Rachelle's P.O.V:
I hung up with Jared and immediately called Garrett.
"Hey Rachelle" he picked up.
"Hey Garrett! So, we're going to Applebee's and then my friend Evangelica's house to swim. Is that cool?" I waited anxiously for his answer.
"Ya! That's good, but I have a question."
"Yes" I asked.
"I let my brother Marshall use my car because his is in the shop, so I was wondering if you could possibly pick me up."
Yay!! We get to ride together!!!
"Um, ya. That's not a problem at all. What's your address?"
I couldn't be more excited to ride together. Actually, seeing him period is making me a little sick... with joy...? Ya. Excitement.
***
I text Garrett as I pulled up in his driveway.
Me: "hey, I'm here"
Garrett: "would it be creepy if I ask you to come inside really quick?"
My stomach hit the floor.
Me: "no, it's kewl. I'll come in :)"
It was not cool. Not at all. I was going to spontaneously combust. I couldn't breathe I was so nervous. I knew he lived with his parents so I was so incredibly scared to meet either parent.
I pushed my anxious thoughts aside as I walked up the steps, eventually standing before the door.
I knocked while trying to look as normal as possible. I hear a bark behind the door. All my nerves were seemingly calmed knowing I was going to meet his dog, Scout. That was, until the handle started to rattle and the door started to open. I held my breath.
"Hello there! You must be Rachelle" a very welcoming voice came from his mother.
"Uh, yes. That's me" I said quietly trying to collect my thoughts and not look nervous.
"Well, come in honey." She stepped aside and welcomed me into the house as the dog ran to me. I smiled from ear to ear and bent down to greet the dog.
"This is Scout" she says as I pet the dog.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. How silly of me" she laughed to herself while I smiled.
"I'm Brenda, Garrett's mom."
I stood up straight saying, "nice to meet you Mrs. Overboe."
She lightly tapped my shoulder and said, "oh, no. Mrs. Overboe is my mother-in-law. You can call me Brenda. In fact, I insist" she said with the sweetest tone and a smile that lit up the room.
I chuckled lightly to myself. "Alright, Brenda" I said emphasizing Brenda, "it's nice to meet you."
We both drew our attention to the stair case as Garrett stumbled down the steps.
"Hey Rachelle" he said smiling.
"Hey Garrett" I blushed.
He walked over and pulled me into a hug. His arms wrapped around my shoulders, his hands pressing my lower back into his lower abdomen.
I let my hands wrap around his waist as I turned my head to press it into his lower chest. I closed my eyes trying to capture this blissful and warm moment.
He pulled away looking down at me saying, "I see you've met my mom."
I pushed my fly away hairs back and smiled to Brenda. "Yes" I simply say, nervously smiling. She smiles and starts to walk away. Garrett grabs my hand pulling me towards the stairs.
"I need your opinion" he says not explaining any further.
We walk into his room and I immediately notice his bed. He has a very fluffy, white pillow lying at the head of his bed. At the end of his bed are two swim trunks. He looks at me and points to them.
"Which one do you like better?" I look at the plain black ones with white draw strings, and then the red ones with white draw strings and small blue designs on them.
"The black ones. They'll match my bathing suit" I say smiling up at him.
He smiles back and says, "the black ones it is."
He picks them up and throws the other ones into his draw.
We walk down stairs and he calls for his mom. Brenda walks from the kitchen saying "leaving?"
"Yuppers. She's actually late to her own party because she was nice enough to come and get me" he says looking back at me.
"That was so sweet" she said walking over to me and hugging me from the side.
When she let go, she looked at us and said "well, you guys better hurry out. Wouldn't want to be even more late."
I nodded and Garrett said "right. We'll be going now."
He walked over and hugged and kissed her making my heart flutter because he wasn't embarrassed to show his mom love in front of me.
She waved to me and said "have fun kiddos, and happy birthday honey." I smiled and thanked her as Garrett guided me back to the door.
Off to Applebee's.
We listened to Chase Atlantic and the Neighborhood on the way to the restaurant while we talked about how nervous I was to meet his mom. We pulled up to the restaurant when I got a text.
Jared: "gurl, where the hell are you?"
Me: "I just pulled up. We're coming in."
Me: "oh, and please tell the girls not to say or do anything embarrassing for me. That goes for you too!!"
I tucked my phone away as Garrett and I walked in and I looked around to find my posse.
"Rachelle!!" I look around to see where my name is being called from.
Garrett points to the back corner to our right when I see Jared, Evangelica, and Anita all waving to get my attention. I smile and look at Garrett nodding my head in their direction. We walk over and they all say "happy birthday Rachelle!!"
I nod with a smile thanking them. They all took turns hugging me before we sit down. Garrett and I sat across from them and I introduced him.
"Guys, this is Garrett. Garrett, this is Evangelica," he smiled at her, "this is Anita," she smiled and said hi.
"Hi" he replied smiling at her.
"And Garrett, this is Jared from the Coffee Cup."
They smiled at each other as the waitress walked to our table.
***
We were walking out of the restaurant, laughing and joking like we'd been doing the whole night, when Garrett looked at me and said, "did I tell you you look beautiful tonight?"
I blushed as his bold comment. "Um... I- I don't think so, no" I stutter out.
"Well, you look beautiful Rachelle" he says trying to make eye contact with me as I slightly turn my head just enough so he couldn't see my red cheeks saying, "thank you Garrett."
My friends were walking ahead slightly when Anita looked around asking, "we're still going to Evangelica's right?"
Garrett and I looked at each other than back at her.
"Mhhm" I hum smiling at everyone.
"Alrighty then. Let's go! I'm ready to swim!" Evangelica yells while darting to her car.
