secrets

four

-SIMON-
______

"Will you be back before midnight?" Clary asks, her arms crossed and her eyes squinting in suspicion.

"Of course, it's just a business dinner." I shrug, throwing on my coat and opening the door.

She nods, content with my answer.

I, on the other hand, cannot contain myself. I almost feel bad that she believes me. But it's the first date I'm having with Adele, and I have to prove to her that she made the right decision when she gave me another chance.

Nervous, and yet extremely relaxed, I knock on her door. She opens it after several seconds, looking surprised to see me.

My eyes retreat to her plump lips, covered in a deep red lipstick. She smiles, her cheeks turning into a rosey color.

"Sorry, did I come too early?" I ask with a light laugh, noticing her hair is still in curlers and a white robe is hugging her body.

She adorably blushes even more. "No, I'm just running behind. It's my fault." After a short pause, she opens the door wider and holds out an arm, saying, "Well, don't just stand there, it's going to be a bit before we actually leave."

I laugh again and walk inside. I'm immediately greeted by a little Dachshund. I kneel down to pet him, amused.

"That's Louie." Adele clarifies, scooping up the dog and kissing him.

"Nice to meet you, Louie." I say, standing back up.

She sets him on the couch, then pulls out a chair for me at her kitchen table.

I sit down and she says, "Well, if you don't mind, just sit tight here while I finish. I won't take long."

"Thank you." I say with a smile. "And take your time, we're in no hurry."

She smiles and walks up the stairs. As I wait, I look around at her elegantly decorated house. It smells like vanilla and roses, and it's very welcoming, like a place you would come to when you wanted to feel safe.

I triple check the location of the movie theater, ensuring that I won't run into anyone I know.

After a few minutes, she descends the flight of stairs, looking like royalty.

She has on a simple black dress that outlines her figure, and her hair falls just below her shoulders in subtle curls. I don't try to stop my jaw from dropping as I walk over to her.

"You look-" I exhale, finding myself at a loss for words. "Stunning."

"And you look incredible." She returns the compliment with a shy smile. I open the front door for her, and she yells out, "Bye, Louie! Mummy will be back later!"

I can't help myself from smiling. She would make a great mother one day.

"You're quite the gentlemen, you know that?" She says as I open the car door for her.

"This is just proper etiquette on how to treat a lady." I say.

"My ex never learned that." She shakes her head disapprovingly.

I turn the key in the ignition and face her for a moment, saying, "Your ex is not a man, then."

She giggles and grabs my hand. Her hand is so soft and warm.

"I had to pick a place that was safe, so I chose a theater half an hour away, is that alright?"

"As long as I'm with you, I don't care where we go." She smiles. How is she so perfect?

Too bad she has to be a secret right now because I want the whole world to know that she has all my love.

______

Although it felt like I knew everything about her, I really didn't know much.

We spent the car ride learning more about each other, and the more I found out about her, the harder I fell for her.

The radio was playing quietly in the background, until she recognized one song.

"To give me all your love is all I ever asked, 'cause what you don't understand is-"

Recognizing the song, I join in with her. Both of us sing at the top of our lungs, "I'd catch a grenade for you, throw my head on a blade for you, I'd jump in front of a train for you, you know I'd do anything for you."

She looks at me with a smile, allowing Bruno Mars to take the spotlight back.

I sit in shock at her voice. She effortlessly hit those notes perfectly.

"Adele, you have an incredible voice, why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not something I show off much." She laughs.

"Well, you better start." I look over at her for a brief moment, immediately noticing her bright pink cheeks and timid smile.

Pulling into the theater, I hurry to her door to open it before she can. "You really don't have to do that, Simon." She says, getting out.

"Why not? I'm just treating you the way you deserve to be treated." I take her hand.

We start walking, her hair blowing in the cold wind. She looks at me for several seconds, then turns back to the ground.

"What?" I ask.

"I'm just not used to a man treating me like a woman."

My heart breaks. She must have been really hurt in the past. Didn't her father ever teach her how worthy and valuable she is? My mother always taught me to treat a woman like she was a princess.

"Get used to it, Adele. I'm going to treat you like you're a queen."

She smiles, bigger than I've seen her smile in the full two hours that I've known her.

After getting through the ticket and concession lines, we sit down next to each other in the back of the dark theater.

Our hands link together, the movie beginning.

But we both knew that when it was over, we wouldn't know a single thing that happened.