As Always (drafts; on hold)

CHAPTER FIVE ♥ First Kiss

"Yeah. Well I live almost half of my life in US," He says as we turn. Streets away from my house. Our speed is slow because of the weather. You can hardly see the way. I think it is better. "I actually love the seasons there. Especially winter."

"Snow! I never saw a winter land." It's been my dream to see and feel real snow. Yes I've been in a snow world in amusement parks, but not the actual one. "I've been to several countries but not anywhere with snow." Dad and I travelled some places and nearby countries.

"As much as I love winter, my parents hate it." He glances at me and smirk. "They hate the thought of cleaning up or paying someone to clean up the roof."

"But it's great they have experienced being in snow." I say, matter of factly. I live in the Philippines so I guess those things are sooo way impossible to happen.

"To be honest, I love more here. My first months there are so horrible. I got into the hospital because of pneumonia." He looks at me again. "Hey, it's your turn to do the talking! You're so quiet." and he smiles.

"I can't imagine seeing you so poor in a hospital bed." I say, grinning at him.

"So you want me to be sick?!" I know he is just acting to be sad.

"Yes," I laugh. "Maybe you'll be cuter!"

He pouts his mouth. God, I’m dead. He is killing me by his handsomeness!

"You need to turn there," I point, seeing the street 'Cinnamon'. "Then on the third house."

"So you moved here because you love Cinnamons?" Jillian says.

"Yes. When we're looking for somewhere to move in, I actually asked my mom..." I am excited to tell him this but I felt something wrong when I say the three-letter-word Mom.

The car stops. We're here.

Jillian looks at me concern and touches my hand again. If only I am not in this soon-to-cry-because-of-mom-word state, I will be flirty by now. But the pain... It hurts. Over ten years passed and it is still there.

I try to smile. "No, sorry. Sorry. It's nothing." but the urge is stronger than I am. So I began to cry.

He let me lean on him. It is kinda hard because we are in a car. But he feels comforting.

"Everything is gonna be fine." He say, tenderly and combing my hair gently.

When I finally get myself back, "Oh gosh. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cry. I am a jerk."

"It's fine. We all lose our love ones sometimes." He smiles reassuringly and looks away. "I lost my grandma once. He is the closest person in my life. My parents used to leave me with her."

I nod. Later on, I smile. He made me feel I am not alone and he is with me, not only physically, but also emotionally. I glance at the clock: Three Fourty-five. We were dismissed early.

The rain is still falling, but just a bit by now. Good thing there is an umbrella in his car.

I open the door and we enter my house.

"This day is so epic!"

"Don't forget. We still have half of it tonight." He grins.

"I almost forgot!"

"Now you remembered. I'll pick you by seven okay?" He says. "No backing down. I know your house already."

"I'm harassed! Do I even have choice?" I raise my brows and fold my arms.

He laughs, "No, you don't." And he winks at me.

"Do you want to change your clothes first?" I suggest. "My dad won't mind."

"No. My house is just kilometres away."

"Here." I give him a hot cocoa in a paper cup that I made. I make one for me too but it is in a mug. "So you can feel warm on the way." I smile.

"Okay, I gotta go too. I want to give my date time to prepare for the party tonight." He says, I lead him to the porch.

But before he goes, I walk to him and kiss him on the cheek. He is just as surprise as I am. "That's a thank you kiss for driving me home."

"Oh." He says. I don't know if it's just me but I see him blush! "But where is the one I should have earlier?"

"Kiss yourself!" I say laughing. I close the door.

Just a moment after, I open it. He is just walking down the four-step stairs in our deck.

"Hey!"

He looks.

"Bye."

He smiles and does that salute thing with his index and middle finger up to his forehead like throwing it away.

I shut the door again and change my clothes upstairs. I haven't noticed it but I'm actually smiling like an idiot the whole time.

I go down to finish my hot choco and the heart-shaped cookies.

Four thirty. Must prepare by five.

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Edited: AiraPhile, 03/17/14