"T-this is a d-date...r-right?"
I look at Travis as he was writing our names down on a list. Could see that we were about to enter a residence and there seemed to be needed permission to enter.
"It's a date. Did you see what was outside?" He asks me curiously, grinning at me when I shook my head no. "Good. Makes the surprise all the more surprising."
I raise my eyebrow when he took my hand in front of everyone. It made me wonder if he was just very confident or if the USA was more open than I thought.
He walked me outside the building, and I come upon so many flowers. It was a large backyard that was acres long of flowers! It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen as I look up at him.
I saw him smiling down at me, causing me to blush. So he must've planned in advance because I didn't know there were things like this.
Now I was rushing forward through the flowers. Could see some people taking pictures with the flowers, some drawing them it seemed, while others were here with their significant others. Just like me...I'm here with someone I like.
"Mimi."
I hear Travis say my name, causing me to look.
I saw the orchid in Travis' fingertips, and he extended it towards me. My face became warm as I stared at it. When I take the flower I liked the pure periwinkle color especially, grinning at him.
"T-thank you."
"You're welcome. I hope this doesn't bother you, you know...for picking random flowers from a field." Travis looked down awkwardly, glancing over his shoulder to see if anyone saw.
"It-it's fine. I - I don't think this i-is prohibited. J-just in case." I took the orchid, putting some of the stem in my pocket. The flower stuck out a bit so that it wasn't crushed. "I am...h-happy you brought me here."
I try to control my stuttering, stepping through the flowers some more. At this moment I look over my shoulder at Travis and see him inspecting a certain flower. My lips tighten into a straight line, staring at how handsome he was.
It made me wonder...why he liked me. Would his liking towards me change when we began to go to school?
That made me sad. I heard stories when I was in a China about how in America a lot of people tend to have meaningless...flings - was that the word? Where people tend to only date because it's convenient and it's just for fun.
I know that can happen everywhere, but I feel like it happens more here. I don't want my feelings to be...toyed with.
"Mimi?" I hear Travis' voice. When I look at him he looked concerned for me. As if he knew what was wrong.
"Y-yes?"
"What's wrong? You can talk to me - remember that." Travis tells me, and I end up walking back from him.
He stops walking, frowning at me sadly.
"I...I d-do n-not w-w-want to...to b-be a f-fling." I whimper to him shyly, and his eyes soften on me. "I-I w-want you...t-to l-like m-me genuinely - l-like I do!"
My face became warmer, chewing my lips nervously. I wanted Travis to like me like how I liked him. In...China homosexuality is very hidden. It is kept on the down-low and not very publicized. Here...it seems more accepted and not as ostracized.
I already know my parents...are not accepting. They don't know I'm...gay, but still.
"I'm bisexual Mimi." Travis says casually, and I felt my eyes divert off of his. "I like both genders - I don't judge. I don't take much of a liking to...'flings'. I don't think I have ever had one. Mimi I like you, genuinely. This want I have festering inside my chest is for you. I wish you could believe me."
I look up at him and saw that he looked genuinely saddened. Though I never said I didn't believe him...I just didn't want to be a fling.
"I-I...I have n-never b-been i-in a-a r-relationship. I-I a-am not good." I shook my head angrily at myself, and I see Travis come closer towards me.
He stares down at me and I became nervous. Would he break up with me because I was inexperienced? I was being crazy for having these thoughts?
I would not be surprised if I was pushed away because my mind is getting in the way. Need to stop thinking!
"D-d-d-d...d-don't..." I stutter too much, beginning to feel my eyes water because I was trying to say 'Don't break up with me'.
We're we even exclusive in such a way that I could say such a thing?
"It's okay. I can wait for you to say it, don't rush yourself." Travis promises me, but that only made me shyer.
My stuttering now was above the charts and I couldn't even get a word out. I didn't even know how much I liked him until now. So much...that my words are both afraid and excited.
"D...d-d-don't...b-b-b-br...b-break..." I look at him again, and saw him still waiting patiently. "U-u-u-up w-w-with m-m-m-me."
