gold rush ♬ {𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐮𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐲}

viii. physical touch

Tristan opens the door for Emma and she smiles as a thank you.

"Goodbye, grandma."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Gilmore."

"Bye, bye."

And the silver car disappeared off the driveway. Emma looked at Tristan in awe. He was nice, polite and looked really nice in that dark blue shirt. She was wearing a brown skirt, a beige top and a leather blazer.

"How do you know my grandma?"

"I like tea parties." He answered innocently. "Did she agree to the concert?"

"Yes, they're even coming."

"Wow. Emily and Richard Gilmore listening to punk-rock music isn't something I ever thought I'd see."

"Neither did I." She adjusts the seat and checks herself in the review mirror. "So, where are we going?"

"Open that compartment and take out the folded papers."

When she looks at the words on the papers her smile got brighter.

"This is a list and a map of a bunch of bookstores in New York. Wait. Are we going to New York?"

"Yes. We're getting there around noon and we'll be back before dinner time. If you'd like that."

"Thank you so much." The traffic lights turned red and Emma grabbed his face and kissed him. "This is the happiest I felt since my mother gave me my first guitar!"

"So am I." The traffic lights turned green. On contrast, Tristan was blushing.

"I brought CD's." She pulled a couple CD cases from her bag.

"Of course you did." He smiled.

"Yes. I had to expose you to good music." She inserts the CD into the CD player. "You really need this."

The car ride flew by. Emma felt as if she was literally flying. It was the perfect romantic fantasy she had in her head.

Tristan listened to every song and to every words she said. He was amazed. How could a human being be so fascinating and beautiful like her? He would ask himself that repeatedly.

At lunch, they ate hot dogs in a bench in Washington Park.

"Tell me about yourself. I feel like i've been talking non-stop. I think it's because i'm nervous."

"Don't be nervous. I love to hear you talk. It's enchanting." That made her blush. "What do you wanna know?"

"I don't know." She shrugged her shoulders. "What's your family like?"

"Uh. That's a fun topic. My mother is a sweet woman who fell for a cold dickhead of a man. I've asked her to divorce him many times, but she always reacts as if i'm talking about an unforgivable sin. My father is not that bad as a father, he's very flawed and very absent and very very very rigid, but he loves me in his way. My grandparents are my safe space. That's why I go to many of my grandma's tea parties." The callback lighted the mood, which of extremely needed. "You should come with me to one. It's actually fun."

"I'll think about that. What about your grandfather?"

"He's in the hospital right now. He had a heart-attack in September, fell down the stairs and broke his back."

"Oh. I'm so sorry. Is he recovering?"

"A little. I think."

"Do you ever visit him?"

"Every odd day."

"Today is an odd day..."

"I visited him before picking you up. He wished me good luck for our date."