Love, and Me

I thought love was a fairy tale, watching those broad smiles as many couples sat hand in hand, while I sat here in an empty booth with my notepad in front of me. Feeling a scowl slowly creep into my features, as I watched two men in the next booth over, share a chocolate milkshake through one bendy straw. I suppressed a gag when another couple in the booth behind them, decided that sharing saliva was appropriate in such a public cafe.

I closed my notepad, pulled my headphones out of my bag, placing it on the table while I struggled to stuff the book into my nearly overflowing bag.

There was a tap on my shoulder, I turned. The red curly haired barista with the small scar above his left eyebrow smiled.

"Hey, Ethan I was wondering if you not busy tomorrow night that we could... maybe go out to eat. I heard there's a new sushi place on cherry street." The barista asked, his forefinger twirling a stray curl before dragging it down towards his scar.

"Who are you again?" I asked finally managing to fully stuff the book into my bag. I pulled on my headphones, put on 'I'm free by Bryan Adams' walking towards the exit without bothering to hear an answer.

I walked past the two insufferable couples, and put a coin in the donation bin at the door before twisting the handle. A hand grabbed me turning me around.

"Ethan, I'm talking to you. How could you not know me? We were lab partners last years, during the whole volcano incident." The barista said, clearly upset given his reddened cheeks and the way his hands continued to fist at his sides.

"Oh, yeah. The volcano thing. That was awesome, totally one of my better pranks." I said, smiling at the memory. Coming early morning, placing a mixture of unique chemicals in each model volcano. The look on everyone's faces as gooey ooze shot out drenching the entire class in a rainbow of colours. The girls crying as they had did their hair for the autumn dance that night.

I snapped out of my reverie, the barista even more red than before. "You caused that prank, my sister had to shampoo goo out of her hair for a week. You ruined the dance for her."

The barista grabbed me by the front of the shirt, slamming against the door. I patted his hands that happen to be gripping me.

His manager came out, and asked what was going on. I took that as my que.

"Well bye man. Sorry about your sister." I bolted through the door.

"My name is fucking Nathan." The barista screamed, though the yell sounded distant the further down the street I ran.

...

I burst through the door, the entry way to my home was chill. The tiles were a lime colour, dad complained about it said it wasn't practical, though mom and I rather liked the unique colour. Framed pictures hung on the white stone walls, a design choice just for the entry way.

"Sweetheart, why are running in here like you being chased by a pack of wolves." My mom came in from the left arch, clearly setting up place setting in the dinning room. She wore a baby blue apron on top of her black jeans, and white t-shirt, her black hair tide in a high pony tail.

"Don't ask? What's the occasion?" I asked following after my mom as she walked back into the dinning room. their were six place settings. Bright orange plates sat a top yellow table mats, cutlery sat neatly next to each individual plate.

Mom looked at me, her light brown eyes searching my face, waiting for an answer to her previous question. She sighed and straightened a fork, then removed her apron placing it on the counter as we walked into the kitchen.

The kitchen's royal blue tiled walls really brought out the cream colour of the kitchen stove top as well as the cream cupboards. I sat on a stool, while my mom went about checking the lamb in the oven , the green veggies on the stove and the consistency of her whipping cream in a bowl that sat next to a bottle of red wine close to the sink.

"Ethan, I told you that we were hosting tonight. We need to welcome our new neighbours." She said taking the lamb out of the oven, and turning off the burner. She smiled, praising herself for a job well done.

I threw my head back and groaned. I totally forgot that was tonight. My plans were to stay up all night watching some BL and maybe vape a little while my parents were fast a sleep. My mom raised a brow that shut my wailing mouth.

"You don't get to groaned, while your mothers has been slaving away in this sauna of a kitchen for the better part of three hours." She made her wonder women pose, side eyeing me as I rolled my eyes, "Don't you sass me, now you going to go up those stair, go to your room, put on some actual clothes instead of whatever this is."

She waved her hand at what I was wearing. I scoffed at this clear insult. What was wrong with an all black look? I totally looked cool. The black boots added to my height, the cargo pants sat snuggly around my waist and a crop top to show off my epic abs, with a leather jacket to put everything together. It was iconic.

"I like this outfit." I stood from the chair gesturing at myself.

"Not tonight. Tonight you will like sophisticated clothing. So go up those stairs and look the part." My mom made a typical circle wave at me, like she was casting a spell, then flung her hand towards the stairs.

I groaned again, trudging towards the stairs, message received.

...

I dropped onto my bed, the unmade black blankets wrapping around my legs. I pulled out my phone and texted Libbie.

Me: Life sucks.

The three dots bobbed on the screen. Two minutes later, she replied.

Libbie: What happened now again?

Me: The stupid dinner, I told you about?

Libbie: That's today? Totally forgot about that.

Me: Same.

I rolled over on the bed, scanning my bookshelf, waiting for a reply. Nothing worth reading, I finished my physical TBR long ago. Though the pile of comic books sitting on the floor next to my study desk looked promising. I rolled onto my back looking up at the glow in the dark stars shinning green into the shadowed room.

A chime in the silence of the room, then I was staring at my phone again.

Libbie: Sorry about that. Maybe it won't be so bad. You might enjoy yourself.

Me: I doubt it.

Libbie: Don't these neighbours have a son.

Me: Yeah, and?

Libbie: Maybe his cute. You could use a cuddle buddy.

Me: Your my cuddle buddy.

I kicked the blankets of the bed as I waited for Libbie to reply. It begun to take a while, so I cleaned up my room. I got dressed in a tailored blue pants, wearing a purple golfer with my black church shoes. My black hair was combed back.

Another chime, and I was hoping again onto the bed.

Libbie: Not for long...

Me: OMG. You met someone.

"Ethan you can come down now! Our guest are here!" My mom yelled from downstairs.

Me: Sorry Libbie duty calls. But you better give me the details later.

I sent the message, plugging my phone into the charger. I leisurely strolled to the bottom of the stairs. I walked through the archway into the dinning room, three guest sat around the table. They were finely dressed in different shades of reds, the mom wore a red and pink sundress. The dad and son were dressed in similar maroon golfers. All their heads were down as they buttered some bread.

"Sorry about my husband his running a bit late, but I would like to introduced you to my son. Ethan." My mom announced. She wore a royal blue drop waist dress, her hair fell down her back curling between her shoulder blades.

They all looked up. I let out a small squeak as my eyes immediately fell on their son. He was really, really cute. I mentally cursed Libbie, why did she always have to be right. I slapped on the brightest smile I could manage, and sat across the handsome cutie.

"Nice to meet you." I extended my hand across the table. He shook it, his grip strong and steady.

"Jason. Likewise."