Holiday dangers

Chapter 14. Andrew

After the long ride his mind was finally clear. He would go slow, first ask her out. And then if she agrees then he will figure out what to do next. He will try to win her over with everything he has, and if even after all his efforts she still decides to leave, he will let her go for good.

He parked his bike around the corner and crossed those few meters on foot. The snow began to fall again and flakes were collected on his already soaked hair. His hands and face were cold and red because he forgot to bring gloves. But none of that mattered, he didn't even feel the cold because of all the jutters he had.

He stood in front of the door for a whole minute gathering the courage to ring the bell. He probably looked like a madman to the neighbors who were peeping through their windows. But he didn't care, he came here for Kate and no one else mattered. He just has to figure out what to say to her when he sees her.

He rang the bell finally gathering the courage to do so. Despite the mental preparations he almost jumped when the sound of the bell broke the silence. But only a few seconds later he could hear Natalie's voice coming from the house, announcing that she will open the door.

He always admired the strength of Natalia's voice. That woman could really shout. He found himself on the receiving end of that voice many times, albeit mostly as a bystander as Natalie yelled at David when he caused some havoc. His ears would always rang from the shear strength of that voice, even though it wasn't entirely aimed at him. Although it's not like he hasn't been taught a lesson a few times too. He remembered one time when the two of them got severe punishment because they managed to break a neighbor's window with a ball. Admittedly, it was David's fault again, but Andrew would always stoically share every punishment with his best friend.

He was broath from the memory lane when the door opens and Natalie's head popped out. At first she looked surprised to see him standing there but soon a wide smile spread across her lips.

"Andrew!" She chirped. "What brings you here? How are you? You ran away from the party early last night, I barely made it to see you off." She continued at her usual pace, firing off questions like a shotgun and leaving no room for answers.

"I am good Mrs. Thompson. I had some things to finish up this morning that's why I had to leave early." He only half lied. He really did have some work to finish but he ended up so distracted because of the Kate and their moment from the last night that he barely could get anything done.

"Oh too bad, the party had just gotten livelier. But what to do, maybe another time." She let out a big sigh, as if it was a big drawback in his life that he couldn't stay until the end of the party. "Do you want to come in? David is still at work but he should be home soon." She asked him forgetting all about the party for now.

"Thank you but I am fine here, sorry for suddenly barging in like this. I am not looking for David this time. Is Kate home, could I talk to her?" He asked, every nerve in his body stiff from nervousness.

But Mrs. Thompson just knowingly smiled and shouted to Kate that the person at the door is looking for her, and she should come down.

And soon after, she emerged from the upper flor. When their eyes meet it was like he relieved yesterday's event. Only difference was that this time she wasn't wearing that gorgeous green gown but a simple sweatpants and a tee-shirt. And in Andrew's eyes she was even more beautiful that way. Her hair was put in a quick messy bun, but few lose strands escaped from the hair clip and they fell down framing her face. He could picture coming home to witness this sight every day, and he would be a very happy man.

"Hey." He waved at her, after she walked over to him. He didn't come up with anything better to say

"Hey?" Her greeting came out more like a question. Andrew could see her brows furrowing while she tried to figure out why he came today.

He couldn't blame her, he himself wasn't sure if it was the right move to come here today. Maybe it was too soon. His will started to waver, but he steeled his nerves. He can't be a coward forever.

"I hope I am not disturbing you." He began. "But I really wanted to talk to you. Do you have a few minutes to spare?" He asked.

"Umm of course." She replied, still looking confused. "Do you want to come in or...?"

"No need I will be quick." He told her, still staying on the outer part of the threshold. The door frame represented some kind of imaginary border, beyond which was the point of no return.

"Okay." She accepted. But Andrew could tell that she was tense, she was waiting for what he would say to her.

"Do you want to go on a date with me?" He just blurted it out.

In the beginning, he had come up with the entire introductory speech, but when the moment came to recite it, all those carefully thought out words completely evaporated from his head. Only the essence remains, he wanted her in his life. Forever if possible. And the first step on that path would be to muster up the courage to ask her out. Which he did.

After he uttered those few words, time seemed to stop for the two of them. Not one of them moved. Andrew unknowingly even stopped breathing in anticipation of her answer. But a moment passed, and then another, and she still didn't give him any reply. He already thought that he had made a mistake asking her out. Maybe she didn't see him that way after all.

"It is okay If you don't want it." He added quickly, almost panicking. "I just wanted to tell you that." He wanted to leave that place as soon as possible, before he makes another mistake. Bit she stopped him.

"No. I mean yes." She fumbled with words, looking dawn, at the ground and nervously fidgeting with her hands. But than she took a deep breath and composed herself before replying coherently. "I mean I would love to go out with you." She finally said, while soft pink blush adorned her cheeks.

Andrew was over himself with joy. It was as if a heavy stone had just been lifted from his heart. And he couldn't, and didn't want to stop a genuinely warm smile that spread across his lips

"Okay. Great." He didn't know what else to say. A part of him still couldn't believe that she actually agreed to go out with him. "Umm, then I shall pick you up the day after tomorrow, around 7 pm. If that is okay?"

She chuckled. "I will free my busy schedule than." She joked with a warm smile.

"Okay than." He agreed, looking her in the eyes. But his nervousness was shown with the hand that he kept running through his hair.

"Okay." She said.

He didn't want to leave. Neither of them wanted to move from that spot, neither of them wanted to be separated again. As if the other would disappear if they moved from this small spot on the front porch.

But their reluctance to move away from each other was interrupted by the voice of Kate's mother, coming from inside the house. "You two don't just stand outside, you are bringing cold into the house! Andrew come inside, I am just finishing with dinner preparations, come eat with us." She yelled.

Andrew was searching his head for some excuse why he couldn't come in after all, but before he could come up with anything, Natalie appeared at the front door and almost pulled him into the house.

"Come on in, you must be cold." She told him with a smile. But then she directed her stern tone at Kate. "Kate, what kind of host are you! Why didn't you invite the poor guy to come inside." Natalie bombarded with comments, not giving any time for replie. "Come on," she ushered. "At least take his coat and give him some house slippers, his socks must be damp by now." She motioned for Kate to hurry up. "I need to go back into the kitchen, meat will get burnt in the oven." She reprimanded Kate and left, back to her meal prepping in the kitchen.

Andrew exchanged the knowing look with Kate, and they both bursted out laughing. It was commonly known that Natalie was like a tornado, she would come, arrange things to her liking and then disappear as swift as she came. That is one thing that didn't change, no matter if they were kids or adults. Kate's mother didn't take no for an answer. And there waa a certain stability in knowing that some things would stay the same forever.

Noticing that Kate is glancing in his direction shyly he winked at her, suddenly feeling mischievous, and her face was instantly adored by the soft pink blush. He could get used to her blushing in front tof him, be quite liked that idea.

"Come on in." She finally invited him to come inside. And now there was no backing away.

She handed him the house slippers and he bent down to take off his boots. But when he got back up she was standing so close to him that they could almost touch.