To read the prologue, please click me.
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I felt her lips touch mine and instantly felt a shock shoot up through me. It was the usual shock that I got whenever I kissed her. The shock that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that she’s mine.
We were just about through Arizona when we decided to stop for lunch.
I, myself not being a particular fan of Mexican food, suggested just a little roadside dinner. My girlfriend said that was fine with her, just as long as she could get either a cheeseburger or some mac&cheese.
We found one a few miles down the road and we pulled in.
“Suzie’s Ma&Pa Diner.” I chuckled as I read the name off the sign out front.
“Hey it was either this or Juan’s Taquitoria.” My girlfriend smiled at me.
“Hm…true.” I giggled as I leaned into her for a kiss.
I felt her lips touch mine and instantly felt a shock shoot up through me. It was the usual shock that I got whenever I kissed her. The shock that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that she’s mine.
Her hand slid into my hair and quickly tightened. I heard myself let out a sigh as I tried to pull my girlfriend closer to me. There was an obstacle in our way though. The gear shift had to be interfering with our make out session.
Pulling away slightly, I asked, “Are you hungry?”
“Hm…ya…” She replied seductively as she nipped at my lip.
“I mean for food.” I giggled.
“Oh…that…well…are you food?”
“Darling…” I did my best to purse my lips and give her a reprimanding look, but failed miserably because of how adorable she is.
Sitting back in her own seat she let out a heavy sigh before replying, “I guess, ya.”
“You’re so cute.” I told her as I checked to make sure my hair was acceptable.
“I’m not cute.” She said frowning.
“You are to me.” I told her.
We got out of the car and headed into the diner. As we walked the short distance, my girlfriend grabbed my hand and gave me another quick kiss.
I opened the door for her and saw the sign said in big, handwritten letters “Please seat yourself!”
Following instructions, we managed to find a small booth in one of the corners by a window and sat down next to each other. The diner wasn’t busy, but you could tell there were some regulars that didn’t even have to place an order for the cooks to know what to make.
We spent a couple minutes flipping through the menu (finding out that there was both a cheeseburger and mac&cheese) before a waitress in her late fifties with obviously dyed flaming red hair showed up at the side of our table.
“Well hey there. How are you two gals doin’ today?” She asked us with much too enthusiasm.
My girlfriend just smiled and mumbled ‘fine’ under her breath and quickly returned her eyes to the menu. Trying to be just as upbeat, I replied, “We’re doing just peachy. How are you?”
“I’m doin’ pretty good sugar. Thanks for asking. Now can I start you ladies off with some drinks?”
“Uhm…well I’m ready to order, if you are…” I questioned towards my girlfriend.
“Oh ya, go ahead.”
“Alright, well can I have to chicken tenders please? With a Mountain Dew?” I chirped.
“You sure can. Now what ‘bout you darlin’?”
“Erm, I’ll have the cheeseburger please. And a Coke to drink.”
“Okeydoke. Well your meals will be out soon, but I’ll be back with your sodas!”
The waitress spun around and headed off to the kitchen.
“Well she was happy.” I laughed, turning my body more towards my girlfriend.
“A bit too happy.”
“Eh, nothing wrong with being happy.”
“No…happy’s nice.” She replied smiling at me.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“I know you better than that to know it’s not nothing.” I smirked.
Taking my hand in her’s she said, “Happy is nice.”
“I love you.” I whispered as I snuggled my head into her neck.
“I love you too.”
She lifted my head up lightly with her hand, just as she had done the first time we had kissed, and placed her lips softly against mine.
Before I had any time to react, I felt a jolt. Not the shock I get when i kiss her. But a jolt, coming from someone slamming something down on the table.
Quickly we pull apart and see our sodas had arrived (sloshing over the cups) and our waitress walking quickly away in what seemed as though an angry fashion.
Biting my lip, I turned to my girlfriend and said, “That’s not good…”
She didn’t reply, which I knew was a bad sign. I followed her eyes and saw that she was watching our waitress. She was behind a wall, but looked like she was talking to a manager (or perhaps even the owner). Things didn’t look like they were going well.
I reached for my girlfriend’s hand and found them clenched. I tried to loosen them up so I could slip my fingers in between her’s, but to no avail.
A few minutes later, our waitress and the man she was talking to come over to our booth.
Just looking at our waitress’ expression, I would’ve thought her hair was on fire.
The man spoke first, “I’m sorry about this, but we’re going to have to ask you to leave.”
Quickly glancing at my girlfriend, whose expression looked as thought it was made of stone, I asked, “What? Why?”
“I’m sorry. Just some of our guests and employees are not entirely comfortable with your way of life.” The man said. I could tell he was trying to be discreet and that it wasn’t him who was uncomfortable, but I had a feeling that his wife was the firery red-head behind him.
“Our way of life?” I repeated him.
“Yes, your disgusting and absolutely revolting way of life.” The waitress spat at me. “You kind of people are what’s driving this country into Hell! You are devil worshipers and by you coming here, to our diner, you’ve put a curse on this entire place and all who are in here.”
“Now you don’t need to say all of that.” I heard the submissive man say to his wife.
I felt my heart drop to my stomach as she said this. Clenching my jaw I began, “We are people to. We have the exact same rights, the exact same feelings as anyone else in this building. We don’t have to leav-.”
“Let’s go.” My girlfriend finally said.
I almost felt my jaw drop as I heard her say that. Turning and looking at her, I saw she had the same look on her face as before, but a thin glaze of water was over her eyes.
“We’re sorry we disturbed you. We won’t bother you again.” She said as she scooted me out of the booth.
Still in a daze with what was going on, I absently followed her out of the door and back to our car.
Once inside the car, I asked her, “What was that about?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She replied not looking at me, but instead fiddling with the car keys.
“Look at me.” I said sternly.
She ignored me and put the key in the engine, but didn’t start it.
“Sweetheart, please look at me.” I asked again.
Glancing over at me, I saw the tears escaped from her eyes and were streaming down her cheeks.
“Oh, darling…” I whispered quietly and pulled her into a hug as best as I could.
She never cried. She never let anyone see herself cry anyways. To her, it meant weakness. And weakness meant someone could hurt you.
I adjusted her in my hug so that she could hear my heartbeat; the one thing I know that would calm her down.
“Darling, don’t listen to anything that lady said. It means nothing.” I spoke softly while running my fingers through her hair.
“But what if it does? What if that’s exactly how my grandparents and the rest of my family sees it?”
“They’re your family, they won’t. They love you and want you to be happy.”
“Ya, happy with a guy.”
Sighing, knowing that what she said had some truth to it. “Well, we’ll just have to show them that you couldn’t be happier. I know I couldn’t be.”
I felt a slight tension release from her body as I said this. “You’re everything I’ve ever dreamed about and more. You’re always there for me. You love me. You calm me down. You can understand my babbling. You’re strong. You’re kind. You’re perfect. You’re just like a Belle from Beauty&the Beast, but better. You’re real. And you’re mine.”
I heard a mumbling sound come from my girlfriend, whose head was pressed against my chest.
“What was that, I couldn’t hear you?”
She pulled away and looked up at me with her beautiful, hazel eyes. “I said, I thought you were trying to make me stop crying.”
Smiling, knowing I had succeeded, I kissed her nose. Instantly she frowned and I knew she wanted a real kiss. Lowering my head down to hers, I placed my lips on hers, slightly parting them as I did so. We kissed for a couple of minutes before she pulled away and whispered in my ear, “Thank you baby girl. I love you.”
“I love you too, my darling.”
And I did.
No matter what anyone ever said.
She was the reason for my happiness.
No one was going to take that away from me.
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