Peach & Lemon

Chapter 2

A whole new day, a whole new opportunity to talk to Autumn.
I decided to dress as well as I could. Despite the fact that my "emo" wardrobe doesn't have "nice" clothes, I think I'm doing fine. I'm wearing a black t-shirt and a black and grey checkered skirt. I even added some holey collants to make it more out-standing.
Who am I and where did Peach Girl take me?
When I get on the bus, Juno is already there, waiting for me:
"Wow! Did you do all this just for me?" She laughs.
"Haha, so funny." I add, ironically. "I did all this to Peach Girl."
"She must be a lucky one. I thought you wouldn't wear a skirt even for a wedding!"
"Maybe I'll wear one for your wedding, whatcha' think?"
"I'll get mad if you don't."
Autumn gets on the bus. She looks absolutely stunning! Even though her clothes look similar to what she dressed yesterday, she looks more attractive today.
When I get up to approach her, I see she's talking and laughing with a girl behind her. The girl had straight dirty-blond hair and olive eyes. Autumn and her didn't share the same taste in fashion, while Autumn would wear a cute-casual, she would wear anything that looked basic.
They sat side-to-side and didn't stop talking for a single minute of the trip to the school. I finally approached Autumn when both got out:
"Hey, Autumn!" I call and she turns around.
"Oh, hi Twyla!" She answers with an embarrassed look.
"Who is this?" Me and olive-eyes ask in a perfect choir.
"Twyla, Olive. Olive, Twyla" Autumn introduces us.
I can't believe olive-eyes is actually named Olive. And also can't believe that Autumn is actually named after what her hair color reminds.
"Hi!" I extend my hair and Olive shakes it.
"Hi." Olive stares at me. Insecurity. Mistrust. From both of us.
"Sorry, Twyla. Me and Ollie need to go. See ya later!" Autumn grabs Olive's hand and takes her inside the school.
Ollie? She gets a nickname and I don't?
Juno finally shows up. She puts her hand on my shoulder.
"Come on, Twyla! You can't be late this time!" I go with her, with my heart broken once again.

🍑🍋

And also once again, I get on the bus. Autumn's alone this time and so am I.
I approach her and sit next to her. Although she's writing in her diary again, I don't peek.
"How was your day?" I ask and she closes her diary.
"Good, what about yours?"
"Fine." Pause. "Isn't your friend going home with you?" It's a bold question. However, useful. For me.
"No, she has Volleyball practice after class." I sigh with relief.
"Have you been friends with her since when?"
"Since forever! She's the daughter of my parents' friends, so she's pretty much my first friend."
"And now you're at the same school?"
"Exactly! Isn't it fun?" I nod. It's fun for her, not for me. Olive's a potential threat, we never know.
"Do you live close?"
"Oh, yeah! We live on the same street."
I freak out. I don't know what to say.
"Changing subject, can I get your number?" WHAT DID I JUST SAY? Why do I talk without thinking? She looks clearly shocked.
"Of course!" She pulls out her phone out of her khaki corduroy pants. She hands it to me and I grab my phone so I can add her number.
"I'm going to text you right now, so you can have my number too." I text her "Hey" and she texts back.
"How do you want me to save your number?" She gives me a warm smile and I think for a second.
I don't want Twyla.
Twyla is way too basic.
I want a nickname like Olive has.
Something that shows we're opposites. Since opposites attract.
"Lemon." I say, sure of myself. She smiles once again.
"Why Lemon, though?"
"You'll have to find out." And I smile back.

🍑🍋

It's almost 2 am and I'm still awake. I've been trying to sleep and simultaneously thinking in different ways I can ask Autumn on a date.
The reason why I told her to name me "Lemon" it's because lemon is totally different from a peach (ignoring the fact they're both fruits). I fell in love with her sweetness and I hope she'll find some kindness in my acid.
Cheesy?
Probably.

