Chapter 15: Chapter 15

We sat in this quaint little diner downtown. Smiling, laughing, talking about everything and anything. Getting to know our likes and hates, hobbies, favorite things to do. There I found out his plays at a bar. I wish he takes me someday to watch him play and sing for an audience. I know I’ll be his number fan hooting for him. As of this moment our relationship is past the tutor-failing student one. Something more like the jock and the nerd, or let’s just call it friendship. Yup that's the word.

“This feels like a date.” I muse smiling playfully at him.

“No it’s not.” He smirks adjusting his huge body on the little diner seat. Serves him right for looking like a stallion on steroids.

“Yes it is. We are talking about us, smiling and cracking at each others stupid jokes. Don’t you think it’s bad?” Leg stretch out on the seat, back to the window and each arms resting on opposite end of his body. Deep down I can't help but admire this boy who effortlessly found a way to my heart. If only wishes are true. I sigh pushing the thoughts aside.

“I don’t think so. You are over thinking the situation than to enjoy it.” He pause. “And I promise, when I take you on a date, I’ll be on a tux and you on a dinner gown looking all beautiful for me.” My heart skip. He want to take me on a date. Just to clear the air, when

two people like each other they go on dates right? Does it mean Austin likes me? Ugh, why can't he be forward with me instead of getting me hella confuse with his words.

“Here you go kids.” The old waitress and owner of the diner place our drinks in front of us smiling. “I like this one Austin boy. She’s a keeper.” She winks at me, her southern accent make me blush deeper.

“I like her too Gigi.” Austin’s replies smiling and I kick his foot under the table making her chuckle with him. The moment she left us alone I glare at Austin.

“Don’t say that.”

“Why?” Did he just ask me why?

“Did you just ask me why?” He nods as if bored with my question. He opens my mountain dew and then his.

“You don’t get to say words like that, it have deep meanings.” I tell him twirling my finger on the rim of the can trying not to look as flustered as my insides are swarming with butterflies at his confession.

“Because I said I like you and I mean it.” He looks at me as if I have four heads. “Or is there something wrong about me saying it?”

Why does he tends to confuse me? One minute, we’re friends, the next we are in a tug of war, then boom he’s so sweet acting and saying stupid things like this. I exhale deeply.

“I can never win with you Austin.”

“Good. You finally realize that. Now can we eat before you kick me for being such a gentle man?” He says rather rudely.

You see what I mean? He’s crazy in a bottle and I can’t deal with him. I sigh eating from our shared plate of crunchy fried chicken with chips and hot sauce while trying not fall into the temptation to throw the food at him. Why are we even eating out of the same plate? The thought just came in as I glared hard trying to recall when I accepted this.

“Trivia.” I hear him say. He drops his beverage leaning back with a cocky grin. “Do you know frowning a lot causes wrinkles that are bad for the skin and health? So doctors say an average human should smile more for good health and happy living.”

“Do you also know that pissing me off tends to make me hate you?” I say as a matter of fact resting on the table with a goofy smile on my face. His cocky grin versus my sweet goofy smile.

Times like this is always a challenge and we never seem to call it quits. I have to think we love the staring contest challenge. Caught off guard, I blink when he air kiss me.

“Hey, that’s cheating.” I stood up to hit him but he caught my hand.

“All is fair in love and war Snoopy.” he chuckles, sitting down with a playful scowl on my face, I notice he still held my hand. His eyes follows mine looking at our joined hands and for a second I saw alarm in his eyes, he looks surprise. I thought he will let go and pretend he didn’t feel the sudden rush or little sparks I felt right now, instead his cocky grin came back slowly lacing our fingers together.

I look at him wanting to ask the very question dancing around in my head, dying to know what he’s thinking right now.

“Your hands are so soft Snoopy. I like it.” He release it watching me with a smirk. My head tilts. Again with the like. Is he trying to give me a heart attack or a brain freeze because if so, it’s working? I blink rubbing my temple.

“Hey are you okay?” He ask concerned.

“Mmhmm.” I nod smiling.

“You sure cause we can go if you not feeling it.” He eyes me wearily. How do I tell him that I’m crushing on him or that it’s slowly turning into something more. Something I can’t have with him and I’m trying to bury it deep in the abyss but little things like this he does have me searching for a lost hope, a lost course.

“Okay, let’s go. One last thing to do before I take you home.” He says standing up giving me a hand to which I took.

“What are we doing next?”

“Something fun, trust me.” Grinning he opens the door. I expected something dangerous like when he made me take a hundred foot jump into the water which was fun though but not something I want to try again so soon.

“You kidding me right?” We stood in front of two rental bicycles.

“You can ride a bike right?” I squeal.

“Oh my, I can just kiss you right now.” I ran towards the bicycles and the happy loner who Austin paid him taking the other bike. “Race you to the end.” I hop on quickly speeding away.

“Oh it’s on Snoopy.” he yells behind me.

“You totally cheated Austin.” I muse.

“Next time try to have long legs and strong bones. It helps in cheating.” He mocks riding his bike around me in a circle.

“Stop circling, it’s making me dizzy.”

“Yeah? What are you going to do? Stop me.” I scoff. “Join me, its fun.” He continues with a grin. I set my foot on the pedal riding along. “See its fun.” We ride together circling each other.

“Hey! Watch where you are going?” Austin almost hit a couple who scowled at him. I clasp my mouth trying not to laugh. “Let’s go.” I smile agreeing with him. We rode past two more streets laughing, shouting and hooting, the wind blowing against my hair, Austin looking so care-free. Instead of riding straight down like I am, he zigzag in circles around me making funny memes faces that got me laughing so hard.

“C’est le Vie!”

“What is that?” I laugh.

“It’s French for this is life.” He said in a duh tone.

“It’s C’est la vie dummy.”

He pause his riding thinking thoughtful for a moment while I circle round him waiting for him to figure it out. He moans. “I can’t believe I failed to remember it correctly. French is hard but whatever. C’est la vie!” He screams correctly speeding away. I follow behind laughing.

“Say with me Snoopy. C’est la vie!” He scream louder. I throw my head back screaming along with him. One hand on the handle, the other close to my lips whooping. Austin held his both hands up in the air screaming and whooping. Just because he want to die riding a bike doesn’t mean I going to follow him down that lane.

“Get your crazy teenage ass’s outta here before I call the cops on you both.” Someone yell at us from their balcony. “Stupid kids.” Austin and I fall over in fits of laughter.

“Let’s get out of here before someone call the cops on us. I wouldn't want to be held for getting Austin Mahone behind bars.” I smile.

“Good choice Snoopy.” he replies chuckling. We rode off laughing at each other’s funny faces.