Best Thing In Town

At 9am this morning I’d received a text.

At 9am this morning I’d received a text from Alex.

At 9am this morning I’d received a text from Alex telling me to meet him in the park at half past 9am. Worded exactly like that. 'Half past 9am.'

So here I was at half past 9am, or half past nine for those who are normal and don’t have the brain of a 12 year old, oh hey look the child references are back – wait that’s not the point, anyway yeah I was alone and Alex was nowhere to be seen.

The fact that elderly people were walking by me shooting me sympathetic glances, like I’d been stood up or just gotten out of a tough relationship was quite annoying too.

“Smile, it might never happen…” a voice, a recognisable voice, cooed in my ear.

“You’re late,” I replied and my eyes remained forwards.

I felt Alex shuffle beside me and chanced a glance out of the corner of my eye to see him attempting to sit on the wall beside me.

“By like five minutes,” he argued “and I’m never on time for anything really…” and I couldn’t really have a go at him because neither was I. Who cared about being on time when you could do things such as sleeping and eating and more sleeping?

“Next time could you warn me so I’m not sat on the wall being stared at by sympathetic old women?” my eyes narrowed at one of the old people who seemed to look like she was feeding the ducks, but really she kept chancing glances over her shoulder in my direction.
I stuck my tongue out at her.

“She’s probably just jealous... of your choice of outfit…” Alex trailed of sceptically and I looked down at my clothes.

What was wrong with them? Honestly, a pair of black and white skinny jeans, where one leg is black, the other white, and a Paramore Top invested in from Hot Topic never did anyone wrong and for once I didn’t feel or look like a tramp.

No hate to tramps though.

“Leave my clothes alone rude ass,” I responded flicking Alex's beanie off of his head.

“Jade,” he grumbled picking it up from the path.

“What?” I asked innocently.

“Don’t mess with my hat,” he said slowly, almost threatening in fact.

“Or what?” I teased.

“You wouldn’t want to know babe, so how about you don’t do it again yeah?” He put his hat back on his head and pushed some of his fringe to the side, so that it was out of his pretty brown eyes.

“How many of those things do you have anyway?” I asked curiously. He did seem to have a different one on every time I saw him. Which happened to be quite a lot, huh?

“A lot, but you can never have too many beanies.” He shrugged.

“Riiiight,” I dragged out slowly “Well I suppose you won’t miss this one then.”

I reached up and tore the hat off his head, placed it on my own and sprinted off down the park, faintly hearing Alex shouting masses of protest after me. Oops.

Now for a lazy person, let me tell you I’ve got some speed about me and I sure as hell can run when I put my mind too it, as a child I guess you could say I loved running because when my Mom pissed me off, which was a lot, I’d force myself into going for a run.

So somehow I’d ended up running right across the field in the park and had ended up putting myself in a dead end.

I glanced behind me to see Alex was approaching fast and panicked. Therefore I did the thing anyone would do and took the hat off my head before dropping to the ground and curling up into a ball whilst holding it to my stomach. Usually this would be done with a football, but hey you can improvise with hats right?

“You look like such an idiot right now Jade,” I heard Alex groan. The next thing I knew his hands were all over me, trying to pry his blessed hat from my hands but stubborn was my middle name (not really otherwise I would 100% disown my parents) and I was not budging.

“Are you really getting worked up over a hat?” I managed to squeak as Alex continued to tackle me.

“Those hats are like my children,” he responded and his voice a whole lot deeper due to his frustration “and taking it away from me is like taking a child away from its Mother. You just don’t do it,” I laughed, loudly in fact and this caused Alex to retreat. “My hair is a mess,” he sighed, I peaked out from my ball and saw him flop back onto the grass. He was right, his hair was a mess, random strands were sticking up all over the place and the shorter pieces on the top of his head had started to curl.

He looked cute.

“Here,” I chuckled rolling onto my back as I threw him the hat “only because it’s embarrassing to have to be seen with you when your hair is like that!” I lied, because it did look damn cute.

“That’s a lie and we both know it,” Alex scoffed putting the hat back on his head.

I shrugged. “Hey, why did you force me out of the best place in the world to meet you here anyway?” maybe I’d forgotten about that part, oops!

“Do you really think your bed is the best place in the world?” Alex asked in disbelief “And because I told you yesterday, I’ve made plans for us. Oh, are you feeling okay today by the way?” he turned onto his side and smiled “You didn’t text me so I assumed all was good…”

“Yes, my bed is brilliant!” I responded “And I haven’t seen Robin, or Freya or anyone but you since that night. So yeah everything has been fine.” Eager to change the subject, I rolled onto my side too and mirrored Alex's posture “So what are these plans Batman?”

Alex smiled “Well,” he started “how does three dates in one sound?”

“Excuse me? We're not going to play golf are we?"

"Golf is a hole in one Jade,"

"Right so we're not going to play golf?"

