Are You Locked Up in a World That's Been Planned Out for You?

“So you’re the one who’s the most paranoid about being caught, what gave you the courage to bring us to Rockaway beach?” I asked Mike, smirking.

Dinner hadn’t been too bad. It was only awkward for the first few minutes, but when we managed to launch into conversation it was a good time. I hadn’t had such good conversation in a while, it was hard to find people my age who wanted to speak about more than just trivial matters, or people older who would talk down on me because they assumed I was young and dumb.

But Mike was different. It wasn’t just about me wanting to talk about intelligent topics. It was hard to explain but he treated me like an equal about everything. I even felt like an adult when we were joking.

We were in Queens for dinner, and after the dinner we went for a drive around. I knew certain parts of Queens fairly well because Jessica’s most serious relationship to date (they lasted a year, between the ages of sixteen to seventeen) was with a boy who lived here, and we spent nearly every weekend around here because Shane and his friends didn’t like coming to Manhattan often, which was a major factor in their breakup.

It almost felt like I knew Queens better than Mike.

However, there was a huge population of Irish Americans who lived in Queens. Mike was from a traditional Irish American family, which he had told me about tonight. He was the youngest of three children, another brother and a sister. He didn’t say much about his parents, only that his father was a cop, and his mother was a housewife, and although they were both gone now he didn’t have the best relationship with his mother. He was probably one of the only people to make a big deal out of me never really knowing my mother, which was great.

But because he was from a very traditional Irish family, the stereotypes applied. From both sides of the family he had a lot of aunties, uncles, cousins, second cousins and even third cousins, a lot who resided in Queens. Because he also grew up as an active member in the catholic church (to which at dinner he also told me that chapter of his life was closed by the time he was in his early teens) he had a few friends, and a lot of acquaintances and family friends, quite a lot had settled down in Queens.

Which bought me back to my original question to him. He was even more set on keeping this as big of a secret as he could than I was, so it made no sense he was willing to go somewhere we were most likely going to be seen.

“Because it’s eleven o’ clock at night, and it’s winter. If anyone I knew were crazy enough to be at the beach at this time of night during this weather, well I could use that against them should they tell anyone else.” Mike winked at me, just after he pulled into the parking lot.

“Well, if you’re sure.” I nervously smiled, suddenly finding my stomach filled with butterflies again.

“I’d suggest going for a walk along the beach, but it’s far too cold, and you didn’t bring a jacket. If we went for a walk, you’d have to roll up your skirt too, which wouldn’t be a shame on the eyes but it would just make you even colder.” Mike joked with the running joke of how I tried to explain my short skirt to dad, turning towards me.

“I’d survive.” I shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal out of it.

I had ended up wearing a long sleeved black knitted top that I adjusted to show only a hint of cleavage. I wore a white flowing skirt that flowed down to just above the knee, and to make it seem like just a tad more conservative and wintery I wore navy almost black stockings with ballet flats.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re lucky I have two coats. The brown leather one I usually wear to work, which just so happens to be in my car. Then there’s this one I’m wearing now. I only wear it to work when we have to work on a high profile case and I have to wear my best suit, tie and coat or feel the wrath of Stone.” Mike said to me in a comical manner.

“Don’t pick on Ben Stone, I’ve only met him a few times but he was really polite to me. Dad and him get along really well; dad likes his integrity and feels like he’s a real honest person in that position. He won’t last forever, one day he may be replaced by someone you’ll like a lot less.” I giggled, ignoring Mike’s statement about coats.

“Hey Stone is alright for a lawyer, I’m never going to like anyone in that position. But enough of that for now. I’ll even be a nice guy and let you pick which coat you want to wear. If the lady would feel more fashionable in this green one I’m wearing, you’re more than welcome to it. I like the brown one more anyway.” Mike admitted.

I smiled a little, as I removed my belt buckle and began to play with it a little, my nerves easing but I still felt a little uncomfortable.

“I have no idea how to reply to that, then. If I say yes to the green one though it’ll have your body heat already, and that’s just gross it’s like sitting on a toilet seat and it’s already warm.” I replied, making a sound and poking my tongue out, watching Mike’s expression grow.

“Like a warm toilet seat hey? What will you do if you can’t escape body heat?” Mike asked me.

I was about to ask what he meant, but seconds later his seat belt was off and he latched himself onto me. He wasn’t violent or too rough or anything, in fact it was nice. He was warm, and his laughing made everything seem a lot warmer as well. He was pretending to suffocate me, but of course I was no way near that and we were both in a hysterical fit.

“Do you still think my body warmth is the same as one you’d find on a used toilet seat?” Mike asked me.

“You know, I would love to be sarcastic and all but I just enjoyed that too much.” I said to Mike, looking up to say it whilst I looked into his eyes, a shy smile on my face.

He smiled back at me, and then we were silent for a few moments before he grabbed his coat from the backseat and passed it to me.

We then both got out of the car and locked the doors, and then I put Mike’s coat on. As Mike was quite tall I was drowning in it, and I was tall even for a female. He then chuckled at the sight of me wearing his coat as he took it all in.

“You definitely look better in it than I do. But you’re the kind of person who would still look good in a potato sack.” Mike complimented me.

I usually hated guys who would dish out compliment after compliment. It was obvious that they didn’t even mean it if they could just so freely let them slip over and over, and usually they had a not-so-hidden-agenda. But Mike was saying them right at the right times, and there was so much sincerity in his words.

“Oh, you know I’d bring the potato sack back in. Some nice heels, a pearl necklace, definitely wrap a belt around the waist, it would look awesome. I’d definitely need some fake tan to pull it off though.” I chuckled, earning a snort from Mike as we made our way down to the beach.

We walked along the beach for a while, daring each other to go into the water. I actually would have, if I wasn’t wearing stockings, I was a dare devil like that. I also had a feeling Mike would have pulled me from entering the freezing water should I have tried anyway.

We eventually walked along until we found a half sandy, half grassy hill a few feet away from where the beach ends and the grass begins, and we both laid down on top of it, staring at the stars.

“This has been a really good date for me. I guess I’m kind of mentioning the taboo by mentioning your age, but you have a great mentality.” Mike admitted to me.

“No, go ahead. Speak about whatever you’d like.” I politely stated, making sure Mike could hear the smile in my voice, as he couldn’t see the one on my face.

“I’m not trying to offend you or anything, but when you get to my age you’re supposed to be a certain person. Settle down, and more importantly act a certain way. Do certain things on your day off. Speak in a certain way. Enjoy certain things. I think it’s messed up, I should be able to enjoy the things I’ve always enjoyed.” Mike said to me.

“So, you’re only with me because you want to relieve your youth? Poor Mike, you’re way too young to be having a midlife crisis, at least I’m cheaper than the red convertible sports car though.” I joked, and I heard him chuckle loudly.

“That’s my eldest brother right now, the accountant. No joke, he just bought one not too long ago. But no, it’s not your age. It’s your mentality. You’re fun, but you’re still witty and intelligent. I just thought I’d let you know how much I like spending time with you, and I’d like to spend more time with you in the future if that’s alright with you?” Mike asked me, rolling over to face me, and I could see in his eyes he was a little nervous himself, as he studied my face for my reaction.

“Of course. I feel the same about you.” I grinned, and he put his hand on the side of my face as he captured me into a kiss.