Southern Boy Charm | ✓

Chapter 40

"Nothing?" he asked skeptically. "Is this some type of prank?"

"No, I actually don't mind listening to country today." He lightly pinches the skin of my arm, and I slapped his hand away.

"Sorry, I'm just trying to wake up the real Leighton, because there is no way that you want to listen to country music."

"Hey, give me some credit! I used to listen to your country music all of last summer."

"Yeah, but ever since you came here, you have been an adamant hater of the genre. It's like country music traumatized you."

"Well, consider tonight an exception. I'm feeling in a reminiscent mood, so the music can stay." He looked up at me, his eyes bright and hopeful.

"I'm feeling the same way."

He rolled the windows down, and as the cool night air rushed through the car, cooling my flushed skin, I was taken back to the first roads of the ranch; Back to the feeling of when my hands were in his, and despite all the hurt he had caused me, there was no one else that I would rather give the opportunity to break my heart to. But trying to recreate the old scene was like trying to imagine a caterpillar from the image of a butterfly. Too much had changed. Too much time had passed.

When we arrived at the restaurant, I soon learned why the food was so expensive. Looking at the building, the beautiful vines draped over detailed limestone bricks, Francisco's seemed like a cottage straight out of the italian countryside. When the valet in front saw Nick's car, his eyebrows raised. I was sure that he didn't see many cars like his here often. However, despite the slight rust and a few scratches, Nick's car was my favorite.

After checking our reservation, the hostess led us to a secluded booth in the corner near the window. When she left, Nick turned towards me.

"I'm pretty sure that this menu contains no English whatsoever." When I looked down, I realized that he was right. It was all Italian, and most of the dishes I had never heard of.

"Regardless, we are on a singular mission. We have to try their chicken alfredo. Everyone says that it's amazing."

He nodded his head. "Sounds good to me."

"Unless you think that's too basic? Do you think that we should try something new?" It would suck to come all the way to the same restaurant and only try one thing."

Nick shook his head at me. "You are the most indecisive person I know. How about I order a different plate, you order chicken alfredo, and we can share."

"Have I ever told you how smart you are?"

He smiled and told the waitress our order. As we waited for our food, a new set of tension enveloped over us. For once, I didn't know what to say. Usually, I would just spew some random story about my class or my friend, but now, I didn't want to say just anything to him. There was so much that I wanted to say, but those words were even unknown to me.

He broke the silence. "Do you remember our first date?"

My excitement instantly built at the memory. I wanted so badly for the night to go perfectly, and for the first time in my life, it was a day that actually lived up to my expectations.

"You took me to that small Italian restaurant. It had the best food. I bet that even if this pasta is amazing, it would pale in comparison to theirs."

He laughed. "When you come back we'll have to do a fair comparison." My heart grew at his words. When I come back, not if. It felt so nice to know that Nick and I weren't just temporary. Having him in my life as a friend has made him a permanent fixture in my life, and one that I can't go without. Just the idea of endangering that bond, the idea of potentially losing him in the pursuit of trying to make us something more, is scarier that the thought of missing my psych final.