I can feel Heaths leg brush against mine as he bounces his leg up and down.

He took me to a small diner to eat and any other day I would be happy to be here but my social battery has been a little off.

"Did you cut your hair?" He suddenly asked, making me look at him.

He stared at me the second we sat down and I knew he was but I looked away. I give him a polite smile and run my fingers through my hair.

"Just a little, straightened it too." I told him and he nods.

The waitress comes over to our table and puts down my food. Heath only ordered some healthy fruit smoothie and I got some fries. I wasn't really in the mood to eat.

"You're not hungry?" He gently asks, lowering his head to meet my eyes as I lowered them.

"Not really." I mutter and lay my cheek on my fist.

"Will you eat some if I eat some?" He asks, his voice was calm and gentle this whole time. It was like he didn't want to say anything wrong.

"Sure." I slide the fries over to him and watch him look down at them before he reaches for one and takes a bite. This is the first time I've seen him eat something.

I smile and reach for some fries too, dipping them in ketchup first. He eats two more before he stops completely. There was a silence between us and I didn't like silence but I didn't want to say anything right now.

"Are you mad at me?" He asks again, breaking the silence. I lick my lips and look up at him.

"No, I'm not. I promise, remember?" I tell him but he doesn't seem to believe it too much.

The silence falls between us again and I look around the restaurant just thinking to myself. I could feel his leg bounce faster, I wonder what he was so nervous about.

"Are you okay?" Heath asks, scanning my face before I turned to look at him. He looked worried as he waited for me to answer and I saw his fingers fidgeting with that silver ring on his finger.

"Can I ask you something?" I sigh, deciding to just ask. He nods and I think about it before just saying it.

"Do you think I'm dumb? Be honest." I question, I know I was bad at some things but I could focus when I put my mind to something.

"No, I don't." He answers and taps his finger on the table.

"Then why do you think everyone else has gotten acceptation letters from colleges and I haven't? Is it because nobody wants me? Or is it because they took one look at my grades and said nope this girls a complete idiot." I ramble, letting out what I've been worried about the past couple of days.

" My mom wants me to go to college but I haven't received one letter yet. I don't want her to be disappointed in me." I put my head down on the table and groan a little when it slammed too hard.

"Thalia." I hear him say my name and I slowly look up. He leans across the table and I'm met with his gray blue eyes as they peered down at me.

" How could someone ever be disappointed in you? You're perfect." He whispers and looks down at my lips. My stomach turns and I can feel those butterflies all over again.

" I wish my mom thought so too." I say, sitting up and sniffing a little. I'm not about to cry over her, mama ain't raise no crier. She didn't even raise me at all, actually.

"She hates me. Everything I do, she never approves and I don't know what I could possibly do anymore to make her satisfied with me." I get everything off my chest but I'm not even finished.

"But if it's her other kids, she'd applaud them for winning a game of musical chairs! And I asked her to be at my graduation, a simple favor which I don't think is too much to ask for and she doesn't show up. That's messed up. What did I do? Why does she hate me?" I question the same questions I'd ask myself when she left me. I'd probably never get an answer though.

"It's really her fucking loss." Heath said making me look up at him. That's what my dad said too but if I really was so great wouldn't she want to be around me?

"That's sweet but-"

"But nothing. It's true." He pushes and I nod, deciding to just let him have this.

"I guess. I'm just a little hurt by her not showing up, today was important to me." I said lowly, staring down at the table.

Despite how my mom acts I still love her obviously and I don't want to be mad but I feel like I put up with a lot, I'm bound to eventually be upset. I think it's fair for me to be hurt because right now I reached my breaking point.

"Then she doesn't deserve you." Heath reach's across the table and takes my hand in his, I've noticed he does this for comfort. He also seemed to have sobered up in the last hour.

"You're too good. And fucking sweet, and I'm really fucking sorry for yelling at you." He apologizes again and I can just see how bad he feels about it.

He'd said sorry twice already, which I've never heard come out of his mouth but that only means he's making progress. He's putting in work.

"It's okay, Heath. Can I ask you something else?" I look at him and now he's the one avoiding eye contact as he focuses on my hand in his, he nods either way.

"Why did you get so upset?" I ask softly, not wanting to upset him by my question.

He stayed silent for a while and lifts his head to look around.

"Just....family stuff." He answers and slowly pulls his hand away from mine. I get that he didn't want to say much about it and that's fine.

I let my curious thoughts wander and I had questions but I wouldn't ask him about it right now. I wonder what family problems be meant because when I asked him about his family, he said he had no one.

"You don't have to explain, don't worry." I smile and he nods, I feel his leg start bouncing once again even after it stopped for a while.

" Do you want more? You can have some" I push the plate of fries in front of him but he just shakes his head.

"I can't eat when I'm anxious." He mumbles and runs his hand through his hair, causing some strands to fall loosely on his face.

"Why are you anxious?" I ask, taking a bite of my fries. I'm feeling better after my whole rant, I guess all I had to do was talk about it. It felt so good to let it all out.

My problems, not something else. Although, it really does feel good when you let it all out, toilet wise that is.

"Because..." He started to answer but then just shrugs.

"Relatable" I nod, at his answer and he looks at me as I eat.

"Can I?" I grab his fruit smoothie and he nods, I take a sip of it. But not before cleaning off the straw, you never know where someone's mouth has been.

