Gravel crunched quietly as Kit lightly crossed the driveway. The sole front porch light cast her willowy shadow behind her as she crept closer to the house. Her footsteps turned mute as she stepped onto the grass. The large two story house before her was dark. A few feet away, she stooped down and grabbed a few pebbles. She rolled them in her hand as she counted windows. Second story, third from the right. She held her breath and let the first pebble fly.

One, tap.

Two, tap.

Three, tap.

All three pebbles hit their mark. She stepped back and watched for any movement behind the window. She took a step forward to release three more pebbles when a shadow of a person appeared in the window.

She smiled and motioned for the person to join her outside. The person didn't move. She motioned again. Again, no movement. Kit pulled out her phone and quickly typed out a message and sent it.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair."

She watched as the shadow in the window was illuminated by a phone screen. It was just enough light to reveal dark eyes, a strong jaw and messy hair. She smiled as the window was raised.

"Well, this is a first," a husky voice said.

"Really? With that glorious head of hair I imagined you got compared to Repunzel often."

The porch light revealed a shadow of a smile on the guy's face. "Thanks, but whatever you're offering I'm not interested."

"You don't even know what I'm offering," she said. "I want waffles."

There was a silent pause.

"Do I look like a diner?" the guy said.

"No, but you seem like good company," she said. 

"You don't even know me."

"You're Edison Reigns, everyone knows you."

"My mom told me never to get into a car with a stranger," he mockingly argued.

Kit smirked. "She sounds like a smart woman. I guess it's a good thing I brought my moped."

A slow grin spread across Edison's face. He shook his head like he knew he was about to make a mistake. "I'll be down in a minute," he said.

Kit smiled at the surprised look on Edison's face when he found her resting against her moped.

"I thought you were joking," he said, eyeing the powder blue scooter.

"I would never joke about a moped," Kit said. She handed him a helmet.

"I'm not wearing that," he said. He crossed his arms.

"Safety first," she said. She offered him the helmet again.

He shook his head.

"Are you really going to come this far and turn back because of a helmet?" she asked.

He eyed the helmet warily before he took it.

"Don't worry," she said, climbing on the moped. "The diners only a few blocks away and it's three in the morning. No one's going to see you."

She bit back a smile when she turned and found him with the helmet on. It was round and dorky but somehow he was able to still looking charming and poised.

"Hop on," she said.

"Why can't I drive?" he asked.

"Have you ever driven one of these before?"

"No, but it can't be that hard."

"Sorry, but I don't trust this baby with just anyone."

He pursed his lips and didn't move.

"Edison, haven't you ever wanted adventure?" she asked, her voice swelling dramatically. "Haven't you ever wanted something different and exciting?"

"Waffles are hardly an adventure," he argued.

She smiled. "Perhaps. Or they could be the greatest adventure of your life. If you don't come, you'll never know."

She held his gaze, daring him to go back inside. After a moment, she shrugged and started the moped. Her foot was poised to lift the kickstand when his hands lightly balanced on her shoulders as he climbed on behind her.

"These better be the best damn waffles I've ever had," he grumbled.

"Hold on," she said.

"Wait, what about your helmet?" he asked.

She laughed as she pulled away from the house. "I never wear a helmet. I don't want to look like an idiot."

She accelerated as Edison let out a complaint and his words were lost to the wind.

*****************

Neon lights lit up the night as Kit pulled into the parking lot of Al's Diner. It was located on the last block of the five blocks that made up downtown Lighthouse Point. There were three places in Lighthouse that offered their customers waffles but Al's was the only one offering them twenty-four hours.

A bell let out a defeated jingle as Kit and Edison entered. Sixties rock music blended in the air with the smell of grease and bacon. The decor; vinyl and chrome. The place was abandoned except for an elderly patron at the counter, hunched over his hash browns and newspaper.

"When you spoke of adventure, I didn't imagine Al's as our destination," Edison said.

"Where else are we supposed to get waffles?" she asked.

"I thought you were joking."

She gave him a serious look. "I'd never joke about waffles."

He gave her a curious look. She ignored it and led the way down the aisle of booths. She pushed through the red swinging doors leading into the kitchen and could hear Edison let out a protest.

"Kit, what are you doing?" he hissed, popping his head through the door.

"Roger!" she called out.

A squat, balding man washing dishes in the sink turned around, a bright smile blooming on his face at the sight of Kit.

"Kid! You're back," he said, his voice a deep growl.

"And I brought company," she said. She motioned for Edison to join them. He stepped into the kitchen and looked around.

"Recruiting?" Roger laughed.

"He doesn't even know what he's in for," she said gleefully.

"Did you bring them?" Roger asked.

Kit reached into her pocket.

"What are we doing here?" Edison asked, his voice a loud whisper.

"Making waffles!" she said. She pulled a bag of Reese's peanut butter cups out of her bag.

"I'll fire up the grill," Roger said.

"When you said waffles, I thought you meant eat them," Edison said, stepping closer. "I didn't think you meant we had to make them."

"We don't HAVE to make them. We GET to make them," she said.

