My romantic story : Part 3

"You, like me?"

I'm dumbstruck i don't know what to say, i can hear what sounds like whispers coming from my phone that Allison must still be speaking from so i quickly look down and end the call but when i look back up to see Patrick not a foot away from me now with one arm behind him closing the door. I freeze staring at him.

He shuts the door never breaking eye contact with me, then rushes towards me and hugs me as he whispers "I like you too." My knees get weak and i hug him tight for support. He helps me get steady on my feet and then we look into each others eyes, mine filled with shock and thankfulness, his filled with happiness and relief.

Patrick turns quickly around opens the door and yells to his parents on the couch "Hey, change of plans, i think we're just going to go out somewhere."
I can hear Mrs. Fields yell from the living room "Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

In response Patrick says "I'm feeling great mom, ill be back soon." and he closes the door.

As Patrick looks at me i pull out my keys and say "Where are we going?" with a smile on my face.

"Well i thought we could get some lunch, and talk for a bit."
"I'd like that." understatement of the year.

We walk to the car and i hop in right away, but i notice he's taking his sweet time getting around the car as he appreciates it's features.

"It's just a car."
"No, it's art."
"Haha come on, get in."

He hops in the car and i start it up and we get going. Making sure not to look away from the road too long i glance at Patrick to see what he's doing, and i can see him staring out to the side just smiling, and i didn't realize until now but i haven't stopped smiling either. When you think about it, this is a really good day.

"So where are we going?" he asks sounding excited.
"I don't know" i say laughing "you're the one who said we were going somewhere."
"Alright, but, where do you want to go?"

"Oh are we going to play this game?"
"What game?" he doesn't even realize how often it's done.
"You know what im talking about, you say 'where do you want to go' and i say 'i don't know, where do you want to go' and you say 'wherever you want to go' and it goes on forever and i don't know if we have enough road for that Haha."

"Well fine, so you're saying you want me to pick somewhere?"
"Anywhere."
"Okay, how about subway." crap, maybe not anywhere.
"Oh, not there, i cant eat sandwiches, they make me sick."

"Really? that sucks, okay then i think i have enough money for applebees."
"Oh don't worry about money, i'm paying."
"I don't think so, that's like 15 bucks."

"Please, i carry at least 500 dollars around in my wallet at any one time."
"Are you joking? Aren't you afraid you'll get like, mugged or something?"
"How would they know i have the money on me?" I ask as i stop at a stop light.

"Hm, i guess you're right, well what if you lose it?"
As the light turns green i start driving again and in response to his question i pull my wallet out and hold it up without getting too far before the chain attached to it runs out of slack.
"Oh, well, i guess it's okay then, but still do you really need to carry around 500 dollars?"

"It's a drop in the bucket really, just don't worry about it, i don't. Now come on we're here." i say pulling into a parking spot.

As we enter i notice that for the first time in all the times that I've come here that the restaurant is completely empty. The hostess turns around to acknowledge us. She's a nice young lady, blonde hair tied up in a ponytail and a beautiful smile, she can only be 20.
"Welcome to Applebees, just you two?"
"Yes mam" i say trying to be polite "it's kind of empty for a Friday isn't it?"

"Oh we don't get much traffic until nights on Fridays" She says grabbing a couple menus and napkin wrapped silverware "Table or booth?"
"Booth please."

"Okay right this way." she says with a perky smile. I look back at Patrick who was looking off to the side but quickly looks up at me and gives me a half smile, in this light it does nothing but make him look all the more adorable. We follow the hostess to a nice booth somewhat on the other side of the restaurant so that the sun wouldn't be blinding us through the window.

We sit as she says "Your waitress will be with you in a moment." She places the menus in front of us and walks away.

I then look away from where she was standing and look at Patrick who is just staring at me smiling and trying not to laugh. "what?" i ask almost worried i had done something stupid.
"our waitress is on her way over here." he says looking over my left shoulder towards the kitchen.

"so?"
"So, this is going to be funny."
"Why do you say that."
"Because she's checking you out." he says leaning back against the cushion of the booth.

Oh god, tell me he's joking. Our waitress reaches the table and i turn to look at her and unfortunately, he was right, she's looking at me, but not just looking at me, she's gone full flirt mode on me. She's standing with one hip to the side, shes got long straight black shiny hair, a face like Megan fox and although the apron is pretty ugly, she's rocking it.

"Well hey sweety, what can i get you to drink?" She asks me without even acknowledging Patrick's existence, i glance at him and he seems to find this funny but frankly i don't, it's actually quite uncomfortable right now and it doesn't help that he finds it amusing, so i decide to turn the tables and give him a taste of his own medicine.

I drop the deep voice and begin using my true accent, some people call it the gay accent but i don't think that's fair. But nevertheless i say "Well me and my date here are gonna get two pomegranate lemonades please." Her smile vanishes in an instant and i glance to Patrick to see him with a blank expression of shock as he stares at me, i just keep smiling and look back up to the waitress who seems quite uncomfortable as she writes down the order.

"Okay, ill be back in a minute for your orders."
"Thanks." i say as she walks away. I look back at Patrick who is still frozen with the same expression on his face, i keep the accent, it's so comfortable just talking how i feel like i'm supposed to and i figure if i'm going to talk this way in front of anyone it will be him. So i say "Sorry i ordered your drink for you but you just have to try one of these, they're delicious."

"Your voice changed a bit." he says finally giving a sign that he is still alive.

"No, not changed just reverted back to what it usually sounds like, i figure i can be myself around you. Why, do you not like it, because i can stop?"
"No, no don't i do like it." he says finally smiling a bit. "But what was that whole thing with the waitress about?"

"Oh that? Nothing i'm just tired of being hit on by girls, so i make it clear quickly that i am unavailable. Now open your menu, she'll be back in a minute."

I look at my menu as if i don't already know what i'm going to get, i just like to stare at the pictures really, think about what they do to make them. I then see mine, right where it always is, i close the menu and look up at Patrick who is studying his menu intently. Finally after a minute or two he seems to come to a decision and puts his menu down.

The waitress arrives with our drinks and takes both our orders professionally this time and then walks away. Patrick looks at me with a puzzled expression with one arm up on the table as he hold his hand up in the air with his wrist bent back.

"Did you mean it?" he asks
"Mean what?" i say a bit confused

He glances down but looks back up and says "When you said that i am your date?" I look at him for a moment, then i smile and using my right hand i grab his hand and hold it from across the table stroking it with my thumb, he glances down at our hands and looks back up, for once he's the one blushing.

I look him in the eyes with a soft expression and slightly raised eye brows as i say "I wasn't referring to the hostess."