A/N: JOE IS MINE! growls and claws Okay fine he's not, but cut me some slack and stop reminding me. I don't own anything but this plot and my imagination and maybe some twisted sense of humor D
They agreed to meet at the nearest bus stop, which was two blocks from her Dad's house. She waited for him, patiently sitting at the bench. The wait was no longer than five minutes, but sitting there alone at that time when only a few cars cruised by made it feel too long and unbearable. Joe's car emerged and stopped just in front to her. He squinted his eyes, not sure if it was her. It was difficult to make sure since she looked different that night and he has only seen her thrice before—first was in ht e concert's meet and greet (which does not really count because he did not know her yet), second was through the picture on her phone and third was when they met up at Starbucks. Among the three circumstances, he only really got to see her on the third one.
He got down from the car, being the well mannered person that he is (yes, despite his quirks he has his manners). He looked—or rather stared at her for a moment until she finally spoke up.
"I know I look like crap, there isn't much point in rubbing it in with that look on your face." she smirked, confirming that it was indeed Krisha.
He smirked right back at her and offered a little smile, "Come on." He gestured to his car, opening the door for her.
"It's weird when you act all gentleman-ish like that. It doesn't fit you." she teased. And he only smiled at her a he waited for her to get in before walking around to the other side of the car.
He was quiet and Krisha was so not used to it that it was making her too uncomfortable. There were a few attempts when she seemed like she was about to say something but would stop herself just before she opens her mouth. He would sigh occasionally, which makes Krisha want to do something—anything just so she would not feel this awkward. With some stupid impulse, she hits him on the head a little too harshly than she intended for it to be.
"Hey, what was that for?" he demanded.
She smirked irritated, her face slightly flushed, "For being too quiet."
He made a face at her, "I'm still thinking of where we could go."
"What's that face supposed to mean?" Krisha sounded like a kid protesting without meaning to.
"It means how can you wear something like that and not look like a total disaster?" he smirked, starting to look less serious.
She gave him a look.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, unknowingly sounding a lot like Krisha when she asked the same question.
"It means because I'm great like that, so now drive." she answered, consciously mimicking Joe's tone.
He started the car and slowly drove straight ahead, "I don't really now where we can go."
"Well if you did not have plans, why did you want to meet up?" she cocked an eyebrow at him even if he was looking straight at the road.
"I don't know. Why did you say yes?" he asked back.
"Because I didn't say no." she said simply as if she was making perfect sense.
"That explains it." he said mordantly.
"You're being too cranky." she complained.
"Nah-uh. I am just being like you." he said.
She looked at him and frowned, "I said yes because I thought you were going to be fun like usual."
He stared at her, trying to grasp what she had just said. Did she just say that he was fun? He had to blonk a couple of times, as a smile slowly crept into his face, "I'm fun?"
"That's what I said, right?" she smirked.
"You know I'm slow, I just had to make sure Ii got it right." he joked, obviously in a better mood.
She looked away and stared out of the window. It was really dark now and she has not even asked for her mother's permission to be out this late. Krisha was considering sending her mother a message, but realized she probably would not be home anyways so it would not make much of a difference. Joe would occasionally peel his eyes off the road and glance at her, a if trying to make sure he picked up the right girl and not some random gothly chick who looked a lot like Krisha. It was that difficult for him to believe that he was actually getting somewhere even if her actions imply otherwise.
Only then did Joe notice how Krisha was pressing her thumb against her index finger. He squinted into it but he could not really see what was wrong with it so he asked casually, "What happened to that?"
"To what?" she said mechanically without removing her gaze from outside the window.
"Your finger."
"Just got cut."
"How'd it happen?" he sounded concerned.
She glanced at him, "Was cooking for someone I was baby-sitting."
"Oh. You should have dressed it."
"The kid was dressed." Krisha said in her dark humor tone.
"You know what I meant."
"It heals faster when it gets aired. It moistens when it's plastered."
"It gets infected when it's not."
"Not all the time."
"Why take the chance?"
"You know where you want to go yet?" she asked just so he's get off the topic and he understood.
