I climbed up the metal staircase to the platform where the metro cars were coming to a stop. As the doors hissed open, Mia sat in her usual spot in her usual car on her usual train. She looked as she always did, her hair was curled again and her eyes were alert and roving. I broke out in a grin when I saw her. Mia matched it as her eyes locked in on me. She bobbed her head along to her music, pumping out of her floral printed headphones. I approached her. It had become our little habit. I headed to work at just the right time to catch her on the train. I talked to her, till I was dragged to work. I worked all day, felt bored at my job, then left at just the right time to catch her as she headed home. I’d smile when she got off the metro, then head over to Harry’s for a drink with the boys. Today, though, she waited for me to approach.

“Hey,” I began, but she quickly cut me off.

“When are you planning on taking me out on a proper date?” she asked, in a very flat tone. Her eyes bore into me.

“Wha, I mean, I was planning…” I sputtered

“Never mind that now. Ask me now,” she said, pausing from scrolling through her phone, looking up right into my eyes.

“Well then: Do you wanna go out on a date with me?” I asked, attempting a cocky grin. My hand went to my hair, ruffling it. My attempt at suaveness and debonair attitude was wrecked by the train jerking to a stop, forcing me to grab wildly for something to stabilize me. Not the best way to convince her of my ability to look like a functioning adult.

“Maybe, maybe not Danny Zuko,” she deadpanned, but her eyes were filled with mirth. Her lips curled up into a smile: “If you really want to take me out on a proper date, you have my number.”

“I have no idea what is going on,” I muttered, frozen in absolute confusion. She laughed.

“Obviously. Now why don’t you go spend your work hour trying to figure that out, hmm?” she purred out to me. Suddenly, she stood up and grabbed me by the tie, pulling down quickly, and capturing my lips in a kiss. I was too shocked to react at all, and stood openmouthed and wide-eyed.  She pulled away with a grin on her face that framed her thousand-watt smile. “And think about this as an incentive to actually go through with it,” she looked past my face, still frozen in shock.  “I think this is your stop,”  she said, and pushed me away. I stumbled backwards. “You better call me,” she said, suddenly becoming serious. But before I could respond, the doors began to close, and we were separated by the two metal doors.

“No way I won’t,” I said. But she didn’t hear. The train had sped further into the city, and I just stood on the platform dazed.

 

I spent all day thinking about what she said. It was closing time by the time I was able to actually call her.

“Hey Mia,” I stuttered out.

“Danny Zuko as I live in breathe.” Her voice rasped through the phone speaker.

“You know, you really ought to start calling me by my real name. I’m beginning to think that you actually have a Travolta obsession. I can excuse a lot of things, but there isn’t anyone in the world attractive enough to make that okay,” I said. “Shit shit shit, now I said she wasn’t attractive,” I thought panicking.

“Are you saying I’m not attractive?” she questioned, her tone lifting up questioningly.

This girl is a bloody mind-reader and it is attractive as hell. I tell her that.

“By far the second oddest thing a boy has ever said to me.”

“What was the first?”

“Why don’t you find out?”

“Fine, tomorrow at 7:30? I’ll pick you up.”

“7:30 sure, but I’ll meet you outside of Harry’s.”

“You drive a hard bargain.”

“You like it.”

“I do.”

“Yea, I figured you did,” I hummed in agreement. We lapsed into a comfortable silence.

“I’d certainly prefer if you kept talking to me,” she said, a hint of vulnerability creeping into her ever-confident tone. “I like the sound of your voice.”

“I’m certainly glad to hear that,” I replied, my grin overpowering the tone in my response.

“My train is here, I’ll see you soon?”

“Yea Mia, you will.”