Chloe's P.O.V
It was crazy how everything can change in an instant. One moment I was about to confess my feelings for Luke and the next I'm dating Kason. It felt weird and unnatural. It took me several days to let it sink in that Kason was actually into me and that Luke wasn't. It still pained me to look at Luke, getting flashbacks of Jessica kissing him. Everything would be different if Jessica didn't kiss Luke and if Kason hadn't told me that he liked me. I would've humiliated myself in front of Luke and ruined our friendship forever. I was just Miss Piggy in his beautiful green eyes.
That night of the Halloween frat party, I cried myself to sleep, which was pretty hard to admit. Everything kept replaying in my mind and no matter how many times I tried thinking about something else, my brain wouldn't allow it. It was like my brain was rubbing it in my face that it had been right all along.
Friday morning, I felt an odd sensation in the pit of my stomach. I assumed it was because I was nervous for my date with Kason, but I couldn't be too sure. I spent an extra amount of time doing my makeup and made sure to pick out the perfect outfit to wear for my date later. I decided on a navy-blue dress that complimented my pale skin and honey colored hair. It was the perfect combination of formal and casual. I curled loose waves in my hair for tonight and when I looked in the mirror I was actually pleased to see that I felt pretty for once. Not wearing baggy t-shirts and sweatpants was a confident booster.
"Are you excited about your date later tonight?" Hailee asked as she ate her bowl of cereal.
"I am," I bit my lip. "I'm just a little nervous."
"Aren't you always?" Hailee laughed and took a spoonful of cereal in her mouth.
"True," I smiled, took in a deep breath and exhaled.
"It's funny how I turned out to be right in the end," Hailee said smugly as she chewed.
"Right how?" I asked quizzically.
"Kason liking you and that confessing to Luke was a bad idea. I told you he didn't like you."
"Way to rub it in my face, Hailee," I rolled my eyes. How would she even know if I confessed my feelings for Luke or not? It's not like she knew what happened exactly that night anyway.
"Sorry," she smiled sheepishly and continued to eat her cereal happily. "I am happy for you though. Kason is pretty cute, and my bestie deserves nothing less."
"Thanks," I said glumly, but I couldn't help but feel like what she said was a lie. What was wrong with me? Hailee was my best friend. She would never lie to me…
"Cheer up, Chloe! At least you've got a date. It's more than what I've got," she snorted.
Well there's that…
––––––––––
I heard a knock on my dorm room door.
That must be Kason, I thought as I walked to the door. I opened it to see Kason grinning, his adorable dimples showing. He was dressed nicely for our date, wearing a blazer with a collared shirt underneath. It was just formal enough without being too dressy with an added bonus that he looked good.
"Are you ready for our date?" he asked with a wide grin.
I smiled weakly and nodded.
We walked out of the dorm and to his car.
"You look pretty by the way," he said as we got into his car.
"Thank you," I smiled. I could feel myself begin to blush. I've never had a guy call me pretty before. Not even Vance Underwood, my first boyfriend, called me pretty–sad I know. It was refreshing to feel attractive, which practically never happened. "You don't look so bad yourself."
He laughed and drove out of the dorm parking lot. "Wanna listen to the radio?" he asked casually.
"Sure," I said, and he turned on the radio.
"You can't hurry love
No you just have to wait
She said love don't come easy
It's a game of give and take
How long must I wait how much more can I take
Before loneliness will 'cause my heart, heart to break?"
I knew "You Can't Hurry Love" by Phil Collins was cheesy as heck, but it was Luke's ringtone and it played when we were both in his truck on the way back to my dorm. It was special to me because it reminded me of him. Most people probably thought Luke was the coolest jock in the world since he was first-string wide receiver on the Crimson Tide, but in reality, he was a cheesy dork. An adorable, cheesy dork.
I sighed. I didn't want to be reminded of him at the moment. This was supposed to be my time with Kason, not my time thinking about Luke. "Can you change the channel?"
"Sure thing," he said and changed the radio station.
