Bring Me To Life

Cy's big date

"What?" she asked softly, meeting my gaze.

"Nothing," I replied with a smile, savoring the adorable moment as she blushed and shifted her attention to the menu. We exchanged cute glances every now and then while looking at our options.

"Anything new?" she asked once she had decided on her order.

"Hmm... not much," I replied, my mind momentarily blank, grappling with an internal struggle not to stutter, especially with her perceptive gaze fixed on me. We've been best friends since childhood.

She could tell I was nervous, and to break the ice, she asked, "If there was one thing you learned in life, what was it?"

"Communicate with the person you love, because if not, things will fall apart, affecting everyone," I said. Her surprised expression revealed that my answer resonated.

"I like that answer too," Mari smiled warmly, reaching over to touch my hand. She held it, playing with my fingers and bracelets. Eventually, she moved her chair closer, cuddling my arm softly, placing multiple kisses on my cheek. I blushed and smiled, turning to kiss her. She kissed back, giggling softly.

"See...? I don't bite," she teased.

"I know, I know... I was just nervous," I admitted softly.

"Why, CyBear?" she asked, caressing my arm gently.

"I don't know... I really see myself dating you, but I'm afraid of ruining our friendship," I confessed, looking into her eyes.

"We won't because there never was just a friendship... I've always liked you and considered you more than a friend," Mari bit her lip softly.

I nodded softly, smirking, the unspoken understanding between us growing.

The waitress returned with our drinks, noting our choices. Mari eagerly ordered spinach lasagna with ricotta, while I chose tortellini with brown butter and sausage. With our orders placed, the waitress left, allowing us to enjoy our time together.

"I had the most incredible tortellini everrrr when I was in Italy over the summer" I shared.

Mari's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh, Italy! I absolutely love their spaghetti," she added, recalling her family trip. "We went about a month ago, and everything—the flavors, the atmosphere—was just amazing." She smiled wide.

"Would you go back again?" I asked with a curious smile.

"Oh, absolutely," Mari replied, her eyes lighting up as she shared more about her favorite things in Italy. She expressed her desire to move there, and I couldn't help but smile, completely enchanted as I watched her speak so passionately about it.

One of my favorite things about Mari is that when she speaks so passionately about something, it's just so attractive.. I have a feeling after dinner we are going to edit her vision board and add a trip for our families to go to Italy together. I would be so excited to see Italy with a different perspective.. to see it again with Mari..

As the night unfolded and our food finally arrived, we found joy in conversing and sharing stories. Our connection seems endless, with a constant flow of topics keeping our discussion lively.

After dinner, I took care of the bill, returning to escort Mari back to my car. Opening the door, she playfully pulled me in, ensuring I avoided any head bumps. Our small make-out session unfolded, and we reluctantly pulled away, realizing it was time to go. I closed the door, lips slightly swollen and coated in lip gloss. Taking the driver's seat, I checked the time.

""Perfect," I smirked, stealing a glance at the time.

"Huh?" Mari asked, intrigued.

"Don't worry; it's nothing," I winked, igniting the car and steering towards the drive-in movie theater.

Within 30 minutes, we pulled into the drive-in.

"I've never been here... a year living in Georgia, and I never knew about this place," Mari remarked, surveying the surroundings as I parked among others.

"Neither did I," I chuckled.

I tuned the radio to the required station, syncing it with the movie.

"Want some popcorn and candy?" I offered.

"Hmm... I'm okay," she said, hopping into the back and giving me a mischievous grin.

"I wanted to watch this movie. They're playing Nightmare on Elm Street," I mentioned, looking at her.

"We can watch it from here," she smirked, and I signaled her to join me. She playfully lingered, just looking at me.

Let's just say... we enjoyed the movie.

When the movie was over, I took her home and then returned to my place. Upon entering, my parents were in the living room, cuddling while watching TV.

"Hi honey! How'd it go?" my mom eagerly asked as I walked in.

"Great! Really good," I smiled, joining them. My dad subtly noticed the hickey on my neck, exchanging a soft head shake with me while my mom remained oblivious. After having a  conversation about the date, my dad later gave me a fist bump, and I chuckled, fully understanding his silent message. He shot me a look, touching his neck, and I excused myself, heading upstairs.

"I'm so glad my baby had fun," my mom remarked to my dad.

"Oh, they definitely had a great time," my dad chuckled softly.

To be continued...