Chapter 16 - A Date

"How long have you been in San Fransisco?" I asked him.

"Since birth, I born here in a small town moved to this apartment three years ago when I got the job,"

We talked about nothing, in particular, Thank god, he is not boring. He didn't believe that I'm atheist and my family is Jewish. We talked about our work. He is working from home for a tech company which is paying him well, He is 25 now, his birthday was two months ago.

"So, you play the violin?" he asked me

"Yes, And piano and guitar," I said with the more enthusiastically. My grandmother plays both and she taught me that. I learned the guitar from my brother.

"So were you ever thought of being a singer?" He asked showing more interest to know me in and out.

"No, I'm not good at singing. I like playing instruments rather than singing" I said honestly.

We have talked about movies, restaurants, and foods and harry potter but mostly Food.

"I'm good at burning things, So I don't cook except the cereal and raw bread," He said grinning.

We had our second round, the food is really good. I want to come here again with Jack and show him how tasty it is. I should stop thinking about him. I said it in my mind.

"It's just half-past eight, do you want to go to any other place or.." Before I could even finish he said "Let's go the place, But Don't ask me anything about that. Its a surprise." he said happily.

"Okay," I followed him and it took 20 minutes for us to reach. He parked his car where it so dark and there are no other vehicles other than some abandoned tall building.

He comes to my side and opened the door, and nodded towards the narrow road.

"You are not planning on murdering me, right?" I said half sarcastically and half scared of the dark place.

"Can you trust me once at least, Please" he begged.

"No," I shouted even. But he didn't look offended and took my hand and dragged me with him.

"You will enjoy it, I bet," he said it too confidence.

As we were walking towards the narrow road for three minutes he mostly dragging me and I found any reason not to go there. Finally, I saw some lights, It comes from on the half build a half-abandoned building.

"There," he pointed towards a small entrance where both sides of the walls are filled with graffiti and there are two people are standing in the entrance.

I went with him hesitatingly, and I saw the small band performing in a small stage with merely twenty people. We joined them there are lights and the music is not so loud. It is actually calming rather than any rock or pop. The group of band members in the stage doesn't look the band members we know with jackets, tattoo, and piercing. They look so simple and the music so good, It eliminated all the fear and put my mind in peace.

"Shall we?" he asked me nodding towards the small dance stage.

"Sure." I gave my hands to him, He took it almost instantly and we went to the floor and he put his hand on my back and talk my hand in his. We started to move along with the melody music.

"How did you.." I cut off by him again.

"My sister was one of them," he said as he looked into the girls and boys in the stage. Was? What does that mean? she is not working with them anymore?

"They are blind, deaf, and dumb, some are cancer patients like my sister," he said sadly. I don't want to ask anything anymore. I already sensed the pain in his words.

I put my one hand to his shoulder, he looks relieved. thanks to my heels which is helping me to look tall. We danced for another two songs.

"They are really good, I never went to places like this or heard something like this. But this is really good. Thanks for showing it to me." I thanked him.

"I didn't come here after she died, she was 18 when she died, its been three years now. She born with leukemia, we tried with all we could do. but we couldn't save her. But we let her do what she wants we never stopped her. She got into a Julliard. We planned to move there, we can't let her live alone. But before she even joins, She left us and went to the place alone where we couldn't follow her." he said. I never expected him to show emotions. But I can say the way he is telling, it must feel like hell to lose someone in your family whom you love.

We hugged, he finds comfort in it, I don't want to be the first one to let go. After a few minutes, he let go. His eyes are blurred with the tears forming.

"Sorry, this wasn't how our first date should be." He apologized as he blinks his eyes to dry the teras.

"Yeah, it shouldn't. But you will be forgiven when you take me on the second date." I said knowing that would make him feel better and it worked.

"Second date? it's my ple.. pleasure." He said, looking into his watch and continued "It's is half-past Nine, Do you want to go now or ..." He trailed off letting me choose. I want to go home but now with him, it's not as uncomfortable as it was.

"What else plans do you have for today?" wondering. Has he confirmed himself I will not go on a second date with him?

"Well, there is none except the Sushi Restaurant and a milkshake shop which I loved my life. But I wanted to take you there." He said shrugging.

"Thanks, we can leave the milkshake shop to our next date, then," I said remembering myself I have to try to forget the feeling of Jack.

He hugged me again, He smelled like vanilla, It's not as sweet as Jack or warm or safe. Oh, God. I'm going insane. He is not JACK. I said it my mind to both heart and brain.

