Thirty-Five #3
“It’s how I loved your mom.” The silence that covers the space between us is both warm and suffocating at the same time. Grief is a bitch because I miss my mom and I never met her. He misses her because he knows what it’s like to live with her in the world and now has to survive without her.
Rain starts to hit the outside of the glass and we both turn to watch it.
And through the splattered drops I see my cherry girl right across the street.
Sitting across from some blonde guy that can’t stop smiling at her.
They’re always smiling at her. I get it, she’s funny.
Is she on a date? One fight, and she decides to go on a date.
“You going to fix that?” I hear Dad’s voice but I can’t tear my eyes off of her.
I don’t even say bye to my dad. I just get out of the restaurant as fast as I can and walk across the street. The hostess greets me with a kind smile, “Just one?”
“I’m actually just dropping off a message.
Do you have a napkin?” She pulls one off the shelf behind her and offers me a pink pen from her apron.
She has a whole rainbow of pens lined up.
“Actually, can I have the red one?” I give her my best charming smile and she easily hands over the red pen.
I messily write out what I want on the napkin and hand the pen back to her.
The walk to the table where she and blondie are sitting is longer than it should be.
My blood seems to be pumping to a different pulse and my neck is itchy.
She’s not dressed up this time. She’s in jeans and a black tank top, yet she looks the prettiest right now because I know that I love her.
I think I knew it the first night she pulled on my chain at The Poolhouse and asked me to dance with her because every part of me wanted to follow her then.
And now, I don’t know who I am if I’m not following her.
I stop at the edge of her table, in a wet shirt and dripping hair holding a damn napkin.
She looks up at me with every color in her eyes today.
Her smile never falters but her eyes let me know that she is waiting for something.
I flip the napkin upside and walk away. I barely make it out of the door when I hear, “He’s not me?
” I turn around and she is already so close that her face is right at my chest. She’s holding the napkin up and she is seething.
“You’re just going to come in and interrupt my day all unbothered and then just walk away? ”
“Trust me I’m bothered, pretty girl.” I lean further down.
The rain isn’t heavy but it’s falling enough to make her hair stick to the side of her face.
Her lips quivering a little from the wet and chilly weather.
I’m sure she left her jacket inside or maybe even at home. She’s always forgetting things.
“What are you doing here, Ol?” Her request soft, her eyes imploring mine.
And I’m hoping that I’m about to give her what she wants.
“Do you know how hard it is to try and be what you need for someone who is everything?” I push back my hair and shake my head free of the doubt, “you’re all the colors, Mia.
You’re everything that everyone wants. You’re hilarious and kind and fucking brilliant.
” I don’t know why it’s hard to just take a breath but I’m doing my best as I continue, “you’re right though.
You absolutely do not need me. But I need you.
I need to be in your presence. I need to see your smile and see what color your eyes are each day because it’s my favorite thing.
I need to hear your laugh when I come into the room.
My house doesn’t even feel the same without you.
But I can’t keep crashing your dates and living off the crumbs you give me.
” I finally catch my breath, “I need more.”
She looks up at me through her wet lashes and and her lips turn down slightly. “So you’re done chasing me?”
I reach out and wrap one hand around the back of her neck and gently pull her closer.
“Yeah, baby, I’m done.” I use my other hand to wrap around and press into the smallest part of her back and help lift her up before giving her the softest kiss.
I put every ounce of adoration for her in just the way my lips press into her.
She’s the sunshine in the rain. And I’m not letting her go.
I can feel her smile against my lips and I feel certain I gave her exactly what she came out here looking for.
“Let me love you louder than you love everyone else.” I plead.
“You love me?” I can see her body vibrating just from the way she wants to start shit with me about declaring my love for her in the rain. Always such a menace.
“I really do.” Then she kisses me again, with so much more eagerness than she’s ever kissed me before. We aren’t alone and in a dark room in the middle of the night. Or an alley high on emotions. Or in the shower lust filled and hazy. We’re on the sidewalk on a rainy day and it’s never felt better.