Vivid Memories

Chapter 31

I didn't see Dante until next week.

It sounds weird that my life doesn't revolve around myself anymore. Usually, it did, but I guess love was a game of giving and taking.

Ugh, cringe stuff wasn't my forte. I hate being like this.

Dante came over to me in the cafe, where I was studying outside. He joined me suddenly when he sat down on the chair opposite.

"Hey, I assume you've made up your mind?" I asked, removing my headphones from my ears.

"I did think about it, long and hard, but I do treasure our friendship," He smiled, sipping his hot drink. "Thinking about it now, neither of us should have been melodramatic about how we interacted with one another. I think it's better for both of us if we let our faults just be water under the bridge."

"I agree," Phew, mature ending. Nice. "I'm glad we can be friends again."

"Same here," We fist bumped and laughed together. Ah, I've missed his company. Dante looked at his watch and sighed. "Ah, sorry I've gotta ditch. Hazel, Issac and Zach were meeting for discussing making an Esports team. None of us can play in it since we have other priorities, but we'd like to have a UCLA team."

"Ah, I see..." I nodded and shrugged. I couldn't really do much about this. I'm not an Esports fan. "Well... that's okay. Maybe we can meet up again and finish the first season of My First First Love?"

"Weekend sounds good to you?" He asked, finishing his drink.

"Yeah, Saturday is all good for me," I replied, smiling at him. "Don't be late. Meet around six again."

"Sure," He waves goodbye before walking out.

I liked his company. Being around him made me feel somewhat better about myself. I just wished he cut his fringe again. He looked better when he wasn't hiding who he was. Maybe his other friends didn't like it, but I sure did.

It's ultimately his decision.

————
As the week rolled on by, the weekend approached and I finally could set up dinner and Kdrama night. Soup was nice, but this time I just made some homemade spaghetti. I remembered the recipe from Christmas when Dante's mum told me how to make them — especially the way Dante likes them. Hehe, I hope he likes it.

I also asked him to get some alcohol. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but I wanted to drink again. Besides, hopefully this time nothing bad was going to happen.

When he arrived, I told him we'd do the usual. He placed the alcohol away in the freezer and I just finished making the spaghetti. He walked up behind me and smelt the food, liking the aromatics being released from it. I made it perfect.

So we started watching it again. Separate blankets this time, since we were starting afresh. Dante bought me a bottle of red wine and he had his Rum and Coke to drink. Pretty good combination. He loved the pasta, which was great news. Ah, I'm glad he enjoyed it.

Six episodes later, we finished the first season and we were only four more episodes away from finishing the next, but it was getting late for Dante. I'm still happy he managed to put up my complaints towards the drama, about Tae-o this and Song-Il that and Do-Hyeon whatever. Ah, man I've miss this life.

"I... I should get going," Dante may have been tipsy, considering he almost finished the rum bottle by himself. "Thanks for the meal and the entertainment Ava."

"Mmhmm... stay a while," I begged, resting on his shoulders like we used to. "Even stay the night... I've missed your company."

"I've missed your company too, Ava," He tilted my head up. He might have been tipsy, but who cares? I liked his face, his eyes, his lips. I could tell I was blushing, and he too blushed red. "But I think I've missed your lips the most."

He kissed me again.

God I wasn't expecting that.

I could feel my heart melting, the jubilation coursing through my body. It felt light now.

He just wouldn't stop. It was one kiss after another.

Ah... I was intoxicated by him.

And yeah, also the alcohol too.

Dante slowly pushed his body down on mine and continued his conquest. I didn't mind; I enjoyed it. Being his... ah I forgot how the sensation felt.

"Have you ever... crossed the line before?" I asked, somewhat shyly. I highly doubted it, but maybe he has.

"Cross the line...? Would you be surprised if I said yes?" Oh shit, Dante wasn't a virgin. Oh God. That means I'd be the only one here who'd look like they don't know what the fuck they're doing. "Why? What's on your mind?"

"N-nothing..." This was embarrassing.

"Don't tell me..." His voice sounded deeper, seductive to the core. Dante smoothly ran his fingers from the bottom my chest, through the surface of my stomach and on the buttons of my jeans. God this was too much, even for me. "... you've never done it before?"

"Yes! Yes! I've never done it before okay?!" I hid my face under a pillow because the sight of my looked embarrassing. "P-please be gentle..."

Dante removed the pillow off my face and hugged me.

"You're so cute when I tease you," Dante laughed and sat us straight up on the couch. "Don't worry, I'd never do anything to you that you don't want."

"D-did you want to do it?"

"If we did it, we'd be nothing more than friends with benefits," He chuckled and stood up. "But I don't want that, and I don't think you want that either. How about you? Did you want to do it?"

"I wouldn't... have minded..." I pouted, hugging the pillow tightly.

"Maybe next time," He kissed my cheek before stretching. "I've sobered you a bit, so I should go home. Stay safe Avalon."

"Stay here, at least overnight," I suggested, grabbing his coat. "Come on, it's been a while."

Dante looked up for a second before shrugging.

"Hmm... maybe next time," He winked at me before leaving.

I hope he doesn't think we're just friends with benefits.

Some people might not see it that way, but, they way we kissed and the way we interacted, it might end up that way.

Ah... fuck.