After getting changed into my other pair of almost identical jeans, along with one of my dark red hoodies. I walk downstairs, and once again walk past my hungover father, to get out the front door. 

I expected to meet up with Alex at my first class like usual. But instead, I see him waving to me from the school gate. I quicken my pace, eventually stopping in front of him. "Hey!" We both start walking towards the entrance. "hey."  He pushes the school door open, motioning for me to walk ahead of him. 

Once I'm through he quickly follows. "So I was thinking.." He trails off looking at me hesitantly. I was a little confused by his behavior, since he doesn't usually act so unsure of himself. Nonetheless, l nod encouraging him to keep going. This seems to give him the reassurance he needs, because he smiles. He continues his previous sentence. "So I was thinking if you're free, after school we could go to a café?" I stare at him in shock, before I start quietly laughing. He looks at me, confusion clear on his face. "What?" He asks his eyebrows furrowing. "Nothing. I was just surprised that that's what you were so uncertain to ask." 

I evidently agree to meet him at the cafe that's supposedly  just a few minutes from my neighborhood. I told him I've never seen a cafe there but he insists it's there. So I just playfully rolled my eyes and continued onto class.

I've been waiting in front of the gate for about 5 minutes, when I finally see Alex walking out of the school, and towards me. "Okay so it should be about a 10 minute walk from here" He walks past me, so I just follow him. 

"only a 10 minute walk huh?" We've been walking for about 20 minutes, and still haven't found it. "It has been awhile since I went there.." I laugh at his response. 'He makes it sound like the last time he went there was 20 years ago' and just as I finish that thought he suddenly perks up, and points to a small sign that seems to have been nailed onto a tree. "I knew it was here!" I mentally laugh, 'sure it just took us double the time you said it would' i smile at his excited face. 

The closer we got to the the sign the easier they became to read. "Mio' café." i read aloud. "Yep it's named after the owner Mio. Sadly she passed away 3 years ago, so her nephew took over.  I turn around, and see Alex walk into the woods, down a path I didn't notice before. I follow him through the worn down path. Despite not having many people near this area, the path seems to be well used. "So are you leading me into the forest so no one will hear my screams as you kill me?" He turns around looking dead serious. "what else would I be doing?" We just stand there looking at each other. 

Before we both start laughing. I was about to open my mouth to talk when I hear someone clear their throat.  "what are you two doing here?"  Alex looks over surprised, but at seeing the persons face he beams. "hey Eli! This is Ryoku, my friend" I reach a hand hand out which Eli takes. "Eliot James." I politely smile. "Ryoku Bazzoit."  I give his hand a few firm shakes before letting go. "so Eli do you have any of your deer steaks left?" My eyes widen at the mention of deer steaks. "yes I do, if you guys just take a seat. I'll be right back."  I watch Eli– which upon further expectation I realize is an Ailuran– walk down the path we came from. I turn to Alex confused. "Deer steaks?" Alex looks over at me his amusement clear in the way he smiles. "trust me I know it sounds weird, but where Eli comes from its common to hunt and eat deer."  At my skeptical look he just laughs grabs my hand and starts dragging me down the path. I stare at out intertwined hands, an unknown feeling bubbling up inside my chest. 

Once we walk inside the café I am pleasantly surprised to find it quite homey. (Quite the opposite of the rundown exterior) we find a seat near the one of the windows. Consequently Alex lets go of my hand as we take our seats. I stare at my hand, the warmth Alex left behind quickly leaving my hand, leaving my hand cold, and me missing the warmth.  "something wrong?" Alex' voice snaps me back to reality, my eyes moving up to meet his, before flittering back down. I try to clear the lump in my throat before speaking. "No. I just spaced out."  He gave me a questioning glance but otherwise didn't say anything about it.  

Soon enough Eli walks up to our table with pastries instead of the steaks I thought Alex ordered. I look over at him, my eyes once again meeting his. "You didn't order the steaks?"  "No I tried to ask you if you wanted one but you were spacing out, so I just got some pastries." His eyes don't leave mine, and before we know it we're in a staring competition. Sucks for him I am extremely competitive when I want to be, and also I rock at staring comps. 

I eat my pastry in silent victory. I feel his eyes on me, so I look up mid bite, and I almost choke when I see heated gaze staring directly into mine.  "Hm..?" I try to question him, but since I'm still chewing my pastry (which by the way taste like god baked it himself) he just continue staring at me. I look down already feeling the warmth in my cheeks grow. after a few seconds of silence he speaks up. "You look cute" At first I don't really react, i just look up confused. "I'm cute?" He smiles wildly, nodding. "Yes, you're cute" If I was a robot, my brain would be screaming Error! Error! With the red flashing lights, and I swear that's how it feels. 

After what felt like forever (but was actually a few seconds) my brain finally starts working again, and I can feel the heat spread from my cheeks up to my ears, and then down to my neck.  I try to come up with a response, but I just end up spluttering. After a few trys I end up with.. "Thank you..?" Before Alex can reply, (and before I can embarrass myself more) Eli walk up to our table, and grabs the now empty plates. You probably couldn't see it from the outside but I was thanking Eli over, and over again for his perfect timing.  

After 5 minutes of both of us insisting on paying for the food, Alex proposes that he would pay this time, and I would pay next time. Happy there would even be a next time I begrudgingly agree. 

After bidding Eli farewell, we walk back towards the road. At the end of the path, we both turn towards each other. I'm the first to speak up. "so I'll see you monday?" He nods slightly. "same place, same time."  I nod, hesitant to end the day so soon. "Thank you for today, it was fun." he looks over at me, his eyes sparkling with an emotion I can't place. "It was fun."  We stand in silence, both of us unwilling to start walking away, but the thought of my 'father' coming back early makes me take the first few steps in the direction of my house. "See you Monday." I hear him speak but i keep walking I don't turn back, knowing that if I did, I would want to stay with him, where its safe. I wouldn't want to keep walking in the direction of a hell hole. "See you Monday."