Paper Planes

On Saturday, we went to take pictures at some place. I wore a green and white cotton summer-type dress. Tucker wore jeans and a white soft cotton button-up.

We took pictures in front of a plain backdrop in awkward poses. Then they pulled down various fake backdrops and pulled out a little fake bench and weird props for us to pretend were real while they contorted out bodies into weird uncomfortable positions to get the lighting correct or something.

We literally took pictures for an hour.

The photographer was upset we didn't bring a change of clothes.

We just looked at each other and shrugged.

"What to do now?" he asked.

"Help me find my costume for Wednesday."

He laughed. "Okay. Come on, I know just the place."

He pulled me into a busy store and we stopped at a wall with a thousand pictures on it. "Pick one."

I shook my head. "None of these look scary."

"Well, a lot of people just dress up as other people. Or TV figures."

I nodded. "I know that one!"

"Wonder woman?" he laughed. "You watch cartoons?"

I sheepishly nodded. He poked my stomach a few times, alternating hands. "That's so cute, Padma," he said, finishing up with grabbing my cheek.

"Laugh if you'd like, but those cartoons speak slower than other shows and it's easier to understand them. In person it's easy, but on TV and in music, I prefer it to be slower."

I nodded. "So you watch cartoons like a child. I won't laugh at you."

I laughed at him. "Oh please, we're playing dress up, right? How is that any worse than watching cartoons?"

He sighed. "I guess you're right. So we'll grab one of those."

He grabbed a wonder woman costume. "How about a nurse?" he asked seductively, holding up the costume.

My eyes went wide and I shook my head. "Where's the rest of it."

He put it back. "I guess we'll save that for the honey moon."

I dropped my jaw and hit his arm playfully. "Tucker," I warned.

He laughed. "Okay, okay. So I guess sexy cop is out of the question, too."

I just laughed and shook my head. "How about a cat?"

"Okay, grab that one too."

He grabbed that one and a few more and I went to try them on.

He made me model every one, and every one I felt so uncomfortable in. Well, first of all, have you ever seen and Indian looking Wonder Woman? And all of the costumes were so short. But I guess it will be what everyone else is wearing.

"No way Padma! I have the best one! He flung the curtain back and I covered my nearly exposed chest up.

"Tucker, knock first."

"Okay, so you watch all those cartoons, right? Have you ever seen Aladin?"

"I think so. The Arabian boy?"

"Yeah, you look just like the girl from that movie, and it's so funny, and I was out there looking and I was thinking of how they would look on you," he sped through, not taking a break for air, "and I saw all of these really ugly costumes and these really weird ones, and then I was thinking of what you'd actually know or get or think was funny, and then, well I came across this one, and you look just like her, I swear, so you should definitely wear this one."

I started laughing. Really hard. He said that all in one breath. "Did you really get that excited... for a genie costume?"

He sheepishly smiled. "Yeaaah. So are you going to try it on?"

"Turn around," I said. He groaned, handed it to me, and went to look in the corner. I took off the bottoms of a sailor outfit and pulled on the pants. I put the top on afterwards. It exposed my stomach a bit, but he said we'd be inside a dark room and no one would really notice anything, so I wasn't too worried about it. I turned around and looked in the mirror.

So was Tucker.

"Tucker! Were you watching me the whole time?"

"...no...."

I sighed, "So what do you think."

"Niiice!" he said. "Oh, the outfit, yeah, it's great."

I smiled at seeing him happy as I worked to ignore the fact that he just watched me change. "Okay. I like this one the best. You want to get this one and get out of here?"

He nodded. "Sounds good."

He turned back around. "Nope. You're going outside this time."

"Awe come on!" he said.

I pushed him out and changed back into my dress.

We went back home and I cooked dinner.

He tried to help me, but I kicked him out of the kitchen. I need to learn to cook food here.

All the while I was cooking, he was down in the basement playing his instruments. Some of the songs he played sounded really beautiful. I thought of earlier and how nice it was to see him smile. I don't know how we didn't get along before. I mean, really, we're perfect for each other...

Well...

I didn't mean perfect for each other, I meant like, we make a good couple.

Not a good couple.

We're good together.

As friends.

He came up just as I finished up dinner. We ate together and then went upstairs to sleep. Tucker had an early day Sunday. For some reason, his boss was making the whole team go in Sunday.

So Sunday, I decided I'd surprise him and go up to eat lunch with him. But this time, I wasn't going to bring Vera.

Nope.

I was going to ride his bike there.

I grabbed the slick black helmet off of the work bench. I wore a pair of tight dark jeans, one of Tucker's complimentary work shorts for some video game they made that was too small for him, and the only sneakers I had. I threw on a black jacket and popped on the helmet.

I started the motorcycle and revved it up. I flipped the face guard down and sped out of the driveway.

I tried to drive slowly since I don't have a license, but... it was just so fast.

I didn't go more than ten over, though, so I was safe.

I got to Tucker's work and parked his bike outside on the sidewalk. I walked in and signed in as a guest. I got a little name badge, grabbed my helmet and went up to the third floor.

The doors opened and I walked a vaguely familiar path to his cubicle.

"Then you won't mind if I do this," I heard as I rounded the corner to his cubicle, only to see a blonde girl perched on his lap, attached to his lips.

I looked down at the ground. I guess he'd opened his eyes, because I heard a faint, "Shit, Padma."

"I fixed your bike," I said.

He looked at me oddly. The dumb girl just sat there. Not getting up.

I took the ring off my finger and set it on his desk. "I think maybe you should keep this for a little while. You know, so no one gets the wrong idea," I said before turning on my heal and heading for the elevator.

I ignored his words and kept walking. He started talking quieter, probably to get that dumb girl off of him, and followed me down the hallway. I had a head start.

I got to the elevator and pressed the button. I heard his voice getting closer. I looked down and tried to push back the tears.

I pushed the button a few more times. It wouldn't come! I started cussing profanely under my breath. I saw Tucker rounding the corner and decided to take the stairs before he could see me.

I ran down the stairs, and my breathing got heavier. As soon as I started walking out, head down, tears almost winning, Tucker came bounding out of the elevator.

"Padma let me explain," he said following me outside. "Wow, is this my bike?"

I nodded. "Look, there is really nothing to explain. I mean, this is not real anyways, correct? So it is not like you were doing anything wrong."

He looked kind of crushed after that. "Okay."

"I mean, we said it that night. We would not let anything change that. We are still the same, right?" I reasoned more to myself than him.

He just nodded. I dropped the helmet, fell to the ground, and couldn't keep the tears in any longer.

I felt two strong arms wrap around me as he settled to the ground beside me. "Padma, I'm so sorry. Please don't cry. I swear I can explain. She heard about the engagement and then asked me if I was going out to lunch with you, and then she climbed on top of me and I guess that's when you walked in."

I sniffled.

"But I know, I should have just pushed her off faster. I just wasn't thinking. I didn't see it coming I guess," he sighed, rubbing my back with one of his hands and using the other to hold my head into him. "I'm so sorry Padma. I didn't want to make you cry."

I pulled away. "I am sorry for running out. I should have given you time to explain yourself." I sighed and he wiped away my tears.

"Are we good?"

"Yes. I am sorry. I do not even know why I got so upset. I mean, really, I feel awful for roping you into this situation. You should be allowed to kiss whoever you want. I had no reason to get upset--"

He cut me off by pulling my head back towards him and softly kissing me. I didn't hesitate a second. I leaned into him and ran my fingers through his hair. I climbed into his lap with a leg on either side of him. He finally broke the kiss and said, "that's why."