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The thought of driving around with a box full of escaped bugs lurking somewhere under the seat was both horrifying and hilarious.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really sorry, Samira,\u201d he said, his grin fading into something more genuine. \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to scare you. I just didn\u2019t know what else to do. The gecko, Samson, is actually my little brother\u2019s pet. And as wacky as it is, that kid loves it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo judgment here,\u201d I replied. \u201cI had a pet frog for a solid two weeks as a kid until my mother found it bouncing around my room.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was enough to set us both off again. We laughed until tears ran down our faces.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me make it up to you,\u201d he blurted out suddenly. \u201cHow about I take you out for a coffee? As an apology for the\u2026 bug thing?\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him, caught off guard by the sudden offer. I hadn\u2019t expected any of this. But at the same time, I felt like I was in one of the romance stories that I wrote.<\/p>\n
There was just something about the way he asked, something genuine and a little bit hopeful.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2026 um,\u201d I started to say. \u201cSure, why not?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat!\u201d he said, his face lighting up. \u201cI know a place not too far away from here. Would you like to go now?\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed at his enthusiasm.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow about you take me to a car wash to wash away any bugs and my paranoia, and then we can grab a coffee?\u201d I asked, half-joking, half-serious.<\/p>\n
\u201cActually, that\u2019s the least I can do,\u201d he said. \u201cCome on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ben put the box of insects in his truck and locked the door. I threw my keys at him, which he caught perfectly.<\/p>\n
As we drove to the car wash, Ben told me all about his little brother, who was living with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a big age gap between us,\u201d he said. \u201cBut there\u2019s a really good school two roads away from me. So he\u2019s enrolled there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s wonderful,\u201d I said, watching his hands on the steering wheel. \u201cI wish I had a younger sibling to keep me on the straight and narrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
When we got to the car wash, Ben ensured that we would take the full package.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive her a good wash, guys,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
We went for coffee while the car was being attended to.<\/p>\n
And I wondered what was going to happen next\u2026<\/p>\n
What would you have done?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"