A Golden Apple

RING RING. My phone buzzed, vibrating urgently in my coat pocket. “I'm sorry.” I mumbled looking at the man next to me, but if he seemed at all annoyed he didn't show it. The cab driver definitely looked annoyed though, there was a scowl set on his thin lips and his eyes narrowed, but I ignored him. It's not like there was a rule about calling etiquette when you're in a cab, he just had to suck it up.

I fished the phone from my pocket and picked up. “Hello?” I asked.

“Olivia!” A man exclaimed from the other line and I tried my best not to hang up, I didn't need myself setting a bad impression on my first date.

“Yes.” I replied, trying my best to hide the annoyance, Ben looked over at me. “You okay?” He mouthed. I nodded letting go my last option to hang up.

“Are you still there?” The man on the phone asked.

“Yes, i'm still here.”

“So, I was wondering.” he started

“Spit it out.” I told him, in no mood to be polite today. “I'm in the car with my boyfriend please make this quick.”

“Boyfriend..” He stuttered.

“Yeah, get over it.”

“But we just broke up!” He exclaimed.

“Mike it's been two months.”

“It felt like yesterday..” That's when I couldn't resist groaning. Ben looked over and raised an eyebrow but I shook it off, I knew how to handle him myself.

“Mike what do you need? Were going to be arriving soon.” I told him.

“Well I was wondering if you would like to go on a date with me.. At an apple orchard.” He asked.

“I'm already dating someone, you know that Mike.”

“I didn't know that before I called you.” He mumbled.

“You should have known, my love life didn't just stop after we broke up. Mike, I need to go.”

“Please!” He begged. “Just come with me tomorrow at 4:00, just one last date, to see if we can make this work.” He pleaded.  Maybe it will finally get him to stop bothering me.

“If I go.. And I decide that this is really over. Will you please leave it there, accept that you are just my friend?” I asked

“Yeah. Okay.” He replied sounding less confident than he usually did.

“Okay see you tomorrow.. Bye.” I hung up on him and put the phone back in my pocket.

“Are you ready?” Ben asked, extending a hand to help me out of the car, I took his hand and got out of the car.

The night with Ben was very pleasurable, the food at the restaurant was good, and ice skating afterward was a joy, but the only thing on my mid was what would happen tomorrow at 4:00 P.M.

I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and put on a wool hat before stepping out of the car and into the frigid autumn wind, the wind howled angrily blowing wet leaves onto my jeans.

My pale cheeks were flushed and strands of my brown hair flew over my light brown eyes, raindrops splattered against my rain jacket as I splashed through puddles to get to the main building.

There are 365 days in the year and he had to choose this one to go apple picking? 

Seems like Mike still had horrible taste, in like pretty much everything.

Except for you!

Yeah right.

I reached the main set up which was a covered piece of land that had rectangular tables full of pumpkins and cups of apple cider, and in the back was a table that had admissions to go apple picking.

“Hey!” Mike exclaimed running up to me, his floppy brown hair covered his bright blue eyes as he stopped right in front of me.

“Wow you look pretty!” he acknowledged, and I hoped he couldn't see my cheeks turn a bright pink.

Stop that! You don't even like him, get over yourself!

“Thanks.” I mumbled. “Did you get the tickets?” I asked

“Don't worry Via, I got them.” He replied, winking at me. 

“It's Olivia,” I told him.

“Okay.” He replied backing off. Some people would say I was lucky to have such a cute guy following me around but I just think it's annoying. I just wish he would move on and find someone that he wants as much as they want him, but until that happens I have to deal with him following my every move.

And I mean it's not like he's not a great guy, because he is I just wish he gets that were just friends, it takes all my willpower not to take the song F.R.I.E.N.D.S by Anne Marie and Marshmello and paste our  heads in instead of theirs, but I bite my tongue and try to be as nice as possible which trust me can be very hard sometimes, you have no idea.

We walked to the desk and gave the woman sitting there admission passes she pointed to the baskets in front of her and told us to take one, Mike offered me his arm but I rolled my eyes. “What? This is a date isn't it?” I sighed and took his arm grateful for a little bit of warmth on this chilly October evening.

Are you sure you don't want him

Yes!

“Where to first?” I asked.

“Are you in some sort of hurry?” He asked.

“No..” I responded

“I'm just kidding, the best trees are over here.” He led me over to rows and rows of gnarly trees all with their outstretched limbs where bright red fruits were ready to be picked.

“So how does this work?” I asked.

“I thought I took you here..” 

“You didn't.” I remember that day very clearly it was a day very unlike this one the sky was a light blue with a out a trace of a cloud the sun was bright the day was chilly but the sun was bright so It was was good enough, but right before we were supposed to go apple picking I came down with a cold, so maybe I exaggerated how bad it was or for how long I had it but I was definitely sick the day I was supposed to go.

Mike stopped in front of a very large tree, but there were barely any apples. “This is the best tree.” He announced.

“If it's the best tree then why is no one here, why are they all at that other tree that actually has apples that aren't twenty feet in the air?” I asked.

“As they say, to find pearls in the ocean you have to travel out far past the shore.”

“So in this case why go to a tree that has perfectly great apples that you can actually reach when you can go to a tree where you have to climb up very far just to get an apple that might not even taste good!” I exclaimed sarcastically.

