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I turn my phone off for the rest of the night.
TWENTY
THEN, FALL, 5 YEARS AGO
A few weeks have passed since our first date and it’s kind of crazy to see how he has just slowly become a part of my everyday life. It’s honestly getting weird to remember when he wasn’t. I think it would be weird if he ever wasn’t again.
I’m leaving work now, getting out earlier than usual since I didn’t work the last shift. I’m halfway to my car when I notice Hayden leaning against it. I smile, unable to help my heart fluttering in my chest.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, closing the bit of distance between us until I’m standing right in front of him, hands on my hips and looking up into his face. His clear blue eyes are alight with joy as he looks down at me, and his warm smile takes up the whole of his face. He leans down to kiss me and I let him. I wrap my arms around his neck and melt into him.
I’ve never been so captivated by a boyfriend before. I’ve had my fair share of relationships in my eighteen years. I’m no stranger to intimacy and infatuation, but this goes so far beyond anything I’ve experienced. This makes me think that maybe, just maybe, that love I’ve seen in movies my whole life could be a real thing. Not something for me to scoff at constantly, at Madeline's annoyance, mind you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to sit through Pride and Prejudice, The Princess Bride and The Notebook with Madeline full of tears and mouthing the words along with the characters while I cringe and roll my eyes at her.
“I couldn’t not be in your presence for one more second,” he says against my lips.
“You’re so weird and clingy,” I mutter against his mouth. “I like it.” I feel him smile before he starts to kiss me again.
It’s only been a few weeks, but we’ve hung out almost every day. Almost. Maddie is getting anxious to meet him. I don’t know why I haven’t introduced them yet, or brought him to the apartment. Maybe part of me knows that as soon as Maddie gets a good look at the two of us, she’s going to know that it’s way more serious than I meant for this to be. She is going to know this isn’t a casual relationship like my past ones have been. She just knows me like that. I need to prepare myself for the conversation that will happen with her.
“Do you want to hang out tonight?” he asks when he pulls away from our kiss. “Movie in my room? Order in?”
I sigh, “I’m so tired, that sounds perfect.” We’ve done movie theater dates, dinner dates (more traditional ones than our first date), mini golf—I picked on him the whole time for being so cliche, but it was actually really fun. Until he hit his ball into the pond and our game ended early.
“Yeah?” he asks to make sure.
I smile, “Yeah. Madeline and Elliot are in Penbrooke this weekend so I would just be hanging out alone.”
“Good. Come with me? We’ll get your car tomorrow,” he says hopefully.
“Sure,” I say smiling. He takes my hand and leads me to his car which is parked just on the other side of mine. He opens the door for me, and I sit in the passenger seat.
He gets in and adjusts the volume. “What song is this?” I ask him while buckling my seatbelt, knowing he loves showing me new music. And I love watching him talking about music, he gets so excited.
“This is one of my favorites,” he says with a smile.
“You say that about every song you’ve ever shown me,” I joke.
“I know, I know.” He waves my words away with his hand. “This is “Dear Maria” by All Time Low.” I listen to it for a bit, recognizing it a tiny bit.
“You have a very eclectic taste in music,” I say.
He laughs. “Yeah.”
“What’s your favorite genre?” I ask him.
“I don’t really have a favorite genre. Just favorite songs and bands from any genre or style that speak to me and stick with me,” he answers.
I smile at him. “Eres tan lindo.” You’re so cute.
“I love when you speak Spanish to me,” he muses, his eyes slowly turning into hearts which makes me laugh. “What does that mean?” he asks, his gaze dropping from my eyes to my mouth before looking back to my eyes.
“It means you’re so cute, gringo.” I wink at him.
“Those winks. They do something to me, Ana Reyes.” He sighs, and starts driving.
We’re halfway through some kind of sci-fi movie he promised me that I would like. I don’t hate it actually, but it is definitely something I would have never chosen on my own. Probably one I won’t watch again, though. Our Chinese food sits discarded on his desk.
His dorm room is set up similarly to every dorm I’ve seen. Two sides, mirroring the other, with a twin bed, a desk and a dresser. We’re sitting in the middle of his bed, our backs against the wall and our feet stretching across the width. His laptop is propped up on the bed beside us, playing the movie that I’m trying my best to pay attention to.
