Somewhere In Brooklyn

Chapter 47

January 09, 2018

Dale didn't expect to see Althea today.

Earlier that morning, his mom gave him an extra money to buy dinner from a Chinese restaurant after school. The restaurant didn't have a delivery service so he went there.

While practicing the orders inside his head, he saw Althea pacing around the corner with a phone in her hand and worried look in her face, which worried him.

He approached her without even feeling his feet moving. Althea turned around when a familiar (and her favorite) voice called out her name and her face lit up and for a second, it scared Dale because he knew what that smile meant. But all concerns and fears were vanished when Althea jumped into his arms and he got to bury his nose in her hair.

When she looked up, he asked what she was doing there.

"I was going to my friend's house because I was gonna stay over then she texted me that she suddenly have a plan tonight and can't have me and I'm looking for another place to stay in because..." she trailed off and looked up and down at Dale. "Why are you wearing a formal shirt?"

She stepped back, hands resting in his arm and shoulder, and looked at him from his polished black shoes to his ironed slacks and white shirt to his messy black hair. "Looking sharp, sir. Where's your tie and coat?"

Dale ignored her teasing and pulled her a bit closer instead. "Why are you... looking f-for a place t-to... s-stay in?"

Her smile faltered a bit, but quickly covered it with a shrug.

"Nothing, I just don't want to go home because I'm just gonna be alone there. Dad and Eva are in Chicago. Ethan's in his dorm. Where are you going?"

"My mom's c-crave... she wants k-kung pao chicken," he replied, still distracted about why she looked upset. He thought of asking her if she wanted to walk with him but his mouth had a different plan.

"C-Come home with... mm-me."

Althea laughed humorlessly while fixing the collar of his shirt. Dale was suddenly aware of how long they had been standing there, with her in his arms.

"Yeah, right," Althea scoffed. "What's your mom going to say? What are you gonna tell her?"

"What d-do you want me... to s-say?"

"I don't want to get you in trouble."

Dale shook his head. "She won't f-find out a-any... anyway. Night shift. Hospital."

Althea closed her eyes for a moment and leaned her head on his shoulder. When she finally opened them, she nodded and put her hand in his.

"Let's go then."

They went to the restaurant and after that, they hauled a cab instead of taking the train. Dale would be lying if he say that the thought of bringing Althea home with him hadn't crossed his mind.

Because it had, he always thought about it.

Dale had a lot of different scenarios inside his head but nothing could beat the reality of them together at the backseat of that cab.