No Strings

In the Beginning

"Yeah," I say, quietly with a shrug. He grins at me as he mouths 'come on' and stands up, heading to the kitchen. I get up and follow him, seemingly pulled by an invisible string.

He raids the kitchen as though it is his own, and it just might be, I dont know whos the actual host.

"Can you help me carry the marshmallows?" His arms are completely full as he asks with a slight pout, and I find myself letting out a giggle before I grab the food that is overflowing in his arms. He grins down at me, his eyes shifting between my own with mirth.

He exits the kitchen and leads me out the back doors where a fire is burning in a small fire pit. I set all of the ingredients on a side table in between two chairs and we begin putting smores together.

I shuffle my chair and the table closer to the fire as the cold begins seeping in through my clothes, and then I sit down and do my best to set up the graham crackers as I curl in on myself.

"Here," Akira says as he shrugs of his own jacket and lays it on my shoulders. Its warm from his body heat and I'm quick to slip my arms through the sleeves and hug the jean material closer to myself.

He chuckles and when our eyes meet I raise my eyebrows in question.

"You didn't even pretend to reject it." He smiles crookedly and his eyes seem to see down to my bones.

"Why pretend I didn't want it when I did?" He only shakes his head before standing and roasting a marshmallow. As he pulls it away its still on fire and as he stares at it while it burns. When he blows it out its black and charred, but it must be to his satisfaction because he places it on his graham cracker and chocolate before taking a bite. As he chews he nods in satisfaction before handing it to me, wordlessly telling me to eat the rest.

Our gazes are locked as I eat the other half. He swallows and licks his lips before looking down and sighing deeply.

"Did Tate say anything to you about him and Sophia?" I feel a weight of understanding sit on my heart as I chew.

"Their dating." My words are blunt.

"I thought so." He nods and sticks his hands in his pockets.

"You like her." It's not a question, but instead a statement.

He breathes deeply before tilting his head back to look at the stars.

"It's complicated."

"Well I have nothing but time," I say as I stand and begin roasting another marshmallow.

"I don't know what I feel for her anymore. Not completely anyway. I like her. I love her... And I hate her," he shakes his head before continuing, "I don't know. It's complicated, we're complicated. I don't even know if I'm making sense anymore. That woman has scrambled my brains." He drags his hands down his face and lets out a loud sigh as he finishes. Seeing him so lost brings a heaviness to my heart.

"So you guys broke up?" I say as I finish making my smore.

"No, we've never even dated." I feel myself scrunch my nose in confusion and he laughs at my expression.

"I told you we were complicated."

"So it's a one sided love?"

"No. She just has commitment issues. She may act like she doesn't need me or that she wants to be with other people but I know her. She needs me. She gets scared that I'll leave."

I silently think through it all and even though it doesn't make sense, it does at the same time. Their relationship has never been defined but their still together in some way. She may mess around, and Akira too, but they both know that they belong only to each other.

"I get it."

"Do you?"

"Yeah." He stares at me for a long time. His eyes searching mine before I see something inside of him come to terms with my answer.

"So what about you and Tate?" He seems genuinely curious and I smile at him.

"We're best friends. Nothing romantic at all." He nods at my answer, accepting it. No further questioning.

"I'm sorry," I say suddenly.

"For what?"

"For Tate. Knowing what's happening between you and Sophia, I'm sorry that Tate is messing around with her."

"Don't be. Sophia knows what she's doing. Tate has no idea. I can't fault him. And truthfully I feel more sorry for him. He really likes her, but she's not serious about him." He doesn't say anything for a while before he finishes softly. "She never is." 

His words are hollow and they hang in the cold air, even long after our conversation is over.

_

We talked for a few hours longer and through it all I had come to be very fond of him. He was easy going and yet he seemed to see everything. Something about him was so comforting, as though I could tell him anything and he would always understand.

I stand in the front yard, rubbing my hands together as I wait for Tate so he can take me home. The sound of the front door opening makes me turn but instead of Tate walking through the door, its Akira, keys in hand.

"Lets go I'll take you home."

"But what about Tate?" My eyebrows are scrunched up as I stare at him, confused.

"He's uh, compromised at the moment." His eyes give away his feelings and I instantly understand. Freaking Tate.

Still I shake my head.

"You were drinking,. I'll call a cab."

"It was soda." Is all he says as he grabs my hand and walks into the darkness towards his car. It's dark and I can't see well so I stick close to him. He stops suddenly and I walk into his back. I let out a giggle as his hands reach behind himself to stabilize me. Now it seems like I've been the one drinking.

"We're here, Milady." He says as he opens the door and holds it open for me with a flourish of his hands.

"Why thank you," I say with a slight bow of my head. He only grins at me, his eyes shining happily, before he closes my door softly and he runs to the other side.

It's a nice car and when he turns the key, the engine starts with a soft thrum and the dash immediately lights up. He quickly turns the heater on and shifts the vents in my direction before backing out of the driveway, hand on the back of my seat.

The entire drive is a silent, but it's not awkward, instead its peaceful.

As he pulls up to my apartment I unbuckle my seatbelt and turn towards him.

"Thank you for everything. The drive, the smores, the talk."

"I should be thanking you Rin. I mean it." The seriousness in the way he speaks makes my heart speed up.

Our eyes are locked. Hazel on dark brown, and the silent messages traveling between the two is unclear.

"Bye, Akira." He only smiles and nods as I get out.

Its as I'm walking away that I stop at the sound of his window going down.

"This isn't bye Rinny. This is only a see you soon." He hesitates for a while before speaking again, "How about we hang out tomorrow? I've been wanting to go the amusement park that was just built in town and I'd love it if you'd be my partner in crime."

My heart stops.

One beat.

Two beats.

Three beats.

"Okay."

"Okay," He repeats. "Six o'clock."

"I'll be here." I say and he gives me a crooked smile before saluting me with two fingers.

I stand there long after he's gone and it's only when I'm back inside that I realize I still have his jacket on. I don't know if I want to give it back.