bad expectations | jfg

33

"Since when do you own one of those?" I rake my eyes up and down his semi amusing attire.

"Hi to you too." He rolls his eyes. He's wearing a buttoned up black shirt and khaki shorts, he looks like such a boy, that sounds weird but he comes off as a strong man, to anyone, and I'm just used to his t shirts and basketball shorts I suppose.

He manages to pull off the cliche move of moving his hand that's hidden behind his back and presenting a beautiful gather of four roses.

"Did you pick those from my lawn?" I bite the top of my lip to try and hide my beguilement.

He sighs, "I was going to buy you some but I forgot and," he turns and looks at the naked place of dirt where the flowers were prior to his arrival, "sorry." He dismisses eye contact but smiles.

"It's okay, I don't need flowers." I step from my door and close it, "so where are we going?"

I begin to walk past him and he follows behind me quietly before slipping his arm around my back and colliding our hips to walk to the car.

"I wanted to take you somewhere expensive but then I forgot that I'm not rich so I kind of had this, weird, idea and I hope you find it okay."

His voice is soft and gentle, his words coming effortlessly from his lips. I walk around the car and we open and close our doors at the same time. "Was I supposed to open that door for you? I was, wasn't I?"

I laugh, "no. I don't think that would be necessary."

I look at the two white bags in between us and my eyebrows pull together, "you...got McDonald's?" I question, unsure.

"Yes." He states confidently.

"And," I stare at the bags, I'm not picking up what he's planning.

"Just be quiet." He demands but in the kindest way he's ever done before.

I lay back in the drivers seat and begin to grow anxious. I'm not upset that he got something this cheap, hell, I wouldn't be upset if he just got us some bread and water because this is a situation where the thought really is the only thing that counts, but I would've assumed he would have something different in mind.

We drive for a half an hour of peaceful silence with the occasional,

"Where are we going."

"Be quiet."

The more he drives the more I question how much thought he actually did put into this little date, I have absolutely no clue where we're going, I haven't been to this part of Omaha.

The longer the time goes the less houses there are, desolation and no movement come into the view and I notice how pretty the green grass looks under the vague moonlight, "what's this place?" I finally sit up and see the endless lawn.

"Just a place. I'd guess that it used to be where farmers did stuff." He concludes.

He stops the jeep on the side of the road and I look at him confused.

He reaches in the back seat without a word and grabs a recognizable huge blanket that is usually on his bed and places it on my lap before reaching back a second time and holding onto an electric lantern.

"Are we having a picnic?" My eyebrows are raised towards him and my stomach jumps up and down.

"Yes ma'am." He smiles over dramatically before grabbing the two white bags and popping his door open.

I unbuckle my seatbelt and can't help the stupid, uncontrolled grin on my face as I open my door as well, hugging the blanket to my chest.

The smell of the faded meadow fills my senses and my eyelids close for a few moments in relaxation.