Leonie didn't realise she had fallen asleep until her mum flung the curtains open, allowing the harsh sunlight to blind her. "Jesus Christ mum.." she groaned, turning onto her other side away from the window. "What are you doing in here?"
"I thought I'd come and wake you up, since it is almost twelve o'clock."
Her eyes flung open and she quickly sat up, nauseated for a moment. "WHAT? WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME SOONER!?"
"I thought you'd prefer to be well rested, you know, since you're going out today."
"How the hell do you know about that?" she frowned, scooping up a towel from her chest of drawers.
"Your father has quite the keen eye." her mother muttered, a slight smile forming on her lips as she vacated the room. "You'd better get ready."
Alexander messaged her
Wait where will we meet up?
Leonie had just finished getting dressed and was blow drying her hair when she received the text. She smacked her forehead.
I knew there was something I forgot!
She opened her phone, quickly texting back. 'I was thinking perhaps the Starbucks in the city center, the one inside the mall?'
She stared at her reply with concern. "Is there actually a Starbucks at the mall?"
"Yep." her dad replied as he walked past her open door. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
Her eyes widened in horror. "D-dad!"
See ya there!
This is just a meet up right? he thought to himself
I hope he doesn't think this is a date or anything, I mean it's not, so why would he?
She stopped to look at herself in the mirror, despite it being blurry from not wearing her glasses she could see that she didn't look like herself. "Am I putting more effort into this than I need to?"
"Did you say that it is a date?" her father asked, leaning on the door frame of her room.
"No, but it could be taken that way.. I just don't want it to be awkward." she covered her face with her hands. "Dad why is this so hard?"
"Because you don't really have any friends, and those that you do have you don't really see them outside of school." her father sat down on the edge of her bed in front of her. "You're panicking for no reason and you need to calm down. Take a deep breath. If you show that you're nervous you are going to make him nervous too."
She took a deep breath and smiled. "Thanks dad.." He's being so nice to me, does that mean he finally accepts who I am?
Alexander ran out to talk to his mom when he saw his dad. He growled slightly.
"amy (the most wonderful woman in the world), what are you doing dressed like that?" his dad said tapping his foot.
"My name's not amy (the most wonderful woman in the world)."
"It's not alexander. I didn't have you for you to change your gender at will."
"Terry leave him alone." his mom said.
"NOW YOUR ON HER SIDE?"
"I gotta go." With that he slammed the door and walked to the mall.
Leonie slid on her glasses and pulled a confident smile. "Hopefully nothing goes wrong.." she grabbed a small shoulder bag and jumped down the stairs.
"Before you leave.."
She turned around to find her mum with her arms crossed over her chest. "Mum?"
"I don't agree with any of this, the 'transgender' stuff. This 'Alexander' is one as well, isn't he."
Leonie nodded, afraid of where the conversation was heading.
"I see… I'm willing to look past it, if it's making you happy." her mother turned away from her. "Go on, or else you'll be late."
Thanks mum… Leonie smiled a little before leaving the house, closing the door behind her.
Alexander waited for her trying to calm down. "I swear…"
She saw Alexander from a distance, adrenaline kicking her in the gut almost instantly. She took a deep breath and approached him. "Alex?"
He looked at her and faked a smile. "Hey, Leonie."
Crap. He's faking a smile..
"I'm glad you agreed to this, I didn't think you would honestly.." she smiled brightly, looking up at the Starbuck's sign. "Let's get something, order anything you like, I'll pay."
Too soon to be nice? Damn it this is so difficult!
"T-There's no need…I'm just glad to be out of that house…" He growled.
"Did your dad do something…" She asked, pausing.
Is this my fault?
She thought, perhaps, meeting up wasn't such a good idea, but she didn't want to show her doubt.
"He wouldn't stop talking about how I'm amy (the most wonderful woman in the world), and not Alexander." he sighed. "But I'm glad I'm here instead of there." he grabbed her arm. "Coffee time."
I don't like the sound of her dad… He's even worse than my mum. She took a deep breath, keeping calm just like her own father had said. "I'm glad you're here too, though I really do insist on paying for you."
"There's really no need."
Her eyes softened. "Please, I asked you here so it's only fair that I treat you."
That's what I'm supposed to say right? I'm really not great at all this socialising stuff.
"Of course I am! I wouldn't say it if I wasn't." she chuckled quietly.
Phew!
She glanced up at the board with all the beverages and food items listed. "Go ahead, pick anything you want."
"Carmel macchiato I guess."
"Tall, grande, or venti?"
"I don't care." he laughs.
"Alright!" She grinned before placing the order. In no time at all she had her own drink in her hands and had passed Alexander his macchiato. "Do you want to sit down or shall we go for a walk?"
"Alright!" she followed him out of the building, into the business of the mall.
(Lord it feels weird saying 'mall')
She didn't know whether it would be appropriate to take his arm while they walked, so kept both of her hands clasped on the cold sides of her drink. "So, what do you want to talk about? I realise that I proposed we get to know each other better, but I don't know what questions you would feel comfortable answering."
