Malichi slows the car and leans over to give me a quick kiss, I feel the redness of a blush creep up my neck and travel to my face.
"Ice-cream?" He asks.
I nod trying to hide my tomato face from his view. I feel his hand on my chin, he pulls my head over slowly so I am facing him, we lock eyes.
"I love it when you blush, it's so cute, so please don't hide it." He tells me in a whisper.
The redness of my face deepens to a point I didn't know was possible, I see him smile, his dimples bringing sunshine and lollypops.
I try and hide my red face again but his soft touch on my chin stops me.
"Please, it's so embarrassing," I mumble.
He smirks then pulls me in for a slow kiss, I savour every last part of it, feeling goosebumps follow his hand on my back, arms, neck then onto my hair.
I feel his hands tangle into my hair then cup my face, deepening the kiss. I run my hand through his hair, learning that he loves it when I do that.
My shyness starts to fade, I get out of my seat and sit with him, feeling more confident in myself. He nibbles my bottom lip and I can't help but give off a small smile. Who knew a small gesture could be so effective.
We see the lights of a cop car come close to the car so we quickly pull apart. I quickly get back into the passenger seat and fix my hair, running my fingers through trying to loosen the knots that Mali made.
The car stops and I see the shape of a woman get out of the car.
When she comes close she knocks on the window, Mali quickly winds it down. I can't help but feel the nerves creep up on me.
"Hello guys, just got a call about a suspicious car that stopped in front of this very house. You wouldn't be the car they're talking about?" She asks suspiciously.
I quickly shake my head, "We were just stopping because, well, were wanted to talk." I say.
Mali chuckles at my answer so I shoot him a glare.
"Sorry about that, we were, talking. We're no trouble, just stopping by. Actually we were just on our way to get ice-cream." Mali says while shooting her one of his so famous dimple smiles.
He grabs my hand, comforting my uneasiness.
"I'll let you off because technically you weren't doing anything bad but be more careful where you stop. Can I quickly see your drivers licence though?" The police lady asks.
Malichi nods and quickly searches through his stuff grabbing his drivers licence. The cop nods and Mali quickly puts it away.
"Bye guys and don't get up to too much mischief." She tells us.
I wave and smile and Malichi does the same, she walks to her car and drives off. I let out a breath that I didn't know was holding and release my tight grin on Mali's hand, feeling guilty.
"Sorry about that," I say, looking at our hands.
He smiles, "It's fine, just a couple of broken bones." He smirks and I glare.
I quickly pull my hand away, feeling the cool on it, kind of disappointed at myself for taking my hand away.
He pouts, "Naw, I'm sorry, can I have your hand back?" He asks.
I can't help the big smile on my face as I give my hand back to him.
He starts the car, "So ice-cream?" He asks.
I nod, "Sounds great right now!"
He smiles and drives towards Baskins & Robins.
***
"Cookies and cream on top of chocolate?" I ask Malichi.
My favourite flavour is defiantly cookies and cream, but you can't have to scoops of the same rich ice-cream, can you?
He nods, "Anything for my princess!" He says.
Princess? I like that nickname, I chuckle quietly to myself.
"Thanks, my Prince," I say back.
He laughs.
"Any toppings with that?" He asks me before he orders.
I shake my head, he goes to order, I feel my stomach rumble even though we ate not too long ago.
He comes back from the counter, "Do you wanna go back to the beach after or, whatever you want?" He asks me.
I nod and say, "The beach sounds amazing."
We grab our ice-creams and go outside, we get in the jeep and start driving to the beach.
"21 questions?" Malichi asks.
"What's 21 questions," I say.
Is it an app, or what, I bet heaps of people know what It is.
"A game where I ask a question then you answer then you ask a question, we do that 21 times." He states.
I nod, "Ok, you start with the first question." I tell him.
"Ok, um, have you ever dated someone before?" He asks.
I shake my head, well does a grade 3 hanging out with someone, then calling it dating count?
"No, well in grade 3 but I don't count that," I say.
He laughs, "I wouldn't count that either, now you ask a question." He says.
"What's the most stupid thing you've done?" I ask while chuckling.
He goes to speak but pauses to think.
"I don't know about that one, I've done a lot of things that are stupid. Maybe it was when I got in a fight and keep it from you." He says.
I smile, "Yeah, that was pretty stupid."
He laughs, "So my question for you now, what's something you've done that Harley doesn't even know about?" He says.
I laugh then think, there isn't much that Harley doesn't know about.
"Uhhh, well the thing is, I tell her everything. She doesn't know that my mum pretty much disappeared when I was younger, I just told her that she passed away, but that whole situation was very suspicious." I feel myself open up to Malachi.
He raises an eyebrow, "Wow really, that's weird, maybe she wanted to escape without raising suspicion, maybe from your dad or something like that." He says.
I nod, "Ok, I got to ask you a question. What's your favourite colour." I say, trying to get the conversation away from my mum and dad.
"Blue, you?" He asks.
"Mmm, purple maybe?" I say.
I actually don't really have a favourite colour.
"Sweet."
I nod and see that we've arrived at the beach. He parks in the parking spot nearest the beach and we get out of the car.
We walk with his arm over my shoulders and my arm wrapped around his lower back, the height difference leading our arms.
We walk over to a spot under a tree and lay down, he pulls me over his body so my head is on his chest.
"Bailey I gotta tell you something." He says.
I mumble yes, my eyes heavy from the need of sleep.
"First I want you to know that, well, I love you." He says.
I feel him kiss my forehead and I fall asleep. I fall asleep to him telling me he loves me.
My dream was full of confusing things that I couldn't make out. Was I seeing labs? Scientist. I hear a voice calling my name, getting louder by the minute, I feel a nudge on my stomach and look down seeing no one and nothing.
I open my eyes and realise the name and the nudge was Malichi next to me on the beach. I can't believe I fell asleep in such a public place.
"Hey beautiful, the princess finally awakes." He says softly.
I smile, remembering what he said last night, I was too sleepy to say it back. I know that I love him and I don't know why I fell for him so fast.
"Let's go home." He says, giving me a brief but meaningful kiss.