Nina Cox Must Date

Chapter 19 - Nash

"Stop smiling," I said, annoyed at Taylor, who was sitting across from me during breakfast, unable to stop staring. "Stop grinning, Taylor! This isn't funny."

"You're right, it isn't funny. It's exciting!"

"I don't share your view. I'm doing this because he put me on the spot. I'm still mourning Brendan."

"With whom you only had one date and who is moving to the other side of the world. This is a new chance for you, Nina."

I ignored Taylor's hurtful yet true words and returned my focus to my coffee. Nash had asked me on a date right after his team won the Halo World Championships for the third time. During an interview, he had publicly asked me out, and everyone was watching, waiting for my response. After surviving seven unlucky dates, what is one more?

I glanced at Taylor for support, but he nodded at Nash, encouraging me. Evan tried to hide a smile. I ended up saying yes, even though I should have said no. Now, I'm stuck going on a date tonight, and the whole moment is plastered online for everyone to see.

After breakfast, Taylor dropped me off at home before heading to work. I entertained myself by fulfilling online orders and chatting with Tobias, one of my regular customers and Elijah's best friend. Like Evan, Tobias has a weakness for Transformer action figures. Fortunately, his wife doesn't mind his growing collection and even got him a new display case for their anniversary.

As I looked at my watch, I reluctantly closed up the barn at the end of the day. I needed to get dressed for my date, but I had no idea what to wear since Nash hadn't spoken to me further after the initial invitation. One of the event coordinators had asked me to write down my phone number for him, and he messaged me the date and time this morning.

The doorbell rings, and I open the door for Nash. Now that he's in the proper light, I see he looks younger. His brown eyes are bloodshot, and his cheeks are dusted with faded freckles.

"Hi! Thanks for agreeing to go out with me. I'm sorry I asked you in public; I was just so excited about the tournament that I was afraid you would leave without me asking you out," he says rapidly, looking nervous.

"Apology accepted. So, where are we going?" I ask, noticing that he's wearing a black shirt and jeans, which are pretty much the same as my outfit.

"It's a surprise," he replies.

I'm curious about what kind of surprise he could have arranged in such a short time since last night. We walk to his brand-new SUV, and my second-hand service van looks like a piece of junk next to his vehicle.

"Nice car," I say.

"Thanks. I considered taking out the Viper, but it's a low car, and people always complain they can feel every bump on the road."

A Dodge Viper? That's a fancy and expensive choice.

"How many cars do you own?" I ask.

"About four muscle cars and a bunch of Harley-Davidson motorcycles," he says, shrugging.

My mouth drops open as I quickly calculate their value.

"Do you ride them all?" I inquire.

"Not really. They were more impulse purchases," he admits. "Did you enjoy yourself last night?"

"Yeah, it was fun."

"I couldn't sleep after everything that happened. I've been awake for over 24 hours now. Well, I also drank a whole case of Red Bull," he chuckles.

"You haven't slept? What did you do then?" I ask, concerned.

"I played other games to chill and keep my mind from replaying the night," he explains.

"Don't you feel tired?"

"Not at all. My eyes are just a bit irritated, but that's all."

It can't be healthy. Not even during my most exciting moments have I stayed awake for so long.

Nash continues driving until we reach a mega mall. He parks his car, and instead of heading to the main entrance, we walk toward a rear alley. This isn't exactly my idea of a romantic date. All I see in front of us is a three-story high gray wall with service doors. He takes out his phone and alerts someone that we've arrived. After a few minutes, a door opens, and a man greets us.

"Right this way," he says.

We ascend a set of staircases, and I attempt to figure out our location, but I can't succeed. Nash appears excited, and I can't help but wonder how many caffeinated drinks he has consumed. A man opens a door, and we enter a foyer with a candy and popcorn concession stand.

"Are we in a movie theater?" I ask.

"Yeah. We could watch a movie without interruptions. Would you like something to eat?" Nash replies as he moves behind the counter to grab a giant tub of popcorn.

I help myself to another generous portion of popcorn and a drink, then follow Nash into the adjacent theater. There's no one else around, and I find myself curious about what movie we will be watching.

"I hired the theater just for us. You can sit wherever you want. The movie will start in ten minutes," he informs me.

I'm speechless. I stuff my mouth with popcorn and stare at the screen. Soon enough, the movie begins, and I'm half disappointed when I realize we are watching 'Assassin's Creed'—a film based on a video game.

At least the movie is entertaining and quite violent. One thing is for sure: this date won't be easy to forget.

"Let's go to my apartment. We can order food and chill," Nash suggests.

After seeing his collection of vehicles, I'm curious about what kind of apartment he has. We arrive at a posh building and head to the penthouse. Nash opens the door for me, revealing an ample living space with minimal furniture. The walls are bare, and the room has a somewhat sterile appearance.

"I barely use this part of the apartment. I'm in my bedroom most of the time," he explains.

I follow him until he opens another door. My eyes take a moment to adjust to the dim lighting. A large bed is positioned against the back wall, while three desks, each housing three large monitors, fill the rest of the room. The PC towers on the floor shine in various colors, and the chairs look like they were taken from racing cars.

"How do you like my setup? Take a seat, and I'll set you up while I order some food," he says.

I don't even get a chance to respond. I sit in the comfy chair and look at the equipment before me. A few keys on the keyboard are missing their letters—a sign of frequent use. Nash loads a game for me while I admire the wall filled with games from top to bottom. He then disappears as I start playing.

"Load! Damn lag!" I hear him say. "I don't know why the hell I paid so much money to fix the bandwidth!"

I glance behind me to see that Nash has settled into one of the gaming stations. I notice him tapping the armrest with his hand. He begins playing, and I return my focus to my game.

"Fucking die already!" He screams, startling me.

I always thought I was an aggressive player, but this was something else.

"Move, bitch! Get out of the way!"

I struggle to contain my laughter as I watch him lose it.

"I'm done! Fuck this! Fucking noobs!" He throws his headset onto the desk in frustration.

Then, in a rage, he grabs the headset again and goes back to shouting profanities. I hear the doorbell ring, but he's too absorbed in the game to notice. I head to the door to get the food, and both the delivery guy and I startle when we suddenly hear a high-pitched scream.

"I'M GONNA KILL A MAN! I FUCKING DIED AGAIN!"

I grimace at the delivery guy before opening the bags and getting some plates. As I walk back to the room, I notice Nash with his head resting on his folded arms on the desk. It's both funny and sad to see him like this. I approach him quietly and realize he has fallen asleep. Taking a blanket from his bed, I cover him gently, place the food in the fridge, and then grab my phone to call a taxi to take me home.