We all pick up the pace, seemingly running to go swimming. When we get in the car I look at Garrett while he puts his belt on just smiling because we're together tonight. He looks up at me while his face curls into a smile.
"What?" he asks.
"Oh nothing" I lie pulling my face to the other side of the car.
"I saw you smiling at me. What were you doing? Were you putting gum in my hair or something?"
I laugh uncontrollably at his suggestion of me putting gum in his hair.
"No!! I- of course I didn't put gum in your hair" I laugh out.
He starts to laugh with me. "Why were you smiling then" he asks.
I try to think of something that doesn't sound too clingy. "I- I'm just— I... I like that you're here."
My words get quieter and quieter as I say them. His silence started to scared me. "I'm happy I'm here too" he said looking into my eyes.
We drove to Evangelica's house in a comfortable silence as I blared One Direction. When we got there we all walked in together.
When we got inside Jared and Garrett changed in the bathrooms while me and the girls changed in Evangelica's room.
As I was taking off all my jewelry I hear a loud bang on the door. All three of us jump and lightly yell as Jared says, "it's not that hard to get half naked! Come on!"
Anita walks over and opens the door. When the doors open we see Jared standing with his hand on his hip looking annoyed while Garrett stood behind him looking a little uncomfortable.
His arms were slightly crossed while his hands cupped each other sitting over himself. I smile at him and continue to remove my jewelry.
Anita, Evangelica, and Jared said they were going to the pool while I fumbled with my necklace.
"Ok" I said sounding annoyed.
Garrett chuckled and walked over to me asking "can I help?"
I looked up at him smiling at his gesture. "That would be much appreciated, yes."
I stayed turned towards the mirror hanging in her room as he tried to undo it. I glimpse at him in the mirror seeing his face contorted into a very concentrated look.
I try to memorize every inch of his face knowing I'd like to remember this look. His eyebrows were pulled inward, looking a little angry, and his eyes were glued to the necklace clip. His bottom lip was tucked tightly into his teeth as his fingers snapped the clip back multiple times. I could see the concentration turn to slight anger as he lowly grumbled.
Finally, his face changed as he smiled and looked at me. "I got it" he said with a sense of pride. His smile was so adorable. I wanted to freeze this moment in time. Such a little thing was so precious to me.
There was just something about Garrett. Usually I'd have stopped talking to him by now, but something about him drew me in. He was... special.
"Good job!" I said, pulling myself out of my thoughts. We laughed as he set the necklace down on the vanity next to the mirror.
***
As we dried off and got dressed Anita looked at me and said "that Garrett is something."
"Is that a good or bad thing" I asked.
Evangelica and Anita looked at each other and then me saying "good!!"
I laughed asking what they meant. Evangelica looked at me and said, "you never talk to guys this long."
"And we never meet any of the guys you talk to" Anita chimed in.
I couldn't help but smile because they were right. "Ya. I guess he's different."
"Very different" Anita said grinning at me.
***
I drove up Garrett's driveway as he gathered his stuff together. He grabbed his leftovers that had his initials carved into them and a bag that had his wet swim trunks in them.
I put the car in park and got out of the car the same time as him. We walked up the steps and stopped at the door. "I feel kind of weird because you're walking me home" he said with an unreadable look on his face.
"Why" I asked.
He looked down at me and said, "I don't know. I guess it's just a thing for me."
I looked at him puzzled.
"I'm all for breaking gender roles, but I like tradition when it comes to dates. I mean, you picked me up, and now you're walking me to my door" he said clarifying.
I understood what he was saying, but I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that he felt weird about it.
"You probably think I'm stupid" he said.
"No! I don't think you're stupid. I get what you're saying, but I invited you, and you didn't have a car so I picked you up and now I'm dropping you off" I say trying to make him feel better.
"You're right" he says.
"I shouldn't over think it. It's not a big deal."
I smiled.
"Well, Rachelle, I really had a good time, and I am so happy you invited me" he said smiling.
"Me too" was all I could say being that I felt like he was staring into my soul.
My mind was racing at one hundred miles an hour of what I was supposed to do next when he cupped my chin with his left hand, lifting it up so he could kiss my cheek.
His soft lips were warm on my cold skin. My heart stopped and my lungs failed as he stayed put for a couple seconds.
He pulled back just a little bit to look at me. I blushed and tried to look down at my shaking hands. He lifted my head back up and said, "is it alright if I do this" as he placed his lips against mine.
My mind was trying to wrap itself around the concept that Garrett— GARRETT was kissing me!!
His lips slowly parted and grabbed my bottom lip ever so gently. His hand was still placed on my chin while his right hand lightly gripped my left hip. He pulled away, giving me a chance to answer.
"Yes" I say breathlessly.
He smiled with a little laugh. I couldn't help but smile back. I looked up at him and said, "can I have just... one more before I go?"
I had no idea where this boldness came from but I wasn't complaining. He looked down at me with a sly smile, slowly lowering his lips down to mine again. I could hear our lips lightly smack together as he pulled back.
"I should probably get home" I say trying to keep my composure.
"Right. Well, again, I'm happy we saw each other today because I had a really good time."
I smile at his words.
"Me too Garrett" I say back.
I watch him walk in as I walk down to my car. I get in, start the car, and play music. As Sunflower (by Harry Styles) played, I pulled out of the driveway.
Once I felt I had gotten far enough away from his house, I pulled over and screamed. I screamed bloody murder with excitement. "I JUST KISSED GARRETT!!" I yelled for no one but myself.
// A.N: I hope you enjoyed reading it just as much as I enjoyed writing it. Don't forget to vote if you like the chapter!! Much love <3 //