Just The Two Of Us <Sweet Pea FF>

91. Date

"So, what's the plan?"

Mia Johnson.
Cheerleader, smart, funny and extraordinarily pretty with her hazel hair and those eyes...

Still, I would lie if I said she doesn't remember me of Julia.

"I thought we could just watch a movie." I say, having expected to do the same date I've done for a long time. But how could Mia know that. The movie date has become somewhat of a ritual. At the same time it was an entire inside joke between Julia and me, since our first date was at the movies.

In Mia's eyes I see that she's confused and maybe even disappointed. Should I've planned something more extravagant? Something special and romantic.

I think watching a movie is pretty romantic.
Sitting together on the sofa, eating snacks and everything.

We officially date since the beginning of the week. Now it is Friday and we have our first real date.

"Alright." She gives me a kiss on the cheek and walks over to the DVDs. Yes, I still have DVDs, sue me. Or Tirami-sue me as Julia would say. She really likes Tiramisu. Not as much as she likes bad puns, though.

"Where were you last night? You took off pretty quickly." Mia squads down looking through the movie options.
"That's so long ago, I don't remember" I quote with a smile tugging at my lips.

Mie shoots me a confused look over her shoulder, "That was literally yesterday, how can y-"
"It was just serpent business" she wouldn't understand
"But that was a joke. Actually, it's a quote from Casablanca. I have the movie somewhere," I want to get up to help her looking but immediately fall back on the sofa at her response.

"Oh, no. I don't like that movie." She holds up another dvd, I make an affirmative noise and she pushes it into the receiver.
We proceed to watch 'Gone'.

"What?" She questions after a while.
"Nothing"
"Why did you scoff?" Her hand wanders around my head, playing with my hair.
"Just... the kidnapping" I think back to the adventures with the serpents. We had one or two of those.

"That's not funny, Sweet pea." She retreats her hand but places her head on my chest instead.

Then silence. Although the movie keeps on playing, the atmosphere between us is not as comfortable as I wished. But Mia seems to be happy, snuggling closer to me. I don't know what to do, lay my arm around her? Probably. Just do it.

The movie is probably good but I registered surprisingly little of what was going on. My mind wandering to unimportant things and scenarios.

Julia would probably nudge my side and tell me to be more attentive of what is going on on screen.

Movies are societal medicine, as are our songs. They are echoes of us and we echo them. Perhaps that is why we are so drawn to our stories of the stage and screen, the writers, the cast and crew working together to help millions with each new release. She would say.

Yes, that sounds like something she would say and then five minutes later she would either be asleep, making food or we would be making out- which was usually my fault. Either way her attention was scattered.

I gaze down on Mia, my thoughts a mess, until she catches me staring. A smirk forms around her lips and she scooches upwards and repositions until she sits on my lap.

Her hands run through my hair once more and then her lips are on me.
Ah, what the hell, I think and kiss her back, my hands slide along her waist, up and further up until she squirms.

"I'm ticklish" she smiles against my lips.
"Ticklish? Oh...you-"
"Just kiss me."

And so I do. Mia seems to have experience and I'm not going to lie, so do I. But at some point you realise that not every kiss is the same. Sometimes lips just fit together like a puzzle. And sometimes they don't, which doesn't mean that the kiss isn't enjoyable. But something is missing, Julia knew exactly what I like and I instinctively did what she liked.

In the heat of the moment I bite down on her bottom lip and she immediately yelps and jerks back.
"What the hell, sweet pea. Why did you bite me?" She seems angry.
"I'm...sorry? I just-"
"I don't like that."
I sigh "Ok, sorry."
"Just be gentle." She starts kissing me again. Slow and soft.

My hands rest below her ears, my thumb caressing her cheek as our breaths mingle. She runs her fingers down my spine, pulling me closer until there is no space left between us and I can feel the beating of her heart against my chest.

"I love you" she whispers into my mouth. She must've realised her mistake as I tense and draws back.
"I love this- I mean... I didn't mean that. It just- I... oh god."

I lift her off me.

"No it's alright. Just a mistake but... eh... it's already kinda late, tomorrow is school. I should go before your parents come back."

She considers my words for a moment and then says, "Ok." Her voice sounds so defeated

"I'll see you tomorrow, babe." I kiss her forehead and she gives me a mild smile in return.

When I tell you, I ran out of that house.

Going way too fast on my motorcycle but it just got too much. I know she feels bad but what am I supposed to do? Say it back? That would be a lie and therefore not fair to her. We date for a week, wait, not even a week. It's way too fast. And then there's Julia...

Eventually I end up at home again, and after parking I pull out my keys and open the door. My mind still swirling with thoughts and emotions.

"Who are you?" I stop and reach for my knive as I'm met with a gray-haired and shaggy-faced man. Looking like an unshorn sheep, but if he is as meek, I wouldn't know from the cords of muscle knotting his neck and straining the shoulder seams of his shirt, tenuously buttoned across a bulging chest. He sits in a bulky wooden chair with wide armrests and a canvas-sling seat. He wears loose linen trousers over emaciated legs and bare white feet resting on a cushioned stool.

"Greg" he responds as if it was his house. His tone fueling the anger inside of me and I step closer to him, about to yell.

But my mother enters from the kitchen.
"He's a friend of mine."
"I don't want him here."
"Don't be rude," she turns to the man again, "This is my son."

"Nice to meet you." He reaches his old, calloused hand out but I sure as hell won't take it.
"No, I want him out. This is not your decision, mother." I spit, getting louder with every word, while I point at the man in the chair.

"Hey, don't yell at your mother." Greg gets up, revealing an almost intimidating height, and pushes me back lightly. My face scrunches in fury. I need to leave or I will start to fight that man.

I scoff, grab my keys that I threw on the bureau and rush out the door again. I knew I shouldn't have let her stay. I knew it.

I get on my motorcycle again, one last look at the door. Of course she isn't coming after me, because she doesn't care.

The engine roars to life and I speed away. There's only one place I want to go now.