Awkward

/BOUNCING/ ~ VALENTINE'S

-EPISODE 5.

I know it's all wrong when she pulls herself out of my arms, two different emotions fusing on her face.

"Your— your Valentine? Roman, I'm sorry, I can't. I—"

What?

"Ugh, I'm such an idiot!" She slaps her forehead. "I'm so sorry but please hear me out. Like— Valentine's Day is— it's supposed to be with the person you love and with you and me... I thought with you and me—"

'Mikaela will always be Mikaela'

"Like — w-with you and me?? Roman, I... got you!!!"

She bursts into laughter and I'm so confused. She pauses to look at my face then says, "Man, I'm joking!! Only joking."

I hate it that she uses 'man' because with me that usually means an absence of romantic affection.

"What? You don't believe me??" She hugs me again, really hard. "Of course I'll be your Valentine!" she screams into my shoulder.

I won't lie, it feels good but my heart still feels achy, like that was too much of a shock to just disappear.

Was it really necessary to ruin the moment first? Cause now I just feel—

Oh.

She was telling the truth at first.

My reaction must have made her pity me.

And then she changed her mind.

I say, "Man, you don't have to pity me—"

—"I don't!"
She headbutts my chest. "I don't!! Do you understand?"

I nod in response but I'm not so convinced, honestly.

"I just wanted to see if you'd be as mad as when Ava said no," she says.

"What?"

"MmHmm." I can feel her smiling into my shirt even though it's probably soaked in the smell of my sweat filtered though antiperspirant and cologne. "I feel a little jealous that you asked her out first," she says.

I laugh a little, then after a while ask,
"Was I?"

"Were you what?"

"Was I madder?"

She locks her hands in mine and steps back, giving me the prettiest smile I've seen all day.
"Yeah. Yeah, you were."

~/•/

"Hypocrite! Gimme MORE!"
Ella's jumping around trying to dip her finger in one of the bowls with chocolate in them.

I slap her hand. "Ella, would you just... act your age for once?"

She only stops when I put down the whisk and grab her by the arm.
I wish there was a mousetrap for girls this big. She tries to prise her arm away but I grab her other one and hold them both above her head.

She starts trying to squirm out of my grip or bite or kick but she's too short.
"M-m-muuuuum!! Muum!!!"

With my free hand, I wiggle my tickling fingers.
"Mummy won't hear you, Ella..."

"Uh-uh, MUM!!"

I tickle her onto the floor until she's biting and gasping for breath.
"Say you'll leave the kitchen!" I say.

"No! Never— oo-AA-aaAHHH heehee MUmmy—!"

"Say you'll leave the kitchen!"

She's gasping but she's laughing.
"But - I - can't - talk - if - you're - tickling me!!!"