Force of Habit

Chapter 7

"C'mon Dustin try it! It's super good see!" I say as I put yet another slice of delicious pizza in my mouth. Across from me sits a very cautious Dustin who is currently poking the greasy pizza on the plastic plate in front of him.

"Are you sure this is sanitary?" he asks.

"Says the guy who too me to a picnic. In a park. With dirt and bugs."

"True true," he nods and sheepishly places a tiny amount of the food on his mouth.

"Oh c'mon! Seriously just eat it, it's delicious," I say as he takes a larger bite.

"Ugh, you actually like this stuff?" he asks.

"Uhhh, yeah. This is normal people food."

"Oh, well I guess I'm not used to being a normal person then..." Dustin says as he begins playing with the pizza currently sitting on his plate.

"No, I didn't mean it like that, I mean th-"

"Olivia, it's fine."

"Oh, okay. So what other normal things would you like to do?" I ask, only to be replied with a shrug, "Are you okay? You seem kinda out of it lately," I say, which is true. Dustin and I have been officially dating for about a month and the last week or so he's been really distant. We alternate who chooses the date, usually he chooses something more fancy but I settle for the casual sorts of things.

"Yeah I'm fine..."

"Dustin, you can tell me," I say, gently tilting his chin up so he faces me.

"It's just that I'm worried that my dad's going to find out about us and he won't let me see you afterwards."

"Oh, well if that happens, and I mean IF, we should at least enjoy eachothers company while we can, right?"

"Yeah you're right. It's just that I really like you and-" I stop him by placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Stop stressing about it, look what happens happens. We need to enjoy now and not dwell in 'what ifs'. Okay?"

"Okay," he says and we get up and leave the shop, "So what now?" he asks once we're outside.

"Hmmm.... Well what kind of music do you listen to?" I say.

"Not much really, if there is anything playing in my house it'd probably be classical."

"Do you like classical?" I ask.

"Not particularily."

"Well c'mon then, I have something to show you," I say, taking his hand and leading him to my apartment, which was actually just upstairs from the pizza place where we had eaten. We enter my tiny apartment and thankfully it's not completely ransacked. I let go of his hand and leave him standing awkwardly by my couch so I can grab my iPod and speakers. I press the play button and sure enough the music begins playing, probably just a tad too loud. Just a tad. When the sound erupts from the speakers Dustin immediately covers his ears and shouts above the music, "IS IT SUPPOSED TO BE THIS LOUD?"

I scramble to turn down the music, considerably, and then restart the song so he can get the full effect. "What's this called?" he asks as I grab his hands and lead him to the middle of the room where there'd be more room for dancing.

"Um, American Idiot by Green Day."

"Okay, it's pretty good. Why do you like it?"

"Because it's 1) music and 2) i don't know I guess I just like it. Do you want to listen to something a little more 'dancy', at least something I think is more 'dancy'..."