A Long Way Home

Him

"Shhhhh shhhh it's okay." Max slung her arm back over Mia's shoulder.

"Tonight was great. Because we met Mike! And Mike's friends! And Mike's friends met Mia! Ohhhh my Mia my Mia mamma Mia!"

Max doubled over with laughter dragging Mia down with her. Suddenly she felt an arm brush against her side hoisting Max back upright. The place where his hand had brushed felt electric. The feeling coursed through her body throwing off her concentration.

"Here I've got her. Can you flag a cab?" Had his voice always been that low? Mia dragged her mind out of her reverie willing herself to look at Drew. His eyes were calm, ever collected and unshaken. She nodded. Her voice having decided to retreat in fear or shock, she wasn't sure.

"I can take her home, you don't have to come with us." Mia stood outside of the open door of the cab as Drew deposited Max into the back seat.

"Are you sure? I don't mind." He looked from Max to Mia. She knew he was trying to figure out how Mia would get Max out at her apartment. It would be tricky but Mia had done it before. The key was to go legs first and tell Max to act like a worm. It made it easier for Mia to drag her out of the cab in one smooth motion.

"Yea of course I've got it. Thanks though." Mia moved around the cab door, grazing his t-shirt. It was impossibly soft. She'd have to ask Max about what detergent he used.

"I'm sure you do, but I'd feel more comfortable if I saw you both home." She locked eyes with him. From her angle on the seat, he looked six feet taller than two minutes ago and his stature was not lost on her. From here she could see a boyish glint in his features hinting at the possibility of laughter just waiting to come up.

"Em, let him in. We're getting pizza." Mia sighed as Max leaned across the seat reaching unsuccessfully for Drew's hand.

"Drew. In."

"Yes ma'am." Drew gestured for Mia to scoot over.

She held her breath. Max was leaning against the window with the lower half of her body pressing into Mia's hip. She tried to make herself as small as possible but there was little to no room to move.

"Why are you breathing so weird?" Drew turned halfway to face her. Their noses practically touching as the cab ambled down the block towards the FDR drive.

"What? I'm not breathing weird." She was absolutely breathing weird. How embarrassing that he had noticed.

"Yes you are, you keep taking really deep breaths and holding them like this." She watched as he took a long breath in and held onto it for what seemed like an eternity before a sharp exhale.

"I don't do that."

"Yes, you do."

"Okay well maybe that's just how I breathe."

"Okay well maybe you should warn people. I was worried you were suffocating." He cracked a smile as Mia processed what he had said. Worried huh? About her? They barely knew each other.

"I'm Drew by the way. I don't know if you remember my name or not."

"Why wouldn't I remember your name?" She realized after the fact that she hadn't given him hers again.

"Because I'm one of ten new guys you just met. All of whom have pretty generic names like John or Mike or Andrew. So just to be safe, I thought I'd reintroduce myself." He held out his hand. At the angle of the cab it was awkward. He was slightly turned towards her and had to reach across his body for Mia to take it. The only problem was Mia's arm was trapped under his. She used her free hand to shake it making the entire scene laughable.