Who Said Anything About Love?

Tom’s POV

After leaving the bookstore I had planned on taking Madeline out to a little café down the street but when approached I saw that there were a lot of people gathered around the patio out front so we continued driving. We rounded a corner later on and saw a McDonald’s come into view and I asked Madeline if that was alright with her.

“Oui. Who doesn’t like fast-food?” she chuckled.

“I don’t know.” I couldn’t help but laugh; it was contagious.

I pulled in the parking lot and it was rather crowded. Peering in through the windows we saw that the inside looked similar to the outside.

“Drive-thru?” Madeline suggested.

“If you don’t mind eating in my car.”

“Not at all. And I promise not to make a mess.” she smiled like a child and I must say it was rather adorable.

After ordering and paying for the food I drove to a park that served as the campgrounds in summer and fall. During this time of year it was just a nice place to take walks or hangout. We sat in my car to eat however; it was a little windy today which would make eating a bit difficult.

“So what’d you think about that little scene yesterday?” I asked toward the end of our meal.

“What scene? You mean Samantha and Georg?” she chuckled slightly as she took a bit of her French Fry.

“Ja, that’d be the one.”

“I don’t know, but from the ride home I’d say she likes him.” she laughed then looked at me like she’d just uttered a piece of top secret information.

I made the gesture of zipping my lips shut, to which she laughed, and then confirmed her statement. “So she talks about him a lot?”

“Not all the time, but she did a lot on the ride home last night.”

“Yea, well I think it’s safe to say that Georg likes her as well.”

“What to you mean?” she asked.

“All I heard from him last night was, ‘Samantha this, Samantha that, she’s so pretty, she’s so blah blah blah,’ I could hardly handle it.” I went on playfully rolling my eyes as I told her about Georg.

“It’s kinda cute though.” Madeline smiled.

“Cute? How so?”

“How is it not? They hardly know each other and already like each other. It’s like grade school puppy love.” she chuckled, her inner mushiness coming out. Her eyes twinkled at the statement.

“Yea, I guess it kind of is. I don’t know, it all seems a bit too cliché. The whole ‘love at first sight’ thing.” I shrugged somewhat while expressing my opinion.

“You don’t believe in ‘love at first sight’?”

“Nein. How are you honestly supposed to know that they are the one just by the exterior? You have to get to know a person before you can make such a decision.”

“Hmm, I see what you mean…but what if you find yourself attracted to someone, get to know them and then fall in love with them? Wouldn’t that be considered ‘love at first sight‘?” she asked.

“I’d say more of an ‘attraction at first sight’ that evolved into love.” I stated.

“You’re not big on love are you?” that was the most forward I’d heard her in the past few days.

“Umm, what makes you say that?” I stammered.

“You just seem really against that fact that someone can see another person and completely be in love. Whether it be their physical appearance or their attributes. You may not think it possible, but I’m sure many girls have caught a glimpse of something in you and fallen head over heels, and you don’t see it. It’s almost as if you refuse to see it.” she said sounding a bit annoyed.

“Well…it’s not that I refuse to see it, it’s just that most girls just see me as a member of the band. I have to keep my guard up.”

“Well it seems like you’ve got it up so high that it’s impossible to climb over. What if one of those fans really is the one, and you just let her go?” why was she getting angry? It’s not like I did this to her.

“It’s not like I can give every single fan a chance. That’d be crazy.” I stated calmly.

“True as that may be, in my opinion, you’ve gone and given the wrong girl a chance.” she said flatly.

“That…that I have to agree with you on.” I sighed.

She looked quite shocked that I hadn’t jumped down her throat for that. “So if you think it’s a mistake, why are you with her?”

“Wasn’t it you yesterday that said everyone deserved a second chance?” I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye.

She looked down at the empty French Fry carton in her lap, “Sometimes with every chance you give someone it makes it harder and harder to let them go.” she said quietly.

I knew by her hurt expression she was speaking from experience so I didn’t push the topic. “Well, now we just need to find my brother a girlfriend so he stops mopping about.” I smirked.

Madeline’s face lightened and a smile broke across her once stricken lips. My heart sank faintly and I hoped she didn’t like Bill.

“I think I know someone.” she giggled.

“Oh yea? Who?” my heart rate increased as I waited for her answer.

“Amelia; she wouldn’t shut up all night long.” she rolled her eyes and laughed.

“Really now? Hmm, I say we do something about that.” I suggested.

“And what do you propose?”

As my heart relaxed a bit I told Madeline of how I thought we should try setting our siblings up. Amelia seemed like Bill’s cup of tea; loaded with sugar. In an essence; sweet and enough to keep you on your toes.

As twilight took over the scenery and the backlights of Hamburg shown brightly I drove Madeline back to the bookstore where she’d wait for Samantha to pick her up. I then made my way back home to see what all I’d missed today.