BECAUSE IT WAS YOU

Chapter 17

"Are you free tonight?" he asks me. I can tell by the way he looks that he is somewhat nervous.
But, I mean, who isn't?
I'm nervous just standing here in front of him.

"Wha-?"

"I want to take you out somewhere." he interrupts my thoughts.

"Yes. Yea, I have no plans for tonight. Not yet." I shake my head, definitely unsure of what I must and must not say.

"Great. So, 7?" he asks.

"Yea." I make an expression that almost looks like a smile?

With that, I turn around closing the door behind me and leaning on it.
Suddenly, the room felt heavy, the air around me felt heavy.
If anyone else were here, they would've suspected the presence of a spirit. For the air felt so very heavy.
Unless that person was in my state of mind and felt exactly what I felt.

Although, I'm not really able to figure it out for myself of what I felt at the moment. Or what I felt everytime I came into contact with Jayden.

But now I need to prepare myself for tonight. And by preparing myself, I mean more mental preparation than my outfit and all that.

A few hours later Chris phones to check on me. And since she had mentioned that she would come back early because I'd be alone (considering the fact that Amy's parents are here to see her today and so she'll be with them) I had to bring up my plans tonight with Jayden. She most definitely shrieked with excitement, which made the butterflies in my stomach fly around faster causing an irritating sensation.
But anyways, I ask her to have fun and hang up.

By 6, I start getting ready.
When we talk about weekends, the showers will be occupied for hours. Almost everyone goes out with friends, mostly for parties. Even the ones who would rather stay in, end up going out.

When I'm done showering I get dressed in my dark blue short denim frock. I have no idea where he'd be taking me, so obviously there's this familiar confusion on deciding what to wear.
I tie my hair up in a high ponytail and put on some of my perfume, my wrist watch, and a pair of brown sandals.
Not flip flop-pish sandals, but the kind of sandals you could wear for both casual and special events alike.

I hear a knock on the door and hesitate all at once. I stand still but internally I'm definitely nervous.
I check my watch and it's sharp 7.
Dropping my phone inside my dress pocket, I go for the door.

As I pull the door open, Jayden looks at me. Directly.
He is dressed in a dark blue T-shirt, a pair of jeans and sneakers.
Unlike usually, he wasn't wearing his jacket today. Which felt so very different at first. But then you see all the tattoos and you really get distracted.

"Shall we?" he asks me.
The blant expression on his face says nothing at all. It's almost like he had no thoughts. A robot.
Not in any rude way, it would be harsh to relate him to something inhuman. But he was, really, blank.
For a second I wondered if this is what he was going to be like for the rest of the night.
Given the expression, one might even suspect that he were to silently murder me at some deserted, dark forest.

"Yea." I respond. Had the conversation starter been much more comfortable and friendly, I would've replied differently. But not right now. Not in this conversation.

"Where are we going?" I ask him once we are out of the dorms.

"That's a surprise." he says.

"Surprise?"

"You'll see."

Along the way, I keep my eyes fixed on the sides of the roads. We don't talk to each other, and the thought of having him give me a short response, kept me from bringing up something to talk about.

There were times when I loved the silence. But not when I was left alone with just one person. And especially not when you are two people who know each other, travelling in the same vehicle. It made the air feel heavy, and I felt as if I were carrying such heavy weights on my shoulders.

Because when there's only two of you, you feel oddly responsible for making conversation. But the question was, if only I felt it. Right now, here with him.
Although, none of this thinking makes me take my eyes away. I have a fixed glance on what's happening outside as if I've never ever travelled out of my house ever.
He must've thought so too. Unless, he of course knew what I felt.

"Is it too cold?" he asks me.

Not that he spoke loud, not at all. But his voice took me by surprise. Another common response when someone breaks the silence all at once without warning.
I don't let it show. Obviously.

"It's a bit cold. But I like it." I respond.
"But if you're feeling cold-"

"No. No, I like it too. So, no worries." he looks at me.

It feels like forever since he actually spoke spoke to me.
Well, technically it wasn't much chatting. But, well...

I smile, nod and look away.

"Did you maybe want to listen to some music?" he asks me.

"I would love that!" I smile.

"Pick anything you like. There are some CDs in there." he points at the glove compartment right in front of me.

I open it and find CDs. Many.
There are some originals and some CDs he's customised.

I put in the CD on which it's written "Slow oldies" with probably a black sharpie or something.

The first song plays, and I recognize it.

"Lay your troubles on my shoulder..." I sing along inside my head.
Or so I thought, until Jayden joins in silently. It is then that I realise I've been quietly singing along and not inside my head. Like actually singing it out.

I turn to face him, and he does the same. The usual nervousness as our eyes met did not appear. For once, it felt like we were on the same page.

I smile and so does he.
"Bee Gees." I say the name of the band.

"Yup." he nods. "You like the song?"

"Yea." I smile. "I love it."

A while later, we arrive at the place. I can tell, because he takes a turn to the left bringing us to a narrow road.
He slows the car, bringing it to a stop slowly.

"Where is this?" I ask him.

And obviously anyone would. Especially given the surroundings. It's nothing but dark, it has been for a while even when he was driving us here.
And honestly, in any thriller movie you'd expect the guy to bring the girl to this dark place and murder her.
It was all trees and greenery.

"Hold on." Removing his seat belt and getting out of the car, he arrives by my side. Holding the door open for me.

"Let's go." he smiles slightly.

I get out of the passenger seat, slightly giggling at his unusual behavior.

Let's go!