Calm Before the Storm

“Wait so you’re not gonna tell me where we’re going?” I asked, Ichigo.

We came to the park for a bike ride and Ichigo told me she had a surprise date planned for us, but it’s gonna take place tomorrow.

“Yup,” she huffed, mounting off her bike and parking it near the bench, she sat down and grabbed her bottle of water.

“At least give me a small clue as to what it is that we would be doing?” I join her on the bench.

“Nope,” she shook her head.

“I’ll give you a chocolate bar if you do,” I bribed her.

“Chocolate,” she whispered.

“Mhm, actually I’ll give you two,” I say.

“Two chocolates,” she whispered once more, her eyes lighting up.

“Yup,” I nodded.

I could tell she had considered my offer for a second before she shook her head, “No! I said it’s a surprise so you’re gonna have to wait,” she got up and mounted her bike ready to take off, “And no amount of chocolates in the world will make me disclose what’s taking place tomorrow for our date.”

And just like that, my girlfriend took off without me, riding along the path.

“Hey! Wait for me!” I yelled after her.

I quickly got on my bike and peddled fast to try and catch up to her, she left me in the dust. When I finally caught up to her she was looking at something, intensely.

“Ichigo?”

She gestured towards an old couple, they were sitting in the café, laughing and smiling at something while eating ice cream. A smile made it to my face as I probably thought of the same thing she did.

“Is that gonna be us someday?” she asked in a quiet voice.

“Definitely,” I replied without hesitation.

We both shared a smile before exiting the park, “So where do I meet you tomorrow?”

“I’m picking you up,” Ichigo told me.

I raised my eyebrow, “You sure?”

“Yes!” she hissed.

“Whoa okay, just ‘cause last time we were gonna go out you spent an hour talking to my Mum,” I reminded her.

“That was a long time ago,” she scoffed.

“It was just yesterday,” I replied, matter-of-factly.

“Yeah, well 24 hours is a long time, it’s practically in the past,” she retorted, “But don’t worry I won’t spend an ‘hour’ talking to your Mum, I won’t even come inside I’ll wait in my car and text you when I’m outside then you can come yourself.”

“Thank you,” I nodded.

“Here I am being nice and giving you the Princess treatment, and instead of being appreciative and saying ‘Thank you’ you’re having a go at me,” she folded her arms.

“I’m not having a go, and thank you but I can come on my own,” I tell her.

She shrugged, “Fine, suit yourself.”

I chuckled as I watched her ride her bike before disappearing around the corner, I went home and went about the rest of my day, excited for the upcoming date.

As expected, Ichigo came to pick me up, and instead of coming inside she texted me and I went out to her instead.

“Hi,” I smiled.

“Hey, so you ready for our date?” she asked, the excitement practically radiating off of her.

“Yes!” I answered, mirroring her excitement.

“Let’s gooooooo!” she cheered.

We left my driveway and were soon on our way to… wherever the hell Ichigo was taking me, half an hour later the car rolled up in front of a pet store.

Ichigo got out and I followed suit, I watched as the car left us there before I turned to my girlfriend, “So where are we going?”

Ichigo held my hand and led me to the door of the pet store before walking in with me right behind her, she let my hand go for a few minutes before going to talk to the young guy behind the cash register.

“Okay, thank you,” Ichigo smiled before walking back to me.

For some reason I felt the need to wrap my arm around her and pull her closer, there was something about that guy.

“Kyo,” Ichigo’s small voice pulled me out of my trance, I turned to her smiling which she reciprocated.

“Let’s go,” she giggled before taking me to another small area more to the back.

I trusted her and entered the dark room, once we were fully in Ichigo turned on the light and what I saw before me made me feel as giddy as a small child.

“Puppies!” I squealed.

“Surprise!” Ichigo jumped up.

“What’s this?” I asked, surprised.

“THIS is our date, we’re gonna be spending the day with these cute little puppies, from bathing to feeding to playing,” Ichigo grinned.

“How did you do this?” I asked.

“Oh, the guy up front is my Dad’s friend’s son, I asked him to do this for me and bada bing bada boom,” she giggled.

“Thank you,” I bring her close and kiss her lips.

“Ooh I’d do more things like this if it’ll mean you’ll thank me like that,” she giggled.

“Cheeky,” I narrowed my eyes with a smile.

I followed Ichigo as she plopped down in the middle of the puppies, all the little fellas were running around and jumping on her for attention.

“Hi… oh my god Hi… hello cutie… oh my god you are so cute,” she talked to the puppies.

I stood there, leaning against the doorframe admiring my gorgeous girlfriend surrounded by cute puppies.

She was petting a golden-coloured puppy while a chocolate-brown one was sleeping in her lap, I took a picture or two and may or may not have turned them into my lock and home screen wallpapers, she looked so entranced by the puppies as if she was in her little bubble.

