XOXO, Violet by Ginger Li

15Violet

“So, where are we going? Because I’m usually in my flannel bunny pajamas at this time.” Shivering, I tugged up the collar of my jacket so that it protected my neck against the chilly winds. Around us, most of the storefronts lay in darkness, with only a handful of restaurants still open.

Wes chuckled. “Bunny pajamas?”

I shoved my hands in my pockets and nodded. “With matching slippers. They were a gift from my mom for Valentine’s Day. She gave them to me because I’m ‘some bunny’ special. Get it?”

“Oh, I get it.”

His smile sent a hundred warm fuzzies scurrying around in my stomach, but I fought to ignore them.

Wesley turned on the heater when we got into the car. Still curious about where we were heading, I pestered him to reveal the name of the restaurant, but he avoided answering my questions.

The first sight to greet us as we exited the freeway near the beach was a fast-food pizzeria. “Are we going there?” My stomach growled as I leaned closer to the window.

“No. And you seem strangely excited by the prospect of eating fast food.”

The lights from the glowing sign dwindled in the distance as we drove away. I tried not to feel too disappointed. “Pizza is one of my favorite foods.”

“And your least favorite?”

“Burgers. Definitely.” I made a face.

A corner of Wes’s mouth quirked up. “I’ll keep that in mind for our next date.”

Just how many practice dates would there be? I wasn’t sure how I’d manage this one date with him, let alone more.

A warm hand reached out and took hold of mine.

I heaved a long sigh. And how was I supposed to keep my feelings under wraps when he kept doing things like that? I stared pointedly at our intertwined fingers. “Why are we holding hands?”

“There’s bound to be some hand holding on your date with Chase. I’m just helping you get used to it.”

Right.Flustered, I tugged my hand away. “Thanks, but I think there’s been enough hand holding tonight, don’t you agree?”

Wes’s laughter filled the car as we continued driving alongside the shore. Several minutes later, we pulled up in front of a small blue restaurant tucked between a darkened post office and a fancy olive oil store.

I read the neon sign and smiled. “Mo’s Tacos? I like that. Couldn’t we all do with mo’ tacos in our life?”

Wes and I walked past the outdoor seating area, where enormous patio heaters kept the dozens of patrons warm. Inside the restaurant, high school and college-aged customers filled the few tables.

“Hey, Wes!” a bald man with a broad smile greeted us at the counter. “It’s been a while. Where’s Little O?”

Wesley wrapped an arm around my waist. “Ophelia’s at home. I’m on a date with my girl tonight. This is Violet.”

“Hi,” I murmured while attempting to ignore the gigantic moths now fluttering in my stomach.

“My name’s Julian. It’s good to finally meet some of Wes’s friends. What can I get you both today?”

I peered at the printed chalkboard menu above Julian’s head, scrambling to find something to eat.

“I’ll take one Cancun burrito and a Jarritos,” Wes began. “And one carne asada burrito for Ophelia. Extra spice.”

Julian arched a brow. “No spice for you?”

Wes shook his head. “No, man. You know I’m a lightweight with that kind of stuff.”

Julian looked at me expectantly.

“I’ll take a fish burrito, please. And a bottle of water.”

Julian typed something on his tablet before repeating our order back to us. When Wesley pulled out his wallet, Julian waved him away. “You know your money’s no good around here.”

“Thanks, man.” Wesley took my hand. Again. “Follow me.”

Geez. I was a numbers kind of gal, but even I’d lost count of how many times we’d held hands tonight.

Wes steered us toward a side gate. “This way.”

I let out a gasp of surprise as we stepped through. Someone had transformed the parking lot behind the restaurant into a lush and thriving garden. Dozens of Monsteras and sansevieria grew in terracotta pots, Spanish moss and strings of pearls dangled from trees and planters, and dozens of aeoniums and echeverias peeked out from between rocks and statues.

A fountain bubbled somewhere nearby, and gravel crunched beneath my feet as we walked along the winding path, past a trio of smiling Buddha statues and over a wooden bridge crossing a tiny pond. Together, we sat at a table directly below a heater and stared at the pond’s inky waters.

“There are fish too,” Wes said, pointing. “Although it’s difficult to see them at night.”

I admired the pond and surrounding lush foliage. “It feels like we’ve left California.”

“I wanted to show you the world on our first date. Since it’s impossible to fly out of the country and be home by eleven, I figured this was the next best thing.” He spoke quickly, as if nervous I wouldn’t like his surprise.

“You’re different than I expected. I’ve always thought you were a player.”

Wesley’s expression hovered somewhere between amusement and interest. “Really? And what do you see me as now?”

That was easy. “A surprisingly good friend.”

The corners of his mouth tugged into a smile, and we both turned to stare at the pond. The quiet bubbling of water and an occasional passing car filled the silence around us.

“How did you—” I began at the same time he asked, “What’s your favorite—”

We both laughed. “You go first,” Wesley said.

“How did you find this place?”

His smile faded slightly. “My parents work a lot. Ophelia and I went through a series of nannies and then took care of ourselves as we got older. We used to eat a lot of takeout.”

“And then they found my dad’s restaurant,” Julian boomed as he walked into the quiet garden sanctuary. He placed two plates and a paper bag on the table in front of us. “Little O and Wes became our best customers. Enjoy your meal.” He turned and headed back inside.

