I Guess I'll Never Get To Call You Mine
DAVID
“Hey Ali,” I said cheerfully. “Ready to rock and roll?” “Oh my Gawd David what are you wearing?” she exclaimed, bursting into a fit of giggles. I looked down at my new black-and-white skinny trousers and pretended to look offended. “Whaaatt? They were on sale in Macy’s,” I grinned. “I just have to have them.” “Sweet,” she laughed. “They show off your legs nicely. So where’re we headed today?” “McDonald’s.” “You’re not serious.” “I’m always serious,” I said, imitating a deep radio announcer’s voice. “Or at least, starting to be taken seriously anyway. It’s so weird having Crabby and the others staring at me with a straight face at first so I hit Jeff with a guitar pick.” “What for?” “To break the atmosphere! It was way too solemn.” “You’re the one who wanted to be the songwriter for once,” she grinned. “But great job, I told you they’ll respect that. But, uh, why Jeff?” “Oh, he’s easy to hit with not much hair,” I winked. “Besides, it’s to get revenge from all those times he hit us with his picks. I swear his are the pointiest.” “Looks like the old David is back.” “Yep,” I said happily. “All thanks to you, Mademoiselle.”
We arrived at the restaurant and I ordered both of us Big Macs and a large portion of French fries and chicken nuggets and tall cups of Coke. “You’re trying to get me fat,” Aline complained as we took our seats. “You can go steal Chuck’s wallet, and then he can chase you around in circles and burn calories.” At the mention of Chuck’s name her smile suddenly froze, and she suddenly became more interested in her chicken nuggets. An awkward silence ensued, and I tried another tactic to break it.
“Hey, um, do you want to go see a movie with me tomorrow night?” “I don’t think I can. Why do you ask?” “I, uh just want to spend more time with you.” “I see…” She looked at me in confusion, but didn’t question me any further. “What about the day after tomorrow then?” “I have to check my schedule first.” “Okay, and then do you want to go bowling on Saturday? I know this really great place—” “David,” she said sternly. “What are you trying to get at?”
I didn’t answer immediately, and her eyes slowly took on a look of understanding as I silently cursed myself for acting too rashly. “Are you…asking me out?” she said carefully, trying to keep her voice neutral. My shoulders slumped. “Yes,” I said in a small voice. Aline took a deep breath and set down her uneaten hamburger back on the table. “Don’t take this the wrong way…” she started, and I could feel my heart sinking. “But I don’t think you have any feelings for me.” I looked up, startled. “Don’t say that.” “David,” she said kindly. “The girls you chose to date in the past…you, well…they haven’t been very kind to you. It’s only natural that you were attracted to me because I’m not like them—” “Don’t say that.” I shook my head frantically. “I’m not joking, Al. I think...I think I’m in love with you.”
She blushed in spite of herself, and took a hasty sip from her drink. “No, David. I…I don’t think it’s me you’re in love with.” I wanted to argue back, but I know in my heart of hearts that what she said is true. I’ve been cheated on and toyed around with girls who never gave a damn about me for so long that I instantly savor the attention she gave me when she came along. It’s the way she treated me, and the care she’d showed me when I was in desperate need of a friend. I am craving for someone who would treat me the way she did.
“I like you very much, David,” she said, placing a hand on my arm. “But it would be unfair to you if we went out simply because you asked. One day you’ll be able to find someone you can love and cherish with all your heart, and who will be able to reciprocate that feeling in return.” I nodded; feeling slightly defeated at the rejection but cheered up at the thought of hope for the future. “Have you ever done that though?” I said wonderingly, “Love someone so much you’d sacrifice anything for the sake of their happiness, even though it hurts?” Aline fiddled with the wrapper of her Big Mac and sighed. “Yes.”
We arrived at the restaurant and I ordered both of us Big Macs and a large portion of French fries and chicken nuggets and tall cups of Coke. “You’re trying to get me fat,” Aline complained as we took our seats. “You can go steal Chuck’s wallet, and then he can chase you around in circles and burn calories.” At the mention of Chuck’s name her smile suddenly froze, and she suddenly became more interested in her chicken nuggets. An awkward silence ensued, and I tried another tactic to break it.
“Hey, um, do you want to go see a movie with me tomorrow night?” “I don’t think I can. Why do you ask?” “I, uh just want to spend more time with you.” “I see…” She looked at me in confusion, but didn’t question me any further. “What about the day after tomorrow then?” “I have to check my schedule first.” “Okay, and then do you want to go bowling on Saturday? I know this really great place—” “David,” she said sternly. “What are you trying to get at?”
I didn’t answer immediately, and her eyes slowly took on a look of understanding as I silently cursed myself for acting too rashly. “Are you…asking me out?” she said carefully, trying to keep her voice neutral. My shoulders slumped. “Yes,” I said in a small voice. Aline took a deep breath and set down her uneaten hamburger back on the table. “Don’t take this the wrong way…” she started, and I could feel my heart sinking. “But I don’t think you have any feelings for me.” I looked up, startled. “Don’t say that.” “David,” she said kindly. “The girls you chose to date in the past…you, well…they haven’t been very kind to you. It’s only natural that you were attracted to me because I’m not like them—” “Don’t say that.” I shook my head frantically. “I’m not joking, Al. I think...I think I’m in love with you.”
She blushed in spite of herself, and took a hasty sip from her drink. “No, David. I…I don’t think it’s me you’re in love with.” I wanted to argue back, but I know in my heart of hearts that what she said is true. I’ve been cheated on and toyed around with girls who never gave a damn about me for so long that I instantly savor the attention she gave me when she came along. It’s the way she treated me, and the care she’d showed me when I was in desperate need of a friend. I am craving for someone who would treat me the way she did.
“I like you very much, David,” she said, placing a hand on my arm. “But it would be unfair to you if we went out simply because you asked. One day you’ll be able to find someone you can love and cherish with all your heart, and who will be able to reciprocate that feeling in return.” I nodded; feeling slightly defeated at the rejection but cheered up at the thought of hope for the future. “Have you ever done that though?” I said wonderingly, “Love someone so much you’d sacrifice anything for the sake of their happiness, even though it hurts?” Aline fiddled with the wrapper of her Big Mac and sighed. “Yes.”