Serenity and I walked out of the theater. The temperature had dropped
significantly, especially since we were going to be riding in a convertible
with the top down. She shivered. I knew that she should have worn a coat.
"Are you cold?" I asked. She nodded vigorously. My expression softened.
"Here," I replied, taking off my jacket. I handed it to her. That left me in just a white tee-shirt, but I didn't get cold too easily.
"Thank you," she smiled. She slipped it on. Of course, it was too big for her. Still, it was warm.
"Are you going to be too cold?" she asked quickly.
"No, no, I'll be fine," I offered as reassurance. We walked out to the car. We got in, and started down the road. Finally, we pulled up beside the café.
"Looks like a nice place," she observed. It did look welcoming. We walked inside.
Our guess was right; it was a very nice place. There were enough lights on to provide a comfortable setting, but not enough to give one a headache. The aroma of fresh baked bread and coffee laced the air.
The décor was appropriate, and didn't make one feel out of place. There was a simple floral print on the walls, and the cushions on the seats were a soft lilac. Not overpowering, just . . . nice. Normal. Apparently customers were supposed to order at the counter and then seat themselves. We stepped up.
I looked at Serenity. She spoke.
"I'll just have a vanilla shake," she said, studying the menu.
"I'll have the same," I said. It would make things simpler. I pulled out my wallet. Noticing the gesture, she didn't pull hers out. I opened it. Oh no.
This was very bad. I tried to keep my cool while frantically flipping through my wallet. I must have left my credit cards at home! Oh, how could I be so stupid? What a classic and amateur mistake to make. Seth snickered. I sent him a mental note to shut up.
Serenity had taken a clue to what was going on.
"Seto," she said softly. "I have a few ones. We can get one drink, but I'm just short of the money for two."
This was so . . . infuriating. I was so mad at myself. Oh well. I'll let her. I bought the tickets and all, so it could be okay.
I nodded. The woman behind the counter prepared one milkshake. Serenity paid her, and we walked to a corner booth. It was a touch secluded, but not in a threatening or awkward way.
She put the shake down. We had each gotten a straw. Putting them both in at the same time, it appeared to me that she suppressed a giggle. I had to admit, it was somehow too 'classic'. It was just like in all the movies.
We sat down. It was a touch awkward. She bent down and took a sip. I reluctantly followed suit. I couldn't help but wonder what someone walking in was bound to think. Probably that we were boyfriend and girlfriend. I chose not to think about that possibility, however satisfying it might be.
"How's school and everything going?" I asked, trying to start a conversation.
"Pretty well. I skipped a grade so I could start out tenth with Joey and his friends, so it's kind of scary, but pretty cool."
"I bet. It's hard just having the time for everything." I replied, taking another sip.
"You found time for this," she said. I looked up. She was raising an eyebrow.
"I did," I replied, giving her the same in return. Our eyes connected. She blushed a little and looked away.
"Seto," she started. "You really aren't the person I thought you were."
This was an odd remark. I mean, is that a good thing or a bad thing? That depends on her original impression, I suppose.
"Is that good or bad?" I stated my question with a trademark quizzical look.
"Well, considering that the only thing I had to go by was what my brother said, I think that's a very good thing."
I couldn't help it. At this I smiled. Then it was a very good thing. She laughed. Her laugh was light, like a bell ringing. I was enjoying our time together. However, I was startled when her look quickly became one of horror.
"My brother," she whispered. I looked at my watch. My stomach rose to my throat. It was eleven sixteen. That mean we were over a quarter of an hour past her curfew.
I stood up, and so did she. We rushed out to the car, running like neither of us had in heaven knows how long. Luckily, it had stopped raining. Not that either of us would have noticed anyway.
I noticed as she got in that the jacket I had loaned her says 'KaibaCorp' on the back and has a silver embroidered Blue Eyes White Dragon. I had forgotten that. Considering Joey's jacket had his name on the back, and Mai wore it abut as much as or more than he did, that was scary.
I started the ignition. We were headed back to her house. Neither of us spoke for the longest time. I think we were a touch out of breath. Finally she spoke.
"Thank you for tonight, Seto. It was wonderful."
I pulled into her driveway. Luckily I knew the way a little better this time around. I turned to face her.
"Thank you," I replied. In the dark, I could see the outline of her eyes. They sparkled as they formed a bond with mine. This time she didn't look away for a long time.
Finally, she closed them and turned away.
"I have to be going," she said, picking up her purse. She opened her door and stepped out. With a final smile, she closed it. I watched her walk up to the door. When I saw the knob turn, I knew it was fine to go. Better if you-know-who didn't see the car.
"I think you owe someone something," a voice in my head spoke up. I sighed.
"Yes Seth. Thank you very much, I couldn't have done it without you," I recited in a monotonous voice. Seth nodded defiantly.
"That's what I thought," he drawled. "Now remember this next time."
Suddenly something occurred to me.
"It was you who took my credit cards out of my wallet!" I shouted indignantly. Seth was laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
"And they call you a genius," he said between fits of laughter. I glowered. I was never going to admit in one million years that I had enjoyed that. Of course he's figure it out, but it wasn't going to be in the form of a confession.
As I drove down the road, I thought about how well the date had gone. It really had. I couldn't help but smile to myself in the darkness.
Until I thought of one thing.
