Falling For The Shoulder You Lean On, chapter 14

Tre's POV

After a few hours, we picked up our clothes and I went to take a bath. She smiled at me as I left to go upstairs. I love her smile. She went into the kitchen and made ourselves some breakfast. By the time I was out of the shower she placed a plate of bacon and eggs in front of me. It smelled delicious.

"You have any plans today, Tre?"

"No, do you?"

"Nope."

"That's rare. A day where we both are free."

"Yup."

"You want to go to the beach?"

"Tre, it's a bit too early for me to go to the beach."

"Spoil sport. Well, you want to go to that art museum?"

I chose the spot carefully. Seri loves art and has been dying to go since it opened last month. Her eyes lit up when I offered.

"Really? You want to go?"

"Yeah, I like looking at the naked statues."

"You are so perverted."

"No, it's art."

"Oh my God, fine. I'll go with you."

"Yey!"

"Settle down and finish your breakfast. I need to get ready."

"You're perfect. I don't even know why you freak."

"It's what every woman in the world does, Tre."

"You're not every woman in the world, Seri. You're my woman."

"Yes, Tre. I'm yours. And right now your woman needs to go get ready."

"Fine, you win."

"I always win."

And with that being said, Seri smiled at me once more and walked off to her room. She doesn't stop amazing me, and that's what I love about her. I decided if she was getting ready, I should gussy up too. I walked into my bathroom and shaved, brushed my teeth, spiked my hair again and put on some fresh clothes. By the time I walked downstairs, Seri was dressed, looking amazing, and waiting for me to go.

"And you say I don't need to get ready, yet I'm the one waiting for you."

"Shut up, Seri. Let's go."

"You driving?"

"You trust me that much?"

"Okay, I'm driving."

She snatched the keys away from me and we walked outside and into my SUV. I opened up my sides door and closed it as Seri got in and put the key in the ignition. She buckled up, as did I, and we backed out of the driveway. She turned her eyes back to me and smiled. Maybe this isn't the worst idea ever, I can make it a month without doing anything in public, right?

She placed her hand on my lap and patted it softly before removing it to turn on the radio. Remembering that the last CD I listened to was My Chemical Romance's, The Black Parade, I skipped to track number four and turned it up.

We both drove along the busy intersection singing along to the impossibly catchy album. Within a few minutes, Seri pulled the vehicle into the valet section of the museum. I turned down the radio just as Gerard's voice sang, Give me a shot to surrender and you can take all the pain away from me. A kiss and I will surrender, the sharpest lives are the deadliest to leave.

Seri cut off the car's engine and got out. We waited for a valet to assist us. We took our number and gave him the keys before we entered the large building.

There was a stale taste in the air, like a fusion of disinfectant, plexi-glass and old things. We walked deeper into the building until we reached a main desk. An older woman, in her mid-forties, dressed in an all grey suit with her also greying red hair tightened into a bun greeted us and smiled.

"Welcome to the Bay Area Council of the Arts museum. Are you here to take a tour?"

Man, the name of this place is quite a mouthful.

"No, we'd rather do the art trip by ourselves," I stated bluntly, desperately wanting to hold Seri's hand. This ixnay in public thing is harder then I thought it would be.

"Oh, good show. The basic entrance fee is ten dollars."

Guess those old ladies gotta get paid somehow. I pulled out my wallet and gave her the money. She smiled at us again, probably because she got her bingo money or something. She handed us our tickets and we walked to our left to another stop. There's too much security in this little museum in my opinion.

A large man in a black security uniform blocked our way. He stared at us and held out his monster sized hand to receive our tickets. I handed them to him and he glanced at them, ripped of the bottom half of each and handed back our stubs.

"Would you like some security with you, Mr. Cool?"

That caught me by surprise. Apparently Kojak over here has a good taste in music.

"Um, you want it Seri?"

"No, I think we'll be okay today. Not too many punks and anorexic model wannabe's hang at art museum's, huh?"

I had to let out a little laugh. I love her dry humor, most of the time she doesn't even realize it. Kojak cracked a smile and stepped aside, letting us pass.

"Have a good day Mr. Cool. Ms. Blake."

"Same to you," I replied.

"Guess he's a closet punk whore," stated Seri once we were out of earshot.

"Apparently."

"So what do you want to see first, Tre?"

"I dunno. Know where those naked statues are?"

"You're so dumb sometimes."

"So what?"

She laughed and walked down one of the hallways. We walked down a long hallway with paintings on either side. They were some weird looking paintings. It looked like something Frankito could do if I handed him a few jars of paint and a canvas.