He made a face that suggested he have not made his mind yet. He smirked adorably, "I'm not sure, you got anything in mind?"
"The lat time I suggested something, you did not really enjoy it." she said, remembering how he never really got MirrorMask.
He grinned then suddenly halted to a stop. They were in front of the square near the community football field. Krisha gave him a quizzical look, but he only answered her with a smile then turning off the engine and maneuvering himself out of the car. He was about to open the door for her when she opened it herself and stepped down. "Do not be such a gentleman, Joe. I told you it doesn't seem fitting." she teased.
She followed Joe as he walked down the wooden pathway to Starbucks. "What is it with Starbucks anyways?" she cocked her eyebrows. This was the fourth time that she had gone to Starbucks because of him, which makes her wonder if he were endorsing it of some sort.
"It's the only place we've gone to together so far, so I guess it's sort of safe to say you're okay with this place." he said uncertainly.
"But we've only gone out together once before." she pointed out.
"Psh. I know that." He paused shortly, "Just shut it and let me do things my way this time."
Krisha rolled her eyes on Joe and followed him inside. He made her stay at one of the tables nearest the door as he walked to the counter. Krisha watched him for a while as he made his orders, but like a kid with very little attention span, Krisha soon diverted her attention to some of the wall murals in the coffee shop. Soon, Joe tapped her and motioned her to follow him outside. He was holding a coffee tray with two frappoccinos and two bottles on one hand and a paper bad with the other. He pushed the door with his left shoulder and led the way out. He ordered everything to go.
"What now?" she asked.
"Didn't I tell you to shut it and just let me do this night my way?" he smirked at her.
She grunted in protest but said nothing more. He walked back into the car and Krisha was about to step in to the passenger seat when he spoke, "No, don't get back in the car." Krisha gave him a look but said nothing. He settled the coffee tray and the paper bag on the driver's seat while he seemed to be reaching for something inside, whether what it was, Krisha was not sure. He quickly placed it I the inside pocket of his jacket, grabbed the tray and paper bag then turned to close the car door with his foot. "C'mon." he tilted his head to the side and Krisha followed him back to the center of the Square.
The stores were already closing, it was only a few minutes past ten, but only a few people were left. Krisha was surprised when Joe suddenly say at there, at the Square's little landscape 'garden' which was not any bigger than five square meters. Krisha half scoffed and half laughed at him. What was this, another of his antics? She just looked at him. Was it even allowed to sit there?
"Don't make me look stupid alone here." Joe chuckled.
Krisha smirked but said nothing.
"What?" he asked.
She did not say anything for a while then shrugged her shoulders, "You told me to shut it."
He laughed at her hysterically, "Taking me too seriously?"
"Nope, just literally." she answered, her smirk never leaving her face.
"Well I'm allowing you to talk now, so sit here with me." he smiled at her pleadingly until she finally caved in and took a seat beside hi while allowing ample distance between them.
"You are such a schizophrenic." Krisha finally declared after sitting in silence for the first few seconds.
Joe's lips curled to the left and turned into a boyish grin. "How so?" he asked curiously.
"One moment you are taking out your frustrations on me for not calling, and now you're being corny and sitting on this landscape thing." she replied.
His expression changed into a more serious one. He looked at the Bermuda grass under him and ran his left hand through it, "I refrained from calling you for two and a half day, and you never called me back. It just sucks."
Krisha did not know what that has to do with what she just said so all she mustered in reply was a, "And your point is…?"
"You're so smart yet totally clueless." he sighed, just above a whisper. He was not sure if she heard him so he just went on, "I like you."
She stared at him as if he had just said the craziest thing anyone could think of. "That's just hilarious Joe. Very funny." she commented, her expression still blank as usual.
Joe muted a sigh, "I know. I can be a clown like that."
"Hey that's my line!" she protested, noticing how he used something he told him in retort once.
Joe chuckled when he realized he has unconsciously copied what she said before. He just smiled, "You know you love it." She did not say anything.
