Moonlight: I

Foreplay

We pulled up at Baskin Robbins and he killed the engine.

"Ice cream?" I muttered to myself

"Are you lactose intolerant?" He asked worryingly.

"You poured milk and flour in my hair in grade 8. Are you seriously asking that now?" I shook my head as I remembered how I struggled to get the mixture out of my hair that night.

He sighed. "Things have changed, Mia. I could never hurt you in any way, what so ever." he professed.

"What changed?" How could such a large change happen in the short amount of time he's been away? It wasn't natural.

"Have it ever occurred to you that maybe I did all those things because I liked you?" He ignored, asking his own question.

I glanced over at him as my hand found the handle for the door. "That would mean you absolutely hated Hailey while you had your tongue down her throat all these years huh? How did you do it?" I mocked, rolling my eyes and exiting the car.

I heard an angelic sound escape his throat as he laughed at what I said. I fought to control my beating heart, willing myself to calm down.

I hated myself for my feelings towards him. After all those things he did to me as we grew up, I still remembered the boy from grade 3. The one I had a crush on. Even though I got out of the car before he did, somehow he managed to reach the entrance door before I did.

"Thanks" I muttered out of habit, accepting his sudden act of chivalry.

"You're very welcome, love" He flashed a toothy smile. They were the straightest and whitest I have ever seen, and the most dangerous looking. I rolled my eyes so he could see, but my heart was beating out of control.

The parlor was filled with people from school seeing how this was a regular hang out for a Friday afternoon. Some of his friends were a head of the line in front of us. I had a mixture of feelings for some reason. I was happy because he would leave me alone and join them, and I could just take the bus home from here. But I didn't understand why I was upset.

He finally joined me in line, his height towering over me. I felt awkward standing beside him. He made me look bad; he dressed like a model on a regular basis while I was average. Next was the fact that we weren't really friends, neither were we in the same social circle; He was at the top of his own, and I was at the very bottom of mine. But I was fine with that, as long as it took me out of the spotlight.

"Your friends are waving at you" I informed him as death stares came my way.

"Oh," His head rose from my face and towards the group of people. "Come on" I heard his friend Jack call. "Do you want to move up?" Christian turned to me.

"NO! GO!" I demanded a bit too loudly. The embarrassment of his presence beside me was really turning me off, or maybe it was the embarrassment my presence brought him that made me uncomfortable.

He peered down at me, his mouth closed. This was it. Our five minute relationship was to end here and we would be going our separate ways.

A friend of his came down the line, a wicked smile on her face. "What are you doing back here? Come join us in front" She emphases, making sure it was clear she was only inviting him.

"I'm okay, thanks" He shrugged. She stared at him as if she didn't understand, and then she turned to me.

"You can come too" she invited.

"No thanks" I brushed off, her fake smile really turning my stomach.

"Suit yourselves" she giggled playfully, touching Christian's arm. "We'll just see you outside then"

"Sure" he nodded.

She strutted away in her heels to the group as they chose their flavours.

I paused, making sure she was out of hearing range.

"What are you doing?" I muttered to him as we moved up in the line.

"Huh?" he glanced down.

I sighed and turned to the display of ice cream. "Nevermind"

When it was our turn to pick, I got a scoop of cotton candy and cookies and cream. He got something green and another odd looking flavour.

I pulled out my purse to pay, but before I could get out my change, he had already pulled out his card. "My treat" he smiled, handing the card to the cashier.

"I can pay for myself" I blushed, hiding my smile as I turned away from him and towards the door.

"What kind of date would this be if I allowed you to pay?"

"The right kind; which isn't a date."

"We are out, sitting at a table" he commented when we took a seat on a bench "and eating ice cream that I pay for, I might add. This is a date" he smirked.

"I would never go out with you." I lied. The though of having dinner with him brought butterflies to my stomach.

"Never say never, love."

"What's with that 'love' thing? Did you live in Britain for the year or something?" I challenged.

"It's a term of endearment, Mia. I actually traveled for a while. I stopped in London for a few weeks."

I stabbed my ice cream in front of me as I thought of what to say to him. This was just so weird! All of it; him talking to me, telling me things, and calling me adorable names. AGHH! He should just stop!

"hmmm" I responded half-heartedly. I moved back in surprise when his spoon appear in front of me. It had a scoop of ice cream on it.

"Try it." he smiled. I opened my mouth hesitantly as he placed the spoon at my lip. It was good. My skin was on fire as he watch me take the ice cream into my mouth, his eyes illustrating a hint of desire.

"It's good" I nodded, turning my eyes to the table.

"Can I try some of yours?" He asked in a husky voice. I slid the container over to him, my eyes still down. "Feed me"

My eyes snapped up at him, his requested bring something out inside of me. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, Mia. I want you to feed me." His eyes were so alluring and calm. Confused, I took my spoon, and scooped ice cream onto it, placing it to his lips. He took it willingly, licking his lip ever so lightly when he finished. I didn't realize that I was still gawking at him until his friends came over.

"We're heading out" Warren warned as he eyed me worryingly. I closed my opened mouth and gazed around at the patio.

"I'll see you later then" Christian shook, as they tapped hands.

"Are you coming to... um... Katelyn's tonight? Her parents are away again." he mumbled as if he didn't want anyone to hear, probably me.

"If I can make it." Chris promised.

"Alright, later man." They walked away hesitantly, looking back a couple times. Warren has never done anything to me personally, but he has never stopped anything. We just kept to ourselves and that, for me, was all I could ask.

"I guess we should go" I muttered.

"Why? It was just getting good." he pouted.

I glanced down at him with a face, and shook my head. "Today has been the craziest day, and I'm ready to head home. Plus, you have a party to get ready for."

"Would you like to be my date?" he wondered honestly. I waited for him to say he was joking, but it never happened.

"What's wrong with you?" I almost snapped.

"What?"

"You're acting so weird!" I stormed off to his car and waited for him to unlock his door. When it was unlocked I opened the door, but instead of going in, I grabbed my bag.

"Where are you going?" he demanded harshly. I almost looked up at him, but decided not to.

"Home. Thanks for the ice cream."

"We live right beside each other, and I'm heading home as well. I can more than drive you."

"I prefer the bus, thanks though"

"Mia." he called. I sighed as I turned around to look at him, this conversation getting longer than it should be. "I'll drive you home."

"Listen, this was fun, but the joke is over. I wanted to see how this would turn out and whether I could stick it out, but I can't. You seem really invested in this joke and it's starting to scare me."

"What joke?" He demanded, his patience clearly diminishing.

"This! Pretending to actually care about me." I turned away from him and hurried to catch the coming bus. Someone held my arm before I could make it to the stop and hop on the bus. "What are you doing? Let go of me!"

I shrieked as I was thrown over his shoulder with no effort at all. I panicked as he carried me back to his car. People around us were laughing, as if it was the show of two love birds.

"Stop!" I cried as I pounded against his body, my foot flying. He s*****d me on my ass twice, lingering a little too long for my liking. My mouth fell open as he placed me into the car and strapped me in. I was stunned. And paralysed.

He got in the car, and started it up again. "Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" he smiled, his hair slightly tousled. I sat where I was speechless, in part at how gorgeous he was up close and with messy hair.

I sighed and folded my arms, turning my head towards the window, not uttering a word.