Steal a Kiss in the Dark

December 25th, 2013

As I drove Mia back to my house she remained silent. She didn't say a word to me, and she stared straight ahead. I can only imagine how difficult it was for her to hear her father's voice for the first time since she was one year old.

Once back at my house, I saw Jack and Zack's cars parked on the street. As was usual, they had let themselves in. Not wanting to let them know what had just happened, I sat with Mia in the car to talk to her. Killing the engine I asked, "Are you okay, Blondie?"

She kept staring for a few seconds before responding. "He's... He's real. He's still... alive. Yet he abandoned me for twenty-four years. My father didn't want me..."

"Oh, Mia," I sympathetically sighed. I had absolutely no idea what I could say to her. He made her feel worthless, and I could see it in her face that all that pain and those feelings of worthlessness were all coming back to her. "He's a piece of shit. You're an amazing, beautiful, smart, and funny girl. That asshole missed out on the most incredible person I have ever known."

She gave me a look filled with sadness. "You have to say that. You're my boyfriend."

"I chose to be your boyfriend, Mia. No body put a gun to my head and forced me to date you. Mia, I chose to be with you."

"And my own father chose to leave me," her voice cracked and the tears glistened in the light coming from inside the house. I had never seen Mia this broken. Usually she was the bubbly, happy-go-lucky girl that the guys and I loved to hang out with, she rarely--if ever--cried in front of us.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I reached over the center console and grabbed her hand. "Mia, he was sixteen when you were born, and seventeen when he left. I'm sure he was terrif-"

She cut me off and yelled, "I don't care if he was scared of being a dad! I needed a father in my life! It's not fair that he just got to ditch my mom and I! It's not okay that he put me through so much fucking shit! I deserved to have a father in my life!"

Then the crying really began. She started to sob uncontrollably. The tears were rolling fast, and the snot was shining underneath her nose. Never had I seen Mia like this. In all honesty, it scared me a little bit. Nothing about what was going on was normal, and I had no idea how to handle it.

Just then, Rian and Cassadee pulled up. They were sure to look in the car and see Mia crying. I knew she didn't want them to see, but I had no idea how to prevent it.

As the couple walked passed, Cassadee bent down to wave into the window. She stopped mid-wave once she saw the condition Mia was in. Never had Cassadee met Mia, so she turned to Rian to see what was going on.

Once Rian looked in the car he opened Mia's door to try and talk to her. "Mia?"

She couldn't respond. All that was heard were the sobs that sounded like she was choking.

"Should I gather up everyone and send them all home?" Rian then asked looking between us.

I sighed looking at my girlfriend in this awful state, "I think that would be for the be-"

At that moment Mia looked up. Trying to compose herself, she wiped the tears off her make-up smeared face and sucked in some of the snot. It was gross, but I couldn't blame her after that sobbing. "No, just... just give me another couple of minutes. Go in and make me a drink. Something strong, please."

"Are you sure?" Rian and I asked in unison as his girlfriend stood midway between my house and car. Thankfully, she was good at knowing her place.

She sniffled again, "Yeah, it's Christmas. I don't want to ruin it for everyone."

"Before I head in, can I ask what happened?" Rian questioned looking over at me. I knew he thought that I had done something. "If you don't want to tell me that's okay too."

"We stopped at my house and my dad was there..." she trailed off trying not to cry again.

Rian instantly understood as well as he could. "I'll let you pull yourself together. I should probably go keep Jack busy."

"And make me that drink," Mia added. "Please don't mention this to Jack and Zack."

"Oh Blondie, they're gonna know you were crying," I smirked at her. "You've got black tear stains all down your face."

She then pulled the mirror down to inspect her face. Once she saw it she began to laugh. "I look like a mess."

"But you're my favorite mess," I smiled before getting out of the car and crossing to her side. Once I pulled her into a tight hug I could feel her relax slightly. Knowing I was a safe place for her made me extremely happy. "I love you, Mia Nicole."

"I love you too, Alexander William," she pulled away from the hug. "Thank you for dealing with me being a crying mess."

I smiled before kissing her forehead, "I'm always here for you princess. Now let's go open some presents."

She wiped her face down in hopes to remove the smeared makeup one last time. Yet it was stll there. As she grabbed my hand I felt the butterflies erupt in my stomache once again. I truly did love Mia.

"You weren't having sex in the car were you?" Jack loudly questioned as Rian handed Mia a cup of dark liquid.

