The Amish Girl

Nine

We got in the car and drove to the nearest mall. I knew she was a little confused but I grinned and kept driving. I was planning the perfect date since she didn't know many places around here. I had one hand in Kristin's and the other on the wheel with my elbow resting on the open window space. I tried to not let my road rage get in the way of making this perfect. But with three people trying to cut me off I couldn't refrain myself for very long. Soon I heard Kristin giggling away at me and I just rolled my eyes. 

We could keep driving on to sunrise and make it two states over. We'd get caught though and hauled back here since Kristin's brother seems pretty adamant that she stays "amish." I'm getting the vibe from her though that she doesn't want to go back. She wants to stay here and give being a normal person a proper shot. She doesn't like a lot of people at school since they treat her like an alien and that's totally understandable. But she is so much more than what people see. There's a whole other side to her that I have yet to unlock and whatever happens between us I hope we always stay friends. 

I was so shocked when she turned up at my front door and asked me out. She seemed so nervous and I was so unsure. I don't want my heart to be broken again like it's been before. But she's so innocent and truthful. I don't think she's ever told a lie in her life. I want to protect her from how harsh this world actually is but I don't think shielding her is going to help transistion her properly into "normal" life. I wish her brother saw things the way I did because maybe then she'd be a little happier. A little more talkative at lunch and a little less shy. Maybe secretly he's going to ship her back to where she came from to make sure she doesn't get hurt. I don't think I could handle not seeing her perfect little face. 

We finally came to the mall and I found a parking space almost straight away. I wound up my window and got out grabbing my purse from the backseat. I made my way around the other side of the car and just as she unlocked the door and sort of opened it I swung it the rest of the way open and offered one of my hands. She took it and I shut the car door locking the car with a press of the button on the keychain. We walked hand in hand into the mall and her face was still so confused. 

"Where are we going?" She asked giggling.

I shook my head. "Nope it's a surprise," I said whispering in her ear. Her body shivered a little and she looked up at me with those dreamy eyes. I rolled my eyes at her feable attempt at a puppy dog face and kept pulling her along. We climbed some stairs in the mall's spiral staircase and walked down the long  corridor. We passed lots of jewlery stores which she stopped at and made me look at certain necklaces and bracelets. I jokingly pointed to an engagement ring and her cheeks blushed bright red. We kept walking down the corridor until we reached the first place. It wasn't really upmarket or anything since it's at a mall but it's still nice. "We're here."

She looked up at the sign and grinned at me. "I love pizza."

I laughed, "Good because you don't have a choice." 

We walked inside and got seated and given some menus. I kept peeking at her from around my menu and making funny faces at her. I poked my tongue out a couple times and she just rolled her eyes at me like I was being immature...oh wait. "Jesus can you not," she said laughing. 

"Did you just use the lords name in vain?" I teased her. 

"No I said his sons name in vain," she said laughing. "Oh shut up I'm letting loose."

When the waiter came back around we had spent too much time making fun of each other that we had to make insta-decisions-in-a-pizza-dish. We ordered two large pizza's to share between us. A meatlovers and a hawian. She poked my nose and took a sip of her coke. We spent a few minutes making funny faces at each other before bursting out into giggles. 

"So..." I start trying to start a conversation. "How are you feeling about home?"

"What do you mean?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

I tried to rephrase my question. "I just mean that being away from home...it must be hard."

"You don't live with your parents," she said shrugging. 

I nodded in agreeance. "I don't but it wasn't really my choice. If I had the choice I'd live at home with them because i love them and miss them terribly." 

She sighed and took another sip of coke before speaking. "If I go back they'll marry me off to a man. If I stay then I'll get disowned. It's a hard decision because I do miss my family but I'm happy out here. I can be who I am without being judged or banished." 

I reached across the table to hold her hand in mine. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said anything." 

"At least you ask me how I am. My brother mostly ignores me and his girlfriend, Anna, she mostly tries to make sure I stay indoors." Kristin's face fell a little bit. 

"Cheer up," i said giggling. "I see our pizza!"

Sure enough our pizza was placed down in front of us and we drooled at the sight and smell of this mouthwatering food. We started to dig in grabbing slices of this and drinks of that. She smacked my hand when I went for a piece that she had her eye on. I grinned knowing that this is exactly what I want. I want us eating pizza and drinking soft drink only to get full bellies and feel really sick. To laugh and giggle at things that aren't even funny. 

After we finished our pizza we went to one of those arcade type places. Dance dance revolution, terminator shooter game, bumper cars and lazer tag was just some of the awesomeness there. I grinned at her and we both went crazy. She made me teach her how to play dance dance revolution before kicking off her flats and going crazy. I sat back and watched her have fun giggling at her. She was getting better and better at it and had accumulated quite a little crowd admiring her. 

After that she made me show her how to work bumper cars. She was so excited when she got the hang of it and started driving like a maniac. I was laughing too hard that I was snorting and not watching where I was driving. I bumped into several other people but we just couldn't stop giggling at each other. She wanted to try one of everything but unfortunately we didn't have enough time, or money, to do everything once. They closed only an hour and a half after we got there and even though she tried to hide her disappointment I promised her I'd take her again.

We walked down to the gelato place and got some gelato before getting back into the car and driving down to the lake nearby. We parked and sat on the car roof eating half melted gelato and watching the fireflies fly around lighting up the lake surroundings. She leant her head on my shoulder and let out a content sigh.

"Thanks for taking me out," she said almost a whisper.

I grinned, "It's cool." I felt so content just sitting her revelling in the smallest of things. "We'd better get you back so your brother doesn't have a heart attack."

She nodded and we got back in the car. Sometime between when we left the lake and when we got back to the apartment blocks she had fallen asleep in the car. She looked so peaceful and so perfect. I sighed and just looked at her like she's the most gorgeous thing in the world. I parked in the carpark and shut off the engine. 

"Bub," I said shaking her a little. She stirred and gave me a small death glare. "Sorry sweetheart but I'm no strong prince I can't carry you up all those stairs."