|
|
Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 17:59:53 GMT -5
Roland couldn't quite help smiling a little wider. "Yes," he answered. "Riley made me dinner last night. We watched a movie, too."
And they'd done a little more than that, but he was not going to admit to that. And yet, there was a part of him that wanted to tell his mother. As much as he'd been set against this in the beginning, he had now surrendered to it completely. If only Riley would do the same. But until she did, he didn't really want to get his mother's hopes up too much.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 18:03:53 GMT -5
Cara's own lips spread into a wide smile. "She made you dinner," she repeated. "At your apartment or hers? And what movie did you watch?"
Roland couldn't give her little pieces like that and expect her not to ask for details. Movies were important. She would have bounced off walls if he told her the title of some romance, but she would try and keep it in.
Then, she got a serious look on her face. "Does she know how to cook?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 18:09:00 GMT -5
Roland shook his head in amusement. Of course she would have to have the details. To him, the details weren't that important, so he had no trouble responding.
"Her apartment. We watched Vertigo."
He almost laughed out loud at her last question. Of course that would be important to his mother. She probably would discourage any relationship with her if Riley couldn't cook. "She can cook. Although she's only ever made me pasta," he said, unwittingly admitting that she had cooked for him more than once.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 18:14:27 GMT -5
"Vertigo?" Cara asked, her nose wrinkling. That wasn't a very romantic movie. "Isn't that a scary movie?" She recalled him saying that he liked it once, and she wondered if it was his choice to watch it, but decided not to ask this.
It took a moment for the implication of his next answer to hit her, and she just stared at him hard for a minute. She wasn't even pretending to work on lunch.
"How many times has Riley cooked for you?" She asked slowly, after a minute. "And how long ago did this start?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 18:22:51 GMT -5
He shrugged. "She likes scary movies," he said. "It was either that or something called Carnival of Blood."
As he realized what he'd accidentally revealed to her, he sighed. He hadn't intended to tell her that they'd had dinner together on more than one occasion.
"Just one other time," he said. "It was a few weeks ago... we were fighting pretty badly, and she made me dinner as a peace offering. It's really not a big deal."
|
|
|
|
Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 18:29:05 GMT -5
"What?" Carnival of Blood... Liam mentioned liking that movie. She remembered that because Liam rarely ever said anything. But it sounded... well... bloody.
The look on her face was a little perplexed, as if she couldn't tell if Roland was lying to her or not. If it weren't for the fact that Roland was too serious to play a prank like that on her, she would have thought he was joking. She just didn't see Riley watching a bloody movie... but what did she know? Roland would know her better than Cara did.
"Was last night a peace offering?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 19:12:10 GMT -5
He honestly could have burst out laughing at the look on his mother's face. Clearly, she thought Riley's penchant for scary movies was as odd, too. He didn't feel the need to elaborate, however. Just because he had his theories, didn't mean his mother needed to know about them. After all, if he mentioned that he knew Riley had nightmares, she would definitely get the wrong impression.
"Last night... no. It was just... I don't know. We were talking and she invited me over."
|
|
|
|
Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 19:24:03 GMT -5
Cara shook her head a little, but decided not to press anything too deeply. She didn't want Roland to shut down and stop talking to her.
"And that's why you're in such a good mood today," she reasoned. Leave it to love. Then, she grinned a little conspiratorily. "Did you kiss her?" She asked, genuinely curious. If anything else happened, Cara really didn't think she wanted to know, and just hoped Roland would say yes to this question and leave it well enough alone.
|
|
|
|
Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 22:29:31 GMT -5
Roland simply smiled. He wasn't sure if he wanted to answer this question just yet. It felt odd to be talking about such things with his mother. And yet, the smile on his face was really all the answer she needed.
"Weren't you going to make lunch?" he inquired lightly. "And where did Dad get to?"
He got up from the table and went over to the refrigerator to get something to drink. "Want a drink? Water, or juice?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 22:37:06 GMT -5
"Roland!" Cara said, half tempted to close the refridgerator door on him. "You kissed her! I knew you liked her!"
She loved the look on Roland's face, and the easy way he mysteriously changed the topic to avoid answering her question. He just seemed relaxed and happy, and if it was because of Riley, how could that be a bad thing?
She wanted to ask a thousand more questions, but Roland made her promise not to push. "Tell you what... you keep answering questions, and I'll make food. When are you having dinner again?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 22:46:29 GMT -5
Roland kept his face hidden while he dug through the refrigerator and pulled out a water pitcher. But as he straightened back up, he looked over his shoulder at her, a sly smile on his face. "Yeah. I kissed her. It wasn't the first time, either."
He took a deep breath and turned fully around to face her. "I more than like her, Mum. I think... I think I'm in love with her."
Merlin, it felt good to say those words aloud. His whole face had transformed and he looked rather like a little kid at Christmas.
