After the movie, Drew, Charlie, and I all needed to go home.
Derek never came back from the bathroom, so we all assumed he'd gone to bed. I was somewhat relieved I got to be rid of him for the rest of the night. I felt like a bitch thinking like that, but I wasn't one for associating with someone like Derek. The bad boy persona made me uneasy and he didn't just look it, he was it from what Reese had told me.
Reese was my Savior that night and protected me from the big bad creatures from the movie. I was quite proud of myself since I only squealed twice. I loved the thrill, yet hated it all at once.
Reese walked me(and the boys) to my van because it was "really nice outside and I wanted to take a small walk anyway." Drew and Charlie got in the back of Fillmore while I made my way to the driver's side. I think it's really cute how neither of them called shotgun, but rather decided to sit together in back. If it were anyone else, Drew would've taken shotgun without a second thought.
I opened my door and was about to get in when a large and soft hand gently grabbed my forearm, stopping me from doing so. I turned towards the culprit, Reese, and smiled, "Yes?"
"I had a great time with you tonight. . ." he spoke awkwardly.
"I didn't," I said with a straight face, but it quickly faltered once I saw that his blue eyes went wide with shock. "I'm joking! Tonight was great,"
Reese smiled at my cruel joke, "We should do it again soon?" My wildebeests were acting up yet again.
"Definitely,"
"And maybe this time without Derek or the two love birds—"
"We can hear you, asshole!" Drew yelled from the back. I laughed and so did Reese and Charlie. Drew just pouted.
"But yeah, I got it. That would be great."
He pulled me into a comfortable hug. It surprised me, but I enjoyed it. I hugged him back and I honestly didn't want to ever let go.
"Well, text me when you want it to happen." Reese said as he pulled away.
"Okay, good night." I looked into his eyes for awhile and I so badly wanted to lean in and kiss him, but I knew couldn't. I just didn't have it in me to do something so risky, so I cleared my throat awkwardly and I got into my seat and closed my door after he'd backed away. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was thinking the same thing I was.
I quickly buckled my seat belt and put my keys in the ignition.
"Good night, Wynter."
Damn wildebeests. . .
* * *
The whole damned ride to Charlie's house was filled with giggles and comments about Reese and I from the boys.
"Hehe, did you see the way they were cuddled up next to each other."
"Awe, yes! And did you notice how whenever Winnie was scared she'd cling onto Reese like her life depended on it?"
"So cute. Are we that cute?"
"Of course! We're even cuter though."
Lip smacking, lip smacking, oh and more lip smacking.
I was a block away from Charlie's place when I decided to be an awnry little shit. I made sure there were no cars behind me and I—not too hard—slammed on my breaks and it scared the hell out of my little gossipers.
"Winnie! What the hell?!" Drew screamed.
I smirked, "No making out in my van, you weirdos." I went the remaining block and they both got out, leaving me all by my lonesome.
I felt like going to the park just to be sentimental, so that's what I did. I drove a couple blocks up and over until I found myself parked in the small graveled area. I used to go there a lot when I was small; my father and I would spend hours and hours on end just feeding the ducks at the pond.
There was a tap on my window that just about gave me a heart attack. I clutched my chest where my heart was and turned in the direction of the sound. It was Reese. Of course it was him.
I rolled down my window, "Reese?" I could feel my little pets in my stomach acting up. Why didn't they just leave me alone?
"The one and only. What are you doing here?" His eyes seemed to twinkle; the street lights were hitting them in a seemingly perfect way. The soft and warm expression he wore on his face made me feel weird inside, so I smiled awkwardly.
"I came here to reminisce. I used to go here a lot with. . . Nevermind. You probably don't care." I didn't mean to say the last part.
"What if I said I did care? Because I do and I want to listen." Reese smiled at me genuinely.
"I don't think I want to. It's too much. I'm sor—"
"Don't apologize for not being comfortable with something. I understand completely, Wynter." Reese leaned against the mirror on my side. I decided to invite him to sit with me, but he beat me to the punch.
"Wanna go play on the merry-go-round?" He was like a child, I swear. . .
"Of course!" I got out of Fillmore and ran over to the merry-go-round. It was painted a now chipped, faded yellow. I remember when it was just yellow.
I sat in the middle of it like I always did and Reese spun it a couple times before jumping on with me. "Do you come here often?" He wiggled his dark eyebrows that I could barely see under his long hair at me and I laughed.
"Not really. Do you?" The world was spinning around me. It wasn't a bad spinning either; it made me feel content. I was content with Reese.
"This is the second time this month."
"It's only the fourth, Reese." I laughed and he smiled so widely.
"Yeah, well, I happen to like it here. And don't worry, I only come here at night, so you don't have to worry about me creeping on children." Reese blushed and looked down, holding onto the bars of the slowing merry go round. "I come here because it makes me feel like a kid again," he looked at me quickly before looking up to the cloudless night sky. "Once you're all grown up, you don't get to feel that very much. . ." I enjoyed that he shared that with me. I should've told him why I was there, but I just couldn't bring myself to.
I looked at him, kind of just admiring his handsome features, before speaking up, "So why are you here anyway? I know we didn't plan this."
"I told you I wanted to go on a short walk, didn't I?"
"Oh yeah, you did. Well, this is very coincidental then." He just nodded and once the merry go round stopped, neither of us got off. The way he was looking at me made me want to kiss him and it made my wildebeests go insane. I just met him and I couldn't just jump right into a relationship where I knew nothing about the person I was falling for. Falling for? No, I wasn't. Was I?
I was startled when Reese spoke, "What's your favorite color?"
"Oh, um, orange. It reminds me of sunsets and it's the opposite color if my eyes. My eyes suck." I laughed.
"Well, my favorite color is blue. Like the color of your eyes because they're beautiful." I blushed and hid my face in my hands.
"Could you not make me look like a tomato?" We both laughed and I just laid down on the merry go round. My hair was surrounding my face and hanging off the playground equipment. Reese laid right next to me and our shoulders were touching. I felt like a girl in high school going on her first actual date ever. The butterfl—wildebeests, the warm fuzzy feeling, and to top it off, the urge to kiss him wasn't leaving at all.
I've always been scared of, not exactly the commitment, but the pain that comes with putting your all into something that may or may not last forever. That was the only thing stopping me from kissing Reese in that moment. The only thing. I regret it.
Reese looked into my eyes and leaned towards me, but I sat up and quickly got off the merry go round. "I-I'm sorry. I need to go home. It's late," I looked at my cellphone; it was 9:24. I felt stupid. Why hadn't I just kissed him?
"No, don't be sorry. Have a good night." He rubbed the back of his neck and let his arm fall to his side. He was obviously disappointed. I was an idiot.
I got into my van and waved, "Thanks, Reese. You too. I'm sorry." I shut my door and drove off thinking of the big mistake I just made and how it could've went if I'd just taken the risk.