02| jesse

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She is beautiful.

I can't help but steal little looks to my right while driving. Everything about her is angelic, from her soft brown hair to her petite frame. And her eyes, those perfect bright brown irises, the kind I have always been the biggest sucker for.

After speaking to her for the first time this morning, I spent the better part of the day thinking about her. She is easy to like and seems just as easy to get along with.

Then when her grandfather wanted me to spend some time with her it felt like the universe was giving me the permission to do exactly what I was thinking about.

"You didn't have to do this you know," she mutters out of nowhere. I am caught off guard and I thank God for the stop sign or else something ugly might have happened.

I turn to her, about to ask her what she is talking about, but I can see the clear embarrassment on her face. Over what?

"I want to," I assure her.

She sighs and picks at her thumb. "I know my Papa asked you for this. Of course I appreciate it, but I'm sorry if this threw a wedge into your plans."

When I park the car outside Morgan Park, I reach over and cup her fiddling hands. She jumps at the contact and I immediately pull back, but go to speak now knowing I have her attention.

"I would have done this even if your granddad and I never spoke, okay?"

She nods, but she is still staring down with her hair curtaining her face. "Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to- I'm sorry," she rambles.

Behind her hair I can see her face turn a little pink, making her already angelic face glow so beautifully. I want to reach out and push her hair back, but from her already skittish response a second ago it doesn't seem like the best decision right now.

Instead I hop out of the car and stride to the passenger side to let her out. I keep my hands ready in case she needs me, but she steadily makes her way out of the low seat before stepping down onto the gravel.

She looks up at me and squints at the sunlight. "So are we playing soccer or something?" she asks. I think she is being sarcastic, but it is hard to tell since her mouth is set in a line.

"No, not today." I chuckle and pop the trunk to take out the cooler and blanket. I hold the two up and I get the first genuine smile of the night from her. Her eyes light up with happiness which makes me feel like a king to have her look at me this way.

"But how does a picnic sound?"

"It sounds great," she replies, her smile turning a little shy. "I've always wanted to have one."

"Hopefully this will live up to your expectations." I lead her to a fresh spot of grass near the middle of the lawn in the sun.

Setting the cooler aside, I flare the blanket out onto the ground. The breeze tangles it a little, but Abby leans down to flatten it on the grass.

She sits down and I settle close and take out the chips and sandwiches.

"You're not allergic to anything, right?" I ask, feeling a little stupid it didn't cross my mind to ask her grandfather.

"Well, peanuts. But I'm mostly fine now, so if I have a little nothing bad will happen to me," she teases, taking the sandwich from me.

"We're in the clear then," I say, happy she is letting loose enough to be a little playful. Up until now I could feel the tension radiating off of her.

"Do you have a preference?" I ask, holding up two different cans.

Her eyes go wide and she puts up a hand. "I can't, I'm-I'm only twenty."

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