FREE⇡RIDE⇣HOME [Elevator Hitch || COTAG]

Do you want to try?

When my coworker comes back, he sees me rummaging through his bookshelf, and excitedly speedwalks towards me. "Do you like reading books?"

I scan through some of the story outlines on the back covers of the books. "Have you read all of these?" I refer to the whole book case.

"Yeah..." He traces his finger over some titles. "This one is a novel about a ballerina who finds herself feeling nervous around her ballet instructress." He shows me the cover. It's a flat-colour artpiece of a woman pirouetting. Super cliché. "It's beautifully written, but it's quite advanced."

He puts the book in my arms, and looks for another one. "Oh, this one's modern. It's about a middle-aged woman who works for a young, bratty company owner, and shows him what real life is like."

He pushes another book in my arms. It's getting heavy.

"Oh, and this one is my favourite. It's about a rich and self-centered man, who grows a soft spot for a young, oblivious student, and tries everything to luxuriate his life." He puts the book on top of the shelf, secluded from the other books so he won't lose it, and helps me fit the stories I'm holding back in the book case.

"You have a quite... inclusive collection. Do you enjoy reading novels about women loving women, and men loving men?" I pray my question doesn't sound offensive.

"Yes, I do. I don't see how sex plays any role in romantic relationships," he states, casually.

My eyes widen, and eyebrows raise. "And in real life?"

He fidgets with his favourite book. "I seriously don't care what's in one's pants." He's smiling a bit, like he's glad I'm asking him. "...What about you?"

"Ehh... I don't know... What does it imply..?" I don't want to say anything that might sound mean.

"Do you... hate it when I kiss you?"

"...No..."

"Then..." he pats my head, "wouldn't that make you similar?" He pouts. "Unless you don't take romantic gestures seriously..."

"R-Romantic?" I stammer. "So... you meant all of this in a romantic way..."

My eyes spark, like a lighter.

"I... well..." he stutters, "yeah... I did."

He's playing with my hair, wondering what to say.

I walk straight into his chest, initiating a hug. My face is purposefully glued to his shoulder, so I can't talk, because I don't know how to continue this.

I can feel his trembles transferring onto me. I press myself against him, to fill every gap between our bodies, reassuring him that it's fine.

He doesn't say anything.

"I..." he begins, but quickly shuts up. "Would you like to go somewhere?"

I look up at him. "Where?"

"I thought of... a botanical garden."

We release each other and I nod a few times.

Before I know it, we're already in the car on the way there. He seems to know lots of pretty places to go to. I can't find an appropriate topic to talk about, but I figure it'll be better for the both of us if I change it. "Do you like flowers?"

He smirks. "I do, but I suck at gardening. What about you?"

"Honestly... you reminded me of their existence. I used to love flowers, and I told myself, that... one day, I will get a little plant pot, and grow something. I completely forgot about that," I twitchingly confess.

He laughs. "You should definitely do it," he encourages. "By the way, I have to stop by a petrol station."

"Oh, sure."

He parks his car and goes to fuel it. I also get out, so It doesn't look like I'm lazily waiting for him. Also, I'm curious about how he fuels his car.

"Do you want to try?" He asks, as if he read my mind.

"Y-Yeah." I reach my hand out for the nozzle, and give him a questioning glance, making sure I'm allowed to grab it. I am.

"Look at the meter, and press on the handle until the indicator is about half-way. Then, put the nozzle back here," he points to an empty spot next to the other gas nozzles, "and close the little fuel door."

He leaves me alone, staring at the meter awkwardly.

"I'll go and buy us something. Wave to me when you're done, so I can pay."

I nod at him.

I quietly watch the meter and squeeze the handle on the nozzle, pumping god-knows-what in his car. For some reason, I can feel his gaze burning holes in my back, but I don't dare to look away from the dial.

When I'm done, I put everything back and locate him through the window of the kiosk, before waving to him. He waves back, and runs to the register.

I sigh in relief. I didn't do anything wrong.

I wait for him to return.

He comes back with two bottles of water and a little keychain. "I got you a gift. I'm surprised you haven't lost your lonely, plain keys yet." He puts it in my hand.

It's a tiny, round, gold-coloured locket. Is there even anything that fits this size?

I open and close it a few times. "Thanks, but... what am I going to put in this?" I ask.

"Anything you want." He opens the driver's-side door, gesturing that I should head to my seat.

I sit down and buckle my seatbelt, finding my coworker attaching an identical locket to his own plain keys. "You got a matching one?"

"Yeah."

"What are you going to put in it?"

"I'll see."

I attach mine to my key too.

He departs his car before I get the ring through the key, jerking me out of position. I groan in failure.

He laughs. "Sorry!"

I clumsily try to attach the keychain, but it turns out I suck. He snatches everything from my hands, and hastily helps me, with his elbow on the wheel. He finishes it way faster than me, and returns everything, before seizing the steering wheel correctly.

"...You didn't have to."

He smirks. "But I wanted to."

I shake my head in embarrassment, and put the keys back in my pocket. "Mhm... Are we there yet?"

"Almost," he hums. "You can't wait?"

"...You could say that," I admit. "I have never been to a botanical garden before."

✂