Chapter 586: Rough Bumps
It was fairly late in the orange shades of dusk by the time we made it back to the cafe I worked at.
I was honestly expecting there would be more to come as soon as we were done scouting for locations, an unexpected-expected surprise she’d swipe down the curtains to reveal, and unwittingly, I’d find myself rowing in a canoe, or snorkeling in the depths of the Atlantic, or whatever the hell her crafty imagination could think of.
But nothing. There was nothing. Before I knew it, the car was gradually pulling up to a familiar street, and Amanda, no surprise bunny in a hat, no sly tricks hidden up her sleeve, silently leaned over towards me, slipping gently her farewell with a quick tender kiss.
Not even dinner.
Not even when I offered, quickly remembering a pair of tickets of my own stashed inside my wallet.
“Save them,” She advised me, uncoupling the locks and practically shoving me out of the passenger seat. “You might get hungry after the convention, and Italian’s always a good choice for a dinner date.”
“Yeah, precisely,” I said, holding the coupons out in front of her window in a tempting flutter. “Seriously not interested?”
.....
“It’s the exact opposite actually, I’m very interested,” She responded, and at that moment I thought it was essentially hook, line and sinker, not realizing she was already swimming halfway away. “But I don’t want to force it. I told you, remember? I think it’s best we just call it a day today, alright?”
Once more the little hopeless romantic here was seriously hopeless. So selfless and giving to the point of being downright infuriating. I guess we have that in common with each other.
“Don’t pout,” She said, placing her hands on the wheel again. “You’re much cuter when you’re smiling.”
It was then and there that I finally conceded, halting every attempt, and reversing my heels onto the sidewalk, seeing her smile and her stare gradually grow further with every backing step.
Her car roared, screeched, shifting just a single inch forward before skidding to a sudden stop, and through the glimmer and glare of the driver-side window, I saw her let out a sigh through her smile, then, through the whirr of rolling windows, her head poked through to the outside, long blonde locks swaying free and wild with the blistering breeze.
“Baby steps, right?” She called out. “Sooner or later, we were going to stumble a little bit, hit a little rough patch. But that’s normal. All relationships take a little adjusting to in the beginning. What’s important is that we don’t let this keep us down, alright?”
“You’re trying to cheer me up again?” I said, cocking my head at her. “You must really want that smile, don’t you?”
“I’m cheering you up because that’s how I let you know that I still am very much in love with you,” Amanda explained, leaning both her arm and head across the edge of the window. “And you being this upset about the whole thing shows me that you also love me just as much.”
It was almost like a scene taken straight out of the cinema, with stray leaves swirling in the air, and this orange hue from above basking her figure in this golden incandescent, bringing out the color in her irises, just how lovely her eyes burned brown, and never unaccompanied without a smile, always with that smile, never once failing to keep me from staring.
“So no hard feelings, hmm?” She blinked, she moved, once more wrapping her fingers around the steering wheel. “Now if you don’t mind, can I get my goodbye smile now?”
Hearing her, seeing her, not even the most jaded being this side of the solar system would be able to refuse such a request. I didn’t even have to force it, it was like an instinct every time I see her looking at me that way. I just can’t help myself.
“There we are, you see?” She beamed at me. “Much cuter, indeed.”
“Kinda feel like this should have gone the other way...” I muttered, feeling a little bashful for some reason. “Isn’t the guy usually the one taking the lead in these situations?”
“And who says that I’m already all better?” She questioned back, her brows furrowed and coy. “I’m still waiting on you to take the lead. Cheer me up, make me smile, and send my heart fluttering. I have high hopes actually... and I know you won’t disappoint. Especially not after this, you won’t, isn’t that right?”
Yep, she’s officially back. The scheming, crafty, silver lining little minx was her again twisting every disadvantage into new opportunities... and in this case, she’s molded herself quite the golden opportunity to capitalize on. Because now, even if it kills me, I’m over here swearing I’d do anything to make her happy.
Looks like I might have found the perfect Christmas present.
“I’ll figure out something,” I answered. “Make you fall in love with me even more than you already are.”
“Afraid that’s impossible,” She shook her head. “If this were a dating sim, then you’ve already maxed me out. All there is now for you to do is simply play through my route.”
“It’s because you’re just so damn easy to please.”
She threw a pout. “Hey, you mocking me?”
“Far from it,” I said, taking a determined step forward. “I’m just telling you, you don’t have to be afraid to want to want more than you already have.”
“Meaning?”
“You just want a trickle, you see. A droplet of affection thrown your way, and you’re quenched, you’re happy,” I explained, finding myself back staring close at her window, our faces only inches in distance. “Meanwhile, I’m over here wanting to drown you with it until you’re smothered, and I will. I promise I’ll show you just how much exactly you really mean to me.”
So close together that I could see her flush, see her swallow, trying to shrug away the brief quiver in her lips, as she spoke, “I’m hoping that’s not a sexual innuendo you’re making.”
“It could be too, if you want it to be...” I told her, batting slyly at her. “All you have to do is ask.”
For someone who relies heavily on her cunning and wits, she’s quite ill-prepared when it comes to playing defense. So easy to fluster, too embarrassed, veering her eyes away. It’s cute.
“N-Noted,” She whispered, keeping her eyes firmly pointed to the front windshield. “In the meantime, I think you have other matters to tend to first, don’t you?”
Right. Of course. Before anything else, those matters come first.
“I have a lot of that, sadly,” I muttered, hissing through narrowed lips. “And I’m not really sure when to even start with what.”
She shook her head again, smiling, in knowing. “Yes, you do.”
In that instance, she was right – I do. I do know what to start with, and sadly, it was not the kind I was keen on confronting too.
“Talk to Ash, alright? Get to know her, like really get to know her,” Amanda spoke, quickly, briefly, her mitten stroking my cheek, saying again before the whirr of the window separated us once more. “It’s about high time that you do.”
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