Ryan was the image of perfect boyfriend for the weeks to come. He would pick me up at my house every morning, swing through the local bakeshop for a bagel, then deposit me at my locker with promises to see me again soon. He would only kiss me on the cheek unless I kissed him first.
Already he'd taken me to watch the sunset, walk in the park, catch a movie and sit front row at hockey game. He knew I wasn't a big fan of watching sports so I'm guessing his motivation was having an excuse to warm my hands up. My mom and my sister knew I was dating him but hadn't met him yet, though when I talked to him my sister got a steely look in her eyes and left the room. When I asked her about it she shook her head.
"I just don't get it," she'd say. "After all that he did. Those things that he said about you."
"He was paranoid. And you don't even know how it happened you weren't there," I'd retort angrily.
"But Noel was."
Ah, Noel. He hadn't been back, as far as I knew, since our last little conversation. My sister often told me that they'd gone out to some such club or movie together but if they did he never came to the door to get her. I reread out texted conversations, hoping to hear him encoraging me the way he used to, until my new recieved texts from Ryan overflowed my inbox.
Tonight Ryan was coming over to officially meet my mom and sister. My school got out at 3:15 and my mom worked until 5:00ish so we decided Ryan and I would make supper. I bribed Aud to be out until then too so we would have the house to ourselves.
The butterflie started in my stomach as soon as Ryan pulled into my driveway. I couldn't tell whether I was suddenly anticipating the coming alone time, or dreadig it.
"So," I said after making a thorough search of my cupboards and fridge, "we don't seem to have much. Not enough rice for stirfry or noodles for spaghetti..." I grimaced, this wasn't going as well as planned.
"How about phajitas? Do you have chicken, peppers, lettuce, cheese and wraps?" I examined the cupboards again mentally checking everything off. Boneless, skinless chicken breast: check. Read and Yellow peppers in the back of the crisper: check. Slightly soggy looking lettuce then we can cut the browning ends off: check. Cheddar, marble, mozzarella, old and new: check. Wraps: Uh oh.
"We don't have wraps," I said a little dissapointedly. I shrugged and tried to think of something else to make.
"Didn't I see a little grocery store on the way here?" He scooped his keys out of his pocket and gave me a wink, "Start cooking the chicken. I'll be back soon."
I sliced the chicken into strips and threw it on a pan with some oil. After washing my hands a couple of times I went down the hall to my room and scooped up my speakers. Carefully I set up my speakers and plugged in my iPod. Then I went back to stirring the chicken with the spatula.
When the second song came on I let loose with a little laugh, I really loved this song. I tilted my head back and started singing, then dancing. Knowing I was alone I sashayed, swirled and strutted back and forth through my kitchen. I squeezed my eyes shut and belted it out on the top of my lungs. When I heard the door open I stopped singing bu I was still in the same upbeat playful mood.
"Hey, you," I called. I came around and took the grocery bag out of Ryan's hand and set it on the floor. Then I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a kiss. A deep kiss that had him stumbling back against the wall.
"Whoa," he said pulling away after awhile. "I could get used to that."
"Good," I beamed at him, "come dance with me!"
