Peach & Lemon

Chapter 3

It's Saturday, date day.
I'm nervous, I'm shaking, but I also went shopping for clothes yesterday, so my confidence is pretty high.
I texted her asking for her address, while I looked at the new clothes I bought with my mom.
I don't know who's more thrilled about this: me or my mom. Since I told her I had a date, she helped me seek the best clothes that fit my aesthetic.
I didn't choose a skirt, though. No way.
She'll probably bring a skirt or a dress and I don't want to make her feel less out-standing.
So today, I'm wearing grey jeans, a black t-shirt, a leather jacket and my new Dr. Martens.
I check myself in the mirror, pleased with the result. I put on eyeliner and black lipstick. My short black hair is also loose, as it always is.
"You look good, honey." The comment from my mom makes me feel happy.
"Thanks." I check my make-up to make sure everything's in place.
"You haven't shown me a single picture of the girl." My mom knows I'm not only into guys. I'm a proud pansexual and she's a proud mom. That's the reason why I love my mom: because she loves me in every single way, no matter who I am or who I like.
"I don't know her instagram. I only have her number." I explain.
"Don't you have her Whatsapp?" My mom is also obsessed with Whatsapp since I showed her what it was. She's its best supporter now.
"I haven't checked." I grab my phone, my wallet and a bouquet or roses I bought for her.
"You need to show me a picture of her! I'm dying to know what she looks like!"
"I'll try to get you one." I smile. "Bye, mom!"
"Have a nice date!"
I close the house's door and (with help from Waze) I head to her house.
Her house looks like a dollhouse. It's white with rock details, black window frames and a dark blueish roof. The garden looks like the perfect place for a tea party and the front porch could perfectly be Autumn's favorite place to read a book. If I lived here, I would defintely start reading books just to be there.
I take a deep breath gaining enough confidence to face her.
To go on a date with her!
I still can't believe it!
I ring on her doorbell. I feel the sweat dripping from my hands to the bouquet. I hear light footsteps from the other side of the door.
The door opens and the smell of a lavender scented air freshener comes from inside. I spot Autumn once she opens the door.
Her front hair was tied in a white bow, in the back of her head. The rest was still loose though. She had a white Kirby t-shirt and an unbuttoned pink cardigan. As I thought, she's wearing a skirt. The same skirt she was wearing the day I first saw her at the bookstore. The make-up was in light-pink tones. And a black korean-like eyeliner, the one she always does.
"Wow." I barely whisper and she blushes.
"Thank you. You look beautiful too."
"I got you this!" I give her the red rose bouquet. "I didn't know your favorites... So I got you these."
"Oh, thank you so much!" She blushes and grabs the bouquet. "My favorites are sunflowers, by the way." I see her walking around the house looking for a vase. She puts it on a simples white vase and comes back to the door.
"So, are you ready to go?" I ask, excited.
"Sure, let me just grab my bag!" She goes behind the door and grabs a strawberry-shaped tiny bag. "Let's go!" She smiles and closes the door behind her.
We walked to the Italian ice cream store. Even though it's a Saturday afternoon at the end of the Spring, the ice cream place isn't full of people, which relieves me. We entered the ice cream store, enjoying the fresh air. We start to choose flavors.
"I think I'll stick to strawberry." She says, after some seconds. Maybe it's her favorite.
"Would you stick with any other flavor if they had it?"
"Perhaps cherry or coconut."
"I thought you were more of a mango person." She shrugs.
"Are you a mango person?"
"No, I'm a mint with chocolate and a lemon person."
"So I guess we were both wrong." She smiles and orders immediately right away.
I order mine and walk to the cashier.
"It will be five dollars, ma'm."
"Of course, here it i-" I'm already finishing my sentence when I see who's at the cashier.
Dylan.
Dylan, my ex-boyfriend.
Things didn't end in the most relaxing way. However, I admit it could've been worse.
He ironically laughs.
"Look who we have here! Isn't it Twyla?"
"Fuck off, Dylan." I answer, while he accepts the money.
"I never thought you would come here." He sounds passive-aggressive. As always.
"I never thought you would work here."
"This place is happy, unlike you."
"I'm here with company, so don't make this harder than it already is." I spit my words.
"With company, hum? Is it the red-haired girl?"
"It's orange." I clench my fists. I wish I could punch him. Here. Now.
"Never thought you would come up with such a beauty." He winks, provocative.
"At least I got someone better after you."
He looks defeated. Just looks. I know how bad he can be.
"Don't be so selfish, Twyla. You need to learn how to share." He walks away, in Autumn's direction. She's receiving both our ice creams from Dylan's coworker.
I can't believe he's doing this. I get closer to the counter, so I can hear what they say:
"Hi! Are you here with someone?" He has his fuck-boy posture in action. He looks like a bodybuilder next to her tiny delicate body.
"Yeah, I'm here with my friend!" She smiles, innocently, like she always does.
"Do you want to meet after I finish my work?" He winks at her and bites his lip. I thought it was really hot when we were dating, now it just looks stupid.
"Sorry, I really can't. Maybe some other time. Bye!" She walks towards me, leaving him totally shocked. "What's wrong with that guy?" She whispers to me and I put my arm around her shoulders. I turn my head to him, leaving the store, and wink at him. The sign of my victory. Her innocence saved her and she doesn't even know it.
We sat on a bench, near the ice cream place. She gives me my ice cream and I start to eat it.
"You didn't have to pay for both." Autumn is just looking at her ice cream. Like she regretted something or like she was ashamed.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I invited you in the first place, so I thought I should be the one paying for it."
"I just feel bad because you spent money on me..." She looks down, like she wants to cry. I believe she won't but she still looks like it.
"It was only two and a half dollars for the ice cream. Really, don't be sad." I touch her face and her eyes meet mine. Her face is warm and soft just like her hands. Her skin just feels like she's a porcelain doll with a warm interior."
"Thank you anyway." She smiles and finally gets a taste of her ice cream.
We talk for barely five minutes until a group of sketchy teenagers pass by us. They have loud music and a weird way of walking. We totally ignored them until one of them got its dirty hands on Autumn's ice cream. Not to eat it, not to steal it, just to make it fall on her clothes.
"Freak." He says and the others laugh.
"What's so funny?" I give her my ice cream and get up, ready to fight them.
"What are you going to do? Punch me? Oh! I'm so scared!" He mocks and laughs. I feel Autumn's hand on my arm.
"Twyla, just leave them." She's looking down.
"Yeah, do what your freak girlfriend says." They laugh again. "Before you end up with a broken nose."
"Please, Twyla." She pulls me closer to her. I'm staring at the jerk's eyes with all the range I found on me.
"Fine." I spit my words (for the second time today) and they walk away. She gets up and starts cleaning herself. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to scare you."
"It's okay. It's okay." Her movements are stressed and shaky. "Urgh, this is not coming off. It was my favorite skirt..."
"Do you want me to take you at home so you can change and go somewhere else?"
"Actually, can you just take me at home? We can have a do-over date tomorrow, if you want." For the first time, her smile is forced. Her voice has a little annoyed tone and she's still shaking.
"Sure. Sure, of course." And so I do it.