“Hey! What are you doing standing there?” she asked, finally taking notice of me.

I shook my head and walked over to her, as soon as I sat down a puppy jumped on me and started licking my face.

“Hey little guy,” I laughed.

“Girl,” Ichigo told me.

“What?” I laughed.

“It’s a girl,” she corrected.

“How do you know? Did you look?” I raised an eyebrow.

Ichigo’s face got red, “Well…”

“Ichigo! Even puppies have feelings you can’t look without asking you perv!”

“Perv?!” she repeated, shocked.

“Well yeah! You can’t be looking without asking,” I told her, stifling a smile.

“But she’s a girl so technically I CAN look,” I grinned.

Ichigo realised what she said and gave a confused look, “Never mind this conversation is taking a weird turn.”

I chuckled and followed Ichigo to another room where they were being cleaned, I turned to face the puppy I was holding, she was so cute in a golden colour with big round sparkly eyes.

“Hey, when you’re done with sparkles over there, brownie will need to be cleaned,” Ichigo told me while kissing a puppy on its nose.

“Sparkles? Brownie?”

“The one that you’re holding has sparkly eyes so Sparkles, and this chocolate one is Brownie,” Ichigo giggled.

“And what about that jumpy one behind you?” I gestured towards the one that was jumping to catch a butterfly.

“Hmm, either Springy or Skippy,” Ichigo picked up Springy/Skippy and cradled him close.

I rolled up my sleeves and picked up Sparkles giving her a gentle scrub before rinsing her off, Ichigo was sitting by with a towel but got splashed occasionally as the puppies shook themselves dry.

The rest of the day went off without a hitch and it was honestly the most perfect Date I could’ve ever thought of.

After the puppy date, we went out for dinner and dessert before I walked Ichigo back to her place.

“Do you… maybe wanna… come inside?” Ichigo asked.

“And… do what?” I smirked.

Ichigo gave me a look, “Okay fine, if that’s what you’re thinking then have fun walking home.”

She tried to go but I grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, she gently collided with my chest before looking away blushing, I gently held her chin between my thumb and forefinger and turned her head so she looked up at me, I planted a small kiss on her lips.

“So, do you want to come inside or…”

“Are your parents home?” I asked.

“Well actually that’s the best part, no one’s home because they all went to visit my grandparents and will be gone for a few days,” she grinned.

“Hang on, so they left without you?” I asked.

Ichigo shrugged and led me inside, we talked for a while in her room before I noticed Ichigo getting sleepy.

“Hey, I’ll see you tomorrow, okay,” I kissed her forehead.

“Wait, where are you going?” she asked.

“Home,” I chuckled.

“No, don’t go,” she shook her head.

“But I have to,”

“No! It’s late and it’s not safe, especially in my neighbourhood,” she told me.

“Ichigo…” I hesitated.

“Please,” she gave me her puppy eyes.

Oh god, there are only so many puppy eyes I can take in one day, “Fine.”

“Really?” she grinned.

“Yeah, I guess, I mean it is JUST one night,” I chuckled.

“Okay, I’ll take the sofa and you can take the bed,” Ichigo told me.

“No way! I’m not letting you sleep on the sofa in your own house, I’ll take the sofa and you can stay here,” I told her.

“Why don’t we both just take the bed?” Ichigo asked.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I mean, we’re both mature enough to share the bed, it’s not like we’re doing anything wrong,” she explained.

“Are you sure?” I ask.

Ichigo nodded, “100%”

She went to get changed while I took off my shirt so I was in my t-shirt luckily, I decided to ditch the jeans today and wear joggers instead, so I was comfortable. I sent a quick message to my Mum who replied with a thumbs up and a smirky face, I rolled my eyes at her childishness.

Two minutes later Ichigo came back wearing black leggings and an oversized t-shirt, her hair was plaited and hanging down her left shoulder, she turned on the lamp sitting on her bedside table, before turning the main light off.

We both got under the covers at the same time and were hesitant for a while, we lay down in silence which for the first time was a little awkward.

“Goodnight,” Ichigo smiled.

“Goodnight,” I nodded.

She turned the light off and shuffled for a few seconds before turning to me.

“C-can I… um… can I…? Never mind, goodnight,” Ichigo turned to face the other way.

I turned to face her before wrapping my arm around her and pulling her towards me, she turned to face me and snuggled her face in my chest. I stayed awake for a few minutes before I heard tiny snores, Ichigo was conked out, and before I knew it I was also out.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!”

I jumped up quicker than anything when I heard a loud voice, taking in my surroundings I remembered where I was and who was standing in front of me, looking vivid.

“Dad?” Ichigo was just as surprised as I was.

Shit!