We're Neighbors

I Caught These Feelings Like Its Nothing New

I walked out of the room and building feeling very confident. I stopped before the car before I entered.

I just stared. Seeing this car brought back so many memories. Good and bad.

"Getting in?" I heard.

I snapped out of my thoughts and nodded. I hopped into the passenger side.

"So, how'd it go?" He asked.

I nodded. "Great! I think.... Wait. Maybe... Oh man. I might have ruined it... Oh great! I probably bombed it!"

He laid his hand on my lap. "Jo, I'm sure you did great. They'd be stupid not to hire you."

I nodded and took a deep breath. "And now we wait".

He nodded.

I started sweating. "Oh... What if I messed it all up? This is what Ive always wanted to do. And I really really need this job".

"Joanna, look at me", he ordered.

I turned my face.

"You did great. And they're going to hire you."

"But what if..." I began.

He covered my mouth. "Let's go have some fun. Well get our minds off of all this."

I reluctantly agreed and we drove off.

After we drove for a while, I got curious. "Charlie, where are we going?"

"Ever been ice skating?" He asked.

"No. And definitely not in the middle of summer."

He shrugged. "It's the best time of year to go. Get away from the heat. Plus, I've never been either. We can crash and embarrass ourselves together".

I stared out the window. "Sounds like a blast", I said sarcastically.

He grabbed my cheek. "Oh come on, don't be a party pooper. This is why..... Ahh nevermind."

I snapped back. "No, no, no. This is why what? What?"

He tightened his jaw and looked straight ahead. "Nothing".

"This is why I have no friends?!? Huh? Is that it?!? Because I'm a boring old grandma with no personality?!?"

He smiled. "Joanna, calm down. I wasn't going to..."

I crossed my arms and stared out the window. "Well, I'm not. I'm not an old grandma. I am very fun. And I'm excited about ice skating."

He chuckled. "You're adorable when you pout".

I sat up. "I am not!"

"What? Adorable or pouting?" He asked, clearly amused.

"Both", I said.

"Does everything I say have to end in a fight?" He asked.

"No".

After a long pause, he asked me," Joanna, are you on your period?"

I slapped his arm. "No!"

He laughed. "You are too. I remember the last time you were, you went against everything I said, took everything personally, and threatened to beat me with a magic marker."

I smiled a little at the memory. "Too bad I don't a have one."

He pointed at me. "Ah! So you are admitting to it!"

I rolled my eyes. "If it pleases you so much to know, then yes. Yes, I am."

"Now I just need to remember to stay on your good side", he said.

But you are my good side.

I just nodded. "How close are we?"

"We're here".

We pulled in and got out. Only he would take me here to have fun.

He came around and put his arm around my shoulder. "You're supposed to let the gentleman open the door for the lady".

"Don't worry. Next time, I'll open the door for you."

He snorted. Right before I grabbed the door handle, he pulled my hand away.

"Not so fast", he said. He swung open the door and waited until I walked in.

"Wow. I see you raised enough money to buy some manners", I commented.

"You learn a thing or two when you live three years alone in an apartment", he said.

As soon as we stepped in, I froze. So did he.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"It's freezing in here", I said, wrapping my arms around myself.

He didn't hesitate to pull off his jacket and wrap it around me.

After everything was worked out and we got our skates, we walked into the room.

"I guess I forgot there'd be other people here", I said.

Probably because when I'm with you, I forget about everyone else.

"That's a whole lot of eyes judging us", he added.

He grabbed my back and led me to the rink entrance. We put on our skates and mentally prepared ourselves.

"Ready?" I asked.

He smiled. "For what? The skating or the utter embarrassment we are about to face?"

"Both". I laughed.

He opened the door for me and I slipped in.

Literally.

I fell onto my butt the second my skate touched the ice.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I nodded. He gave me his hand and helped me up.

I held onto the side.

"Just pretend no one saw that", I said.

He nodded. Then he stepped in.

And the exact sane thing happened to him, except louder and way funnier.

I burst out laughing. But my laughing caused me to slip.

And fall.

On my butt.

Again.

So we both looks like losers, flat on our butts at the edge of the rink.

We both started laughing.

Everyone gave us weird glances but continued.

"Maybe we should get the kids stuff", he said, attempting to stand up, but falling back down.

"No. That'd be embarrassing", I said.

"Not more embarrassing than this".

We finally stood up. But then his skate slipped, and he brought me down with him.

So now I was laying on top of him on the ice.

"Not the worst of positions", he said, smiling.

I slapped his chest and got up.

After fifty more falls and many eyes peering at us, we had our fill of ice skating.

We left laughing and ignoring everyone's whispers.

Afterwards, we sat in the car for a while.

"I actually had fun. Thanks", I said.

He smiled at me. But it wasn't a usual smile. It was a true genuine smile.

And before I even had the words, I knew it had happened. Again. I just knew it.

I started to feel something.