I drink the rest of the smoothie in one slurp. I want a slurpy now.

"I want a cherry red slurpy." I blurt out, accidentally letting out a burp after. Excuse me.

"What's that?" He asks, cutely tilting his head as he stares at me. He's so cute he doesn't even know.

"Let's get you a slurpy." I point to him, standing up.

Heath pays for us because he insisted on paying since it was my graduation. Obviously, I didn't argue with that. Sugar daddy at its finest.

We did have to walk because my dad left us here and we had no car. It was slightly warmer than yesterday but walking was tolerable.

"Let's find a 7-Eleven." I told him right as we left the diner. I made the mistake of wearing heels to my graduation and now as we were walking, I instantly regretted it.

At least I looked cute, my white short dress was a little flowy at the bottom and the front was a little too showy in the chest area but not by much. Still, it was a pretty dress. I just couldn't handle these heels.

"Ugh, how long have we been walking?" I hold my hand up to block the Sun from my face.

"We just started" Heath replies and I don't like his attitude. Because he is right.

"Who asked." I reply, knowing damn well I just did.

"You walked over the crack" Heath suddenly says and I raise a brow at him.

"Huh?" I ask, what is this crazy man talking about.

"Remember, you said not to step on them." He points to the cracks on the side walk and I can't help but awe.

"You remembered that?!?" I smile and notice that he was walking over the cracks. I follow his steps too.

"It's hot."

"My feet hurt."

"Heath?" I look up at him, his head was down but he immediately looks at me when I call his name.

"Hm?" He answers and I stop walking.

"I cant walk in these anymore. Can't we take a break?" I don't think heels were meant to be used for anything else but pictures, because I can't believe anyone who actually can walk in heels.

He looks down at my feet and realizes what I was talking about. He looks around at the shops around us and then focuses back on me.

"Do you want something more comfortable?" He asks.

"Well... that would be nice. Yeah" I reply and he takes my hand, leading me towards some store.

Instead of being at a 7-Eleven, we end up at a shoe store. And after looking at every shoe carefully, Heath ends up buying me the soft boots I was eyeing. I switch the heels for some boots and Ta Da Im not walking like a three legged dog anymore.

"Thank you for the shoes. Just add that to my bill." I joke as we leave the store. I've lost count of the many things he's brought me at this point. I ditched those heels back at the store and 'accidentally' left them behind.

"Now move your slow butt, I really do want a slurpy!" I speed walk and pass him, I think I saw a 7-Eleven around here somewhere.

He picks up the pace as I basically leave him but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do for a slurpy. Especially in this hot weather. And once he gets a taste, he's going to want to come back for more.

Come back for the slurpy, not whatever else It is that he tastes and wants to come back for. Will my mind ever return to the once holy mind it was?

Once we finally get there I hold the door for him like a gentleman, or like a lady.

"After you, princess." I said in a deep voice and laugh when he gives me a look. But either way, he still walked in first so it worked.

"Weirdo" He mumbles under his breath but I still heard him. I'll let that slide only cause he has a cute face.

"Follow me to the good stuff." I wink or attempt a wink but I don't think I did it right.

I walk to the back of the store where the slushy machines were at and pick two cups. I hand one to Heath and he watches me before he does it himself.

"Now you just pick whichever flavor you want. I'm getting cherry because it's delicious. You want cherry?" I ask, glancing behind me and he cringes.

"Fuck no." He said disgustingly. Way to make me feel good about my choice.

I finish filling up my slurpy and put the lid on, as soon as that's all done I put my lips on it and start slurping away.

The drink, slurping the drink. For clarification..

I watch Heath as he picks the blue raspberry flavor and fills it half way. I look around to make sure the coast is clear and the cashier isn't looking.

"Don't be shy, fill it all the way up. I'm paying so you better drink it all up." I point my finger at him like I be doing.

He stares at me for a second before turning around and filling it to the top. He does what I did and puts a lid on top. I stare at him and wait for him to take the first sip. Seeing someone try something for the first time is so fun to witness.

"Go on, try it already" I watch him as he takes a sip but I don't see him make any sort of reaction.

"You hate it?"

"It's that blue raspberry isn't it? I told you cherry was the way to go-"

"It's good." He interrupts me, but the serious look on his face could make you think otherwise. But that's just how he always looked so I'll take his word.

"See? Doesn't it just make you happy? One taste and bam, you're in la la land." I go for another sip and he watches me.

"I'll let you know if I am, after I get a taste." He says after a couple of seconds and I look up at him confused.

And this guy calls me a weirdo, puh lease.

I finish paying for the both of us this time and convince him to go to the near by park with me. I love parks, especially swings.

We sit on the swings together as we drink our slurpy's and silence falls between us. I'm paying attention to the small amount of ice that is stuck on the bottom of the cup and try picking at it with my straw.

"Thalia?" I hear Heath call me and I hum back in response, still paying attention to my slurpy.

"Go on a date with me." He said but it sounded more like a regular statement than a question.

"Please." He adds, now that's more like it.

This was definitely more important than my slurpy, I stop what I'm doing and look at him. Is this happening right now?

—————————————————————

A/N

So I forgot that I still had to make them official guyz so I'm working on that...😅😉😉😉

But for now enjoy more cute moments as "friends" because when they aren't anymore.... Things will be more...😉😗😫🍑😘😋

But I've said too much so bye ✌🏻✋🏼

7/27/22