If Romeo wore sneakers...

Chapter 28: Yet another rose. /Cordelia

        "Romeo stop." I manage to say between gasps for air.

"Or what?" He says, with a scary grin on his face.

"Or I'll kill you." I say pushing him away. He frowns and pulls me closer laughing.

"No you won't you like me to much." He says kissing my neck.

"When the tickles come out, no one is safe." I say laughing.

"Hmm." He says in mock thought. "I think I'll take my chances." He says gripping at my sides.

"Stop!" I say laughing. 

        After laser tag we all came back to Romeo's to order pizza and watch movies. This tickle fest is what I get for coming with him to get his car keys from his room.

"Come on let's go before the movie store closes." He says, releasing me from his grasp.

I lay down on his large bed, "I don't wanna go, let's just stay here and snuggle." I say smiling.

"Nope let's go." He says.

I sit and fold my arms across my chest. "You're gonna have to carry me." I say stubbornly.

He shrugs and walks over to me and throws me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"I didn't think you would actually do it." I mumble.

"You weigh like 6 pounds, it's not that big of a deal Cordelia." He says casually.

I laugh, "The longer I'm down here the better the view." I say smacking his butt.

"Same up here." He replies, spanking me.

"Have a little bit of a spanking fetish, now do we?" I ask playfully.

"No I have a Cordelia fetish." He says walking into the living room. 

"You naughty boy!" I say reaching up to smack his shoulder.

"Finally!" Hannah calls. "Took you long enough to get your keys!"

"Sorry I attempted to seduce him and failed." I say jokingly.

"Those were your seducing skills?" He says looking unimpressed.

"No, I was kidding." I say, "Those skills are yet to be used on you." 

"The night is young." Jack says winking.

"Mine!" Romeo says placing an arm around me and wagging a finger.

Jack looks at me with a fake pout, I shrug."Finder's keepers, losers weepers." I say as if that explains it all.

"I didn't lose I won." Jack says wrapping his arms around Hannah and kissing her nose.

"You guys have known each other for like 3 hours." Romeo say questioningly.

"True love takes only mere seconds." Hannah says placing her lips on Jack's.

I look over at Romeo and shrug. He brings me in close to him and wraps his arms around me. I dig my nose into his chest and absorb his smell of cloves and Irish creme. 

"She's right you know." Romeo whispers into my ear. "I fell in love with you the second I say you." 

My eyes widen, "Romeo did you just say love?" I ask.

He confidently nods. "I love you Cordelia."

"I love you too Romeo." I say my eyes brimming with tears of raw affection.

        He lowers his head and softly dances his lips across mine, the kiss was as light as a feather, like a small butterfly landed on my lips. It may have been soft but it burned with passion.

"Ahem." Jack said clearing his throat.

I jumped back, I had honestly forgot they were there, whenever I kissed Romeo the world melted away. 

"It's 5 the movie store closes around 5:30 we should head out now." Jack says.

"We'll take Jack's car and get the movies, you girls take my car." He says tossing me his keys. "And run to Dominoes, I already ordered just pick them up under Apara."

Jack's eyes go wide, "You're gonna let them take Stacy?" He says amazed.

"Um who the hell is Stacy!?!" Hannah says fiercely.

"My car." Romeo says waving her away.

"Not just his car his pride and joy, his baby, his holy grail! You don't even let me drive her!" Jack says shocked.

Romeo gives me an approving look."I trust her." He says.

        I blush and walk towards the door, gripping his keys tightly against my palm. I drive extra carefully and at least 10 miles under the speed limit. We pull into Dominoe's and get our pizzas. I look at Hannah fiercely.

"You drop those pizzas in his care I will end you!" I say bitterly and only half joking.

        I keep driving and turn on Cherry Drive. 

"Where are you going?" Hannah asks me nervously. "I didn't spill the pizza, so no need for murder."

I laugh. "Calm down I'm going to the flower shop on Hickory Road." I say.

        I make another left and pull into there driveway, and walk inside. There is an elderly man behind the counter with a yellow blazer on.

"Hello young lady, how are you on this fine evening?" He asks.

"Hello, I'm very well, how are you?" I ask politely.

"I'm just dandy." He says cheerfully. "What can I do you for?" 

"A single red rose please." I say.

"Long or short stemmed?" He asks walking over to a large cooler.

"I prefer long." I say quietly.

"Okay." He says. "Will that be all for you this evening?" 

"Can I get one of those tiny cards with a little envelope please." I ask.

"Why yes you may." He says. "That'll be 4.73." 

        I hand him a 5."You can keep the change, I hate that pesky stuff." I say

"Have a nice." He says as I walk out.

"Thank you, you to." I say. My exit is followed by a ding from the bell above the door. I rush to the car and hand Hannah the rose.

"Aw you guys are so cute." She says. "I hope me and Jack will be like this." 

       I raise my eyebrow, "So there is a you and Jack?" I ask.

"He asked me out but I haven't really responded." She says regretfully.

"You should date him and then we could do double dating, and you could make Titanic references and I could do Romeo and Juliet ones." I say smiling.

"Oh my god, Yes!" She says excitedly. "I'm gonna text him and say yes right now." 

                                                 I smile, everything in my life is perfect right now. My smile widens as I reach for my back pocket to slip the card for the rose in, when my fingers brush the black lace of my underwear. The underwear that Dave bought me, my smile breaks and my eyes fill with the light from the car in front of me.

                Their brights are on, they're in my lane, Hannah's loud ear piercing screams fill my ears.