The ride home was silent and awkward. Too silent that I could hear her breathe, and too awkward that I had to try my best not to breathe so loudly. Something tells me I should've not asked Lexa that question.
"Sorry, Daniel. I like you, but I love Liam," she said. She smiled oh so innocently, went in the car, and had not spoken since. She was just staring out the window the entire time. Even windows become boring sometimes, don't they?
I decided to turn on the radio, fifteen minutes of complete silence was killing me. But it only contained love songs, as if it was valentines day, and it made things more awkward.
I turned it off. I guess I have to do the talking.
"So what's your story?" I blurted out. This startled Alexa, I guess she was too caught up with watching trees move away from us that she forgot that she was actually in a car ride with me.
"Huh?" she said, finally facing away from the window.
"Uhm.. your story," I replied. "I mean, what your love story? How did you guys meet or something, why do you love him so much?"
"Long story," she replied dryly.
"Well we could surely use a long story."
She didn't respond right away. As if she was rehearsing what she would reply over and over again in her head, or maybe she was just thinking twice.
"Well it happened when I was in third grade or something..," she started. "I was just sitting there, minding my own business, when some bullies did what they do best, mess with the lives of innocent kids. They shoved some.. pie thingy into my face. Then they were laughing, then they screamed 'April Fools Day!' even when it was September. It was my birthday, and I had no friends, so I started crying." Her voice trailed off. I wasn't quite sure but I think she was about to cry, but she just didn't, cause it's always a shame to cry for everybody. Then she carried on with a slightly cracked voice.
"All the other kids couldn't help me. Why would they, they'd get pied too. So I cried and cried.. But then a brave kid stood up for me and shouted at the bullies.'Hey! You better say sorry to the lady!' He wasn't really that type of guy you'd expect to stand up for you. He was a short blond kid who has a weird fashion sense, but I was really touched with what he did. The bullies pied him too, ofcourse, but just in time for the principal to witness this happening. Turns out he called the principal, just to give the bullies what they deserved."
"Then yeah, that's it. We conversed for a while, exchanged names. So we became friends for like, a week, since he started dating this girl named Angela eventually ignored me, and whatever. I understand him, though. But we became friends again, when I was in sixth grade and I forgive him. You see, Daniel, I could never get over Liam no matter how much I try. He did something that nobody has ever done to me, despite our unacquaintedness. There's this part of him that makes him all different from the others. At first I thought I only loved him for what he did, but as time passed by, I realized that despite the changes he has gone through, I still loved him, as Liam, and not the guy who stood up for me."
I remained silent. I was quite embarassed of myself, since I have judged their relationship before so quickly. I thought it was just another boy meets girl situation, but no, there is this significance in their relationship that no one could change or surpass, not even me.
Maybe I felt the same with Maddie. Alexa only blocked my feelings for her temporarily, but when I'm alone at night, Maddie's the one I'm thinking about. I would always think about our experiences together, her beautiful eyes, her breath taking smile, our last kiss and how I could win her back. Maybe there is this part in Maddie that would always drag me closer to her, like a magnet.
"Now you do the talking," she said, quite startling me. The silence was too silent that her voice sounded like a megaphone.
"Hmm?"
"How did you and Maddie meet. What's your story?" she asked.
Our story, hmm. We had a lot of wonderful experiences, but the day we met would always be the most significant.
"Well there's this common denominator with our stories," I started, "It both had something to do with bullies, and if the world was a tad bit smaller then maybe we were talking about the same bullies."
"Cool," she laughed.
"A group of bullies grabbed my Chocwink bar from me. You know, back then, Chocwink was the best. Every kid in town wanted Chocwinks, and I bought it with my own money so I had to fight for it. They said that they would only give me back the chocolate if I kissed that pretty stranger. And so I did. I could never forget how Maddie reacted. How those brown eyes dilated, it's just so cute. She was mad, so she demanded for a share of the candy."
"But the bullies wouldn't give back the candy, so she did something I didn't expect her to do- spit on the big guy. We ran away from the bullies with our jolly little hearts. We became very close friends since then."
"And great lovers?" she added.
"Unrequited lover in my case," I said.
"Oh.." Her voice faded, welcoming back silence, our good friend. By the way she sounded, she felt bad for me, and I guess she didn't expect that. Maybe she thought Maddie and I were like lovers in Paris, but yeah, she was wrong.
"Cute story though," she mumbled.
"Yours too."
"It's not cute at all," she disagreed.
"Well, it sounded cute.."
"No! It's not cute. My third grade life was never cute or any relatable adjective. It may sound cute, but if you actually saw what happened, you would never find it cute. That was the only highlight of my that entire schoolyear. My third grade life was horrible!" she proclaimed. Whoa, what's her problem. She leaned her back on the seat, staring straight into the road. She was so stationary, as if she was concentrating on something and trying to make it levitate. I'm not sure if she was in the about-to-cry state or the mad-at-daniel-state.
"Uhh.. okay.. chill. Sorry," I stammered.
