beach, since we’d been
driving next to it for almost half an hour, but instead he turned right, into
Malibu Canyon.
“I’ve never been to Malibu,” I said, really only to myself.
“I’m not surprised. I remember you telling me you didn’t get
out much.”
I laughed, and felt at ease once again. It was strange how he
had the power to do that. “You’re correct. This is a little bit further than I
can walk, I’ll admit.”
“I know you said you hadn’t been to beach yet either, so I’ll
be sure to take you there sometime too. We aren’t exactly going to the Malibu
that everybody thinks of.”
I looked at him curiously, but he just smiled. He drove for a
few more miles before turning left onto a winding street, where cars were lined
up in a makeshift parking lot along the side of the road. He passed them all
and pulled into a dirt lot, where we got out and let the valet park the car.
“Where are we?” I asked, confused.
“You’ll see.”
He took my hand and led me through an arch into what looked
like a park. It was fenced off by a wood railing, and lit by hanging lanterns
overhead. Dozens of people sat on blankets and at picnic tables, with bottles
of wine and food spread out.
“I hope you like old movies,” he said, leading me through the
crowd. Nobody seemed to notice him; they were all too busy with one another,
talking and drinking wine.
“I do,” I said, finally noticing the white screen in front of
everyone. “What are we watching tonight?”
“ Casablanca , I think. One of my
favorites.”
I paused midstep and turned to look at him, surprised. “I
haven’t seen that movie since I was high school.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here tonight, then.”
He led me to an unoccupied blanket spread on the ground, away
from the crowd, but still near the screen. Sitting on it were two additional
blankets, a bottle of wine with two glasses, and a white paper bag.
It was almost too much for me. I didn’t get to date when I
was back home, and I’d been perfectly content going to dinner at chain
restaurants and drinking commercial wine with Collin. I don’t think he put half
as much thought into either of our dates as Jackson had put into this one. If
he did it himself, that is. I knew there was a possibility that someone other
than him had planned all of this, but it was sweet. And a week before, sweet
was the last thing I was looking for.
“I hope you’re hungry, and I hope you’re okay with In-N-Out.
It’s my favorite,” he said, guiding me down to the blanket. He spread one of
the other blankets over my lap, then poured us both a glass of wine before
opening the bag. “I didn’t know what you like, so I got a few different
things.” He held out three different burgers, one of which was just a grilled
cheese sandwich. I chose the cheeseburger, and we shared an order of fries. It
was a meal I’d never had before, and even I had to admit it was something
special.
The movie started not long after we finished our food. He
stood up to throw away our trash, and when he returned to the blanket, he sat a
little closer to me than he had before. I didn’t mind. It wasn’t too cold
outside, and I still had a sweater and blanket to keep me warm, but being close
to him gave me exactly what I needed to be perfectly comfortable and warm. It
wasn’t until almost an hour into the movie that he moved the final inch so that
he could place his arm around my back.
I thought it would be uncomfortable, being so close to him.
Thursday had been so spontaneous that I hadn’t really had a chance to think
about it much when it was happening. But now, everything was premeditated,
calculated, as if he knew exactly what he was going to do long before he did
it.
It was anything and everything but uncomfortable. It felt
natural, easy, and surprisingly safe. So natural that I leaned my head on his
shoulder without even thinking about it.
My eyelids started to droop, but I felt Jackson’s lips at my
ear
driving next to it for almost half an hour, but instead he turned right, into
Malibu Canyon.
“I’ve never been to Malibu,” I said, really only to myself.
“I’m not surprised. I remember you telling me you didn’t get
out much.”
I laughed, and felt at ease once again. It was strange how he
had the power to do that. “You’re correct. This is a little bit further than I
can walk, I’ll admit.”
“I know you said you hadn’t been to beach yet either, so I’ll
be sure to take you there sometime too. We aren’t exactly going to the Malibu
that everybody thinks of.”
I looked at him curiously, but he just smiled. He drove for a
few more miles before turning left onto a winding street, where cars were lined
up in a makeshift parking lot along the side of the road. He passed them all
and pulled into a dirt lot, where we got out and let the valet park the car.
“Where are we?” I asked, confused.
“You’ll see.”
He took my hand and led me through an arch into what looked
like a park. It was fenced off by a wood railing, and lit by hanging lanterns
overhead. Dozens of people sat on blankets and at picnic tables, with bottles
of wine and food spread out.
“I hope you like old movies,” he said, leading me through the
crowd. Nobody seemed to notice him; they were all too busy with one another,
talking and drinking wine.
“I do,” I said, finally noticing the white screen in front of
everyone. “What are we watching tonight?”
“ Casablanca , I think. One of my
favorites.”
I paused midstep and turned to look at him, surprised. “I
haven’t seen that movie since I was high school.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here tonight, then.”
He led me to an unoccupied blanket spread on the ground, away
from the crowd, but still near the screen. Sitting on it were two additional
blankets, a bottle of wine with two glasses, and a white paper bag.
It was almost too much for me. I didn’t get to date when I
was back home, and I’d been perfectly content going to dinner at chain
restaurants and drinking commercial wine with Collin. I don’t think he put half
as much thought into either of our dates as Jackson had put into this one. If
he did it himself, that is. I knew there was a possibility that someone other
than him had planned all of this, but it was sweet. And a week before, sweet
was the last thing I was looking for.
“I hope you’re hungry, and I hope you’re okay with In-N-Out.
It’s my favorite,” he said, guiding me down to the blanket. He spread one of
the other blankets over my lap, then poured us both a glass of wine before
opening the bag. “I didn’t know what you like, so I got a few different
things.” He held out three different burgers, one of which was just a grilled
cheese sandwich. I chose the cheeseburger, and we shared an order of fries. It
was a meal I’d never had before, and even I had to admit it was something
special.
The movie started not long after we finished our food. He
stood up to throw away our trash, and when he returned to the blanket, he sat a
little closer to me than he had before. I didn’t mind. It wasn’t too cold
outside, and I still had a sweater and blanket to keep me warm, but being close
to him gave me exactly what I needed to be perfectly comfortable and warm. It
wasn’t until almost an hour into the movie that he moved the final inch so that
he could place his arm around my back.
I thought it would be uncomfortable, being so close to him.
Thursday had been so spontaneous that I hadn’t really had a chance to think
about it much when it was happening. But now, everything was premeditated,
calculated, as if he knew exactly what he was going to do long before he did
it.
It was anything and everything but uncomfortable. It felt
natural, easy, and surprisingly safe. So natural that I leaned my head on his
shoulder without even thinking about it.
My eyelids started to droop, but I felt Jackson’s lips at my
ear
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