Work Text:
I didn't realize I was nearly asleep until I heard the afternoon bell chime go off. It woke me from my daydream. It was a nice daydream, so I was a little irritated. I should have been focused on the lesson, but I've been… distracted, to say the least.
Alhaitham asked me to join him for lunches on the rooftop of the school. Needless to say, it's the highlight of my day. Actually decent human interaction that isn't teachers teaching and petty students babbling. I enjoy it, really. He's pretty interesting. When I first met him, I didn't think he would ever talk to me. But to my surprise he's the one that asked me to join him for various things on several occasions. Bookstores were one of his favorites. We didn't talk a whole lot during those visits, but I still enjoyed his company.
Anyway, I looked around the classroom seeing the other's arise from their seats and looked for Alhaitham. The boys nose was buried so far in a book that he didn't even realize the bell rang either. I wait a moment for him, but when he doesn't budge, I finally get up and jaunt over to him.
"Hey," I call, "it's lunchtime."
Once he hears my voice, he moves in his seat and lowers his book. He looks at me with those piercing eyes. Sometimes I feel like I could swim in them…
"Oh. That so?" Is all he says.
I nod. He gets up from his seat and then gets his things together. You'd think he'd know our routine by now.
"Ready?" He asks, monotone.
"Yeah, are you?" I joke. I smile at him so he knows I'm kidding.
He shrugs in response. Okay. Not in a joking mood, I see.
We silently make our way out to the roof as we have been doing for quite a while now. I can't even remember. Maybe it's been years. I wouldn't be surprised if it was. I lose track of time when I'm with him, for some reason.
We sit near the doorway and start unpacking our lunches. We both make our own food, we discovered. His food is always much better than mine, but I'll never admit that out loud to anyone.
To my disbelief, he speaks up first as we start to eat.
"So," he starts but takes a bite so it takes him a second to finish the thought, "What are you doing Saturday?"
I didn't think anything of it. I shrugged like he did earlier. I was never that busy. I spent most of my time with him anyway so it was actually kind of weird for him to be asking outright.
"Nothing, why?"
He looks like he's thinking really hard. Like he's being careful how he says the next words out of his mouth.
"Would you like to go on a date?"
…
What?
"Of course!" I say, without really thinking.
He doesn't seem happy with my answer. I'm utterly confused. It's just another hang out like we usually do, right? Why's he even asking? Is he teasing me? He must be teasing me. He said "date."
"I don't think you get what I'm saying." He says, almost looking like he's pouting in his own way.
I cock my head. I'm still lost, so I continue to break this odd air.
"What were you thinking of us doing?"
He blushes a little. Okay. What? I've never seen that in my years of knowing this guy. My jaw hits the floor.
"I want to go on a date with you. We can do anything, I just want it to be a date. Is what I'm saying."
He stops and clears his throat. He doesn't continue.
"A date?" I ask.
"Yes."
"Like lovey-dovey."
"Yes."
Oh my God he was asking me out and I am the biggest idiot alive.
What?!
"What?!"
He immediately backs the fuck up. "Nevermind it was stupid."
Oh no you are not shutting down on me.
"No I mean! ...ahhh. Sure." I stumble. What am I agreeing to?! Hello?!
If he were a cat, his ears would have perked up a little. That's how he came across to me in that moment anyway.
"...OK." he goes.
"OK." I go.
We go back to eating our lunches, quietly.
Saturday rolls around quicker than I can blink. Did time really pass by that quickly? We spent the next two days eating lunch together like nothing happened, although he was markedly quieter than usual. Ever since he asked me out, I can't stop looking at him in this way. I can't describe it well. It's like I notice every little thing now. The wind will blow his hair in his face and he takes his slender fingers and brushes it out of the way. His eyelashes. His nose. His lips. It's like I'm in a trance. Maybe he's noticed me doing that too. I don't mean to, but god I never realized how pretty he is. I wonder if he'd take that as a compliment… and don't even get me started about when he looks me in the eye. Woof.
I catch myself running to the karaoke bar and wonder why I'm in such a rush. I'm probably gonna be too early. Am I excited? What am I, a puppy wagging it's tail at 90 mph?
I slow my pace somewhat and start thinking. Am I dressed ok? I went with comfort over anything. I pray he did the same, for my sake. Oh, watch him be all dressed up and I'm over here looking like a breakfast burrito. I'm such an idiot! I should have thought this over!
Oh, he's already there. I see him in the distance standing in front of the karaoke bar.
He's dressed casual, thank god. A hoodie and jeans. I slow way down so it doesn't look like I'm out of breath from running earlier. It takes him a minute but he finally meets my own gaze. I feel myself about to get red so I look away. Damn his eyes. The color is so beautiful…
"Hey!" I call as I approach him. "I'm sorry, were you waiting long?"
He doesn't look at me, he's looking down now. Is he embarrassed? "Ah, no. I just got here myself."
