Teach me to trust

9. Distracted

I tried not to worry myself with what I would wear. I was a hot mess this morning and Nate still clearly found me attractive. I slip my shoes on to my feet and grab my coat, Nate standing patiently beside me as I do so.

We step out of the front door, and I turn to lock it, jiggling the handle a few times just to make sure, when I turn around and stop.

"Uh, my car isn't here" and his head turns slowly to look at me.

"Are you telling me it should be here? As in it's been stolen?" he seems confused, just on the brink of concerned.

"I left it at the bar last night. I forgot" I laugh as I say it, of course, in my desperate rush to get out of there I abandoned my car.

"Okay, I'll just call a taxi then, we'll go and pick it up" and he pulls his phone out before I even open my mouth to respond.

I keep a watchful eye out for the over enthusiastic guy down the street, hoping that he doesn't decide to make an appearance as I'm stood here with my overnight guest. My excuse for rejecting his many date offers is that I'm 'not really looking for any romantic connections right now', and I don't want him to catch me in that blatant lie.

The taxi pulls up just as I think I see some movement down the street, potentially him, or someone completely unrelated, and I'm just paranoid.

Nate opens the door for me, and steps around to the other side of the car.

"Bull's Head please" he says to the driver, and leans back in his seat, pulling his phone out.

I turn my head to look out of the window, it's always nice being able to look around on a typical journey, not used to being able to take in the sights when I'm driving.

I recognise the turn onto the street with the bar on and grab my bag from the floor in front of me, I always have an irrational fear that I won't get out of a taxi fast enough.

I hold my card up to the driver as he pulls in, tapping it on the machine and looking over to Nate, but it seems as though something has him busy on his phone, not having noticed the car has stopped.

"Nate, we're here" I say and open my door, saying thanks to the driver and stepping out.

Don't overthink it.

I hear the other door of the car shut and I head over to my car, assuming Nate will be following, if he still wants to get something to eat, and unlock it, leaning in to throw my bag on the backseat.

Nate sits himself down in my passenger seat, and tells me his address, face concentrated back on his phone. I sigh, pulling up maps on my phone and typing in the address, unsure of what exactly is going on.

It only takes me 10 minutes to get to his house, and I open my mouth to ask him if he wants me to wait here, but he's already out of the car and on the pavement before I can.

I pick my phone up, turning maps off and leaning back in my seat. I refuse to chase after him to ask what he wants me to do. If he wants me to follow him in, he can come back and tell me.

But he doesn't, as I see his front door swing shut.

I pull up my messages, going to text Keira to see how she is, if she wants to make plans for some time this week, when I see a new chat at the top, with Nate's name saved as the contact.

I never got his number.

I click on the message, having seen that he's texted himself with a smiley face, presumably so he can save my number to his phone. When did he find the time?

About 15 minutes pass while I sit outside, no text from him explaining what exactly I'm waiting for and he didn't stop to invite me inside, and I become irritated. Not just at him but myself too.