He set the tray in front of them and pulled out what was inside the bad: cinnamon rolls and scones. He flattened the paper bag and set the pastries on top of it. And finally he took out what he got from the car. A flashlight? Krisha notice him smile, "I just wanted to be corny tonight. Probably would not work on you, but what the heck, nothing I've done before ever worked for you so it was worth the try." He settled the flashlight on the grass in front of them, the light facing the night sky, "It's usually candle lit dinners, but that's so common plus this is impromptu so yeah, I'd settle for a flash light."
"Corny is right," she started, "no, actually, corny is a horrible understatement." She is back, she's striking on him again and Joe could not quite make up his mind if he were going to be happy or frustrated about it. He was just happy that she actually agreed to come with him.
He handed him the frappe, it was Strawberries and cream. She made a face, "Why did you choose this?"
"Because you look over caffeinated." he smirked.
"Making fun of me much?" she asked flatly.
"You know you love it much."
"Confident much?"
"Love me much."
"Delusional much?"
"It wasn't a question much." He said, squeezing in the much even if it would not fit.
"Whatever."
"You should have said 'Whatever much'. You ruined it!" he protested like a little kid.
She stared blank at him, "You have got to be the weirdest person ever."
"Weird in a good or bad way?" he arched an eyebrow.
"Weird in a weird way." she answered dismissively.
"Fine." he groaned as he loudly sipped on his own frappe.
He would occasionally glance up from his drink and look at her. She seemed so expressionless; so guarded. She just stared past him, lost in her own thoughts. She contrasted very well with the star-embellished sky. He thought she looked just like one of those gothic images from the net. He laughed at the thought and shook it off.
"I like your drink more." she said all of a sudden breaking the silence.
Joe licked his straw and blew air bubbles into his Green Tea Frappe then extended his hand to her, giving her the drink, "Here, we can trade."
She smirked and sipped from her drink; she held the frappe in her mouth then spit it back to the cup. She did the same and handed her drink to Joke, "Okay, here."
Joe burst out laughing while Krisha struggled to keep a straight face. "And I thought I was gross." he said, in between outbursts of laughter.
"You thought wrong. I invented the word gross." She said smugly, but let a crack of smile escape her lips just before she sipped from Joe's Green Tea Frappe.
He watched her sip on it. He flinched a little, she did not seem to mind at all the he already had his saliva all over the thing. He smiled and slurped on the Strawberries and cream frappe that Krisha have spit on. He would occasionally blow bubbles into it while quickly glancing over Krisha every once in a while.
They were like this for a while, just sitting in silence. The silence was not so awkward anymore, it was either it had grown more comfortable to stand or they were just used to it by now. Either ways, Joe just enjoyed it. Sometimes when it gets too quiet, Joe would just suddenly poke he sides that never fails to make her jump. They would throw insults or quirkily tease each other every once in a while until of course the night had to end. With all their childish antics and pranks at each other, it was already past eleven when they finished everything.
On the ride home, Joe could not conceal the grin he had on his face. It was a corny night, but he loves it. It was just different from all the rest of the nights he had with anyone else before. "I enjoyed this." He said, turning to her as he halted to the same house where she made him stop the first time.
"What? Drinking the frappe I spit on?" she smirked.
"Well, the entire night but of course I enjoyed that too." he answered.
"Yeah, it was a weird night." she said simply.
He scrunched his face, "How weird?"
"Just weird." she smiled. Joe felt his heart take a leap. So a little bet can make his heartbeat race now?
He shrugged it off and returned her smile, "Well I'd settle for that. Can I walk you home though?"
She shook her head, "It's only three houses away. I think I'll manage." Upon seeing Joe's disappointed reaction, she added, "Maybe some other time."
"Yeah, maybe some other time." he agreed.
"G'night." she said shortly after climbing down the car. This time, Joe made no attempt to kiss her good night. If there was one thing that he had leaned so far from all this, it was that tying to rush things with Krisha was just not going to work.
And like last time, he just watch he disappear into he house before diving off. On his way home, he was smiling widely like an idiot.
A/N: It's rushed and a long. Forgive me if there are errors. Please be nice. lol. Just 2-4 more chapters and it's done ) I hope it's not that bad. Don't bash on me. Rofl! But reviews and suggestions are very welcome…just don't make it hurt too much. haha