Lavender Monarch has Exactly Thirteen Fears

29. you don't get it.

"Well, I will just..." his mum glances at her watch, "be going to run a few errands. Don't get up to any mischief!" She eyes the two of us, and it gives me a weird feeling.

"We won't!" I say a little too brightly, and she gives me a thin-lipped smile.

"Round two of my mum making things weird and awkward," Patty whisper s into my ear, and I stifle a giggle. She closes the door, and he spins me around to face him. "I forgot how beautiful you were," he says.

"Patty..." I say, starting to feel the blush rise up in my cheeks.

"It's true. You want a tour of the place then?"

"Okay," I reply, and he grabs my hand and starts dragging me around. He shows me each room of the house all the while making some questionable commentary on his mum's style choices. I tell him off every time, but deep down, I can't help but agree. The final room we end up in is his own. He's decorated it pretty much the same as his old room except now he actually has a massive window on one of the walls and a fireplace.

"Does it work?" I say gesturing to it. He shakes his head.

"Nope, it just looks cool. I thought I could make it into a frog enclosure."

"You aren't serious," I say.

"Plastic frog enclosure." I laugh and walk over to the window and pull back one of the pieces of fabric he's put over it to look outside.

"You have a pretty view," I turn to face him.

"Prettier with you in it," he says, smiling. He's really laying it on thick today and its starting to make up for how crappy I felt all the time we were apart. I was having doubts that he was even interested but obviously I was just overanalysing. It seems I'm doing that a lot lately. Sometimes maybe the simplest explanation is the truth. He probably was actually just busy. 

"So, I have a bit of a problem."

"Yeah?"

"Well, I didn't know you were coming today, and I've kind of planned something with friends that I can't really bail on."

"Oh," I say, unable to hide the disappointment. I was really looking forward to spending the whole day with him. Alone.

"I mean, you could probably tag along if you wanted." Tag along. I hate how he makes it sound like I'm a child.

"Yeah, sure."

"Thanks, babe." He smiles. I love the way that sounds. Not long after, I find myself walking down the street to his friend's place. Turns out they only live a few streets over. As we walk up the steps to the doorstep, he slides his hand out of mine. I panic for a second before realising it's just so he can knock. I need to stop being so paranoid. I feel like an idiot for reading into everything.

"Wait," I say, just before he can.

"They don't have cats, right? I mean, I'm okay with Salty, but I don't know how-"

"No cats. No pets, in fact."

"Mirrors?" I say suddenly starting to panic, "Any mirrors anywhere besides bathrooms?" I can hold on for a long time if I have to. 

"Uh, maybe. Everyone has mirrors. Just don't look in them."

"No, you don't get it. It doesn't work like that." I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Do they usually have a fireplace on? Is there a lot of people - I can't handle it if it's a crowd...clocks? I don't know if that might still set me off. How clean are they? Do they sanitise their surfaces? Do I have to shake their hands-"

"Babe!" he interrupts and only then do I process its the third time he's said it. "You'll be fine, just chill out."

"I can't chill out!"

"Okay, okay. We are not having our first fight on my friend's doorstep. If you can't do this, we can just go back to mine." I know he would if I really asked him to, but I can sense the annoyance in his tone of voice. I can't believe I didn't think of all this till now. It's been so long since I've gone into a strangers house who wasn't aware of my fears.

"No, it's fine," I say sighing.

"You see a shrink, right?" he asks.

"Psychologist," I correct.

"Yeah, whatever. Well just do what they say." I roll my eyes at him. I wish June were here. He would understand. He reaches out and knocks, and I steel myself for whatever about to come. I just really hope I don't end up embarrassing myself. The door swings open and a shorter boy with messy brown hair answers. 

"Hey, Patty! And-" he pauses. 

"Lavender," I say with a small smile.

"Nice to meet you," he says, grinning and sticks his hand out to me. I glance down at it and to my dismay, he has dirt under his fingernails.