"Good. Shall we then?"
He nods and takes my hand in his as we walk in and I lose my mind. He touched me. We're holding hands. I'm literally a giddy schoolgirl. Am I this starved?! And why's it so natural for me to feel at ease with him like this?!
We stand in our booth for a minute and he doesn't even let go. I'm starting to wonder if he's being giddy inside too. I also wonder how long he's wanted to hold my hand.
"Hey…" I say. "You, uh, have a tight grip there."
Instantly, he jerks away. "Oh I'm sorry."
Shit now I feel bad. I didn't mean he should stop!! His hand was actually really warm and soft. Not sweaty at all. Maybe he wasn't giddy like me after all because my hand was profusely sweating.
Maybe I should…
I take his hand back in mine and he looks surprised.
It's really cute.
We stand there a minute as the lights around us illuminate the room in different colors. There's a small disco ball rotating from the ceiling too and it sparkles across my partner's body and face.
I guide him over to the couch and we finally sit down next to each other. There's a table in front of us for when we want to eat but I'm not hungry. I'm nervous.
The waitress comes and sees if we need anything and I dismiss her kindly. Maybe I should have asked if he was hungry first, but then again, I think he's just as nervous as I am. We haven't stopped holding hands. It's a little exhilarating.
"Do you want to go first?" Alhaitham asks me.
I shrug. "To be honest, I'm not sure if I'm any good."
He thinks before he speaks. "I'm sure you're fine." Then, he gestures me to go ahead.
"If you say so."
"I'm often right."
Oh! We got some cockiness out of him. He must be feeling more comfortable. That's usually when his sassy comments arise.
I can't help but smile at that.
Reluctantly, I get up from my seat and go up to the front of the room. Is it weird that I'm a little sad we stopped holding hands?
Alhaitham's watching me so intently I feel heat rising up my neck and to my cheeks. I try to fight it off by shaking my head. My eyes don't meet his. I can't get sucked into those pools of beauty right now!
Up at the podium, I pick a song and it starts playing. I hold the mic up, but I remember reading somewhere that you should hold it a distance away from your mouth. When I start singing, his expression softens. I can't decide if that's a good or bad thing. Nonetheless, I carry on. I think I sound pretty good. Does he think so?
I feel myself get pretty into it and I'm swaying a little bit and moving my free hand a lot. It's more fun than I initially thought. Soon enough, the song ends and I replace the mic. I stay at the front of the room.
"So," I go, nervously, "are your ears bleeding?"
Alhaitham literally answers before I even finish my question.
"You were really good."
Ahh.
"Thank you…"
OK that's it. I can feel it. I'm blushing. Shit. Abort, abort!
I look away from him, trying to hide my face.
"A-anyway! Um! Do you want to go now or…?"
He shakes his head. "I just wanted to hear you sing."
Aha! So he had ulterior motives. This sly dog.
"You asked me out here so you could hear me sing?"
"Yes. I had a feeling you'd be good and you are, so…"
I'm beyond embarrassment at this point. This is advanced embarrassment. Is this bullying?!
"Th-th-thank you." Oh my god, could I have stuttered any harder?
Obviously, he notices. He pats the seat next to him, alerting me to return to his side. I do and, in doing so, I refuse to look at him. Then, I bury my hands under my thighs. I'm a mess. Why is he staring at me like that?
I finally look at him, albeit with all the force in my body.
"You-" I start.
I am halted by being met with a kiss. And not just any kiss, the sweetest kiss I think I've ever experienced in my life. Not that I've kissed many people…it's really intimate, OK?
I blink. It doesn't register. If my mind could make physical noises, it would be that of a dial up computer right now.
Unconsciously, I touch my lips with my fingertips.
He looks a little concerned.
"I'm sorry. I should have asked first."
I shake my head rapidly. "No! I… It was… really nice."
Now, he looks calmer and somewhat relieved.
"OK. I'm glad." A smile.
Wait.
A smile?!
"Ah!" I point at him. "You smiled!"
It's almost comical how fast he stops smiling.
I feel bad.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to tease you. It's pretty easy though, you gotta admit."
Aw, he looks kind of annoyed. It's cute. I do feel bad though…
I change the subject.
"We should come back here again and then you should sing."
The look he gives now - I wish I had a camera - is, like, astonishment or something I can't quite put my finger on. It makes my breath get caught in my throat.
"You want to… go on another date." It's not a question.
"Well, yeah?" Why's he so surprised??
"Ah…" A LITTLE SMIRK. AH, MY HEART.
I smile at him even though he's looking off somewhere in his own little world. My smile feels warm and I feel really good inside. It came so easy and natural, of course I'd want to do more things with him and experience this again. I could melt right now. I'm… relieved he asked me out. I don't know if I wouldn't have done the same eventually too.
"Let's get something to eat, eh?"