I like you

"Why are we embarrassed by silence? What comfort do we find in all the noise?"   - Mitch Albom

• Kane •

"So, diner later?" Inara asked as we drove to school
"For?" I asked
"For talking, eating, normal stuff people do together" She laughed.
"Okay" I agreed

"Great" She smiled, looking out of the window
She looked pretty today. Her hair up and her jewellery shining in the sun
"Are you coming to practice later?" I asked casually
"Yeah of course" she said, easing the tension in my head

"Good" I said quietly.

• Inara •

"I think I should get myself a fake boyfriend" Ivy sighed, letting her head fall back as she laid under the sun on the bleachers

• Inara's Outfit •

"Why?" I asked
"You seem to be doing alright for yourself, lot of perks out of a fake boyfriend" she commented

"Ivy" I scolded, looking around us
"Oh come on, you tell me you suck-"
"Stop right there" I interrupted
"Fine but I'm right. He's not even your real boyfriend and you're getting more action than me at the minute" she huffed

Yeah. He's not my boyfriend
It wasn't a fact I needed reminding of
Because it's all that span around in my head
What are we?
What does he want us to be?

"It just... works" I offered
"Well I wish I had someone who just... works" she joked

• Kane •

I stared at my orange juice, then at her milkshake
Fuck training
"Stop eyeing my drink" she teased over the table, trying to catch my eye
"I asked you if you wanted one, you said no" she said

"I know" I nodded
"Alright... grumpy" she chuckled, playing with her straw
"So... you want to be a lawyer huh?" She brought up

"Leave it" I brushed off
"No, come on. You never mentioned it before, what made you want to do law?" She asked
I thought about it

Did she want the truth?
"I didn't want to do football, it's not a career for me like it is for Koen. Plus it would take all the fun out of it" I explained
"Okay, but law? You barely talk Kane, you're going to get up in a courtroom?" She asked

"Yeah, it's not how much you say. It's what you say" I said
"Besides, law is time consuming, so... I'll barely ever have a chance to go back home" I shrugged

"There's plenty of ways to get away from your dad... if that's what you want" she said comfortingly

"I just want out" I said honestly, looking up at her
"So, where are you heading?" She asked, sipping her milkshake
Her glossy lips round her straw...
Just like when she-

"Danbury" I answered, knowing what was coming next
"That's where I'm going" she smiled
"I know..." I said, gaging her reaction
Which was confused

"Heard you telling Tommy a few months back" I explained
I didn't apply for that school because she was going
But it wasn't a bad coincidence

"So I guess I'm stuck with you after all of this" I tried to joke
She looked down, her straw suddenly more interesting than me
"Is that a bad thing?" She asked quietly

"No" I said immediately, earning her eyes again
"Not at all" I said.

She's kind
She's funny
She's beautiful

She was making me care about what I say
How I act
How to get her to like me
Because I wanted her to like me
I wanted her to want me. No one else

I wanted her to kiss me and mean it
And lately... that's what we were
We were meaningful kisses
Lingering touches
Staring at each other and trying to talk through our minds so we didn't have to say the actual words

I like you
I really really fucking like you Petal.
And I don't want it to be fake.

•

On Friday, I felt lighter
I felt... confident. Because I think she likes me too.
I just didn't know how to tell her I like her
I didn't how to ask her out properly
I hadn't dated before

I hadn't took anyone out
I hadn't been interested in anyone until she came along.
"I'll see you at lunch" she smiled, leaning up to kiss my cheek

Kissing seemed awkward now they were real
Now we both wanted them.
Now it was no longer a show for us.

"You're coming to the game Monday right?" Koen asked as I slid my arm around Inara's waist
"Of course, I have to be there to support my favourite player" she smiled
"Best be me" Koen said
"Obviously, you're the captain" she chuckled, before arching her neck to look at me

"Seeing you play is just an added bonus" she teased
And I smiled. I fucking smiled because how can you not?
Look at her.

"I'll even wear your colours" she joked
"Yeah, stripes across your cheeks?" Koen asked
"What else?" She said like it was obvious
It was an odd thought, imagining her like that
She never did that for Tommy.

