Hopeless Romantic | ✔️

43| My Liege

That felt worse. It felt shitty right now, while he was buttoning up his shirt in my room. I'd asked him to stay the night, so we could head to his hometown of Colombus fairly early this morning. He was so excited, and I mean, so was I. Cause I really did want to see where Clay grew up, learn way more about him, even the stupid little details that might not seem to matter. They mattered to me. Intensely.

He was beaming buttoning his shirt. He could have left the shirt off, but then I think we wouldn't have been able to leave for a while. And no, not in an ultra-sexual way, cause we still weren't quite there. We were ... closer in that realm, but the big bang still hadn't happened yet, and I wasn't exactly rushing into it. Despite his abs staring me in the face every time he stayed over. Cause damn.

He ruffled his hair, looking at himself in the mirror while I sat on the bed, watching him. My phone was buzzing at my side because Alex and Ethan were texting in the group chat rapidly, discussing Christmas plans. Never too early to plan which matching pajama set from Amazon we were all going to purchase and wear on Christmas Eve. I would have been partaking in the conversation more if:

A) I wasn't so engrossed in Clay swiping his hands through his hair, and

B) I could think about anything other than today's agenda.

Clay looked over at me. "I'm so excited. I think you'll really like Colombus. It's even better than Atlanta."

"What's on the itinerary?"

"I have some places I used to go a lot that I want to take you. There's the downtown area, which I absolutely love, and it has the best sandwich place. I used to eat so many sandwiches before and after volleyball," Clay said. "And then there's my old house, and I can take you by the school just for old times sake, and the beach we used to party at. I'll also drive by Noah's place, so you can see how huge and wonderful it is."

"Sounds perfect to me," I said, standing up. I tucked my phone into my pocket, ignoring the insane buzzing. I was gonna have to put that on do not disturb. "I've got the road trip playlist, it's the best thing you'll ever listen to. Whenever you're ready."

"I'm ready now!" Clay exclaimed, his features glowing. Really, every part of him glowing. He must have been really concealing any anxiety he felt, or maybe there wasn't any there. "I need coffee, though. I know it may not seem like it because of all the energy bursting out of me, but seriously, I am in need."

"You didn't even need to speak, and I would have stopped by the café," I said, grinning.

Clay sighed happily, doing a little hop while he walked over to join me, so we could leave. "Alex would be so proud of us! We'll send her a selfie when we have our coffee!"

"Absolutely," I agreed, taking his hand in mine.

✿✿✿

Coffee number 4 commenced when we were finally in Columbus, and Clay took me downtown, to the café he used to go to during off hours in high school, and with his friends.

"So funny story," he said as we left the café, passing through the outdoor seating out front, "this is where Noah would come to study a bunch. And this is the exact table," he pointed to the table we stopped beside, "where Logan dumped coffee onto his textbook. And shirt."

"Oh my god, seriously?" I said. "Textbooks are expensive."

"He was so pissed, but I guess it all paid off anyway," Clay said, and we resumed walking.

"I guess true love can't put a price on a textbook," I said, sighing.

"Someone needs to put that on a t-shirt!" Clay exclaimed.