And those were the last words spoken in the entire ride home.
------
We arrived at a restaurant just around the block. We stepped out of the car but Alexa was still observing her reflection on the car window.
"Skarth," she called. "Do I look okay?" She twirled around like a child wearing princess. Lexa was wearing her signature look- a pastel dress, a pink one this time; a pair of flat shoes, cause if she wore high heels she would be as tall as I and we wouldn't look cute; and light makeup.
"You always look more than okay," I replied. We exchanged smiles and I opened the door for her.
Why have I never been here before. The aroma was a wonderful mix of cookies, toast and coffee, But the colors were awfully bland, just shades of brown. A little more brown then this place would literally look like shit.
"Hey!" I heard someone call. It was Maddie, waving, gesturing us to come there. I held Lexa's hand and walked to them, because, I think I should.
"Uhh, hey," I stammered. I haven't seen Maddie for a while now, and that made me realize how much I missed her. "You look pretty," I commented.
"She always does," Liam said. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards him. Annoyi- ow! Lexa nudged my arm with her elbow. She shot me this weird look which is, I guess, awkward for the couple watching that was seated right in front of us. I fathomed she wanted me to be in a battle-of-the-sweeter-boyfriend thingy or what, which is something I am never good at.
"Uh.. uhm.. well, yeah. Lexa smells nice," I oh so ineptly said. I could see from my peripheral vision that Lexa was doing a facepalm. Liam was trying his best not to snicker impolitely. Oh God, this was embarassing.
"Nice. As nice as the purple flowers which has just bloomed seeking for the sun's warmth. as nice as bunny rabbits frolicking in the grass fields, and as nice as the feeling of being with this very beautiful woman on this fine day." Ugh, that was bad. Bunny rabbits in grass fields, who in the world would use that as a simile for sweet smelling things. But I guess that was a good-enough comeback. A waiter arrived bringing for cups of coffee on his tray.
"Oh yeah, we already ordered some coffee, if you don't mind. You were taking a bit too long, and besides, we already know your coffee preferences," Maddie said. It's true, Maddie knows that I only drink white coffee.
"Uhh, not at all," Lexa replied. She took a sip from her foamy cappuccino, leaving a coat of foam above her upper lip. "Santa Claus' daughter, is that you?" I teased, and we both laughed.
"You must be my elf then. Or maybe the reindeer, Danskarth," she joked, making a horrible pun, but we just laughed anyway.
"I see you guys are doing very well," Liam commented, looking at us suspiciously.
"Well of course we are, how about you?" Lexa said. Her eyes flew from Liam to Maddie, who was innocently dipping crackers in her coffee. She was confused.
"How are you doing, Maddie?" Lexa asked.
She ate the half drenched cracker, "Pretty good I guess. Today's are fourth monthsary, by the way." She was a bit inaudible because of the crackers, but I heard the words fourth monthsary pretty well. Even Alexa's eyes widened, I guess she also didn't know that. "Well, good for you."
"Wha-"
"How about you guys?" Liam said, cutting Lexa off even before saying a word. "When's you monthsary?"
Oh shit, our monthsary date. Of all things, why. We haven't really set up an official monthsary date. It could be the day she sat next to me, or the day we first held hands, or maybe when I popped the question peculiarly and failed. Oh well, I'll just wait for Alexa to talk.
But she didn't. I guess she was also waiting for me to answer, but which would I choose? She didn't respond, so I guess I had to do it.
"17th" I said.
"18th" Lexa said simultaneously.
Fail. That was a fail.
"Uhh, Daniel meant 18th. He asked me the question on the 17th but I said yes on the 18th. He must've mixed it up."
Liam nodded agreeably. Ah, that was close.
"So I was wondering," Maddie said, "How did the two of you meet? It seemed to happen so fast."
"Oh it was definitely a funny story," Lexa said, taking a huge breath, "You see, when you.."
Ah, Alexa's got this. Who knows how many times she has rehearsed it in her head. But they didn't seem too interested, my Maddie wasjust playing with her phone. Which reminds me, where is my phone. I went through my pockets, it not there. Maybe I've left it in the car.
"And that's how it happened, right hun?" she said, looking at me with those dazzling eyes, showing off those dimples that would always get me everytime.
"Of course," I said. "Excuse me for a while I have to get something in the car."
"Take your time," she said.
I walked out the glass door and to my car parked right in front it. I peeked through the window, oh yes it's there. I opened the door, grabbed my phone, and lock the door. I was about to go back inside but then I found myself shocked, watching the unexpected events through the transparent door.
Alexa was standing up, shouting at Liam. I couldn't really hear the words clearly, since I'm outside, and I did not dare take a step inside the store.
People were staring at them, and Alexa was still shouting, pointing at Liam, then all of a sudden, she threw coffee on his face. Oh god I hope it didn't burn.. well at least just a little bit. But my eyes widened the most when I saw Maddie faint, draining all color from her face.
I was only away for about thirty seconds, what the fuck just happened.