“Some things never changed.” He acknowledged with a smile.

“I could say the same.” I pointed out. I thought he would leave it at that but he didn't, he kept pushing.

“How so?”

“So like you to choose the one day of the year when it's cold and windy to go apple picking.”

“Hey, it clears out most of the losers!” He exclaimed.

“You mean the losers who actually check the weather so they're not cold and miserable, those losers?” He shot me a sad face.

“So you're cold and miserable, i'm sorry.” He took off his scarf and wrapped it around my neck. On one hand I wanted to shove it back in his face but on the other hand I was pretty cold.

“Thanks.” I mumbled

“That's it? Just a measly old thanks, not a hug? Or a little kiss on the cheek?” He asked me giving me puppy eyes. 

I walked up to him and patted him on the back. “Happy?” I asked

“Not really.” He mumbled which made me inwardly smile.

“Anyway you ready to get to the apple picking?” He asked, shooting me a big grin. He didn't wait for me to answer before putting his basket on the ground and walking towards the tree. He reached his arms up and jumped, snagging the lowest branch. He held onto the branch just barely with only his head peeking over and it reminded me of those posters you normally see in counselors offices with a puppy with sad eyes saying “Hold on!” But Mike was most definitely not a puppy so he hoisted himself up onto the branch.

“Mike.. I don't think this is a great idea..” I grumbled “I know you think climbing to the top of an old apple tree to get me an apple is going to flatter me but trust me it isn't, it's just going to make me afraid, angry and worried.” I told him.

“So you're worried about me huh?”

“I didn't say that.” I grumbled.

“Hmm I thought you did. But i'm going to ignore that fact i'm right and your not for now... Anyway, Up and away!” He exclaimed reaching for the next branch on the tree.

“Mike!” I exclaimed. But I knew how he was, once he was that far up he wasn't going to come down unless he had gotten exactly what he had wanted so for now I just had to wait and hope he didn't break all his bones.

Hmm can you still text without all your bones?

I shoved the thought away of Mike in a hospital bed not texting me and giving me all of the freedom in the world.  Oh that would be so amazing!

I looked back up at Mike who had gotten tinier and tinier and he grabbed branch after branch slowly making his way to the top.

He was right by one of the golden apples so he reached out, “AHHHH!!” He yelled desperately.

“MIKE!” I yelled. “ARE YOU OKAY?” I fretted, running towards the tree. 

I heard him laugh from up above. “Oh that was so funny, i'm fine its just fun to make you scared.” He exclaimed bursting into a laughing fit.

“Just get down from the tree with the apple you were so desperate to get so you don't hurt yourself for real, and trust me if you do get hurt there will be no sympathy from me.”

“No sympathy form Vi-Vi?” He pouted climbing down the tree. 

“There will be no sympathy from Olivia.” I told him icily. At that moment the rain picked up loud drops pounding against the green grass, Mike jumped down from the tree and handed me the golden apple, I took a bite out of it and the crisp sweet taste filled my mouth. "Good isn't it?" Mike asked smiling, I finished the apple and as soon as I did their was a loud thunder clap and a bold lightning streak illuminated the sky. “Can we go now?” I asked.

“Just one more thing” He told me. He pulled me in close so I could feel his hot breath on my neck, he leaned in right towards my lips. “Eww no!” I exclaimed, backing off. Mike opened his eyes and frowned.

“Lets go!” I ran towards the shelter trying to get out of the rain as soon as possible and far away from Mike, all I wanted was to go home and take a hot shower.  Why did you pull away? Are you sure you didn't want him to kiss you?

No..

I pushed the silly thoughts out of my head as the covered area became closer, tons of families were huddled underneath drinking warm cider. “Would you like some cider my dear?” Asked a man to the left of me.

“How much?” I asked. He shook his head. “Its about closing time and I have way to much cider left, it's on the house.” He replied, giving me a wink. I thanked him and went to sit down on a bench. Mike ran up to me and sat down, much closer then I would have wanted him to.

“You didn't get me a cider?” He pouted. I shook my head, as annoying as he was it still would have been polite to get him some cider to, but oh well. “So..” I mumbled not sure how I was supposed to say this. We both knew I wasn't interested but how to say it in the kindest way?

Are you sure you're not interested?

Only one way to find out.

I put my cider down and turned towards Mike, and as soon as his head turned my way, I grabbed his head pulling him close and kissing him on the lips, and after a couple seconds I pulled away.

Mike smiled. “So your little miss runaway when I try to kiss you but then you kiss me three minutes later?” He asked. “So this is how it's going to be huh?”

“It's not like that.” I told him.

“Uh huh, sure.” He replied pretending like he agreed.

“No really! The only reason why I did that.. Was to see if there was anything.” I told him.

“Okay your not making any sense right now.” He pointed out.

“Whenever I used to kiss you there used to be a fire, a longing, a spark, but.. I just didn't feel it.” I told him looking down at the wet grass.

“I did.” He mumbled sheepishly.

“But the point is I didn't. I'm sorry Mike I just really don't think this was meant to be.” I mumbled.

“Okay, I get it.” he replied

“So can we just be friends?” I asked. Really hoping he would just say yes, make this easy on both of us.

“Sure..”

“Friends?” I asked.

“Friends.”