"Do you like them?" asked Seri.

She appeared mesmerized by the paintings, like they were good or something.

"They look like shit."

"Tre, it's called abstract art. It's beautiful."

"You say too-may-toe I say tu-mah-toe."

"You seriously don't get it do you?"

"What's to get? Artist gets pissed at blank canvas, needs something on it, grabs two or three globs of paint, scatter and repeat."

"No, Tre. Look at it closely and tell me what you see."

She pushed me until my face was only three or four inches away from the painting. I stared at it for a minute or two.

"Cat shit."

"You're impossible. Look, it's a woman's face and she seems upset."

"Are we looking at the same painting?"

"Fine. I give up."

She threw her hands in the air in frustration and walked down the hall and out of the 'disgruntled artist' section. I picked up my pace so I could catch up with her.

The next few hours flew by pretty fast. Seri kept gawking at the paintings, a few were good, I have to admit that. We found the statue place but none were naked, what a drag. Little to our knowledge at the time, a pesky paparazzi was following us closely, snapping pictures left and right that even hinted to us being more then just friends and this more then just an outing to an art museum.

We walked out of the art museum pretty happy with the days result. We didn't run into any freaky fans, Izzy, or anyone we didn't want to see. We had fun with ourselves and didn't need to kiss or hug or hold hands, just being in each others company was enough to make the day.

I decided to drive us to our next destination. Seri accepted gladly, taking the time to recline the passenger seat and rest her eyes for a bit. I lowered the stereo and changed it to track eleven. I laughed to myself at the songs lyrics, They said all teenagers scare the living shit out of me. They could care less as long as someone will bleed.

After a few minutes of driving and arguing with myself about where to go, I pulled my car into a McDonald's parking lot and cut off the engine. This is a good place, right? We're not supposed to act like we're together in public and this isn't supposed to be a date. McDonald's it is.

I rubbed Seri lightly on the shoulder to wake her up. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at me. It took all personal restraint not to kiss her at that moment. I don't even know how I managed to muster up that much restraint. She yawned and unbuckled herself.

We walked together inside the fast food establishment. Again, I had to fight the urge to grab her hand, grab her. This is starting to become harder and harder for me. I wonder if it's equally as hard on her. I can't really complain, I'm finally with Seri again. I need to keep telling myself to wait one more month, one more month.

Seri walked off to find us a booth towards the back and away from a window so we could enjoy our meal quietly while I ordered our food. Luckily some hip hop kid was serving us today, otherwise I'd have to give another autograph. I didn't really feel like speaking to any fan today. It'd squash the surrealism of the day.

"Welcome to McDonald's. Watch'a want tuday?" asked homie dog.

"Um, thanks. I want a number three, hold the lettuce, and a number five with extra ketchup."

"Right. Chur total's eight fitty fo'."

I took out my wallet and paid the Chingy wannabe. I waited another minute or so until he gave me a tray with our food. I nodded at him again and walked back to where Seri was seated. She looked up from her cell and smiled at me, putting the device away. I placed the tray of food down and distributed the food to it's rightful owners.

"Thanks, Tre."

"No problem. Mickey D's, fast and cheap."

"I meant thanks for today."

"Oh, no problem."

"I'm glad that we can both do this."

I knew what she meant by 'this'. This completely stoic relationship in public, but once behind closed doors... I shook the thought away. I can wait, I can wait.

"Anything for you."

She smiled again. I love seeing her smile like that. We started to eat our extra greasy food and talk about things we used to talk about when we were just friends. What sports team we like. What new band is really good. What new band sucks balls. What we think of the new president. What the food tastes like. What movies we want to see. What movies we saw and wished we didn't. Everything like that.

After the conversation started to run dry, Seri smiled at me again. This time it wasn't a friendly smile, it was her seductive and coveted 'fuck me' smile. I smiled right back at her as thoughts of how great it would be to be home right now ran through my mind. She put the front of her heel right between my legs and I couldn't help but gasp a little at her gesture. What is she thinking doing this in such a public place? She leaned in and almost whispered in my ear.

"I'm going to the ladies room for a minute or so. I wouldn't mind some company in a few minutes."

And with that being said, she removed her heel making me bite my lip to stop it from quivering at the lack of contact. She rose slowly and walked off to the other side of the restaurant. I waited as long as I could, which was only about a minute and a half, until I followed her. I made it down the hallway to the ladies room door and knocked gently. Of all the places, I never though of the McDonald's bathroom. Her slender fingers hooked my collar and pulled me inside. One more month, Tre. Just one more month.