summer boy ~ tal fishman ✓

~24~

I wake up. I am not as tired as I was yesterday, thankfully. I slept longer than I did then, so it does make sense. I look around my room and see the ceiling further away than usual. I look to my left and see my bed from the side, as if I am laying on the ground. Then I remember. 

I asked Tal to sleep in my room yesterday. What would he think of me? I cringe at myself. I probably look so clingy right now. I'll just say I got drunk off of the cake? No, Tal and both are that. Then he would have been drunk as well... I sigh. I'm so stupid, but well. No changing it now.

Speaking of changing, I change out of my pajamas and I put on shorts and a sweater. There is some logic behind my choice; usually my legs don't get cold and my arms do. So this is a perfect solution. And maybe it was the first thing I saw but let's just ignore that and pretend I thought very long and hard about this perfect outfit choice.

Plus, since I'm not the tallest, it looks cute. At least, that's what I think. And that's most important. Well, that turned from simply putting on different clothes to a deep lesson about life. I have been thinking about my outfit way too long.

I head downstairs barefoot and I can smell the smell of coffee. I think Tal has found the coffee machine. 'Want some?' he asks me. I rub my eyes because of the bright light downstairs. My room is usually really dark, so it takes some getting used to when I'm downstairs.

Then I nod. I know my throat can't function properly in the morning and I'm not going to embarrass myself on purpose. I also know that my head is quite filled with random thoughts and other weird things right now so coffee may not be the best idea. But I want some so I don't care. 

We are sitting at the dining table across from each other. My coffee with a lot of sugar and milk in it is in front of me and I'm sitting cross-legged on the chair. Maybe I should have put on some socks. The floor can be pretty cold in the morning.

I carefully take a small sip of my coffee because it is still hot. Tal softly coughs and I look up from my cup. He is looking me straight in the eye. I tilt my head slightly and raise an eyebrow. I am confused, does he want to say anything? Then he laughs. I am looking even more confused. What is wrong? Am I doing something wrong? I probably am.

'You aren't going to talk but just look at me like that the entire time?' he asks me. His voice doesn't sound that bad in the morning, it sounds pretty sexy. No. It did not. Ugh, I am so done with my brain. The drops of caffeine have already entered my head.

'That was my plan, yes, but you just forced me to speak if I didn't want to seem rude', I say, squinting my eyes lightly at him. Yep, my voice sounds like a frog. Let's just hope he doesn't notice. Crossing my fingers on that.

Wait. Could you consider this flirting? No, it's just teasing. That's what friends do, right? Teasing each other a bit? What even is the difference between the two? I don't know. I do know that I made Tal laugh again. And I know that I feel slightly warmer inside knowing I made him laugh.

'Can I ask you something?' he asks, suddenly serious. 'You just did', I mutter underneath my breath. He chuckles. 'I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go on a picnic with me?' 'That's a lot of wanted in one sentence', I notice. Now it's his turn to turn his head slightly. 'Only twice. But do you?' He seems nervous.

'Of course, I would like to go on a picnic with you', I add. I wouldn't like to, I would love to. I don't add that, though. That makes me seem quite a few times more desperate. I don't want to seem to clingy, I guess. I don't know what I want. I do know I want to go on that picnic.

'Let me get changed for a minute. Wait, have you got any food? Wait, my coffee', I say. 'I already got the food. And that's a lot of wait in a few seconds', he says. I nod while thinking. Then I roll my eyes, realizing he just imitated me. 'Only twice.'

I quickly drink the last sip of my coffee and nearly burn my tongue off because I forgot how warm it was. I place my mug in the dishwasher. And then I start thinking again. I don't know why I am thinking. I don't know what I'm thinking about. I just know I am. I'm confused with myself right now. What am I saying? I'm not even saying it, I'm thin- nooppe.

I shake my head to stop the thinking. Then I head upstairs to get changed. I put on some black jeans and pastel pink sweater. It's one of my favorites. And yes, I've got way too many sweaters. Tal is downstairs waiting for me. With my hair in something that could possibly pass as a bun when judged by a drunk jury. I smile as we head outside, to his car. It smells like rain outside, and I love it.

Tal opens the car door for me and I smile at him and thank him. While he is walking to his own seat, I notice the picnic basket with food in the back seat. Tal steps into his car. I open my mouth and close it again, thinking about how I should say this. Tal sees it. 'What was on your mind?' he asks, looking interested. 'I was wondering how you knew that I love picnics.' Tal drives away from my house. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, he finally answers me. 'Well, you did tell me yesterday.' 'And you remembered that?' I ask.

I am confused. That was just a casual conversation. I look at him and see his cheeks turning a bit red. He is very focused on the road and keeps paying attention to every little thing he sees. He looks so cute. No, he doesn't! Julia! Wait, if I just admit he's cute, which he definitely is, it doesn't mean I'm admitting to liking him, right? If I follow that logic, he is freaking adorable.

'Okay, I'm sorry to say it but it is a tiny bit creepy if you keep staring at me', Tal says. 'Yesterday you sat next to me and stared at me as well.' 'But you didn't notice! And I do now and I'm feeling pretty uncomfortable.'

Tal looks me in the eyes for a second with a slight smile appearing on his face. I chuckle. 'What, are you laughing at me?' he asks with his eyes on the road again. 'No, I'm not, I just think your smile is cute', I say.

A few seconds later I realize I said that aloud. And not in my head. I put both hands in front of my mouth and feel I'm turning red. What would think of me? This is not helping my stalker reputation. He doesn't say anything, he just laughs. Is that a good sign or not? I don't know. I am completely embarrassing myself here. Must be the coffee, I normally don't drink any. He probably drugged it.

I'll just blame it on him and not my stupid clumsy self. Way easier. He shouldn't be that cute so I wouldn't have embarrassed myself like that.