Another Un-date

I wasn't sure I'd see Aiden today, since he was working at the diner and they're not too good about giving breaks, but I should have known he'd manage. He called me as I was getting out of class and asked where I was. I told him to meet me on campus at one of the large, well-known buildings, and he said he'd be there soon.

I hung around by the entrance for a while until my phone buzzed again. He said he was at the other entrance, so I ran down the concourse to go find him. It was brought to my attention rather rudely that I haven't been for a run in far too long; it wasn't the heavy motorcycle boots or carrying my schoolbag that had me gasping for air by the time I reached his car.

"Hey pretty lady," he greeted me as I hopped in the front seat, and gave me an enthusiastic kiss. We headed over to another small, back-street restaurant in the same town as yesterday, this time Mexican instead of Asian, and sat down with tacos.

It's taken me a while to notice, since it never shows at work, but he does have a rather ADD personality style (or is it ADHD? I never remember). We were talking about sailboats and water and drowning, and suddenly he asked, "Do you sing?" He made it sound like it had something to do with water, but it was completely random. Fortunately I find that sort of thing mostly amusing and not annoying.

"So I think my wife has just become completely asexual," he announced, and of course I asked for details. "I kissed her last night and she told me, 'Don't even think about it, I won't sleep.'"

"Wow, harsh," I sympathized, and gave him a half-kidding pat on the head. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too."

I dumped more hot sauce on my taco, finished it off, and started spinning the plate in circles on the table. The bottoms of their plates are slightly rounded, making them difficult to eat off of but great entertainment.

"You know, this is the first time I've really made the effort to be friends first," he said thoughtfully. Caught off guard, I gave him a look that was probably much weirder than intended. I couldn't get the words out to say I appreciated it, but one of these days I will.

As we were getting back in his car afterwards, my phone buzzed and I flipped it open. "Oh, it's Wren!" I said excitedly.

"Here," he said, reaching for the phone, and I handed it to him. He stared at it in confusion while it had a silent technological fit - I hate my phone.

"What are you gonna do?" I asked, taking it back.

"I was going to call Wren," he said with a mischievious grin. I beat my phone into submission, dialed Wren, and handed it back to him.

I heard a squawk on the other end, then he said, "Hi Wren, it's Aiden! How are you?" I couldn't hear her end of the conversation, but I didn't need to; I know her well enough I could hear it in my head and fill in the rest from his responses. She was surprised to find herself talking to him, but immediately took the opportunity to bug him to go out clubbing with us next week so she can meet him. He said he'd do his best to be there, then handed the phone back to me.

I think she was trying to tell me something about Mike, but with Aiden driving the car with one hand and stroking my leg with the other, I couldn't hear myself think, so I agreed to talk her later. I started patting him in return, and by the time we were five minutes back toward the diner, I was biting my tongue to keep myself under control. It didn't occur to me that we were going in the wrong direction until he pointed it out.

"Damn, I'm not thinking," he said, and turned around.

"It's okay, I'm sure there's a bus I can take from here," I said. "I don't want you to be late."

"I'm not worried," he assured me as we headed back up the hill. Then, "I'm going to stop down here on this side street - your walk is short, and that way I can avoid all the lights." I had to wonder if there was another reason. "And I don't have to worry about who's driving by while I accost you," he added with a wink in his voice.

"I knew it!" I said, laughing. "I knew that wasn't an entirely innocent plan."

"But I'm cute, sweet, and innocent," he protested, looking anything but.

"I'll give you the first one," I said. "I'll even give you the second one. But the third one, no, you can't have it. Keep trying."

He parked behind another car and we made out for a few minutes before he had to go. Every time I kiss him, I enjoy it more...it's so dangerous, and so irresistible, the latter partly because of the former.

"I haven't felt like this since high school," he said with what I could have sworn was a giggle. "You definitely would have been in my clique in high school."

"There wasn't one of them at my school," I said. "I had no friends in high school."

"Really?" He pulled on the collar of my jacket until we were nose-to-nose.

"Pretty much," I said.

"Wow. Idiots." He kissed me again and finally let me go.

"Have a good day," I said, getting out of the car.

"You too." He rolled down his window as I was walking away. "Blue!"

"Yeah?"

"I think the proper response to that was, 'I already have.' Because no matter what else happens today, I'm going to be smiling."

"Wearing the same silly, psychotic smile I am, you mean?" I asked, demonstrating because I couldn't help it. I walked back to the bus, grinning to myself all the way.