The things we do for love

 Cori was a little concerned. When he first looked in the crowd for Megan, she wasn't there. He thought she would have been with Caitlin, but she was with her co-worker friend Dylan. Actually, Cori thought he might get sick if Megan wasn't there, but he managed to keep going. Cori couldn't let Melvin down.

Finally, Cori saw her in the crowd. She was the only one that mattered. He was happy she was there. She always made him feel at ease.

Afterward, they met up and she brought him some of his favorite snacks as if he needed to recover from the night. He hoped she would join them back at the pizzeria when they loaded up the equipment.

"Oh, I will," she smiled that's when she mentioned her new ride. Cori thought he might pass out with ...maybe it was jealousy or the fact she didn't want to go with him in Tommy's van. But he couldn't say it then.

Naturally, he remembered the Amazon gift cards she kept getting and now the Vespa. What the hell was going on? What was she doing to make this kind of gift-giving to happen? In his head, he threw a fit, but he road in silence back to Melvin's.

Seriously, he didn't know what to say. Of course, he didn't like it. Someone bought his girlfriend a Vespa.

And she was saying things like, "Oh, it really isn't that cold to ride a scooter."

He only winced and did his best to listen, but in his heart, he was so mad and wondering how did such a thing happen.

"Oh, don't be like this," Megan's smile was cute as she held both his hands. She hugged him as if she could fall asleep on him in an instant. This made him happy yet troubled him too.

"You said..it was a gift?"

Megan nodded with a smile as if they were all by their lonesome even in the warm lights of the pizzeria where everyone was eating pizza and having beer.

"But-"

"Garth's like a big brother I never had," she said. Cori only winced with a sigh, thinking where had he heard that line before. Was it in a song? He hugged her back, trying not to give himself away as the jealous sort. After all, they'd be in the same bed tonight. He didn't need to know. Did he?

Well, of course, he wanted every little answer, but she was avoiding it like it might give them both COVID.

"Let's go home," Megan said as if this was no place to discuss the gift giver or even the scooter. Cori sighed. "Let's take a shower while we have the whole place to ourselves." Oh, she could be devilish, and she did make him smile. Naturally, she led the way. He was beginning to think she was the one who was fearless and wanted him to be at her side.

Cori didn't mind getting on the back of a pink Vespa and holding on to her for dear life as she drove into the night.