara answers.
Right. He's the cool teacher.
"What are doing?" I say changing the subject.
"Engagement party," Maddi replies without taking her blue eyes off the paper. Her long blonde is in the in front of her shoulder. Luke gently pushes it behind her shoulder and kisses her cheek. She smiles and he puts his arm around her shoulder.
Cute.
"Wanna help?" Luke asks. "We'd be grateful."
"Sure," I reply putting down my bag and going them.