Travis eyes became really soft and he began to smile. I wondered why he was smiling because that took me forever to get out. If I was him I would've...broken up with me too. I'm too annoying - the stuttering is probably so annoying to him.
"Mimi I will not break up with you. What would I be breaking up with you for? This is our first date and you are already asking me not to do such a thing when - quite frankly - it never crossed my mind." Travis chuckles at me, but I still wasn't confident. "What's wrong...?"
I rushed closer towards him, wrapping my arms around his waist. Hugging him tightly, I hid my face in his chest. I could smell how the scent of the flowers around us were mixing in with his own natural smell. It calmed me instantly, but to feel him hug me back calmed me even more.
"When...when I was in China," I look up at him, seeing him look down at me sweetly, "I didn't really have stable friendships...or anything like that. It was always me and my grandparents were strict. If I failed in any type of aspect - I was punished. The only thing I truly had power over...was taking care of the flowers. My own mindset was faltering until our parents finally allowed me to come home with Louis. Then I'm at the airport - wishing I could...maybe g-go back to China since I knew no one here. Except going back...to China...I didn't know anyone there either."
I stop, glancing back up at him. He looked like he couldn't understand my circumstances and I didn't expect him to.
At least he listened.
"So to be in that airport not knowing anyone...then to hear someone call my name. Wasn't expecting you to also fall in front of me on your knees, you fell for me and at the same time I did too." I say without stuttering, and I feel him fall to his knees. I end up falling with him and now we were hidden in the tall bushes of flowers.
We looked at one another, causing me to blush at his expression. If was very warm and kind...
I saw his eyes set on my lips, causing me to unconsciously lick them shyly. Had to calm my heart so that I didn't do anything stupid.
"I can agree fully. I fell for you too." Travis murmured to me. "Would you mind if I kissed you?"
I shook my head no without any hesitation.
"You d-don't have t-to ask. I will n-never mind." I state truthfully.
"Same here."
We both lean towards one another and kiss. I was happy to kiss him and hug him. It was in such a nice area that I could kiss him this way. Why wouldn't I be excited?
Could begin to feel something creep behind my ear. I flinch as I pull away, and see Travis tucking a flower behind my ear. He grins at me and I bite my lip.
"When...do we start school?" I ask him, Travis raising his eyebrow as he looks off.
"I believe in a couple days. I already have all of my school supplies - have you prepared?" He asks of me.
I shook my head no again, and he smiles brightly.
"I guess our little date is going to be moved to Target. Let's go!" Travis exclaims and he pulls me onto my feet. We both end up just rushing out of such a beautiful place.
Except before we were fully gone I stop running. It causes Travis to stop too, looking at me curiously.
"Let's...t-take a p-picture." I say to him shyly as I pull out my phone.
He raises his eyebrows, but was nodding happily. Going to stand beside me he took my phone and we both crouched before an array of orchids.
I did a peace-sign awkwardly, not sure what I should show. Except when I see Travis give me his hand that held up half a heart - I blush. Going to put my hand beside his, it startled me how small my hand was compared to his.
That made him burst out laughing, and I just stared at our hand difference in astonishment. We couldn't even close the heart because his hand was too big to close it and mine was too small to match up.
I hear him end up taking the picture and I look, seeing us both. Our hands in view and how pathetic the difference was. There was Travis laughing at such a thing while I looked stupid eyeing it.
"I love it..." I murmur, biting my lip at such a cute picture.
"I do too. Look, let me take one on my phone." Travis got out his phone and wraps his arm around my shoulders. He pulls me towards him as my head leaned against his chest.
I just grin because I felt very nice in his arms. Could still see the flower tucked behind my ear as he grinned too. Once he took the picture I saw him begin to edit it.
"W-what's wrong?" I ask him, and I saw him edit himself out. The picture was just me grinning while I laid against his chest.
Now I blushed even more when he put it as his wallpaper for his lock screen.
