I Can Lift A Car // WTM

Chapter 9: We Are the Kids

Rory's parents returned home that Monday; and, although she didn't think she would, she had missed them a lot. It was nice to not be so alone in the house constantly. Also, she no longer had to make herself dinner every night. She spent the night of their return listening to thrilling stories of their vacation in Portugal and wishing she had been there too.

Nicholas took Rory to Avalanche the following week. He met her at her locker after school, but instead of walking her home, asked if she wanted to drive out to Avalanche with him. Rory happily agreed, wanting desperately to escape the stress of senior year . She was practically swimming in deadlines for scholarships and college applications, not to mention her academic course load.

The drive was peaceful; it was a nippy afternoon and Nicholas turned his heater up all the way, making the truck comfortably toasty. Rory had gotten Nick hooked on Hozier, and his melodic voice filtered out through the car stereo as they cruised. The surrounding trees barely clung onto their remaining leaves, forming sparse canopies of vermillion and mustard as they twisted and towered alongside the road Nicholas drove down.

Upon arrival, the two pushed open the unlocked metal doors and stood in the middle of the room, light filtering in around them from small windows and illuminating minuscule dust particles, which hung mid air.

"You know, I really love this place."
Rory watched Nick, a calm smile on his face as he looked around, and then back at Rory. "I think I really feel myself when I'm here. When I'm performing. The songs have become more me than I am. Whatever that means."

"No, I get that. It's like, with your music you can't hide, you're putting the most vulnerable part of yourself out there for everyone to see."

"Exactly! I really feel like someone's art, not even just music, is such a pure and intimate part of them."

"Is it scary? Like sharing that much of yourself with almost strangers must take major bravery."

"You know, I think it used to be. But not now. Its exhilarating; it's like therapy, but free," he joked.

"I love how much you love music." Rory smiled up at him.

"And I love your eyes."

Rory was suddenly acutely aware of close they were in the dim light of Avalanche. She noticed his scent of mint and pine, his eyelashes, long in that boyish sort of way, and just how much more butterfly-inducing his dimples were up close. Was she imagining it, or was he leaning in closer? Oh my god, Rory thought, she was so not prepared for this. But every nerve in her body was screaming kiss me! And so, despite her nervousness, she leaned in, shifting to her tiptoes to meet his lips.

They tasted like spearmint gum.

Rory liked it.

Until she remembered Erika.

Rory jumped back, eyes snapping open. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Oh God."

"Am I that bad of a kisser?" Nicholas joked but his face betrayed a trace of genuine hurt.

"No, no. Its just- Erika, your Girlfriend an-."

"Not my girlfriend."

"-d we basically just met and I don't take things like this lightly especially with boys I like I mean- Wait, not your girlfriend?" Rory was talking a mile a minute, but stopped suddenly, realizing what he had said.

"Erika and I broke up. You were right when you said if she really cared about me she wouldn't make me feel so suffocated like she has been. So I told her that and she flipped; like, she was mad at me, and then at you just for just giving me advice. But it was well time."

"Wow."

"I think I heard you say you liked me, though?"

"Don't change the subject! We're not talking about me." Rory blushed, fully aware she had admitted her crush when she had been word vomiting seconds before.

"Well, there's nothing else to say about the Erika subject. She's in the past and we're here now."

"I meant what I said about not taking things like this lightly, though, okay? I don't kiss people I've known for literally less than a month."

"You just did, though." He smiled slyly.

"Nick." She scolded.

"Sorry, sorry. So what does that mean? No more kissing? I'll admit I'll be a little disappointed but I respect it if you need more time."

Rory thought. Honestly, she didn't even know what she really meant. She wanted Nicholas, that was for sure. But conversely, she didn't want to rush into whatever this was and mess a potentially good thing up. "Um... I don't know?"

They stood there for a moment, both in thought, before Nicholas spoke, "How about this, we don't need to fast track anything, we can just take it slow and see where it goes. If that means we just get to know each other better for a little bit, then that's okay. We don't need to stick a label on us."

"But there is an us?"

"If you want there to be."

"I think I do." Rory felt her cheeks flare with warmth as Nicholas beamed.