* X x * x * x * Chapter 11 * x * x * x X*
They chomped down their food in the car while Z took her time driving in a careful manner. She turned the music on so Kaye wouldn't feel compelled to strike up a conversation if things became awkward. A soft alternative song played in the background.
"Feel free to skip, change genre, or turn it off if you like," she said to the woman in the front passenger seat.
"Nah, I like it." Kaye paused for a second before asking, "So, uh, where are we headed?" in an attempt to ease her nerves when she felt the raven-haired girl glancing her way. She could feel her gaze behind the dark shades that hid her eyes.
"I have a place in mind, but do you have anywhere you want to go?" The raven-haired girl pulled her eyes to the front as she asked.
"Hm, what is the project's theme, if I may ask?" Kaye asks her.
"Hmm, let's see… It's actually for multiple projects. One is for a website we support, and the other is about some promotion of diversity stuff and the like. Yes, something along those lines." Z answered her without taking her eyes off the road.
"Although… We are still deciding if we should take it in a conservative or modern direction. I was thinking of going to some tourist spot, or we can also just explore the city for everyday occurrences," she added.
Kaye felt like she understood but did not understand one bit and just casually asked, "Can't you just look it up online or do some research? Why is there a need to go there for photo references?"
"Fair point. This is actually a job for the marketing and planning department in our company, but since I'm, er, how do I say this, kind of working side by side with them, so I would like to see if it would help me come up with something, …hmn, creative or something like that. And—"
"And I needed a reason to ask you out," she said as she paused and looked at Kaye for a few seconds before returning her gaze to the road. She added almost immediately, grateful for her sunglasses, which helped to alleviate the embarrassment of what she had just said.
Kaye flushed at the last line and had no choice but to look outside the window and whisper, "Smooth."
Z didn't hear her reply, so she just went on and shrugged, "It can also serve as a reference for future projects. So it's yeah, win-win for me."
'Well, you could say win-win-win, since I have you with me right now.' Z smiled inwardly as she pondered.
Kaye looked back at her and said, "That was a lot to absorb, but I think I get it now. I get what you mean, although I usually just go online if I need some references for a project."
"Though I have to ask, you were asking me out." Kaye wanted to make sure. She thought that Z just wanted someone to tag along, although, since last night, she'd been getting her hopes up that this was supposed to be a date and not just some casual hanging out.
Z could feel her ears redden at that and replied, "—On a friendly date, yes."
Kaye did not like the sound of that but dropped the subject as she munched on the last bit of her sandwich.
After gulping her juice, Kaye decided, "Let's go somewhere with a beach."
"Of course, milady." Z smiled at her and focused her eyes in front of them, speeding up a little. She was actually thinking of going somewhere with the ocean, and that is exactly what she had in mind.
"Well, I'd like to thank you for inviting me out today. This will also help me out since I'm having an interview tomorrow. You know, to calm my nerves."
Z wanted to ask which company and wondered if she also took a hospitality course since Kaye has mentioned that they own the café, but she didn't want to pry too much.
She reasoned that she could ask about it another time when she got the job. If she wants to talk about it, then she will. She didn't want to jinx anything for the sweet girl.
"I wish you good luck. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one getting anything out of it then." She smiled at Kaye and started to groove to the song playing on the speakers, tapping on the steering wheels.
After driving for almost three hours, they arrived at a resort that has a great ambiance showcasing white sand and a lot of tourists of different nationalities. To her surprise, the ride has been pleasant the whole time, like going out for a ride with the strawberry blonde woman is the most normal thing to do.
Kaye, on the other hand, was torn between enjoying and loathing the ride with Z. She had never ridden in any car slower than they just did before coming there. The woman in question was driving as though she were transporting kids in a school bus.
She would even glance at the speedometer from time to time, only to discover that they were traveling at the minimum speed limit for the route they were taking. She was just a hair above the minimum limit to avoid a ticket for driving too slowly.
The more Kaye thought about it, the more she found herself leaning toward liking it. It was simply entertaining and amusing to consider. The amount of control and patience one must have to drive that slowly is astonishing. There were even cars with angry drivers who would honk and raise their hands at them, while Z didn't even bat an eyelid.
The tall, raven-haired girl, in her opinion, didn't even enjoy driving at all, she thought. Was she scared of driving too fast? She enjoyed it, though, and would ride along with her at any time. Z keeps her entertained without even knowing.
It's almost noon, so the sun is at its highest point. It wasn't as scorching as summer's, but they were thankful they both brought hats with them. Z wore her black bucket hat while Kaye put on her modern-looking sun hat.
Z went out of the car, circled to the passenger side, opened the door for Kaye, then went to the back to grab her laptop bag and DSLR camera from the backseat.
When Z turned around, Kaye was waiting, and she was absolutely gorgeous. She was holding onto her sun hat with one hand to keep it from blowing off in the wind. She opined that perhaps she was the only reason why sun hats had to be created.
Z quickly slung her bags over her shoulders before pulling her camera from its bag and turning it on.
"Can I?" She asked for Kaye's permission as she held the camera in front of her.
Kaye felt embarrassed, but she agreed to let Z photograph her.
After two snaps, Z gave her sunglasses for Kaye to use, and they went and walked around.
Kaye walks a few steps ahead while Z takes snaps here and there.
She takes candid pictures of the strawberry blonde from time to time without her noticing, and a certain kind of feeling she couldn't point a finger at spreads to her chest whenever she looks at the woman in front of her, who just casually walks around taking in the wind.
After walking for a while along the shoreline, feeling hungry, the raven-haired girl asks Kaye, who must be hungry by now, "Hey, up for lunch yet?"
Kaye has been feeling hungry since they arrived, excitedly agreeing, "Actually, I'm so hungry I could just eat you."
Z's thin lips curled into an amused smile as she briefly blinked several times. Her eyebrow shot up in surprise.
They stood there for a moment, and no one could see how Kaye's eyes widened behind her shades as she realized what she had just said. There was no meaning behind it, but she felt stupid saying such things.
Kaye's face looked like it had caught a severe sunburn; she cleared her throat and stated, "I mean, I'm hungry. I could eat anything."
Z walked towards her, her playful smirk still playing on her lips over her reaction.
"You look so handsome right now, you know that?" Kaye exclaimed while holding her breath in a fit of admiration. She had been doing this ever since they had arrived.
Z came to a halt in front of her. Do you not realize that you look lovely yourself? She responded with a question and a genuine smile of delight.
When she said those words, Kaye could see the sincerity in her eyes, and she was so overjoyed that she could barely control it.
"Hmp! Let's just go now before I fall to your charms." She bit her bottom lip and turned abruptly, walking away, trying to hide her burning face.
"Erm, Kaye?" Z called her out.
"What now?" She hissed, but Z understood she wasn't angry or anything.
Z chuckled and pointed backward with her thumb, saying, "The restaurant's this way. We just went past it."
Kaye closed her eyes and pouted her lips for a brief moment before going in the opposite direction without saying anything.
Z just chuckled under her breath and said, "You're cute."
"No, I'm not!" Kaye said, almost sounding like a shriek, and walked with more speed, leaving Z laughing and shaking her head at the strawberry blonde's cuteness.