I wasn't surprised when I woke up in bed. I felt Joe picking me up last night and putting me in bed. I heard him wish me good night, tucking me in and closing the door behind him.
He woke me up before he left and told me that he had to go back to the house and that he will come back as soon as he finishes. He told me, even if no one will come, to not open the door but just in case someone knocks to ignore it because he had the apartment key.
I spent my day watching people walk and drive on the streets, lights opening and closing in all buildings around and watching uninstresing television shows. I was bored until I heard someone opening the door.
"I am back." Joe yelled and I smiled.
I watched him open the door and close it behind it and saw a bouquet of yellow roses in his hand. I frowned. He saw my reaction so he explained, "just tried to think of anything to cheer you up, you know, and then I thought all girls like flowers, so you must like them too". He handed them to me.
"I love them Joe, thank you." I smelled them and examined their beauty. "Do you have a vase?"
He nodded, walked to the kitchen and I followed him. He took out a vase and filled it with water. I put the roses inside and placed them there.
"They're beautiful."
"I know right," he chucked. I looked at him, seeing the sword dangling earring he always wears on one ear and a normal back round in the other. And the tattoos that filled his neck, giving him a collar from the half sleeve black shirt he was wearing with black cargos and boots. "Ace asked about you."
My heart dropped. I tried to hide any reactions my body wanted to show. I gulped and asked him, "and?"
"I told him you're with me but I didn't tell him where, you know, but I'm pretty sure he knows we are here."
I nodded, not wanting to ask more things for so many reasons. I knew that Joe was trying to know how I felt about Ace so I tried to hide my emotions. And I stayed silent for me. I looked at Joe and wondered if I was too stuck on Ace, not seeing the people who could give me more than Ace ever could. I smiled at him when he saw that I was staring at him and looked back at the flowers.
"Do you want to go out?" He asked.
I raised my eyebrows, "I thought you can't go out a lot."
"Maybe Ace, but I am a little behind the scenes. Very close people know who I am."
I nodded.
We walked in, letting the arcade lights and blasting noises of games crashing and people yelling. I got excited just walking in.
"Let's go play."
We played almost all the games and I probably won more than half. We laughed hard and cheered.
"Tal, common. They're just cartoon insects."
"I have a phobia." I laughed.
He wanted us to get in a booth, fighting insects wearing VR headset.
"Please!" He jokingly yelled.
I looked around, "fine. If you win me a teddy bear out of this clawing machine, I will do it."
"Deal!" He rushed to the machine.
He tried a couple of times and even though I didn't want to play the game he wanted to play I was cheering for him to get the teddy bear. When he did, my adrenaline reached its peak. I screamed, jumping up and down as he takes it from the machine and hands it to me. I jumped in his arms, hugging him. He didn't hesitate and held me in his arms until I pulled away.
I looked at him with the biggest smile I've had since I met him.
"I'm crazy, huh?"
He scoffed, shaking his head, "I am just happy you're happy," making me smile wider.
This day made me realize that maybe Joe was the right person for me. Maybe I should accept that nothing will ever happen with Ace and it was time to allow myself to forget Ace and whatever he did for me and see the others who can make me happy. I liked Ace because he made me feel safe. But Joe made me feel safe and happy. He was able to make me laugh on a bad day. He was able to accept her craziness and match it. He was able to love me as I am and not push me away after begging him to love me. This day made me believe that feelings could be choices and at that moment, I chose to give Joe the chance Ace lost.