“No Jade," he sighed. "I’m taking you on three dates in one day, today…” he trailed off but quickly started speaking again before any form of an objection could leave my mouth “and you can’t object because first we’re going sight seeing, seeing as you live here and haven’t of anything. Then I’m taking you to my favourite place for a drink and something to eat… and then I want to show you something but that’s a surprise, okay? Just say yes otherwise I’d have to drag you there and that wouldn’t be fun.”

“Oh but it would be fun!” I argued and Alex pouted “but yes, ok, fine, What-Ever-Trevor!”

Rolling his eyes Alex reached forwards and poked my nose “You are so weird,” he whispered, so quietly it was hard for me to catch exactly what he’d said “a good weird though.” He assured me.

-

“I am not going on that,” My mouth dropped open as Alex attempted to drag me towards the huge ferris wheel like structure that overlooked Towson. I stopped on the spot and looked up; the structure all 440 and something foot towered over me “Jesus Christ what if it topples over and we drown in the River below us or something, or what if the capsule just drops off and I land in the water or even worse it hits the ground and splat!” I clapped my hands together something which cause a lot of disapproving looks to be sent my way from people around me.

“I can assure you Miss, nothing like that will happen,”

“There you go,” Alex sighed tugging on my arm “it’s perfectly safe!”

“No, no, no!” I tugged my arm back “I’m in no mood to die today!”

“I’m so sorry about this,” Alex sighed. I smiled smugly, knowing full well I’d won that argument and I wasn’t going to have to watch my life run away as the Wheel fell into the river. “She's stubborn you see…” he trailed off and I folded my arms proudly over my chest, ready to gloat but before I could even think about doing so, he did his party trick and tossed me over his shoulder.

“I’m really starting to hate you!” I shouted kicking my legs as he walked towards the entrance of the capsule “No Alex, please, I don’t hate you really that’s a lie, please, please!” I began to beg.
Brilliant.

“I know you don’t hate me, you told me the other night sweetheart!” he cooed, dammit why was my mind hazy. I didn’t like this teasing business.

“One day I’m going to kick you in the face,” I hissed trying to wiggle my legs out of his iron grasp, it was no use though. I wasn’t strong at all… “I’m starting to get sick off seeing your butt,” I scoffed trying to divert my eyes.

“That’s a shame; I think everyone likes yours though!” Alex responded.

“Shit,” I hissed “Okay, I’ll go on the damn Wheel, just put me down!” I pleaded in a panic.

“Fine,” Alex sighed in mock disappointment and with my next breath my feet were flat on the ground, exactly where they belon- “holy shit my feet are not on the ground!” I shriek-whispered.
He’d gotten my on the god damn Wheel.

“You’ll love it!” He exclaimed “And look, there’s even a bench for you to sit on if you get a little sick!” he sarcastically pointed to the wooden bench in the middle of the capsule.

I shook my head and clenched my jaw, because it was either that or hitting the shit out of him – something I’m not sure the Mother and her young Son would have appreciated.

-

“Told you, I told you that you would love it!” Alex threw his arm around my shoulder as I walked far, far, far way from that wretched Wheel. I certainly did not love it. At all “I can’t believe you’ve lived in Towson almost all your life and never been on it!” he exclaimed.

“That’s because I’m shit scared of heights,” I coughed out after taking my first proper breath since realising I was on the thing.

“Shit,” Alex stopped me on the spot “oh shit,” he repeated “you didn’t tell me that?” he cried in horror “And I just dragged you on there like it was okay and that was not okay of me, Jade I’m sorry!” he frowned, pinching his brow with his thumb “I’m actually useless at this,” he chuckled dryly.

I did something that shocked even me, so let’s just pretend it was the adrenaline currently pumping around my body for facing one of my fears and not the fact that I was actually a reasonably nice person, sometimes. I stepped forwards and wrapped my arms around Alex's middle and maybe I secretly smelled him whilst I was at it, but who’s to fault me on that when he smells so good?

Hesitantly, Alex wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into him “Anyway,” he mumbled “that’s one date down,” I looked up at him as he moved his hand to check his watch “and it’s around half twelve so lets go for a drink and something to eat, Starbucks is a perfect place for a date and if I get this one wrong you have permission to shoot me.” He spoke deadly serious, I however just rolled my eyes and just started pulling him along to the nearest Starbucks.

"So Starbucks is your favourite place?"

"I guess so, the atmosphere is cool... you don't like Starbucks do you?" there was an annoying tone to his voice and I was ready to prove him wrong.

"Love it actually," I flashed a wide smile over my shoulder just to prove I was telling the truth.

I found Starbucks quickly, see that's one thing I knew the loaction of! In fact I knew where quite a lot was when it came down to it, it was just I was too lazy to remember where anything is.
Beside the point, Starbucks went well. More than well, we ate food, which was good and we drank coffee which was better. Although I deemed Alex a pussy because what man chooses tea over coffee seriously? In Starbucks as well!

“I’m not a pussy!” Alex groaned for the fifteenth time, we were currently on the way to his ‘surprise’ and I was going something I was best at; teasing him.

