That One November Night

Chapter 14: Maybe Someday

I had told Gwen that I loved her and I knew now that truly felt that way. I hadn't planned to say it and yet tonight I had said it twice, both times honestly meaning it.

We were literally point zero, zero, zero one of a centimetre away from our lips touching and then point zero one of a second away from kissing and then maybe if I got lucky point one second away from her holding her lips against mine. But alas, that didn't happen. I can understand her mother being pissed about Gwen technically sneaking out but why did she call me Travis? Like I seriously don't understand why Shauna called me that. It's not like the woman doesn't know who I am! Her dad had mistaken me for him once too and I still don't have a clue why. And the other guy named Bullington (the arse wipe at the party who I still want to strangle) Gwen's dad had mentioned him before too, the first time when I had met him and he was trying to place me. Jono told me he was just an ex, so maybe that's all Travis was as well?

It didn't take long until their whole family was up. After being caught outside Gwen was pulled by her wrist and I was marched inside to be confronted. Shauna kept shouting at the two of us (mainly at Gwen) and asking both of us obsequie questions which I had no idea how to respond. Lance was in the room but allowed his wife to speak as he was clearly just bothered about being woken up. Even Rob had come downstairs followed by the family dog not long after I'd been dragged inside. At first he was pleased to see me: clearly unaware that I was getting a lecture from his oh so sweet and calm mum. He was trying to get my attention till their mother turned to him and finally he realised that his little sister and I were in deep shit. Thankfully he told Shauna that he would drive me home and speak to my mother on her behalf. Somehow he was able to persuade her to go along with it. With a final warning spell cast my way, Rob led me out the front door as we clambered into his ride.

"So then monsieur Romeo, I want to know everything!" he giggled sinking into the driver's seat just as I was strapping myself in next to him.

I risked a glance up to the front door of the house, Shauna and Lance stood by it. Their mother with arms folded dull brown dressing gown draping around her feet, she wasn't much taller than Gwen but clearly had a worse temper. To her side Lance was trying to have her follow him back inside but she was ignoring him and kept full eye contact glued on me like I was some criminal. I then spotted Gwen in the living room window with an absent minded smile, rubbing harshly at her neck as if she felt ashamed of what almost happened.

From the corner of my eye I could see Rob adjust the rear-view mirror. "Thanks for offering to take me home, my mum doesn't know about-"

"Look mate," the car pulled out; he breathed out softly, "I think you're a good lad so I didn't want my mum eating you alive, plus I won't talk to your mum there really is no need. I honestly don't think you did anything wrong. It's just Gwen and the fact that she's grounded. If she hadn't been then it might have went down differently. Despite how that went and how it might seem right now. My mum likes you really."

Slumping back heavily into the seat, "didn't seem that way." I wanted to ask about Travis but I felt it was wrong to pry.

Waiting patiently, I turned my head up to face the ceiling of the car, the windows were filthy but other than that it was a nice enough ride. Due to the fact that this wasn't an arranged visit (unlike the last time I had been in his car) the floor at the passenger seat was littered with alcohol bottles and an assertion of foods and empty packets. The ceiling was the only space free of crap bar the back seat. With not much else to look over I turned my attention to the road ahead. We were sat at a set of traffic lights not speaking about anything.

Rob had turned on the radio as the awkward silence sprinkled the car. It wasn't long till he farted. It stunk. Worse than a skunks. "Whoa hoe, hoe!" he screeched like a hooligan on heat.

I chuckled uncontrollably at the outburst, rolling down the window at full speed, "dude come on!"

He playfully slapped my shoulder, "Yeah it's a bad one, isn't it?" he muttered. "Got another brewing. You ready?"

I shook my head frantically, "please no!" I coughed as a pathetic sizzle sound sliced the seat, "That's pathetic!" I spluttered as we pulled onto my street.

"Oh yeah?" Rob retorted, "You try to do better!" I lifted my smirk and let out a real wet one moving my lips as it trailed out.

"Oh take a whiff!"

"Con dude, my lungs!"

"Yeah that's been cooking a while." I told him chilling back in the seat.

We were now outside my house just chatting in his car - it was practically half twelve already but it was nice to just talk about nothingness for a short while. Especially since my mother still wasn't aware of my absence. Both of us laughed until the playfulness faded into realisation. I turned to speak but the words just wouldn't form. What was I supposed to say?

He scratched his head before turning to me, a serious expression on his face – stone enough to freeze me in place like an icicle. "Hey," he said, "You're a year older than Gwen. You only have, what half a year left till you sit your exams then you'll go to college?"

I was surprised by the question, "Yes," I told him realising it for the first time myself, "why what do you-"

"Oh just because..." He ran his tongue over his teeth, pondering – "Gwen is a bit. She has some faults let's say. Oh her own she's great and decent at most things. Just the guy that she'd been with it just-"

Butting in, not allowing him to continue. I had ask it, "Who is Travis?"

"Who?" he questioned as if he had no idea what I was on about.

"Your mother called me Travis when she found myself and Gwen. Any idea why that might be?"
He narrowed his eyebrows then shrugged, "an ex-boyfriend I think." He glanced at the time on the car radio, "look Connor. I just wanted to say that you're a good friend for Gwen. When you leave I don't want her to lose you. I mean you snuck out of your house to see her. Alright, I know that you like her I mean it's obvious. Jono told me that you have a crush on her and she has a-"

He stopped talking as if he'd made a promise not to tell me something which I was dying to know.

"She what?" I eagerly questioned. Lifting from my seat.

"Ah," he stuttered, "well she clearly has feelings for you." He told me.

A child's smile skipped onto my lips again as I opened the car door, "Well we almost kissed tonight. Anyways thanks for the-"

"You what?!" he screamed.

"We didn't though." I told him looking in from the sidewalk holding the door open to continue our conversation.

"Mother should have left you alone for a bit longer!" he panted.

I chuckled. "I want my first kiss to be with Gwen." He said nothing but smiled back, "maybe some other time."

I shut the door and waved him off, crept into the house un-noticed. "I will kiss you someday Gwen."

Maybe if I told myself it would someday come true?