🍑🍋

"So, how was your date?" My mom is all smiley but I do not return her action.
"I officially hate boys." Her expression changes to a worried one.
"What, honey? What happened?"
"Dylan. Dylan happened and... And those sketchy boys from the streets that act like they're kings when they're just scum."
"Can you explain in a way I can understand?"
"Well, you already know that Juno was the one who told me to go to that stupid Italian ice cream store. The problem is: Dylan works there and tried to steal my girl. Just tried, she didn't fall for him. After that, we sat to eat our ice cream and a gang of jerks made her ice cream fall on her clothes. After that, she just wanted to go home. I let her eat my ice cream during the walk but she was still very upset." I pause to breathe and my mom keeps listening. "She wants to reschedule our date for tomorrow. Like a do-over. She wants to make the plans instead. Oh, mom, where did I fail?"
I sit on the couch, next to my mom and I cover my face with my hands. I'm a step away from crying. Screw my make-up. My date is screwed already.
"Oh, honey." My mom hugs me sideways. "Can I help you with anything?"
"I don't think so... But thank you anyway." I fake a smile.
"What if I make you your favorite for dinner? Hum?"
"That could help a little bit." And my smile isn't fake anymore.

🍑🍋

It's two am again. Today is my do-over date. My phone is opened on Whatsapp.
I found out she does have Whatsapp.
My thumbs dance close to the screen, looking for the right words:
"Hey, I just wanted to know where we are going today." I finally text. Long minutes go by. She's not answering and she's not online either.
But then, she's online.
Online at two am.
And she saw my message.
Oh! She's typing!
"I thought we could go somewhere no one could interrupt us." No winky face, no bad intentions. Keep it cool, Twyla.
"That sounds good!"
"At my house, 3 pm?" She asks.
"I'll be there!"
She stops typing but she's still online, so I decide to continue.
"Should I dress casually?"Laughing emojis.
"Yes, please do!" More laughing emojis. "You like tea, right?"

I know I'm the one who's writing this book but I HATE Dylan already :(
Until next chapter and good reading! <3