-The Sock Hop Diner-

I walked through the doors of my favorite diner. Although, i hadnt lived in this town for very long, it quickly became my favorite diner for many reasons. To name one, the black and white checker pattern covered the walls, floor, and counter. It constrasted perfectly with each other and the shimmering red stools that stood in uniform along the counter where i sledom felt crowded when i sat on them; even on a busy day. This is also where I met my boyfriend...well, technecally we met at school, but we didnt acutally get to know each other until we ran in to each other here.

Ever since the day we met, Ive sat in the same spot i was at then; four seats down from the cash regester - the one to my left was directly infront of the doors to the kitchen, where he found it easy to shoot spit-balls through a straw at the poor waitress. He often does those sorts of silly immature things, occationally, he used to go so far as getting into fights, and leaving with slightly more than a few scratches. ok, maybe it was a little more than on occation.

It may seem strange that someone as quiet and studious (even "nerdy") as me would fall in love with someone as...'outgoing' ...as Gilbert is. I know how our relationship looks like to others, and many have told me to cut it off with him. I cant do that, though. Gilbert gives me courage I've never felt before. Me - Madeline Williams - had, for the first time, felt what it feels like to be couragous... not to say i did something reckless or dare-devil-esque, but ive been more sure of myself. He encurages me to be a little louder, just as i ask him to be a little quieter from time to time. Its an odd balance, like the checker tiles in that diner i so very love; so different, but in a perfect harmony.

I cant help but be thankful i got to meet him, and now get to love him and be loved by him. Even then, as he opened those doors i walked through not even a few minutes before. He was beat and brused from yet another fight he probably provoked. His two friends probably went home to what ever consolation they had there, as they were probably in just as bad shape as him. He, on the other hand, doesnt have anyone to go home to, and thats why he came there, to me.

I stood and walked towards him with out a word- none were needed. This is not the first time this had happened, and wouldnt be the last. He just looked at me with that sheepish smile that sayed "Sorry... Kiss it an' make it better?" Which, of course, im happy to oblige. Our arms encircled each other's waist and i gently pecked the delecate skin on his cheek that had recently turned purple. His grip around my waist tightened, and he pulled me closer to his sore body and rested his head on my shoulder. I hold him a bit tighter too, giving him a disaproving sigh; i hated it when he got into fights, but he squeezed me tighter for a moment in appolegy.

I accepted it happily.

I couldnt help but smile at him as i broke the embrase and directed him by his arm to our usual spot. As if it was a ritual, i grabbed a few napkins from the depenser on the counter and began whipping the blood off the cheek opposite the one i kissed. The cut wasnt deep, but it still needed to be taken care of. As usual he would just sit there quietly, watching me clean the small wounds i could find on his pale face, soon moving to a slightly worse one on his arm.

Finally, after the thick air clears after most of the visible blood is cleaned up with only napkins and a bits of water, he gave up on being quiet and started talking. It wasnt about anything in particular, so i see no reason to note it. Just ramblings about something him and his friend Antonio did, but i enjoyed it none the less, occationally making idle comments. Once i was finished i got up and threw away all the boody napkins, i came back to two plates plates at our seats and him waiting for me to start eating.

Problem was that i was the only one out of us that had money, and i hadnt brought enough for those...

"Gil, did you order these? I didn't bring enough money for these!" i whispered to him once i sat down.

"Dont worry 'bout it, babe. i already paid for 'em~" he stated simply as he began to eat now that i was there.

I just gaped at him for a moment, "y-you paid for them?" I dont mean to say anything bad about him, i love him, but he wanst the type to pay for things, especially if theres someone there to pay for him...

He swallowed a bit of a hamburger and smirked proudly at me as i started to eat too, "Yep, i got my first paycheck today!"

"Paycheck? What paycheck? you dont work," I whipped my mouth ungracefully and turned more fully to him, curious about this sudden source of income. I just hope its nothing too illegal...

"I do too, as of two weeks ago. I started working at that auto shop down the road!" he smiled proudly at me, then it turned soft just before he said, "Y'know, cause yer always takin' care of me, babe..."

My heart fluttered around my chest, and for a moment i though it was going to fly out of it. I felt another smile work its way across my oh-so imperfect face. I think i started to cry because my fire-engine-red glasses started to fog up just a little bit, because, even though he does so many stupid and reckless, self destructive things he cares about me. So i cant help but kiss away the bit of ketchup on he got on his nose and say, " you dont have to do that."

As far as im concerned, he doesnt. As long as he's here and with me, thats all i need, and that feeling only grew with what he said next, even if it wasnt shakespere it still meant alot to me, "But im too awesome to always let a girl pay for my stuff! You work too hard, anyway."

I smiled and snatched a fry off his plate playfully, fully knowing i had more than plenty on my plate, which he was gonna finish anyway. He smirked and stole one of mine. We continued it until The Sock Hop Diner closed for the day. And i am more than happy to say that this is how we've spent most of our weekends, even after our graduation. After our honeymoon. After i finished collage (he never went). And even now, with our first child, we would have kept going there. Unfortunatly, its not open anymore, it closed down just before Lyonette was born.

I wish she could have seen it, because that diner - that simple, rundown old diner - was just like me and my husband; black, white, and red all over. Although, im happy that the 'red all over' is no longer the blood i cleaned off his face nearly every saturday, but is now the roses he sends me every valentine's day and the lip stick i messily leave on his face after the kiss i gave him after he gives them to me.

He always gives me what i need when i need it, and gives it to me every day. its something he'll never forget, and i will always feel that same fluttering in my stomach i got when i was a younger when he says it:

"Love you, babe."