The Ideal Deal

15

A knock sounded on my room door, and I mentally rolled my eyes while inviting the person in. I knew it would be Dominic, being that we were the only two people that lived in his house.

Dominic opened the door and entered my room. He then walked over to my bed and lay beside me. He was in a white tee and gray sweats. "Hi," he broke the silence while staring intensely into my eyes.

I replied, "Hi."

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for being distant and a bit of a jerk earlier," he apologized before biting his bottom lip. I didn't reply, as I was waiting for an explanation. Knowing that I wanted him to explain, Dominic let out a low sigh, but I caught it nonetheless. "I was still a bit upset about what I found out last night...you know...that I was your first kiss. I still don't agree with what you did, but I don't want that to affect our friendship. I really didn't deserve to be your first kiss, but it's whatever."

"Why do you think that?" I questioned, hoping that he would be open to talking about it today.

He shrugged, "I'm a jerk, and when compared to you, I'm not really special. You should have kissed someone that would be very special to you. You deserve that." I slightly sat up and was about to argue with him when he raised a finger. "I know you're about to argue with me, which is why I got this." He lifted a bottle and two shots glasses that he had apparently been hiding behind his back. "Every time either you or I decide to rebuttal or ask a question, we'll have to take a shot together. This should teach us to be more communicative with each other. I don't know about you, but I don't like getting drunk when there's nothing much to celebrate."

I nodded in response, and he poured the liquor into our shots glasses. We then downed the drink before I questioned, "Why do you see yourself so negatively in comparison to me?"

Dominic looked away while informing, "Sometimes I think you're everything I'm not. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of all that you've accomplished, but I also wish that I could be more...like you. I swear if you take this vulnerable moment and use it against me in the future, I'll-"

"You know I won't," I promised. I then stretched my glass to him, being that I had another question. He filled both of our glasses, and we downed the liquid again. There was a slight burn in my throat, but I chose to avoid it. This was punishment for our lack of communication last night and this morning. Last night, I didn't respect his boundaries, and this morning he didn't respect my kindness. "What is it about me that makes you belittle yourself?"

He answered, "Everything just comes easily to you: grades, relationships, talents, etcetera. You're honestly amazing."

"Thanks, but-" I got out before he raised his glass. I raised mine as well, and he filled them both. Once we drank our shots, I continued, "I sincerely believe that you're amazing as well. You're literally perfect in everything you do, and I aspire to be like you. You're very intelligent, aware, talented, successful, respected, hardworking, and motivated. Yeah, some things come a bit easy to me like my grades and talents, but that shouldn't undermine any of your accomplishments. What's talent without grit and passion? And let it be noted that relationships are not very easy for me to make. It feels like I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and trying-"

"Too hard," we said in unison.

I continued, "It's sometimes a bit awkward too. I rather stay silent than put myself in the position, but I'd only be limiting myself. I know how silent we can be, and though we have our fun and wild sides, we also have a very reserved side, which is why we're sometimes seemed as unemotional. And I honestly wish I could be as motivated and hardworking as you are when it comes to certain things. Because grades come easily for me, I don't even study, truth be told, and I often wonder if I would be an A+ student rather than an A student if I were to study. You worked hard for your grades, which is why you were an A+ student. I aspired to be like you growing up. You are part of the reason why I am who I am."

Dominic raised his cup, so I raised mine as well, and he filled both once more. We downed it before he replied, "I still don't think I deserved that kiss, even if we are equals. Part of your purity went to waste when you allowed me to kiss you." Though the liquor was already seeping into my system, I raised my glass to rebuttal once more. He filled both of our glasses again before looking at his glass and sighing, "I think we should stop after this. It's coming in stronger than I thought."

"Yeah," I chuckled, even though I didn't find anything funny, and that caused Dominic to chuckle as well. "I don't think it was a waste, Dom. I don't regret kissing you, so I think you should stop overthinking and stressing about it. You have always been there for me, despite the times when we get annoyed with each other and avoid each other, especially when our families fell off, but...what was I saying? Oh, yeah! You are special Dominic. I don't have any regrets about it. And who wouldn't want to kiss those pretty lips of yours?"

I didn't know why the last part slipped my mouth or why it was in my brain in the first place, but I couldn't have seemed to hold it back.

Dominic blushed while placing the bottle of liquor on my bedside table. "You think my lips are pretty?" he chuckled, causing me to chuckle as well. "You have pretty lips too." I chuckled and bit my bottom lip, but he placed his thumb on the edge of my bottom lip and gently got it out of my teeth's hold. Using his same thumb, he gently rubbed my bottom lip while staring intensely into my eyes. "I...um...I should go." He sat up and ruffled his hair before turning around to face me once more. "Good night." He kissed my forehead before ruffling my hair, and I chuckled in response.

I smiled, "Goodnight." Dominic tried to get off the bed, but he kept on stumbling. "Just stay. We can share the bed, and you can leave when you wake up."

"Are you sure?" Dominic asked, and I nodded. "Okay. Thanks."

Dominic lay beside me once more, and I grabbed my covers and threw it over us.