Punch, Cut, Kiss

PCK Chapter 24

He closed my door and I watched him walk to the other side of the car. I buckled my seatbelt as he slid in. He started the car and we drove in the direction of Max's house.

I tried to think of something to say, but I was so nervous I thought my voice would shake. I'd never been on a real date before.

"Can I pull in the driveway?" he asked. I nodded. He pulled in and shut the car off. I opened my door, but he leaned over and pulled it closed. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Where are we going?" I countered. My voice didn't shake. It sounded normal.

"It's a surprise. I can tell you that we will be one hundred percent safe there, though," he said.

My eyes were looking at the house the whole time. "Why'd we come here?" I asked.

Nick sighed. "Kyler, what's wrong?"

I shrugged. Why did I just get so nervous? "I've never been on a real date before," I said. I bit my lip and waited on his reply.

He turned my head to face him. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but what exactly are you and Max?"

"Best friends," I said honestly. "We aren't together."

Nick looked relieved. "Then, why do you act like that at school?"

"Max is going to have to tell you. It's not my place."

Nick was silent for a moment. He laughed then. I looked at him startled. "That's great," he said with a grin on his face. "I didn't know what to think when you gave me your homework today. I was so happy, but I felt bad for Max. Then, when you told me he knew, I felt so awful."

I bit my lip. That was my fault. An image flashed into my mind for a second, I pushed it away. No, I stopped cutting. I was stronger than that.

Nick grabbed my hand, lacing out fingers together. "Last night, the mall, that first day at the park, Kye, those were all dates. To me at least. I don't want you to feel nervous around me. I don't want you to feel scared or sad. I just want you to be happy," he paused. "All the time."

I smiled down at my lap. "So," I said, looking back in his brown eyes. "Shall I give you the grand tour?" Nick smiled.

We got out of the car and I realized Nick hadn't answered one of my questions. "Why are we here exactly?" I asked again.

"Well," he started, watching me unlock the door. "I need to change, and you can't go where we're going dressed like that," he said, flicking the hem of my dress.

"What's wrong with it?" I asked him. I was a strapless black dress over top of a white long sleeved shirt. I thought it was cute. Max allowed me to wear it, so it had to look okay.

"Kyler, will you be my girlfriend?" Nick said abruptly, as I opened the door and led him over the threshold.

I scoffed at him. "Not if you ask like that."

"Why not? I didn't say anything wrong," he said.

I walked away from him and up the stairs. "That first time you said you would have asked me was perfect. That was just... so, not you," I said.

"What happened to the grand tour?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Well, downstairs was the living room, kitchen, and there is a bathroom and a Max's dad's study. These are the stairs," I said, pointing to the step I was on. I walked up the stairs a little further. "That's the bathroom Max and I share. That's the guest room, and this," I said, opening the door to Max's room. "Is Max's room. "