I took a bite of my fish burrito and nearly cried. The food was delicious: perfectly seasoned, saucy, and filling.

Neither of us spoke for a while, both of us content to just sit in the garden and savor our food.

Once I’d finished, I leaned back on the bench, feeling more relaxed than I had in days. I’d been coiled up tighter than a spring these past two weeks. But here, amongst all this beautiful greenery, I could put aside the endless to-do lists. Stress that I hadn’t even known I was carrying lifted from my shoulders.

“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Wes relaxed beside me and stared up at the night sky. “Julian’s mom designed the space. He invited us here when he learned that Ophelia was sick. He thought the garden might bring some comfort.”

Unsure what to say, I reached out and took his hand. His fingers tightened around mine.

“Cancer sucks,” he muttered. “Ophelia’s going in for a routine checkup this week. We assume it’ll be nothing, but I still get worried. Which is silly, I know.”

He pulled his hand from mine, and the cold night air embraced my skin where warmth had before.

“It’s not silly,” I murmured. “It just means you care.”

Wesley remained silent. Lost in his own sea of doubts and fears, he kept staring up at the sky. I nudged him. “What were you going to ask me before, anyway?”

He gazed at me and gave me a small smile. “Your favorite ice-cream flavor.”

“Salted caramel. Or vanilla. Depends on what kind of mood I’m in. But I hope we’re not getting any tonight. I couldn’t eat another bite after this meal.”

“That’s fine. I’ll keep it in mind for another date.”

The thought of spending more time alone with Wesley warmed me inside. But it was also a double-edged sword. How would I keep my emotions in check if we kept hanging out like this?

Wes slid closer and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. Wordlessly, he took a strand of my hair and twirled it between his fingers.

Cozy and full of yummy food, I cautiously rested my head against his shoulder and closed my eyes, doing my best not to fall in love with everything about this seemingly perfect moment. Was it possible to be both happy and sad at the same time? Intellectually, I knew Wesley was well out of my league. He was a brilliant, burning star while I was merely a passing asteroid. And yet, sitting here, I could almost imagine that he cared for me. That I wasn’t just some math tutor to him. That I was someone special. That I was seen.

Wesley chuckled, his laughter vibrating against my face. “Wow. This must be a really terrible date if you’re falling asleep on me.”

My eyes fluttered open. “No. I was just relaxing.” A yawn escaped my lips. “I’m wide awake. Honest.”

“Well, it’s ten fifteen. I hate to say it, but we should get going.”

And in that instant, the magic ended. Time to head back to reality.

Despite my earlier protests, it turned out Wesley was right. I was exhausted. The last thing I remembered was getting into the passenger seat.

“Vi? Wake up. We’re here.”

Opening my eyes, I found his face right by mine, so close that his warm breath caressed my skin. So close that if I leaned forward just a fraction, our lips would touch.

“Violet?” Wes lowered his gaze to my mouth and licked his lips.

Was he imagining what it would be like to kiss me too? “Yes,” I whispered.

“Can I kiss you?”

My mind went from zero to sixty in thirty seconds. It was happening. My first kiss.

OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh, I should never have eaten that fish burrito.

Forget the fish burrito. Be cool, Violet. Be cool.

“Okay.” I shut my eyes, and his lips brushed against mine. Soft. Exploring. Sweet. It was the kind of kiss that made your head spin in anticipation of more.

And, oh boy, did I want more. Waaaaay more. I leaned in and wrapped my arms around his neck. It felt like I was falling. And I never wanted to let go.

Wes pulled away first. Back on his side of the car, he might as well have been on the other side of the world. “That was—” He glanced at the clock on the dashboard. “Shoot. It’s ten fifty-five.”

Forget curfew. I’d suffer the wrath of my parents a million times for another kiss. I touched my lips, unable to keep the smile off my face. Wes kissed me. I felt lighter than air, and brighter than the sun. There was no holding back; I had to come clean. I was falling for the sweet guy beneath the charming persona, the one who made me laugh and was fiercely protective of his younger sister. “There’s something I need to tell you. About the kiss and Chase, actually. You see, I like—”

“Let me stop you right there.” Wes let out a brittle laugh. “Don’t worry about it. This was just for practice, Vi. Your first real kiss will still be with Chase.”

Wait. What? As a wall slammed down between us, I struggled to get my head around his words. “This was just practice?”

Wes took out his phone and began typing away. “Of course. We did all the things a couple typically does on a date. We ordered food, shared stories, and held hands. So I figured I’d end the night with a kiss, give you the full experience. I’d say I fulfilled my part of the deal, wouldn’t you?” His gaze remained focused on his screen and I wanted to scream at him to look at me.

Tears stung the back of my eyes as my heart shattered into a hundred million pieces. “Right,” I said quietly. “Our deal. Thanks for a great practice date. I’ll see you at school.” And then I opened the door and walked away.

I was a fool to believe that we could be together. Hadn’t I learned anything from what happened with Jason? I thought I could handle Wesley’s charms, but I was just like the other girls. Wes showed me a bit of attention, and like a seed, I’d confused it for love and tried to bloom.