"I know... I know I gave you a hard time about it. I was scared. But I can't fight it anymore. The thing is... she doesn't feel the same way. Not yet, anyway. She's actually seeing someone else."
|
|
|
|
Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 22:59:28 GMT -5
Cara almost squealed and felt rather childish for it, putting a hand over her mouth. She never imagined that Roland would share so much with her, and it thrilled her to no end that she was right. She knew she hadn't lost her matchmaking abilities. She wasn't going to gush, though. He would shut down.
His next words made her frown though, and she considered her words before saying, "Sweetheart... you've kissed more than once. How on earth can she possibly not like you or love you? But I will be honest... I don't like that she's more or less cheating on this other guy with you. And yes, kissing counts."
|
|
|
|
Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 23:07:23 GMT -5
Roland poured himself a glass of water, then came back over to the table to sit down. Measuring his words carefully, he looked up at her. "It's not really like that. I mean... She's barely going out with the other guy. They only went out a couple of times, and to be honest, I think she's kissed me more times than she's kissed him. I think she's just afraid. I mean... you do know I'm not exactly the easiest guy in the world to deal with. I'm moody... I've kind of dragged her through the wringer a bit. I don't mean to... at first we clashed over work, and then over... other things... And when I first started to realize I was having feelings for her, I was so freaked out... I just acted like more of a jerk. I really can't blame her for thinking maybe she's better off with this other guy."
|
|
|
|
Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 23:22:17 GMT -5
Cara frowned, but came and joined him at the table. "I don't know. I still don't like it. She's going to have to make her mind up eventually."
As if just considering it, she waved her wand behind her, and something started to cook itself. She found this so much more interesting than hand making lunch.
"And I'm a little surprised at you... that you're content with being 'the other woman.' Well, you know what I mean. So she's not really seeing either of you?"
Cara was just trying to understand at this point... if Riley was playing the field, maybe she had misjudged the girl. But Roland said it wasn't like that, and he seemed okay with it, so she would have to take his word for it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 23:35:42 GMT -5
Roland smiled and reached out to grip his mother's hands. "I know. I appreciate your concern. And I think she will make a choice soon. It's just... I have to work on her a little. She's scared. He's safe, you know? I'm passionate, I'm intense and scary. But I have honestly never felt anything like this, Mum. I think about her constantly, I notice everything about her... It's just going to take a little time to convince her that we could be good together. Right now, I think she's in denial about what's between us. I understand that, because I was the same way."
|
|
|
|
Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 28, 2009 23:47:32 GMT -5
"You're not scary. Passionate and intense, yes. Scary, no. And I'm not just saying that because I'm your mother."
But passion and intensity was good, wasn't it? It would be a lot more fun than being someone who was boring and lacked those things.
And it hit her then that Riley and Roland were still very young, and knowing someone felt that strongly for you could be very scary... she could understand.
"Well, if she keeps coming back to kiss you, I'd take that as a good sign, Roland."
|
|
|
|
Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 29, 2009 0:00:09 GMT -5
Roland leaned back in his chair, his smile faded but not vanished. "I can be scary," he said. "Not to her... I mean, I'd never hurt her, and I'm pretty sure she knows that. But I think she might be afraid I'd break her heart. I'm not..." He sighed and trailed off. No, he couldn't admit to her that he'd been with other women before. That was just something a mother did not need to know about her son.
"I wouldn't, though," he finished, stopping to take a drink of water.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 29, 2009 0:07:52 GMT -5
"You don't think you would," Cara said. "And I believe you... but sometimes, things happen. Sometimes you can break someone's heart and never even mean to. I think that's what she's afraid of... not that you would do it intentionally. It kind of scares me a little that you're in love with her."
Yes, she had been hoping for it, but Roland pretty much admitted he was in deep, and if Riley didn't feel the same, that meant her son was being set up for heartbreak, and she couldn't have that.
|
|
|
|
Post by Roland Ferrera on Mar 29, 2009 0:20:04 GMT -5
"I was scared at first. Terrified, actually," he admitted. "You know how I am... I like to be in control. But when you're in love... you lose control. That's why I always said I didn't want this... I didn't want to lose control. But I was already in it up to my neck before I realized what I was feeling, and it scared the hell out of me. I tried to fight it, but... I guess some things you just can't fight, you know?"
He looked at her, and his expression turned serious. "But, look. I don't want you to worry. I think I'm starting to make progress with her. I'm willing to take it slowly and be patient with her, and show her what a great guy I can be."
|
|
|
|
Post by Cara Ferrera on Mar 29, 2009 0:36:34 GMT -5
Cara just stared at her son for a long while, processing what he was telling her. The way he was talking, he really was in love, and she was so happy for him. But she was worried, too, no matter how much he told her not to be. He was being very mature if he was as willing to work through her issues as much as he said he was, and it made her proud and broke her heart at the same time.
"You kissed her at dinner, didn't you? Not last night, I mean Christmas dinner. You had to."
|
|
