Chasing Ghosts | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 110: Daylight

''Ready to go?'' Brooklyn asked with a tilt of her head when Maya came back, her hands patiently clasped in front of her. She did look really pretty, and Maya had to recover a second time.

''Still not telling me where you're taking me?'' The redhead tried, pulling her shoes and coat on and locking the door behind them.

Brooklyn smiled mischievously. ''No. But you'll love it.''

''You sound very sure.''

''I am. I know you'll like what I picked.'' Her eyes twinkled as she opened the passenger's seat door for Maya.

Her confidence was both attractive and a bit unnerving. Did she really already know Maya well enough to be so sure of her choice? If so, that was another big green flag, because it meant she had paid attention to her likes and dislikes.

''I'm curious,'' Maya admitted with a small laugh.

Brooklyn winked. Winked. ''I know you are.''

Carefully, she closed Maya's door and then got behind the wheel herself. The actions of connecting her phone to the radio, starting the engine, and checking her mirrors distracted her enough not to notice the blush on Maya's cheeks. Oblivious, she reversed out of the driveway. Or, well, that was the plan.

''Whoops.'' She grinned sheepishly when the car rolled forward instead, pushing the gear into reverse. ''I'm not the best driver.''

Maya wasn't sure why that surprised her. Brooklyn looked like one of those people who was good at everything. Socializing, sports, school. ''Is this safe?'' She joked, making a point of grabbing the grab handle on the roof.

''I drive safely,'' Brooklyn defended herself, playfully offended. ''I just hit a curb every now and then.''

''Okay, okay.'' Maya chuckled, letting her hand fall down. For a second she feared Brooklyn may reverse the car into the lake, but she turned it onto the road smoothly and officially took off towards their destination.

The air between them felt slightly different. Not bad. New. To be explored again. The bantering was familiar, but it was filled with some nerves from both sides.

As the trees rushed by, Maya decided to quit thinking and worrying about where they were going and enjoy the drive, letting the music wash over her. Once Brooklyn had left their street, she started talking.

''How was your game this morning? I know you lost, but...''

The blonde shrugged lightly, an easy smile on her face. ''We just weren't on it today. It happens. Think I was a bit distracted.'' One quick glance to the seat beside her betrayed why she'd been distracted. ''My dad made fun of me.''

Maya felt blood rush to her cheeks. So she wasn't the only one finding this all a bit exciting. Since Brooklyn had been in a relationship before, somehow she thought she'd be less bothered by it, but it felt assuring to know that wasn't true.

"He knows what we're doing?''

''He was the one constantly asking me when I would ask you out." Brooklyn playfully rolled her eyes. "He likes you."

Now that was very flattering. Maya charmed the dad and she didn't even try hard doing it. But she was happy she had, because even though his opinion of her wouldn't have stopped her from dating his daughter, it felt good to have approval.

''How was your game?'' Brooklyn asked in return, already smiling because she knew where this would go. They had been texting last night and this morning.

Maya let out a laugh, thinking back to how the heavens had opened up and dumped swimming pools of water on her head and the school's poor soccer field. ''Rainy and slippery. I don't think I've ever been that covered in mud. I looked like a dog. The floor of the showers was so black it looked like a pit to hell or something.''