"Fuck," I blurt out.
"Press your thumb to the roof of your mouth," Alec tells me.
"What?"
"Just do it and thank me later." He chews his pizza and watches me.
I squint through the headache and do as he says, awkwardly pushing my thumb where he told me to, and not a few moments later, the brain freeze subsides to a more tolerable ache. "How did that actually work?"
Alec reaches for a napkin. "I think what you meant to say was 'thank you'."
"Thank you," I say, drawing out the last syllable. "My hero."
He winks at me, and it sends my heart in a flutter. "Knight in shining armor ready to save the damsel."
If only he knew how badly I needed to be saved...
Simon cheers, reminding me that we came here to watch a game. June joins him, eating a burger at his side while he consumes far too much cotton candy in one sitting. She holds her burger out to him, and he bites off a chunk in between overdosing on sugar.
"Thank you," I tell Alec again, but not for relieving my headache. "For all this."
It's nice to be spoiled for a change instead of always giving and never getting anything back in return. I offer myself unconditionally, and I would neverexpectanything in exchange for my kindness, but damn is it nice to be on the other end.
"I hate that this counts as our first date." Alec wipes at the corners of his mouth. "That came out wrong. I'm grateful for it, really, I just imagined something grander, more special. Not a double date with Mr. and Mrs. Psycho over there."
I smile and look around, then at him. "I don't know. I'm having a great time. Best first date I've ever been on."
"You're lying to make me feel better, aren't you?"
"Not at all." I laugh. "I've been on some pretty terrible first dates though, so the bar wasn'tthathigh." I sip some of the milkshake, paying mind to not make the same mistake twice. "Wait, you have to tell me what this first date you envisioned was?"
"Well…" Alec grins. "Don't make fun of me."
I place my hand on my chest. "Never."
Alec sets what's left of his pizza on the little makeshift table and dusts his hands off. "Okay, so, picture this." He spreads his hands in the air like he's setting the scene for this story of his. "Dinner, by candlelight."
"Ohh," I mutter.
"On a rooftop."
"Ohh," I say, a bit more intrigued this time.
"But imagine it being lit with those string lights, you know the ones girls love?"
"Fairy lights?"
"Yeah." He points his finger at me. "Those. Strung all around the rooftop. We'd eat something fancy. I don't know. I'd hire some private chef and we'd sip fancy wine, and then mid-way through I'd ask you to dance to some fancy music and then I'd spin you around and the whole world would stop as we stare into each other’s eyes and..." Alec seems to get lost in his train of thought.
"Wow," I tell him. "You really mapped it all out, didn't you?"
He shrugs. "I mean, only a couple details, nothing major."
I grin and shake my head. "Sounds absolutely magical." I glance up at the beautiful and kind man standing in front of me. "I'm going to hold you to it, though."
Alec smiles. "Yeah?"
"Mmhm."
