The Second Coming || Guns N Roses, Bon Jovi, David Bowie

The Second Coming: Five

I was on cloud nine after Jon asked me out, I strutted right into my apartment like it wasn't past midnight, and I hadn't broken curfew. I turned on the light in the kitchen and went right over to get myself a tall glass of juice.

Leaning against the counter I stood there, grinning, rubbing the fabric of Jon's scarf between my fingertips. He hadn't asked for it back, so I never offered. I drank the juice, I smiled and giggled like a schoolgirl, and honestly I didn't even know why he excited me this way. I never really felt like that about him before, but I guess things change.

I was lost in thoughts of the way his fluffy hair blew in the wind, the way his nose crinkled when he smiled. Was he really who I was enamoured with, or was it just the thought of dating like a normal girl?

"Callie." Cap snapped at me as he walked dramatically across the sitting room and into the kitchen. "It is extremely late, your father is already in bed! Why in god's name were you out so late?"

For some reason, he didn't intimidate me like he used to. Maybe it was the cozy and reassuring knowledge that my father was asleep in Cap's guest room just one floor below us, and there was Cap could really do to me. I only briefly thought about telling him off, but the comforting guarantee of safety was tugging at me- if I submitted to Cap's will, no harm would come.

"I'm so sorry, Nina and I lost track of time. We were just out... shopping, and then we went out to eat."

His gaze intensified, he leaned forward just slightly. My stomach quivered.

He was trying to tell if I was lying or not, and I wasn't quite sure if I'd pass the test. Guilt burned the back of my throat, it tasted similar to shame.

Abruptly he turned on his heel and went back toward the elevator. I allowed myself a quiet breath of relief, only to suck it back up hastily when he turned to face me again.

"I've never seen that scarf before, where did you get it?"

I gasped quietly and took it off, clutching it to my chest. "I... I bought it. At the mall, the new one they built after the other one had that, uh... experienced that gasline explosion."

Cap nodded once, and pressed the button for the elevator. The doors parted slowly and he stepped between them. "Hmm. Why on earth would you buy a man's scarf?"

I didn't respond, and the doors closed.

Maybe I was being obseessive, but that night I slept with the scarf wrapped around me and a smile on my face.

****

"Jon, I really like you, and I guess you really like me, or you wouldn't have asked me out."

No, that sounded way too desperate. I made a new face in the mirror, and tried again.

"Jon, I love you- and I'll do anything to make you love me."

I nearly slapped myself in the face for even considering a Sixteen Candles reference. I should've slapped myself for the fact that I was practicing pickup lines in the mirror. It nearly took me all day to figure out what to wear to this so-called date- I'd decided on a tight pair of jeans and a fuzzy sweater, decent makeup, and some sneakers.

After I'd gotten my physical appearance all put together, I realized I had no idea how to be. Axl I never really went on dates, we spent so much of our time together I never had to think about the way I was acting.

"Just relax," I whispered to myself, spritzing on a thin layer of perfume. "He likes me for me, no need to change that now."

I was so caught up in my nervousness I didn't even think about Cap. I walked right past the sitting room where he and my dad were located, biting my lip and hoping I didn't get any lipstick on my teeth.