Pancakes and Paper Planes || ✔ || Under Revision

5|Paparazzi and Paninis

Nick picks me up at 5:30 pm. He pulls up outside the door in his silver Mercedes Bentley and steps out of the car. He wears a white and black checkered button-up shirt over a white tank top, black jeans with the cuffs rolled, and a pair of Air Jordans. His outfit somehow goes together perfectly and makes me feel overdressed at the same time.

I am wearing a knee-length dark blue dress that is strapless with a cream colored sash. My brown hair is in a half-up do with the remainder in curls that felt hot on my back. Thanks, Alex, for suggesting I dress up for a movie date. It's not like this is a premiere. There will be normal people there.

"Hey, Micah!" Nick calls out, bounding up the front steps to me. He stops just a few feet away from me, a huge grin on his face. "You look beautiful."

I blush deeply.

"I know I never mentioned this," he adds, scratching the back of his neck, "but I have reservations for dinner in 20 minutes at The Panini. I hope you don't mind? " He raises his eyebrows as if it was an accident, but the fact that I know it was planned makes me feel special for some reason. Calm down, Micah, I tell myself. It's not like I'm the only girl he's ever asked out.

"Sure, I'm perfectly open to whatever you want to go do," I say, probably sounding a little too enthusiastic. "I like your outfit too." I give him a big grin, then quickly turn red.

"Thank you," he says, beaming. "I like yours too. Blue is definitely your color." I look up to see if he's joking, but his face is quite serious.

I smile again.

"So, Mikes." He pauses. "Can I call you that?"

"Yes, you may," I reply, nodding. He already did at the party. Then I whisper, "It's better than my mother's nicknames." 

He laughs, then turns and leads me back down the steps to the car. He opens the door for me, and I slide into the passenger seat.

"Does she call you sweetling?" he asks, chuckling slightly as he sits down in the driver's seat. Pushing the key into the ignition, he turns it to the right and the engine rumbles to life.

"Yes, and I hate it," I reply as we pull out of the circular driveway. "Does Jaimie call you that?"

"Hell, yes," he says, rolling his eyes, then grinning at me again. "She talks to me in the same way she does to my 4-year-old brother. I'm glad I go to school near my dad. My mom drives me crazy."

"I'd never thought I'd find a person who feels the same way. But I guess I just did," I say, even though it makes me feel really cheesy. You should sound more sophisticated, I chastise myself. How come Nick sounds so good no matter what he says?

"I think we're more alike than we realize," Nick replies, winking.

I glance over at him. "You really think so?"

"Our moms are best friends," he says, nodding. "I'm sure they trade tips." He smiles, and I laugh.

Before I know it, we pull up The Panini, a high class but relatively inexpensive restaurant. I stare in awe at the glittering neon lights. My mother rarely takes me to fancy restaurants, which is just fine by me. Sometimes I think she gets just as annoyed at the paps as I do.

"You got us a valet?" I ask, surprised as Nick hands the shiny keys to a tall man in a blue uniform.

"Of course, I'm Nick Garner. I can do anything." He gives me a sly smile.

Suddenly, there is a flash of light. It's from a camera. Shit. Nick holds his hand up to block us from the paparazzi.

"Excuse me," says an oddly familiar voice, "I believe you are Mr. Nicolas Garner. May I ask you a few questions?" I stare in horror as I recognize that butterfly pin lady from the B&C Party who wrote that article about me being a liar. What was her name again? Rena, Rani, Reno? Whatever it was, I didn't like her and she wasn't going to spread any more lies about me or my family and friends.