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

I can't just switch our roles around

I gulp down some water from my water bottle, and spill some all over my face. "Sorry, I'm... exhausted."

"Already?" He mocks, as if he's not doing the same thing. "We've still got so many things to see."

"Lead the way, then." I stand up from the ground and wait for him to get up too.

Before we go back, we admire the scenery from the other side of the flower field. There are houses with large back gardens, and farms with lots of animals. I'm surprised at how stunning this godforsaken city can be.

We head back, hand in hand, until we get to the large, richly green hedge. On the other side is a little restsurant, A phone booth, and a flower shop. We stop here for now.

"Would you like to order something?" He asks.

"You spend way too much money on me," I mention. "No, thanks."

"I'm spending money on you for a reason. Let's go and eat something."

He drags me to the restaurant, and waits to be seated. "Table for two, please."

The waiter analyses us from head to toe. I feel some hidden guilt building up in my stomach, and step behind my coworker in discomfort. The waiter points to a round table, almost in the center of the terrace outside. He invites us to sit there and leaves.

"...That was weird," I whisper.

"Don't worry, they just envy us," he assures, and plays with my hair.

We head to the table, which has a little parasol above it, blocking away sunlight. My coworker relieves visibly, the moment he enters the shadow.

I sit across from him, and scan through the menu.

He strokes my arm, and tilts his head, to look at my face from a different angle. "You tan really quickly."

"Yeah... Genetics, I guess."

He chuckles. "That makes you even cuter."

I bang the table with my fist. "N-Not here..." I whisper, as my face reddens.

He doesn't understand that there are people watching us. We're in the center of attention, after all. "Have you thought of something to order yet?" He asks, through a laugh.

"Yeah... I think so."

Coincidentally, the same waiter approaches us. We order our meals, and put the menu aside.

I start weeping in discomfort. "I feel stared at."

"By me, or by someone else?" He mocks.

"Both." I try to smile. "Could you distract me from it, maybe?"

"I'm always distracted by you. I can't just switch our roles around..." It sounds as though he's flirting.

"Mnn... I didn't mean that kind of distraction..." I feel as cold as a corpse. He's got to stop saying such sweet things, or I'll burst.

Our meals arrive shortly after, and we both thank the waiter and dig in. At least... I do, because he's just sitting there and staring at me, like last time whe we were in a restaurant.

"You don't have to watch my every move. I won't steal your food, you know..."

"Oh, but you like tasty food. Why shouldn't I give you my plate?" He's not even holding the cutlery.

I pout. "Do you want me to gain weight, or something?"

He laughs, and stabs some contents from his plate with a fork. "Say aaah~"
He holds the bite in front of my mouth.

I squint my eyes. "Aaah~" I comply, distrustfully. He pushes the fork in my mouth, shutting me up. I slide its contents off and swallow.

He smiles. "Okay, okay. I'll eat now." He uses that same fork to feed himself, without even wiping it with a tissue.

It makes me tremble in distaste, but I quickly shake it off. He's not disgusted..?

...Of course not. It just wouldn't make sense for him to be disgusted.

We finish our food, and my coworker requests the check. He pays in cash, and we leave, only to enter the flower shop across from the restaurant.

He asks what flowers I like, as we're walking between the aisles of various plants. "Hmm... I think... roses. They're quite common, and pretty, and smell nice..."

"And what colour?"

"Oh, I wouldn't know."

A shelf with herbs distracts me, and I start smelling every pot. Basil, rosemary, mint, lavender...

I squat down to reach the lowest shelf. The lavender appeals to me. It smells nice, and looks pretty. I know it attracts butterflies with its fragrant scent, and repels flies and mosquitoes.

While I'm an active hater of flies and mosquitoes, I'm also unnervingly afraid of other bugs, including butterflies.

They're beautiful, but...

a cold shiver paralyses me, just by thinking about them. No. They have way too large wings...

Someone taps my shoulder, almost startling me off balance. "Oh, hi."

My coworker helps me stand up, and leads me outside. "Did I scare you?" He chuckles.

"Yeah, a little–" Once we step outside, he takes his arm off my shoulders, confusing me.

I turn around and find him holding a tiny bouquet of large, white roses, which he revealed from behind his back. I gasp.

He bows humbly, and pushes the bouquet in my chest, as he gazes into my wide open eyes, and leads me forward by the shoulder. "You like roses, right?"

I'm speechless.

He makes me feel feelings... I'm genuinely so confused.

Is he into me? Does he not acknowledge the line between friendship and love? Am I crazy?

I can't speak. The smell of the roses is drugging my head.

Enough.

This is enough. Enough for me to realise that I, in fact, can't live without him.

We pass the exit, and get back to his car. I can't stop smelling the flowers he gave me. Everything he does for me, or to me, is addictive.

None of this is good for my heart.

✂