Because of You, Well, Us

Chase

I held Kate for longer than I should have. When I put her down, I just studied her, and she seemed to be doing the same to me. Her hair looked lighter, and she seemed to have more of a figure. Kate had always looked pretty, but now she looked beautiful, and I didn't know what to do about it.

"We should get your stuff." I said, still studying. saying that first thing, but better stupidity than silence.

"Yeah, I guess." She sounded tired and dreamy.

Walking over to the luggage carousel, Kate described the little details of her summer. She taught her cousins to play soccer, spent a lot of time with her aunt, cool things like that. Anyone else, and I probably would have tuned them out. But with Kate, I felt riveted, and wanted every last detail. I saw her bag come around the carousel before she did. When Kate saw it she tried to grab it, but I slapped her hand away.

"The weary traveler doesn't carry her own bag." I informed her, hauling it over my shoulder.

Actually leaving the airport became the awkward part. Cars drove everywhere, and puddles appeared out of nowhere. We constantly bumped something against the other trying to avoid them. Hands, shoulders, hips, I didn't quite know what to make of it. I thought about holding her hand, but that seemed too forward. Yet the priceless look on her face when I got bold and opened the door for her promptly became the best part. Driving back home wasn't any less quiet I had closed my window and turned down the music and Kate broke the silence.

"Chase, I missed your guitar playing this summer. Come over to my house, we'll hang out, and you can play for me." Out of the corner of my eye, I noted how she curled into the seat and looked at me, a teasing look in her eye.

"Is dinner involved?" I asked passing a minivan and giving Kate a sly grin.

"Of course, dinner's a given." She turned her head back to face forward

Neither of us said much else the rest of the ride. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kate looking out of the window pretty much the whole time. She looked so beautiful; I didn't know what happened or what to make of it. I liked her before, but now it just seemed like so much more. The urge to just reach across the console and take her hand overwhelmed me. I'd removed my hand from the steering wheel a dozen times to do so, but always chickened out before I did.

When I pulled into her driveway, I breathed a silent breath of relief.

"Let me grab my guitar and I'll come right over" I said as she got out.

"Sounds good. Macaroni and cheese still your favorite?"

"You'd have to kill me to believe otherwise." I smiled

"I think we've got a plan, then." She smiled at me.

If we were dating, I would lean over and kiss her cheek. I wanted to so badly, but before I could even say or do anything, Kate reached for the door handle and got out. Moment gone.

I pulled the car into my own driveway, raced inside and grabbed my guitar. On the short walk across my yard, the haunting thought of what it might be like to kiss Kate crossed my mind again. I shook that thought out of my head as best as I could.

When I knocked on the door and let myself in, I saw that Kate had already started cooking. I put my guitar down in the living room and headed for the kitchen.

"What can I do?" I asked.

I saw her jump. "Gah, you scared me Chase." She laughed "Um, toss me a box of pasta because the I think the water's just about to boil. Then go get some vegetables out of the freezer. We can't just have carbs for dinner." She let out a cute laugh

I didn't know if the water boiled, but the cook sure was. Bad thought. It made the dream of kissing Kate come back. Feeling her cheek in my hand, breath on my face. I slapped myself to shake it off and headed back to the kitchen.

Kate had already moved on to something else when I got back. I put my hand on her shoulder to let her know I'd come back. She still jumped because she had music playing, and didn't hear me coming. I smiled as I handed her the bag, she whispered her thanks as she cut it open and added dumped the contents into a bowl to put in the microwave. I drew little pictures between her shoulder blades, something I knew she liked.

"What did you do to your hair?" I said in a manner hopefully more inquisitive rather than grossed out.

Her face flushed red, "You noticed?" She asked tucking a loose strand behind her ear.

"Yeah, I like it." I pressed a little harder. I felt her muscles relax, and I kind of liked how this progressed.

"I spent a lot of time outside this summer, so the sun bleached my hair a bit." I noticed her attempts to keep some semblance of sanity, and I liked that I could do this to her. It felt kind of wrong to think about it, but I liked the fact that she seemed to be melting against me.

After a second, Kate moved out of my grasp. "Would you set the table? I'm pretty sure the dishes haven't moved, and this is almost done."

I turned away with that funny feeling in my stomach again.