Please Understand

Chapter 32: Pink Punk

Mason

Amelia giggled and I watched as she shook her head at my stories. I told her everything about my fight with Dakota and how we were somehow friends because of her. United because neither of us wanted blamed for her disappearance. To my surprise, she found all of this amusing.

"You actually fought Dakota? You're honestly the biggest idiot!" she exclaimed, smiling ear to ear. This is the most I've seen her smile since her mother passed away. Maybe she smiled a lot at Homecoming, but that was for pictures. All of these years, I should've been trying to make her smile, and now I know how easy it is.

I laughed with her and looked down at the basket of fried fish and fries I carried. "Yeah, he beat the shit out of me. There was a video going around and everything," I murmured as I sneaked another glance at her.

There was a sparkle in her eyes as she led me towards the pier. The wind was light, but the sun hid behind a few grey clouds, so I was waiting for the rain to start. Time seemed to pass slowly here, but maybe I was finally cherishing my time with her. A dumb smile spread on my face because she really did seem happier here. I was being selfish, wanting her to come home when she had discovered the life she dreamed of. I wanted her, but she seemed distant. She wouldn't talk about the investigation even though I wanted to decide how to end it. The detectives were wasting their time searching for a runaway. We didn't really have many options because I knew she didn't want to tell anyone where she was, so I didn't know if there was a solution.

"So they do little ferry tours. I've never been on one, but my friends say it's pretty boring. Educational. If that's something you want to do, then we can look into it," she rambled. Finally, she looked up at me with a small, awkward smile. She looks so different decked out in this pink punk style. I love it.

I glanced at the dock, watching as the ferry came back, and I shook my head. "Nah, I'm not really into all the touristy stuff. I mean, yeah, I want to go to the Space Needle, but that's about it," I answered as I looked at the big Ferris wheel.

"Okay, well, we could go once it gets dark, maybe? Or after we are done eating. It's pretty cool at night because you can see all of the lights," she explained as she leaned against the railing.

She looked so perfect with the water in front of her, so I snapped a quick picture without her noticing. If she finds out, then she'll probably make me delete it. With a smirk, I joined her, and leaned against the railing as we quietly ate. Something about the sparkling blue water held my attention as the wind gently pushed it. How can she handle the cold air? If I were this close to the water, then I would want to swim all of the time, but you can't here. Preferably, I would live somewhere warmer, but if this is where she wanted to be, then I would move here for her.

What are you thinking? Obviously, you make her mad. She isn't interested in you anymore. You won't move here for her because she doesn't want you. She doesn't want you here.

"So was that a no to going to the Space Needle? You never really answered...you got weird and quiet," she commented when she looked up at me.

I smiled, feeling my heart pound in my chest as my mind kept cycling through thoughts of her. "Yeah, we can go tonight. I think that would be cool," I muttered, forcing myself to look away from her big blue eyes that were now reflecting the color of the water. If we are going to stay friends, then she really needs to stop being so beautiful.

She leaned a little closer and elbowed me. "What's going on in that blonde head of yours?" she teased.

I bit down on lip as I tried to resist my desire to kiss her, but I wasn't about to tell her what I was truly thinking. "You know me, there's not much going on up here," I joked, mentally punishing myself for being such an idiot.