"Jack and coke, I like it," Mia smiled at Rian after taking a sip of the alcohol. "And no Jack, we definitely weren't having sex. Glad you're no longer mad at me though."

"It's Christmas, it wouldn't be in the spirit of Kevin McCallister if I stayed mad at you," my black-haired best friend laughed to my blonde-haired girlfriend.

"You and that damn children's movie," she smiled before realizing there was another female in the room. "Holy shit! You're Cassadee Pope!"

"Hi there," she politely smiled, "I was going to introduce myself out there, but it didn't seem like the right time."

The only true blonde in the room smiled, "It's all good. I'm Mia Albrecht by the way."

"My sexy girlfriend," I felt the need to add before kissing her cheek.

My blonde-haired beauty rolled her eyes, "I guess..."

"Oh shut up, you know you're hot," I smiled.

"Oh, I know I'm sexy. It's the girlfriend part I'm unsure about," she smirked at me. Without giving me a second thought, she strutted over to the couch that held Zack and Jack and she sat between the two of them, taking another drink from her red solo cup.

I then sulked, "You're so rude."

"I get that a lot," she smiled.

Jack then had a question, "Mia, what's up with your makeup? It says you want to be in a hardrock band, but then you're wearing a baby pink t-shirt and white jeans."

"Daddy's home, so I had a mental breakdown," she nonchalantly admitted taking another drink. "No big deal, just have to avoid him until he decides to abandon me again."

The room was then filled with an awkward silence. No body really knew how to respond to Mia. Thankfully, the silence was broken by the sound of the doorbell.

As I got up to answer the door, Mia came and jumped on my back. "Hey there pretty girl!" I chuckled once she was situated. I then turned to my dog, "Sebastian, down. Quiet." He did as he was told.

"I'm stealing your dog," the blonde on my back whispered as I opened the door.

"Hi mom, hi dad," I smiled at my parents who were at the door. "Come on in."

"Hi mommy and daddy Gaskarth!" Mia exclaimed hopping off my back before hugging my mom.

"Mia!" My mom beamed. "It's so nice to see you, it's been so long!"

"Hi Mia," my father smiled before hugging my girlfriend.

I then looked to my favorite blondie and smiled. "Should we tell them?"

"You haven't told them yet?" She asked me in disbelief.

"Told us what?" My mom asked.

Mia looked to me beaming, "Alex and I are dating."

"Finally!" My mother said before tightly hugging Mia. "I always hoped the two of you would date in high school."

"You did good son," my father smiled before patting my shoulder. "We always have loved you Mia."

"Thank you," she smiled before hopping onto my back again. "I can't believe William didn't tell you sooner."

Six to seven hours later the Christmas festivities were wrapping up. The only people left at my house were Jack and Mia. I had gotten Mia a necklace that had a heart-shaped diamond-studded pendant, and she didn't get me anything. I wasn't mad, I figured she had something better planned for me.

"Bye bro," Jack said getting up from my couch. "Bye Mia, good luck with your dad bullshit."

"Thanks," she sheepishly said as Jack left the house.

Mia then looked at me with a smirk. "You noticed something tonight, didn't you?"

"I noticed a lack of a gift from my girlfriend," I stated with a quirked eyebrow.

She then bit her lip, "That's because I have something even better for you."

She then grabbed her duffle bag and went into my bedroom. Within five minutes I heard my name being called, so I joined her. Once I entered the bedroom my jaw dropped.

Mia was in this sexy, baby pink, satin robe with a lacy black push up bra and matching thong. I definitely wasn't expecting a present this exciting, but I definitely wasn't going to turn her down.

Jack, always the cock block, re-entered the house then. "Alex! Have you seen my keys?"

"No dude," I yelled back with my eyes still scanning up and down Mia's body.

"Dude, can you help me find them?"

"I'm uh... I'm a little busy man," I huskily stated.

"Seriously dude, I have no idea whe-" he cut himself off once he entered my bedroom. "Shit, Alex sorry. Didn't realize you and Mia were gonna fuck when you said you were busy. I'll just keep looking for my keys out there alone."

I groaned in frustration. "Did you check your pockets?"

He then checked his pockets to pull out his keys. "Sorry man. I really didn't mean to ruin anything."

Jack quickly left the room and my stare returned to Mia. Her sexy smirk from a few seconds ago was replaced by a look of boredom. "Are you and your other lover done?"

"Baby," I huskily breathed taking her all in, "I want you so bad right now."

"Then come here and kiss me already, you dork," she smiled bouncing lightly on my bed.