Blindsided

Part 23

"Mel, I'm going to sound like an idiot saying this, but I want to hang out with you. I know, you can check my pulse if you want, but take this as my treat." she only looks slightly stunned as I cut her off, my spare hand shoving itself into my pocket, unable to think of anything else to do with it.

"Okay fine, but tell me where we're going." she rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest as she leans on the same side as the doorway as me. Stay calm, stay calm.

"No."

"I'm not going unless you tell me." 

"Can't I surprise you?" she scoffs, biting back another smile as she shakes her head.

"No, I fucking hate surprises, you should know this by now, Whitlock."

"Okay fine, I'll tell you. But, only because it'll get you there," I don't miss the small smile that crosses her lips for a split second. "A strawberry farm, around 45 minutes from here. So, hurry up, and let's go." her eyes light up, a different, much wider smile broadening against her lips. 

"Wow, you are such a suck-up, enabling me with my favorite food. Do you have an ulterior motive? Like, did coach say they were getting rid of one captain, so you're going to take me to a remote farm and kill me, burying the body underneath a strawberry patch?" I roll my eyes, mirroring her movements so my head leans against the doorway. In this position, our faces are only a few inches apart, the air between us suddenly thins. The general noise of the hallway quietens and time seems to stop, as our eyes flick all over each other. 

"Why are you staring at me?" she whispers, the forcefield around us staying in tact.

"Because." my lips barely move, my whisper barely heard.

"Because why?"

"Because, do you have anything better to do than spend a day with me?" I deflect her question, knowing if I let myself think about the answer, I'd crumble at this very second.

"No, not really. All my friends have classes, meaning this is the first time I've been alone for the last few months. But I don't do change well, so... I'm lonely." Melanie giggles, a sound I'd missed greatly during the last two weeks.

"Then let's go."

"I'm still in my pyjama's, I need to get changed. And, don't give me the whole 'why are you still in your pyjama's, it's literally the middle of the day' because I'll have you know, I woke up an hour ago, and I am in fact lazy." It's my turn to laugh, and I take a step back from the door as she smiles at me. God, her smile could light up an entire fucking city.

"Great. I'll be back in 5." I smile sarcastically, taking another step back from the door as she slams it in my face.

Chuckling to myself, I take the steep stairs two at a time, a new sense of energy flooding over me.

Today's going to be perfect, I can just feel it.

...

I can't stop looking over at her. Watching every single part of her as she rattles around in the passenger seat of my car, opening every little compartment regardless of whatever privacy I have left. Seriously, I don't know how we haven't crashed yet, the way I seem to be looking at her more often than the road.

"It's good luck, I know it is." She taps the strawberry print of her socks, the ones she picked out especially for today. She's such a dork, not that I'm complaining though.

"Good luck for what?" Unwarrented, Melanie's been arguing her case for why her socks are a lucky charm, for which reason I'm still unsure of.

"Strawberries. God Whitlock, keep up will you?"