Love Lie ( COMPLETED)

13. The Date

     I hadn't even noticed but we have been driving for about 30 minutes now. I look out the window and all I can see are cornfields. "Should I be a little concerned? You didn't drag me out to the middle of nowhere to kill me, did you?" I say jokingly. "Ha-ha, no. Trust me, we are almost there. I wanted tonight to be special, so I picked a place that I like to come to sometimes. I really think you are going to like it."

     After about 10 more minutes he turns down a gravel road and stops when he comes to an old barn. The barn looks like it hasn't been used in quite a while. I notice a single swing hanging from a tree to the left of the barn and can just make out a light coming from between the old doors. I'm a little confused by what I am looking at. Landon gets out of the car and walks around to my side, opening the door for me. 

      "Whose barn is this?" "This is my grandma's property. She kind of helped me set this whole thing up." That was sweet of her. I have met her a handful of times during the time I've been working at the store. I can only imagine how excited she was to hear that Landon and I were finally going on a date. She has been trying to push us together ever since the first night she worked with us at the store.

     Landon takes my hand and leads me to the door to the old barn door. I'm not sure what to exactly what to expect but the wait is killing me. He slowly slides the door open and I feel my breath catch in the back of my throat. In front of me, the old barn is filled with twinkle lights and in the middle sits a small table set up for us. I am floored by what I am seeing right now. The only thing I can get out is, "You did all of this for me?"

      I can't even begin to understand how he found the time to do all of this. He must have spent a lot of time planning all of this. He looks a little nervous, like he is still trying to gauge whether I like it. "Well, I skipped 7th period and headed straight here to start setting everything up. Grandma was a lot of help. I can't cook to save my life, so I figured I'd leave that to her. Ending the first date with food poisoning didn't seem like the best route."

      I hadn't even noticed the fact that the small table was fully set with two plates of food ready to go for us. How did he even manage to get the timing down? He walks over and pulls out my chair for me and I sit down. We enjoy our food which is delicious and get lost yet again in conversation.

     We finish our meal and Landon abruptly stands up from the table. "Come on, there is something else I want to show you." He grabs my hand and leads me over to a ladder which looks like it leads to a loft area. "Do you trust me?" he asks, not realizing how much of a loaded question this is. After everything he has done for me tonight, there is not a single part of me that doesn't trust him. I shake my head yes and start to climb the ladder.

      As we both reach the top it is very dark, but you can just make out the hay that lines the floor and a few hay bales scattered around. I think to myself what a weird place for us to go after that incredible dinner. He moves over the wall at the front of the barn and I hear a latch being undone. With a firm push, he slides another small door over revealing a window looking out the front of the barn. Suddenly the small space of the loft is flooded with a light and instinctively move a little closer to check out the view. Before me is the dark night sky, scattered with more stars than I have ever seen. This is truly one of the most mesmerizing things that I have ever seen. I am rendered completely speechless by the sight in front of me.

     Landon just stands there watching me as I take in the number of stars that are visible here. Even though Hillmont isn't that far away, the suburban town has so many lights that its nearly impossible to even see stars there. This is like nothing I have ever experienced before. "What do you think?" Landon's question breaks the trance that I have been in. "This place is absolutely amazing. I really can't believe you did all of this." He looks at me as if relief just washed over him. "I was really nervous you were going to think this was stupid. I've never brought anyone else here before, but I wanted to share this place with you." We go over and sit down on one of the hay bales and just sit there looking up at the sky.

      I feel like we are sitting there forever. It must have been awhile by now because the breeze has gotten much cooler. I shiver a little and hug myself and the cool air hits me. As if Landon is reading my mind, he reaches over behind one of the hay bales and pulls out a thin flannel blanket and drapes it around my shoulders. He really has thought of everything. He leaves his arm draped around my shoulder.

      I can tell he is trying to make sure I am comfortable with this. To reassure him, I rest my head on his chest. I look up at him and he looks so peaceful. "Landon, Thank you so much for tonight. I couldn't even dream up a better first date if I tried." He looks deep into my eyes; his blue eyes look like they are staring into the deepest part of me. "Sadie, you deserve all of this and more. I'm sure that after what happened with your ex it was hard for you to take a chance on me, but I am going to make sure that I prove to you that we are not all like him, no matter how long that takes." 

     It's as if he had somehow read my mind from earlier in the night. His words threatened to shatter all the walls that I had built over the past few months which both excited and terrified me. I sit up a little and lean in and before I can overthink it, our lips gently meet. It was at that moment that I realized I was already falling for this boy.