It wouldn't have mattered if Joey saw the car. Because Serenity was still wearing my jacket.
"Are you cold?" I asked. She nodded vigorously. My expression softened.
"Here," I replied, taking off my jacket. I handed it to her. That left me in just a white tee-shirt, but I didn't get cold too easily.
"Thank you," she smiled. She slipped it on. Of course, it was too big for her. Still, it was warm.
"Are you going to be too cold?" she asked quickly.
"No, no, I'll be fine," I offered as reassurance. We walked out to the car. We got in, and started down the road. Finally, we pulled up beside the café.
"Looks like a nice place," she observed. It did look welcoming. We walked inside.
Our guess was right; it was a very nice place. There were enough lights on to provide a comfortable setting, but not enough to give one a headache. The aroma of fresh baked bread and coffee laced the air.
The décor was appropriate, and didn't make one feel out of place. There was a simple floral print on the walls, and the cushions on the seats were a soft lilac. Not overpowering, just . . . nice. Normal. Apparently customers were supposed to order at the counter and then seat themselves. We stepped up.
I looked at Serenity. She spoke.
"I'll just have a vanilla shake," she said, studying the menu.
"I'll have the same," I said. It would make things simpler. I pulled out my wallet. Noticing the gesture, she didn't pull hers out. I opened it. Oh no.
This was very bad. I tried to keep my cool while frantically flipping through my wallet. I must have left my credit cards at home! Oh, how could I be so stupid? What a classic and amateur mistake to make. Seth snickered. I sent him a mental note to shut up.
Serenity had taken a clue to what was going on.
"Seto," she said softly. "I have a few ones. We can get one drink, but I'm just short of the money for two."
This was so . . . infuriating. I was so mad at myself. Oh well. I'll let her. I bought the tickets and all, so it could be okay.
I nodded. The woman behind the counter prepared one milkshake. Serenity paid her, and we walked to a corner booth. It was a touch secluded, but not in a threatening or awkward way.
She put the shake down. We had each gotten a straw. Putting them both in at the same time, it appeared to me that she suppressed a giggle. I had to admit, it was somehow too 'classic'. It was just like in all the movies.
We sat down. It was a touch awkward. She bent down and took a sip. I reluctantly followed suit. I couldn't help but wonder what someone walking in was bound to think. Probably that we were boyfriend and girlfriend. I chose not to think about that possibility, however satisfying it might be.
"How's school and everything going?" I asked, trying to start a conversation.
"Pretty well. I skipped a grade so I could start out tenth with Joey and his friends, so it's kind of scary, but pretty cool."
"I bet. It's hard just having the time for everything." I replied, taking another sip.
"You found time for this," she said. I looked up. She was raising an eyebrow.
"I did," I replied, giving her the same in return. Our eyes connected. She blushed a little and looked away.
"Seto," she started. "You really aren't the person I thought you were."
This was an odd remark. I mean, is that a good thing or a bad thing? That depends on her original impression, I suppose.
"Is that good or bad?" I stated my question with a trademark quizzical look.
"Well, considering that the only thing I had to go by was what my brother said, I think that's a very good thing."
I couldn't help it. At this I smiled. Then it was a very good thing. She laughed. Her laugh was light, like a bell ringing. I was enjoying our time together. However, I was startled when her look quickly became one of horror.
"My brother," she whispered. I looked at my watch. My stomach rose to my throat. It was eleven sixteen. That mean we were over a quarter of an hour past her curfew.
I stood up, and so did she. We rushed out to the car, running like neither of us had in heaven knows how long. Luckily, it had stopped raining. Not that either of us would have noticed anyway.
I noticed as she got in that the jacket I had loaned her says 'KaibaCorp' on the back and has a silver embroidered Blue Eyes White Dragon. I had forgotten that. Considering Joey's jacket had his name on the back, and Mai wore it abut as much as or more than he did, that was scary.
I started the ignition. We were headed back to her house. Neither of us spoke for the longest time. I think we were a touch out of breath. Finally she spoke.
"Thank you for tonight, Seto. It was wonderful."
I pulled into her driveway. Luckily I knew the way a little better this time around. I turned to face her.
"Thank you," I replied. In the dark, I could see the outline of her eyes. They sparkled as they formed a bond with mine. This time she didn't look away for a long time.
Finally, she closed them and turned away.
"I have to be going," she said, picking up her purse. She opened her door and stepped out. With a final smile, she closed it. I watched her walk up to the door. When I saw the knob turn, I knew it was fine to go. Better if you-know-who didn't see the car.
"I think you owe someone something," a voice in my head spoke up. I sighed.
"Yes Seth. Thank you very much, I couldn't have done it without you," I recited in a monotonous voice. Seth nodded defiantly.
"That's what I thought," he drawled. "Now remember this next time."
Suddenly something occurred to me.
"It was you who took my credit cards out of my wallet!" I shouted indignantly. Seth was laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
"And they call you a genius," he said between fits of laughter. I glowered. I was never going to admit in one million years that I had enjoyed that. Of course he's figure it out, but it wasn't going to be in the form of a confession.
As I drove down the road, I thought about how well the date had gone. It really had. I couldn't help but smile to myself in the darkness.
Until I thought of one thing.
It wouldn't have mattered if Joey saw the car. Because Serenity was still wearing my jacket.