"So…where are we going exactly?" I asked as I looked out of the car window. The sights in Tuscaloosa were unparalleled to anything else I've ever seen. In the beginning I felt like an outcast in Tuscaloosa, but now it was my home. The only reason I wanted to go back to Willowbrook was so I could see my family at Thanksgiving.
"We're going to this nice little Italian place I found. It has really good reviews," he answered.
I looked over at him to see that he had only one hand on the steering wheel and I felt my body tense up. It freaked me out when people only had one hand on the wheel. It felt as if I was going to die any minute. I opened my mouth to say something but quickly closed it, deciding it would be better to keep quiet and not disturb him driving. The last thing I needed was for him to get angry with me on our first date.
"Chloe are you okay?" Kason asked, looking over at me.
"Kason keep your eyes on the road!" I panicked as I saw him drift in the other lane about to have a collision with the car approximately only twenty feet away.
"Oh shit!" he yelled and swerved the car.
That is why I don't trust people with only one hand on the steering wheel, I thought to myself. My breathing was labored, and I was scared crapless. I almost wanted Kason to stop the car, so I could get out and walk the rest of the way there. It would be great exercise.
"Sorry about that," Kason said with his voice lowered. I could tell he was at least a little embarrassed.
"I-it's okay," I lied and clung tightly onto my seatbelt. Getting into a car crash was one of my biggest fears, especially one that I would never wake up from.
"I think I just have first date jitters, that's all," Kason smiled and rolled his neck. "I've just been super excited about this date all week."
I bit my lip and nodded, trying to get my breathing back down to a normal rate. My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out to see who it was from.
Marshall: Hey Claire! I was just checking in on you. How was your date with Kason?
I smiled. Marshall and I had gotten closer ever since we went shopping for Halloween costumes, and it was really nice to have a girl friend other than Hailee. Hailee was great and all, but she couldn't be the only one I talked to all the time. Besides, Hailee just wasn't having the right reactions she should had been lately.
Me: Actually we're on one right now haha.
Marshall: Yikes! I hope it goes well and ttyl!
Me: Bye!
"Who was that?" Kason asked.
"Aren't you supposed to be paying attention to the road?" I folded my arms and gave him a cross look.
"Sorry," he said with a dimpled grin.
Can't argue with dimpled grin logic. "It was just Chloe Marshall asking about our date. She thought it was over," I said.
"Oh," he laughed and then his expression turned curious. "Isn't Chloe Marshall that blonde girl that Luke used to date?"
"Yes…How do you know?" I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. It didn't really seem like Luke to ever just tell someone that for the sake of telling.
"Luke and I were talking at the gym the other day," Kason answered coolly. "I was surprised to find out the guy has only ever had several girlfriends."
"So?" As soon as the word left my mouth I was surprised to have said it out loud. I only meant to think that in my head but oh well.
"It was just surprising that's all," Kason shrugged. "I thought the guy was popular with the chicks."
"He is," I said as casually as I could. I didn't want Kason suspecting me of anything by my response.
"But never with you right?" he looked over at me with a genuinely curious expression.
"Never," I lied with a fake smile.
"That's my girl," he turned his head back forward and grinned. "I knew I liked you for a reason."
'That's my girl? I knew I liked you for a reason?' What the heck was that supposed to mean? I wanted to ask but decided against it like some other things tonight. I didn't want to have to think about Luke on my date, and that didn't seem to be working.
"Here we are," Kason said and pulled into a small Italian restaurant with parking that could only fit about fifty vehicles.
"The place is smaller than I thought," I said as I looked around.
"See? Told you that it was a small Italian place," Kason laughed as he parked his car.
I got out of the car, pulling down my dress a little sit it had ridden up in the car. It would have been embarrassing if Kason saw me like that.
Kason reached his hand out for me to hold and I bit my lip. I didn't want to be rude or anything, but handholding was for couples that were a lot more intimate than we were. It wouldn't be right for me to hold his hand right now. But did I really want to hurt his feelings? No, not really. I wanted him to have a good time.
