dance - dahmo

six

momo finally reaches our destination which is a simple pizza place in our town. i let out a sigh of relief since she chose a place that wasn't too expensive, i didn't want her to have to pay a lot for me to eat. since it obviously wasn't a date. right? it's not a date. i keep telling myself this so i won't be disappointed when she rejects me.

"sorry it's nothing really extravagant," momo says shyly.

"no, this is perfect! i love pizza," i smile and she does too. we both get out of the car and start to walk into the restaurant. it's a small little pizzeria that i've only been to a few times. it's one of those places where the staff starts to learn your name once you've been there a few times and you become a part of their family. it's perfect, i think.

as we walk through the parking lot momo walks closer to me and grabs my hand. i tense up a bit but i try not to show it. she just held my hand. hirai momo just held my fucking hand and is still holding that shit. what the hell. i feel my heart rate increasing but i love holding her hand, they're soft and bigger than mine so they captured it perfectly. it felt like it fit just right and we're meant to hold hands or something.

"i hope this is alright" she says leaning into me a bit. i assumed she was talking about the hand holding and i just nod and gulp.

"this is... perfect," i say quietly, i was surprised she even heard me. we reach the restaurant and she drops my hand to open the door. i walk in and we go up to the hostess to get a seat.

once we're seated in our booth, momo looks at me and smiles.

"what?" i ask.

"i'm just so glad we got to do this. like the dancing thing. and this too, the dinner, obviously," she blushes.

"me too... it was a lot of fun. and extremely helpful!"

"good" she grins and opens up her menu. i look at her a bit longer. she has such a perfect face. i don't even know how explain it except that every feature seems to fit together so perfectly and she seems to have no flaws. i don't know how i'm so lucky to even know this girl. she is too perfect for me, and she's not even mine.

we eventually order, deciding to share a large pepperoni pizza and we just start to talk about whatever comes up. it feels really natural and i feel comfortable being myself in front of her. it's quite a unique feeling for me, but i'm not complaining about it.

"yeah my dad used to have a pet snake, it was actually cute! she was a little wild though when new people came around," she laughs.

"aww oh my god, why doesn't he have her anymore?" i ask.

"um... well. my dad, he um, passed away. and my mom insisted that we give the snake back. she knew she wouldn't be able to care for it knowing it was... his. it doesn't really make sense to me but... yeah," she says looking down. i immediately regret even asking. what the hell is wrong with me??? i should have just assumed that maybe the snake had died but no my curiosity just had to get the best of me.

"oh, i'm so sorry momo i didn't kn—"

"it's okay! don't worry, dahyun. it was a while ago, i'm okay," she gives me a reassuring smile. i try to smile too but i think i end up just looking uncomfortable. she reaches across the table to rest her hand on mine.

"really, dahyun. it's. okay. you didn't know and i don't mind telling you about it," she says again looking into my eyes. i give a smile back, trying a little harder this time and she smiles too. she keeps her hand on mine for a moment.

a second later, a girl i recognize as chaeyoung, momo's best friend, and another girl i've never met approach us.

"momo! what are you doing here?" she asks then notices me. "oooohhh hey!!! dahyun right?"