“Are too, I mean I love tea but if someone asks tea or coffee you have to say coffee! Plus, you can’t go to Starbucks and not get a coffee, that’s rude!” Alex sighed and placed his hand on my mouth, an attempt to shut me up I think? But it didn’t work, of course it didn’t work. I licked his hand and he whipped it off my mouth groaning in disgust.

“Don’t put your hand in places it’s not wanted.” I smirked.

“You licked me?” he exclaimed.

“Yeah, yeah – don’t act like it hasn’t happened before,” I rolled my eyes with a sigh. Everyone has been licked right? That has to be scientifically proven or something, I should Google that when I get home.

“Nightmare, you are a nightmare.” He laughed.

“Hello there, Angel from my nightmare!” Alex sparked a gene inside me that thought it was acceptable to sing Blink songs from like what, ten years ago? At the top of my voice… in public, sweet – I had to reword it though.

“Nutter with that too,” he laughed.

“Nutter? Are you trying to say I’m crazy?” I stopped singing and pouted.

“Insane,” Alex smirked “Insanely crazy you are, you belong in an asylum!” my eyes widened in mock horror and I clapped my hand against my chest.

“Can you hear that?” I whispered.

“What?”

“The sound of my heart breaking…” I mumbled dramatically. Alex erupted into laughter as we wondered down the street, and I say wonder because I’m pretty sure neither of us had a clue where we were going.

“I’ll never, ever break your heart.” Alex spoke seriously, “I can promise you that!” not knowing how to respond I just nodded my head. Honestly how did he expected me to reply to something like that? Plus nodding your head seemed to answer everything as well and I think Alex realised he’d made everything awkward.

I wasn’t even ready to think about the future and him ‘breaking my heart’ and things like that. We were just friends right? Friends that went places together to get to know each other… because that’s all dates are and, and, and oh I quit. He wanted more from me that I wasn't willing to give, yet, right?

“Okay, if I ask you to close your eyes would you do it without arguing with me?” My thinking was cut short by Alex's now nervous voice. Something I’d grown used to whenever he attempted to do something.

“If I end up back on that fucking wheel I’ll do something much more worse than argue with you,” I pointed to his crotch “you’ll never use that thing again, trust me.” I reasoned.

“No heights,” he confirmed and I clamped my eyes shut. “I’m going to put my hand over them, just so you don’t peak.” My breath hitched as his hand softly pressed against my eyes and his body against my own “Keep walking forwards until I tell you to stop,” his voice over the last few seconds had gotten deeper.

It sounded strange, but a good strange.

A sexy strange.

I walked and carried on walking until Alex mumbled a stop, he then informed me I had a good twelve or thirteen step’s to walk up, so I walked; being careful not to miss my footing and fall flat on my bum. He then told me that it was flat ground from then on and that he would physically turn my body if he needed too.

“I feel like you’re leading me to my death,” I muttered honestly. "You're going to throw me into a dungeon and leave me to rot!"

“Great, I really like how you trust me.” Alex chuckled dryly.

“I do trust you asshole,” I confirmed “otherwise I wouldn’t have let you guide me up a flight of stairs with your hand clamped across my eyes,” something occurred to me whilst I was speaking, it was so damn quiet? “Alex,” I whispered scared he really was going to throw me into a dungeon “why is it so quiet?”

He chuckled, his whole body vibrating against mine, lord have mercy.

“You’ll see,” he whispered turning me around “Okay, I’m going to make you sit down but you need to keep your eyes closed.”

I groaned but let him sit me down anyway – it was onto a damn comfy chair! And then his hand left my face but I continued to keep my eyes closed whilst I heard Alex fidgeting around beside me.

“Right,” he finally said “you can open your eyes.”

I opened my eyes. But did I open my eyes? It didn’t feel like I’d opened my eyes. It didn't look like I'd opened them either. Everything was pitched black “Where are we?” I felt slightly panicked when the chairs began to move “Alex!” I squeaked as the chair moved into a horizontal position and I was laying on my back staring at what I hoped was the ceiling.

“Wait,” he advised.

Suddenly lights came on. But not normal lights, lights in the ceiling, they looked like… like stars

“Wow,” I muttered.

“Constellations,” Alex confirmed.

“But?” I questioned and he didn’t even need me to continue because he knew what I was asking, I wanted to know how the hell he knew I had a thing for star gazing? That was something I never spoke about, not to anyone.

“I saw a book in your room,” he turned his head to the side “I’d have done this properly, you know on a hill at night… but one that’s dangerous and two I doubt we’d be able to see anything.”

I looked at him in awe. The fact he’d made effort to find something out about me that hardly anyone knew was starting to warm my insides.

“Thank you,” was the only response I was able to muster up but he understood and reached over, taking my hand into his own as we both looked away from each other to continue watching the stars as slowly more lights appeared joining the ‘stars’ together to show exactly where the constellations were.

Notes

Second update todayyyyyy