I awkwardly reached out and held his hand, surprised by how warm it was. It was almost a little too warm.
He sighed happily, and we walked across the parking lot and into the Italian restaurant. The Italian restaurant had catchy music playing in the background and the lights were dimmed low, giving the restaurants a warm, romantic glow. Paintings of Italy and bowls of fruit were scattered across the walls.
"Table for two?" the waiter smiled.
Kason nodded, and the waiter took us to a small, romantic booth situated in the corner of the restaurant. It gave me an overwhelming feeling of comfort and privacy, but that didn't stop my body from doing its normal, annoying thing.
I suddenly had the urge to use the bathroom. Darn my stupid nerves!
We sat down in our booth where the waiter took our drinks, gave us our menus and left to go get us breadsticks.
"Isn't this place nice?" Kason asked as he looked around the restaurant like a boy in Disneyworld.
"It is," I agreed. I didn't want to make it awkward or anything, but I really needed to go to the bathroom. "Excuse me for a moment. I have to go the restroom," I said, grabbed my purse and got up from our booth.
I couldn't find the restroom, so I had to get a waitress to show me where it was which was a little embarrassing, but I soon got over that fact as I went inside of the restroom. I went to the bathroom, washed my hands, and then stared at myself in the mirror.
I didn't really look like myself in this lighting. It made my skin look clearer, without any imperfections to be seen, and the mirror made me look smaller than usual. I looked pretty. I smiled at my reflection, took in a deep breath and exhaled. I shouldn't be nervous at all. It was only Kason. Kason who liked me even when I wore sweatpants and baggy t-shirts.
I walked back to my booth to see Kason smiling adorably at me like Miss Kitty did when she got her treats.
"I hope everything came out well," he winked, and we burst out laughing.
"Thanks for your concern," I finished laughing while shaking my head. Kason was a little too much sometimes. I settled into the booth and shifted until I was comfortable.
"Here are breadsticks for you sir and ma'am," the waiter said as he came over with our breadsticks. He placed them in the center of our table. "Do you guys know what y'all would like to order for this evening?" he asked while turning his head to look at both of us.
"Do you know what you want?" Kason leaned towards me.
I smiled as I leaned towards him back. "I don't even have to look at the menu to know what I want. I know, shocker!"
"Ooh," he grinned and then looked at the waiter and nodded. "Yes sir, we're ready."
"Okay then…What would you like young miss?" he asked me.
"I would like your manicotti," I responded with a sweet smile and handed my menu to him.
"And what for you sir?"
"I will take your spaghetti and meatballs please," Kason said and handed the waiter his menu.
"Alrighty then. I'll have that ordered for you two and it'll be out in about twenty minutes," the waiter smiled.
"Thank you," I smiled, and the waiter walked away with our menus under his armpit.
"How did you know they would have manicotti?" Kason asked, resting his arms on the table while strumming his fingers on the tablecloth.
I shrugged. "I figured that most Italian restaurants had it, and if they didn't I would just order fettuccini alfredo, which is the safest option."
"Fair enough," Kason nodded.
I sipped my Dr. Pepper and chatted with Kason about school and a little bit of our dating history while we waited for our order.
"So, your first boyfriend played in the band as well?" Kason asked, his warm eyes lit with curiosity and amusement.
"Yep," I nodded. "He was a year older than me which everyone thought was 'so cool' for that time. Because you know how it is, dating older guys was considered super-hot."
"I know how it is," Kason agreed. "It's still considered hot to date an older woman."
"You say 'older woman' like you're an old man," I giggled.
"Hey, at least I don't have a history of dating dorks, unlike you," he squinted his eyes at me playfully.
"Well you count as one of them," I shrugged and smiled.
"Dammit I do," he said, and we laughed.
"Here is your spaghetti and meatballs sir, and here is your manicotti, ma'am," the waiter said as he handed us each of our orders.
"Thank you," we both said in unison and then stared at each other.
The more I looked at Kason, the cuter he got. Kason gave me his adorable dimpled smile and I blushed. Maybe I could like him, I thought and cocked my head at him.