"What are the peanut butter cups for?" he asked. He nodded to the candy in her hand. 

"You'll see," she said. 

Roger was a master at the grill and he put on a show for Kit and Edison. He flipped eggs into the air, tossed bottles and cooked them waffles that were fluffy and golden brown. The food was still steaming on their plates when Kit led the way out of the kitchen and into a corner booth.

She watched, a gleam in her eye, as Edison took the first bite of his waffles. He kept his expression neutral as he chewed. It made Kit antsy.

"So?" she asked. 

"This is possibly the best waffle I have ever had," he said. "Who would think to put peanut butter cups in waffles."

"Roger, he likes it!" she called out. She raised her hand victoriously into the air.

"Excellent," Roger said, poking his head out of the kitchen. "Another convert."

"We'll change the way American eats waffles, one bite at a time," she said.

"I don't think you'll hit much resistance," Edison said. He took another bite.

With a full belly, Edison lounged back in the booth and gave Kit an inquisitive look. She studied his looks. There was no question why he was so popular with the girls. His honey brown hair and clean features would stand out in any crowd. She wondered what he saw in her long, curly blonde hair, clear blue eyes and cheery cheeks. 

"So, you like peanut butter cups in your waffles and you throw rocks at boys' windows. But other than that, I don't know much about you," he said.

Kit licked syrup from the tips of her fingers and sat back. 

"I wouldn't say that," she said. "Let's not pretend we both don't have reputations."

"You're so sure of yourself. Maybe your reputation doesn't reach as far as you think," he said. 

"And maybe a new person can show up in a town of a few thousand and go unnoticed." She held his gaze, daring him to contradict her.

"I might have heard a few things about you," he finally admitted.

"And I, you," she said. 

"I hope not all bad," he teased.

She smirked. "Just as bad as you hope it is."

"It's got to be better then your reputation. I haven't pushed Amanda into a pool," he said. 

"That could just be a rumor," she argued.

"I saw it happen. What did she do?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself? Isn't she your girlfriend?"

"Were you fighting over me?"

"You would love that, wouldn't you?"

A guilty smile spread across Edison's face.

"I wouldn't hate it," he admitted.

"Well, it had nothing to do with you," she said. 

"You pushed Amanda for no reason?" 

"I didn't say that."

"Then the reason is..."

"I've never been a fan of Amanda's," she said. 

"Just the Amanda's you've met or all Amanda's?"

"Every Amanda there is."

"What about Mandy's?"

"Those are worse!" she shouted.

He chuckled. "Who are you Kit St James?"

She gave him a coy look. "Everything you've heard, plus an outstanding whistler," she said. "But don't tell anyone. It's a secret."

He laughed. "Now this I've got to hear."

"Another time," she said, climbing out of the booth.

"You're not going to whistle?" he asked.

She just shook her head and led the way to the cash register.

"Just a few notes," he said.

She ignored him as she paid for their food.

"You must not be that good then," he said.

She smiled. "I'm amazing but I can't reveal all my tricks on the first date."

"Who said this was a date?" he asked.

"Who said it wasn't?" she countered.

He pursed his lips and didn't respond. She gave a devilish smile and turned.

"Roger, play me out!" she called out.

Roger pressed buttons on the juke box and the heavy beat of an eighties rock anthem began to play. Kit moved her head to the beat.

"Ready?" she asked Edison.

"I thought you've only been in town for two days," he said. He looked back at a swaying Roger.

"He's a quick learner," she said with a careless shrug.

*****************

The muted motor of Kit's moped was the only sound breaking through the night's silence as she pulled up outside of Edison's house. She turned it off and popped out the kickstand.

"Well," she said, as they stood facing each other.

"We never did settle that dispute about whether this was a date or not," Edison said.

"We didn't," she said. "Agree to disagree?"

"Maybe I agree with you. I like the idea of this being our first date," he said. He took a step closer to her. "I always end my dates with a kiss."

She took a step back. He gave her a cocky smile.

"Do the rumors intimidate you?" he asked.

She chuckled. "There is something you should know about me Edison Reigns," she said. She climbed back onto her moped and gave him a steady look. "I'm not easily intimidated. I'm also not interested in your kind of fun. My kind of fun is pushing limits and hoping I'm around long enough to see the consequences. If you want someone to kiss, call Amanda Gleason. If you want an adventure you'll never forget, come find me."

**********************************************************************

Hello beautiful bubble balloons!

What is that? Is it even possible? Would the bubbles be in the balloon? Would the balloon be made of bubbles? Could that actually work? What were we talking about?

Oh right, nothing. Any who lets jolly on!

Any thoughts you want to leave behind?

I find that there are some thoughts that just need to be left behind. I had one such thought the other day. It was...let me see...it pertained too...you know what I think I left it somewhere.

Anywho! What is the point of all this?! Not sure I had one! Let me know if you figure out what it I was getting out because I can't.

Vote, comment, follow!

I can't not promise my oddness gets any better from here on out. Actually I can say with all certainty it most likely won't!

So to make up for that here's a cute puppy! Makes me laugh every time!!! 😂😂😂