"I'll see you then" she said, walking out of my grasp and into school.

"You have it bad" Koen grinned
"Yeah" I sighed, watching her disappear
"What?" He said, almost unbelieving what he'd heard
"I have" I confirmed

"Really?" He asked
I nodded
"I want to take her out" I admitted
"That's great, ask her" he urged

"How?" I asked
"How do I ask her? I..."
"It's not hard, really. And she likes you, so you know she'll say yes"
"Does she?" I asked worriedly

"Yes, trust me" he assured
"Just, ask if you can take her out for dinner" he advised
Yeah. I can do that.
I can...

• Inara •

Kane had been... strange all day.
He barely spoke during lunch
He barely functioned during classes, his mind just seemed... elsewhere

And when he drove me home, it was hard to get any conversation out of him
He seemed nervous.
"Thank you" I smiled
"You don't always have to thank me" he said

"No, but I like to" I said casually, opening the door
"I like you" he said out of nowhere, making me stop... and look back at him
"What?" I asked
"I like you... Inara" he said

"I..."
"Can I take you out? For dinner?" He asked, eyes on mine and yet his body was stiff
Neither of us dared to moved a muscle
"I..."
"Inara" he said

I just nodded
"Yes?" He questioned
"Yeah... um, sorry. Yes. Yes, when?" I rambled out

His face seemed to calm
"Tomorrow night" he suggested
I nodded again. Forgetting most words I knew
"Tomorrow" I repeated, before getting out of the car

I trailed up the path, feeling his eyes on me the entire time as he hadn't pulled away yet
I got inside before I heard his car actually leave
And I took a breath. A much needed breath
Kane just asked me out.

Kane Vallow is taking me to dinner.
"Good day?" Ethan asked, clearly confused by my smile
"The best" I answered, before my eyes landed on the suitcases in the kitchen
"Going somewhere?" I asked

"We're going to visit mom for a few days, I was going to ask you to come but you seem too wrapped up in school" Mom answered
"Yeah, school" Ethan echoed
"You still could have asked" I mumbled, sitting down

"Do you want to come? I don't mind ringing the school" she said
"No" I said quickly
"Uh... no. It's alright, I'll stay" I said
I can't leave now

I have a date tomorrow...
And I have Kane's game on Monday
I can see grandma another time.

• Kane •

"What do I do?" I asked
"Just be yourself, you get along, you make her laugh, do that... just in a fancy place" Koen said
I was nervous
Really fucking nervous

"It'll be fine" he assured me
"What do I wear?" I asked
"For fuck sake" he groaned

• Inara •

Outfit number four
As I stared at myself in the mirror over and over again
Did I look good? Was this too much?

Mum and Ethan left this morning
Ivy was busy so I was all on my own
I felt so... self conscious
Will he like it?

Where is he taking me?

The door echoed throughout the house, throughout my head as my chest stopped and I panicked
No more time
No more chances to change or worry

I took one last look before braving to open the door
And Kane stood in a state I had never seen him
That I had never imagined him in
He was dressed smart, holding flowers

"Hey" I mumbled out, lost for words
"Hey" he matched, eyes falling down my body
Before they found mine again and he held the flowers out
I took them
"Daisies?" I questioned

"Ivy said they're your favourite" he muttered awkwardly
I smiled
"You've been researching me?" I teased, putting them on the bottom of the stairs before stepping out to him.

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked, as we made our way to the car
"No, it shows initiative" I said
Before I stopped, because he opened my car door

He really was going all out on this date
"I have a lot of initiative to show" he challenged, waiting for me to get in
And I did, watching him walk round the car before getting in

•

"This seems... too much" I said, looking around as we walked in
"Too much for a date?" He asked, stopping in his tracks
"No, too much for... me... I guess" I tried to explain

I had never been to this restaurant before
"Nothing is too much for you" he said, refusing to look at me but paying me the compliment
I found he often did that
When he opened up or dared to flirt with me, he would look elsewhere, avoiding the reaction in case it was one he didn't want.

I hooked my arm with his, showing him that I was flattered.

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