"W-why...?" I ask him shyly, and he kisses my cheek.
"Because I want to be able to see your cute face 24/7. Even if I'm not with you - this is a reminder of how lucky I am to meet a cute person like you." He gushes so happily, and I just couldn't help but blush like a fool.
"Th-then I'll d-do that t-too!" I exclaim, going to my photos and I take a screenshot of the original picture. I edit myself out and then save the picture. I put his laughing face as my lock screen and home screen.
I liked being able to turn on my phone...and see his handsome face too.
"I look like I'm on drugs in that picture." Travis teases himself as I stare at the picture of him.
"I think you look handsome..." I state without any stutter. Travis beginning to rub his cheek against mine as if I was some kind of puppy it felt like.
"If I'm being honest - I had from countless people that I am handsome. I get tired of it, honestly." I hear him tell me, and I became embarrassed.
I've called him handsome so many times!
"U-uh...I-I can c-call you s-something else. A-a different a-adjective." I try to find one in my mind, but Travis just chuckles.
"When I hear it from you however - it's not so bad. I wouldn't mind hearing it from you - everyone else I mind. They can't seem to look past my looks and at my school looks are a major factor in how well you'll do. When I say that I mean as in the popularity factorization." Travis explains to me as we now were walking to his car.
I didn't get the back whole 'popularity factorization' bit. Are Americans really that...shallow? I guess that applies everywhere I mean - not just America. I can't really say anything actually.
In the Asian culture looks plays a big part in many things. There's a whole culture on beauty itself over there. Especially in South Korea I believe and India.
"I believe everywhere in some type of school there is some sort of popularity faction. You can just tell off the bat sometimes or it's not very obvious. At the school Louis and I go to - where you'll go soon - this counts." Travis waved his hand over my face, pressing a kiss to my temple. "Except I am well aware that you want to keep our relationship secret, but I want people to know you are taken."
"I-I do t-too, b-but Louis...L-Louis is who I-I do t-this for." I confess to him, causing Travis to frown.
It became clear to me that he wasn't aware of Louis' feelings. To me - it was obvious. I'm not sure how long he's liked Louis, but I don't want him to hate me for us both just falling for another. That Louis' only crush...happens to be with me in such short timing.
"Louis? Why do you hide it from him? Do you think he'll be prejudiced? He didn't have a problem when I told him I was bi-."
"No! L-Louis likes y-you Travis! I-I h-hide it b-because he l-liked you first. T-then it's like I-I took his f-first love." I whimper because I began to feel bad.
Travis sighs sadly, only to not really look at surprised.
"I guess now that someone points it out it's kind of evident, but he never said anything. If words were to have been spoke I would've been willing to try it with him. If he had something before you arrived here." Travis points out at the end.
I nod in understanding, making me realize that Louis kind of...set himself up. He believed he was just waiting for the right moment and wanted Travis to ask him. If he had just told him or I'm guessing made it more obvious - it could've possibly happened.
"H-he would be f-furious if I told h-him what you just said." I snort in entertainment, because he truly did have a chance...
"Exactly. Look, we can keep it secret, but if anyone tries anything on either of us we need to say we're taken. If they want a name...say..." Travis opened the car door for me, leaning against it as he thought deeply. "Say Micah - that's my middle name. No one in the school has that name - I will say for you..."
I bite my lip, liking his middle name. I can't give him mine because Louis will catch on.
"Say 'Jay'." I tell him, causing Travis to raise an eyebrow. "M-my name is Min-Jun...s-so take p-part of it. Take t-the 'J'. Say t-that."
"Oh? So you're 'Jay' and I'm 'Micah'? I like that - we'll be the only ones in on the nicknames. Makes it much more...exciting." Travis winks at me, and I close the car door.
He rushed to the drivers side as he got in, smirking at me. I couldn't help myself when I leaned in fast and kissed him.
"Okay, 'Micah'."
"Yes, 'Jay', it's all for you." Travis murmurs, and I feel my face become warm by his kindness. "And no one else."
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