Afraid to Love ✔

Part 7

Laurent

After a quick train ride we arrive at the carnival. She buys the tickets, looking excited at first then starts looking anxious. She checks her phone then relaxes again.
"You ok?" I ask following her gaze.
"Yeah, just thought I saw someone from my past. You ready to go?" She hands me a ticket.
"What do you want to do first?" I look around. She shrugs.
"Is this your first time here?" I
"Yeah, you?" She looks around.
"Non."
"Well show me where the fun is?" Her face lights up.

Mia
We ride a few roller-coasters and my heart alternates between beating wildly and stopping all together. He is laughing and screaming the entire time like this is the best thing in the world.
After we try some of the food, most of it will have me running extra miles for a while, we talk about what other things he does for fun. When he asks me, I realize my list is mundane next to his.
"You need more fun things to do." He laughs. Who would come with me? Certainly not Mai. Big Sexy's idea of fun is probably sparring or weapons maintenance.

We are getting on the skyline when they announce the fireworks will start shortly. The view is beautiful but I can feel Laurent staring at me, which is wreaking havoc on my nerves.
"The view is beautiful." I try not to look at him.
"Mhmm yeah." He responds.
I glance at him and my heart rate immediately doubles. You knew better, just look out the window and breathe. He's not only staring but he's smiling. He's making me nervous. "Why are you doing that?" I sound almost breathless. You can do this. Take a slow breath in. Do it.
"What?" He tries to sound innocent. I close my eyes and take a slow breath then release it.
"Please don't stare, it makes me feel uncomfortable." I continue staring out the window.
"Why you no look at me?" He moves closer and I feel myself tense. Too close.
"I know what you look like."
"Mia, I do something wrong?"
"No why?" I glance in his direction but not at him.
"Look at me?" He reaches around me to pick up the stuffed animal he won. After a few deep breaths I slowly turn to look at him and he has the stuffed animal in front of his face. I smile.
"See I not scary," he says in a silly voice still hiding his face behind the toy. I giggle.
"Do it again!" He asks. He reminds me of a kid. I shake me head and smile. "Come on, laugh one more time, pweez." He whines. He is a kid! I laugh. That was all the encouragement he needed to turn into the biggest silliest kid. Between the voices and the silly sounds I laugh until my sides hurt. Maybe he's not so bad.
On the train ride home he didn't blink when I ask to borrow his shoulder. He moves closer as I lean against him. Soon he's waking me up telling me our stop is coming up. I frown because I was really comfortable but quickly grab my stuff and stand behind him leaning against his back as the doors open.
I yawn a few times on the way home. The lights are on when I open the door. I stop in my tracks, pulling out my phone. 20 missed calls and 15 text messages all from my sister, WTH happened?
"MIA!?" Mai screams from the living room. "Where have you been?"
"Did I miss a meeting or appointment?" I ask knowing the answer is no.
"I was worried when you didn't answer my calls."
"Geez MOM, I was just out with your mattress friend's brother, I even made it home before curfew." I roll my eyes at her and pull Laurent towards my room.
"Mia! Don't act like that. I was just worried." I'm quickly in her face hissing my response.
"YOU were worried? You weren't worried, when you let Larry in without my knowledge or okay. You didn't even bother to check on me until today."
"I trust Larry, he doesn't need your okay to be-" She whispers.
"If he's alone, as in without you, Yes. He. Does." I hiss.
"Mia, I came here to check and couldn't find you."
"Big Sexy knew exactly where I was and who I was with." I show her my earrings, bracelet and necklace (all equipped with GPS locators, audio and visual capabilities.)
"Mia, I'm your big sister, I'm always going to worry."
"Feel free, but dial back the neurosis,
it's getting on my nerves." And I have enough of my own, they don't need company. I sigh looking at the hurt on her face. "Look, I am not going to disappear again. I'm very cautious and aware of my surroundings, security is never more than a minute away from me at all times, remember?" I whisper then kiss her cheek. Before I could turn away completely she asks, "Mia, is he staying in your room?"
I stare at her for a minute, "Your point?" I whisper.
"I was just-"
"Interfering in my personal affairs again? Putting your nose where it doesn't belong? Stop me when I'm close." I pause taking a second to search her eyes. "I'm the same age as you! I've so many more experiences than you both good and bad." I say through clenched teeth.

Larry

"Mia, it's just you don't have any- uh he has more experience than you. Are you... prepared?" Mai looks worried.
Mia laughs, "No worries sis, I'm not looking to gain that type of experience anytime soon. Breathe, d'accord?"
I feel as confused as Laurent looks.
"What experience?" He asks.
Mia laughs, "Sex. Laurent, sex. I have no sexual experience."
"How that happen?" He beat my question by seconds. I was wondering the same thing.
"Maybe we shouldn't be talking about this." Mai glances at me. What? I want to know too.
"It's not a secret, Mai tell them, you've known them long enough." She walks past Laurent to her room, pushing the door closed.
"Mia?" Mai calls quietly knocking on her door.
"I'm okay, Mai." She speaks not opening the door.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"You never do Mai, good night."

Mai

I listen at Mia's door for a minute then walk away. Larry and Laurent are waiting for an explanation. I shake my head. "Mia made a choice, I'm not going to tell her personal business. If she wants you to know she will tell you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I know it's shorter than normal but I hope you enjoyed it.