Long nights and street lights

First

"Aisha! Door!" As always, I took one last look in the mirror, brushed my hair out of my face and ran down the stairs.

"Connor hi."

He looked me up and down briefly. "Oh so you weren't joking." He winked. I laughed and ran to his car. He went to open the door for me and I slapped his hand away.

"Do I look like a cripple?" He smiled and walked around the front of the car.

"This is so cliché." I said as we drove along in the pouring rain.

"Oh I'm sorry." He said genuinely.

"No, no it's not you, it's driving along in the rain."

He laughed. "You are really not the girl I thought you were before I actually met you."

Puzzled I asked, "And who was that girl?"

"You don't want to know." I nodded and left it be. "The only reason why I took you home that first time is because I knew that before long you'd be in trouble," I smiled and looked at his strong jawline, "and also because you were on top of me and wouldn't let me go."

"Pffft! No way. Hell no. I did not do that."

He turned to me and raised one gorgeous eyebrow. "You literally sat on me and begged me to take you home."

"I'm so sorry." I said as I buried my face in my hands. I was legitimately embarrassed.

"Don't be, it was goddamn hilarious. God you looked hot too. Mascara smudged everywhere, lipstick smeared all over your cheek, and mine. A real hot mess."

"Oh my god." Silence.

"For fuck's sake it was hard not to get down on you when we got home."

I looked down at my feet. "Too much information."

"I really like you. Honestly, I don't even know you well yet but you are unlike any girl I've ever met."

My cheeks flushed. "You sure know how to make a girl feel good. But now you are getting slightly cliché."

He sat hand next to the gear stick. I looked over at him but he kept his eyes fixed on the road. My head filled with numerous contradictory thoughts whilst my stomach filled with butterflies. Should I move my hand onto his? Or is that taking things too quickly? My questions were answered when he touched on the brakes, shifted into second gear and pulled into the carpark.

After dinner, I pulled him out of his chair. "Let's go to the karaoke bar." He reluctantly stood up and did not resist in being dragged out the back. The place was an absolute commotion and for once we were the only ones mostly sober in a bar, and I planned for it to stay that way.

"I can't really dance." He whispered as I dragged him further onto the floor.

"Don't worry!" I yelled over the music. "Everyone is too drunk to realise anyway!" He laughed and we danced like complete idiots, and I was actually enjoying myself, even whilst I was sober. A completely over-the-top, pissed man yelled out to everyone, "Time for the new couple in the room to do a karaoke!" He pointed at us.

"Come on!" I dragged Connor up to the small stage that smelt like puke.

"Pick a song? Or on shuffle?" The man tripped as he spoke.

"Shuffle please." Connor said. I smiled. I could get used to this.

"Shuffle it is!" He laughed and pressed shuffle on the record machine. I looked at the screen, my hands sweating slightly.

"They're all too drunk to realise remember?" He whispered in my ear just as the name of the song appeared. It read 'Sweet Jane'.

I took a deep breath, I was singing first apparently.

"Anyone who's ever had a heart. Wouldn't turn around and break it." My voice was shaky. I coughed gently to clear my throat and felt a warm touch lightly on my fingertips. I grasped his hand, maybe a little too violently.

He sucked. He really was quite a terrible singer. He sung in tune, but not well. I couldn't help but laugh. I jumped down the step and started dancing in front of him. I don't deny that I was glad when he finished. But when he had, he did something I did not expect. He bent down to me and brushed my hair away from my eyes. At first I thought he was going to kiss me. I knew I wasn't ready for that so I was glad when he pulled the microphone back up to his lips and said softly into it "Aisha Owen, I am completely obsessed with you." Everyone cheered like crazy and I smiled like crazy.