We back to the apartment at 10:10, "Well, I crossed 10 minutes but I brought you home in a single piece and alive" he said as he remembering one of the jokes I said when we left.

I smiled as we walk to the elevator from the car parking. The elevator opens, I was the one first to step in and he followed me. He pressed 6 which is our floor.

"Was it too much expecting a kiss from you on our date?" he asked while he looking the reflection of me in the lift doors. My heart started racing not because he is standing too close or the way staring at me. I never kissed anyone other than Jack, it's weird but true. When I didn't move from the place. When I didn't say anything, He turned to face me and took my hand to turn me too. I can feel his gaze on me. He took my face and lift to make me look at him, he slightly bent his knee so that we are on the same level. He tilted his head and move closes. All the time I'm just standing there without moving. When there are only inches left, I jerked away and stood back as the same time as the elevator opens. I sighed relief.

"So, I can't get a kiss," as we walk towards my apartment. We both stopped when I reach the door handle. he is hurt and begging me in his eyes to give him a kiss. I tried my best to convince just a kiss won't hurt anyone much. But the thought makes me feel sick for an unknown reason. But I tuck him and kissed him in his cheek. His face lit up bright.

"Well, that can do until our next date, Next Saturday then?" He asked hopefully.

"No, I can't." He almost looks so shocked and amused.

"We are going to our grandpa's for next weekend, I will be out of town" I explained.

"Oh, We can go whenever you want, I have always made time for YOU." He said pressing you as he took my right arm and kissed on the back.

We waved ourselves bye and entered into my apartment. The moment I entered I saw my brother was doing something on his laptop. He is already in shorts and a t-shirt.

"Heels are really a bitch." I cursed by the pain of wearing it for hours. I clearly heard him laugh by the comment of it.

"So, How was the date?" He asked, closed the laptop, and giving full attention to me with a bright smile on his face.

"He is nice, Good things, One, he didn't murder me. Two, He knows where his balls should be and hadn't tried to do anything inappropriate. The sushi place he took me was really awesome. We should go there one day we can call our friends. Bob would love it I bet." He took my foot and put it his lap and started massaging it, he does it all the time whenever I whin about the heel hurting me. It sent chills to me, to avoid the feeling I started talking about the date. We always share our date excluding the intimate as it is not a thing to share.

"He took me to a place, where the music was good, I don't know our friends will go there. Because they only play melodies, and you can take your girlfriend there, She would love it." But the comment of it, he raised an eyebrow. "Well, you will have a girlfriend soon. I guess the girls who drooling over you didn't know that you are single now" I said as I lied on the couch and put both the feet on his lap. For each sentence, he said 'Hmmm' showing he is listening "You forgot how to rub the foot. It is not as good as before." I complained but inside I really enjoyed, it makes me feel good, it reduces the pain. Instead of rubbing, he started tickling and I ticked on his rib knowing he is very sensitive. And it becomes ticking war, we no longer on the couch, we are on the floor laughing so hard it makes my stomach hurt. "Jack, please stop." I cried. But he didn't stop as he started tickling on the feet and neck much more which holding my foot to himself. "Please, Jack... If you do it... one more time... I'm gonna pee here... there was long laugh with each phase. Finally, he stopped. I dare not to start again.

"It's good to see you smile and happy." He said happily.

"Yeah, you too," I said as I took his face in my hand. I kissed him on his temple and walked to my room. When I reach my room, I turned to him, he still looking at me with such passion.

"You coming to grandpa for this weekend. For Adam's birthday?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm. We will be leaving on Friday after our office in our car as we planned. I have already booked a trip for Adam for his sweet sixteen birthday." He said simply. Trip? We didn't plan anything on that? "What trip?" I asked curiously.

"Remember, he always wants to go to Chicago, Maybe its time. He is sixteen, he can take care of himself very well. So I booked a week trip for him in Chicago." he explained.

"What you didn't tell me before, you could have told me, we could have shared." A week in Chicago might cost him a fortune, he is earning well more than anyone at this age but still, I want to be a part of it too. We always shared the money when we buy gifts for anyone.

"Hey, It's okay. Its no big deal. I know we used to share the money we spent on gifts. But Now we can gift him individually." He said it like it'so no big deal. Maybe it is. But it feels like something off. Before I entered my room "Idris, I used your card to book the trip, So here is my share." He already stood beside me as he said and walking towards me. He handed over me a 1000 or more dollars. "I was kidding" he said winking. "I hate you" I said and I closed my door. I heard him saying "No, you don't. You love me more than anything, you told yourself remember?"