Color Me (under construction).

7. Alone In The Crowd

A tall, lanky waiter brought Beau and John their food on a silver platter. Beau watched his cautiously set down her warm plate in front of her, the ceramic clinking against her water glass. Her finger poked at a bead of sweat, stopping it in it's tracks while the waiter set down John's plate. He left them with a small bow, and John watched after him.

"I have never had a waiter bow to me before," he smiled with raised eyebrows.

Beau laughed into her water before sipping down the cold liquid. She wasn't sure what she expected when accepting his dinner proposal. Half of her assumed he'd be the quiet care-free teacher sitting across from her ready to talk about upcoming projects and reading plans. The other half, the half that hoped more than anything, assumed he'd be nothing like he was in class - she didn't want to feel like she was going to dinner with her teacher even though she was.

So many questions bombarded her mind. Would this be more than just a teacher and student grabbing dinner? What was Monday going to be like after a night like this? How was she just supposed to walk away from him when the night came to an end? Affliction blossomed within Beau as she chewed numbingly on her mushroom ravioli. Suddenly, John's fork clanked against his plate as he folded his hands in front of him. He watched her with those eyes that got her every time, his suggestive smile giving him a way to conversation.

"So, you have to tell me how you're nineteen and still in high school."

Beau swallowed her ravioli and quickly licked her lips, "I was held back in the second grade because my teacher thought I was dyslexic, which I wasn't. But too late, right?" She giggled at the old memory, often pondering what she'd be doing if not in high school still.

"Teachers these days," John chuckled.

Beau bit her bottom lip to stifle a laugh, her head turning away from him. The view they looked over was absolutely breathtaking, every light from the city visible like an out of focus blur. The tiny cars sped through the streets mixing with the feel of Beau's heart as she looked over at John. She wondered if he was nervous like her, or if his mind was racing with something to fill the space, or maybe, even, wondering about her like she was about him. Finally, all her thoughts were circling him and Beau couldn't take it.

"You have to tell me what you're thinking," John said, beating Beau to the same burning question.

She took a deep breath, "I was wondering what you're thinking...if you're just as nervous?"

"Oh, very. My heart is racing," he paused, his eyes finding hers as he became serious, "It always races when I'm with you."

Beau dropped her gaze to her almost empty plate, picking up her fork she pushed around the remaining ravioli. "So, to clear things up: this is more than just a teacher and his student getting dinner."

"I want it to be much more if I'm candid."

"Want to know what I'm thinking?" John nodded quickly leaning a little more over the small table. Beau looked him straight in his stunning eyes floundering to find the right words to sum up her thoughts. "All of it consists of you. Every thought I have is just you. Right now, I'm a little scared because I want so bad for this to be more and I don't know if that's possible."

"What do you mean?" John asked.

Beau dropped her fork and began scooting her chair around the table to sit next to him. Her small hands grab one of his larger ones and gently played with his fingers. She was distracting herself as she spoke softly, "I want you so much, and not just in that way. I also don't want you to get in trouble if someone saw us. I'm worried."

John took his other hand to place it on hers, seizing her fidgeting. He moved it to her cheek to turn her face toward his. His eyes held her gaze and for a moment he said nothing, just watched her. Beau found herself stuck in a sort of in-between. There no longer were people around them - none of them existed, and none of them mattered. There were no customers, no staff, no worries because in that one moment Beau and John sat alone in a quiet place at a small table. His hands on her cheek felt purposeful, and she never wanted the feel of his touch to leave her.

Through these past two months, she got to know him so well that being without him felt strange. She looked forward to going to sleep at night so she could wake up and go to him. But being with him, and spending time with him felt right, and she was starting to realize how intense the feelings blossoming within her truly were at this moment. She had never wanted her lips to press to someone so badly in her life, and she was ready for it. She was ready for it to be John.

"I'm not worried," he whispered gently, "as long as I have you, in every way that I can, then I am not worried."

He leaned in so close to her that she could feel his breath fan across her rosy cheeks. The smell of him attacked her senses, the feel of his hand still on her face began to numb with electric shock, chills ran marathons up and down her spine, and with each inch closer, she found it harder to breathe. When his full lips touched hers Beau melted completely. Every emotion fluttered across her mind's eyes but she was only blinded by bliss. John's lips fit with hers as if they were meant for each other, and when she kissed him back with such deep passion she knew everything in her life was leading up to this. Every single event was leading to the moment she met him and she knew, now, that this was beyond right. It was perfect.

When he pulled away with sickening ease, Beau practically pouted. Her eyes opened to meet his wide brown irises, and for a flash of a second, she was worried. She was worried that it wasn't the same for him, and he felt none of what she did. Then he spoke.

'Wow," he was breathless. "Beau I've...I've never experienced a kiss like that."

Her cheek burned a fiery red and she ducked her head, taking her bottom lip into her mouth, "that was amazing."

Her voice was a whisper and when she looked up she saw John scrambling to collect their things. The tall waiter came quickly towards us with the bill, and with a slight glance John began digging into his wallet. He produced a hundred, "Keep the change. This was an amazing night."

The waiter's eyes were wide as he stared disbelievingly at the crisp bill. He gave a curt bow before briskly walking away. John stood from his seat, taking hold of Beau's hand as he led her toward the elevator. Beau was all smiles, as the doors opened up for them. John pulled her in, his back pressing against the wall as he tugged her gently into him. She placed her small hands on her wide chest, his hands falling to her hips, and when she looked up his lips fell deeply against hers.

When they pulled back for air, John gently tucked a hair behind Beau's ear, his voice husky as he spoke, "Want to see my house?"

Beau's head bobbed quickly before resting her forehead on him. His heart was hammering and it made her swell with warmth.