🍑🍋

It's friday and I'm on my lunch break. I've been talking to Autumn every single day but still couldn't find the words to ask her on a date.
I really wanted to spend my weekend either with her on a date or thinking about the date we had.
Why haven't you asked her already? You may ask.
It's because I DON'T KNOW where to take her.
You see: there's all those cheesy cliché dates that I could think of: taking her to a restaurant, a picnic, the movies, the fair. Anything.
But I don't want her to expect all of those scenarios.
I want her to expect fireworks, a hot tub, maybe even a hotel.
The only issue is: money!
Damn. If I knew how hard it is to plan a date, I would've asked someone experienced. I try to think of someone but I clearly don't know someone romantic. These are the moments that make me think: I should get new friends.
And since I can't think of anyone else, I Facetime Juno:
"Hey, girl! Whatcha doin'?" I sound energetic.
"Twyla, are you okay? Are you sick?" And she sounds worried.
"No, I'm not! Why would you- Nevermind. I need your help." She raises one eyebrow.
"And why do you need my help?" She's giving me that look: she thinks the situation is suspicious. I never ask her for help.
"I need to plan a date. Urgently!"
"Twyla, I'm on my lunch break. Don't make me throw up!"
"I'm serious! Please! I need to talk to Autumn during the trip back home!" She notices my desperate behavior and nods.
"Ok, hum... Why don't you take her to the fair? Or a doughnut shop?"
"Isn't that too cheesy? Or childish?"
"The first time you saw her, she was wearing a peach beret. I mean... Who wears peach berets'?"
"You have a point. But I don't want to take her somewhere she would be expecting."
"Take her to the bookshop. She'll have lots of fun!" Juno is smiling because she thinks she's funny. She is. But not right now.
"Juno!"
"Okay! Okay! Let me think..." I see her face hiding from the camera. She's probably making her lunch. "What about the new Italian ice cream shop? I went there once and there's this huge blue ice cream with sprinkles. There's no way you'll fail a date there!"
Maybe Juno is right. Ice cream is cheesy but not the amount of cheesy I was avoiding. This can work!
"Okay. Thanks, Juno!" I hang up before she can say something else.
I hope you're right Juno. I hope there's no way this can possibly go wrong.
After some classes (where I practiced my own words), I'm on the bus. I make a mental list of things I need to do:
1. See if Autumn is alone (Check)
2. Wait for her to finish writing in her diary (Check)
3. Sit next to her (Check)
4. Do the usual talk (Check)
5. Ask her on a date (In progress)
6. Tell her I love her (Never gonna happen)
"So, Autumn. Are you available tomorrow?" I try to stay calm but my hands are shaky and I'm sweating.
"It depends." She smiles. "Available for what?"
"I was thinking that we could go on a da..." I don't finish the phrase. I can't. My tongue is stuck, my words don't come out. I take a quick breath before I make this awkward. "On a date."
"You mean on a date-date or a date like friend-date?
"I mean a date-date." The time seems to stop. Her eyes are stuck in mine, her mouth doesn't move an inch. Is she even breathing?
"Oh, Twyla, I didn't think you liked me in that way." She carefully grabs my hand and even though her words are slowly killing me, her hand is soft and gives me peace.
"No, I don't! I mean..." I scratch the back of my neck and feel my cheeks burn. Fuck! I'm blushing! "I just wanted to spend some time getting to know you."
And then there's silence.
A silence that feels like knives slowly stabbing me, making me suffer, torturing me.
"I would love to go on a date-date with you." And her warm smile comes back. "I also would love to get to know you!"
"For real?" I can't believe she actually accepted! She has known me for five days! I guess love can't wait.
"Sure, it can be fun!" And then I remembered she doesn't love me back. I don't care, I'm going to take this chance like it was the last (because it can be).
"So... I'll pick you up tomorrow at three, sounds good?"
"Sounds perfect! Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise!"
"Should I dress casually?"
"Yup. I swear I won't take you ice skating or something!" Damn, Twyla, you could've planned an ice skating date!
"Okay, at three it is!"
We got to her stop. She walks away, waving goodbye.
She's going away but the warmth of her hand is still there.
And I still have a date.

Second chapter already :D
I'm trying to write this slowly but I'm just enjoying it too much :')
Have a nice day and good reading :)