𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐄 AWSTEN KNIGHT ✓

quatre

CHAPTER FOUR: TITS GUY? ASS GUY? NO, AIRPODS GUY

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WHEN AWSTEN TURNED THE CAR back on, the radio came on at full volume. "Fuck," he cursed, turning it down all the way. He didn't think they had David Bowie that loud. "Do you think it'll be weird if we go dressed like this?" he asked Valerie at the first stoplight they reached, looking over at her.

  Fuck, he thought, she's so pretty. Since they'd left the party, it had started to rain — just a sprinkle, nothing too severe. She was looking out the car window, the sunlight came through the raindrops, her face in her hand.

  "I don't think so. I think it would be cool," she told him, turning away from the window and towards him. "Awsten." She pointed to the light, it'd turned green.

  "Shit, sorry." He started driving again, and her voice rang through his head. Awsten, god, he loved the way she said his name. Awsten. He'd heard people say it his whole life, and yet coming from Valerie's mouth, it felt as if this was the first time he'd ever heard it.

  Awsten.

  "Do you want to change or something? Cause we can if you want to," she assured him. "My apartments around here, I probably have a change of clothes if you need one. There's probably left over from exes, you and my roommate look like you're the same size—"

  "Valerie, it's fine." He let out a laugh, trying to keep it quiet enough that she didn't hear. "I don't mind. We can go all dressed up, we'd look cool."

  The car was silent for a few moments again, until he asked, "So what kind of music do you like?"

  Her head fell back to the headrest, and she groaned. "Small talk sucks."

  "What? This isn't small talk," he laughed. "It's — Well, — No, I guess it is. But I still wanna know! Who do you like? Have you ever seen anyone live? Do you separate the art from the artist with anyone?"

  She bit her lip, trying to think of her answers. "I like the Bee Gees," was all she said.

  "Yeah? You fuck with Stayin' Alive?"

  "I fuck with How Deep Is Your Love."

  "Incredible song." Another red light. He slowed to a halt, and looked over at her again. "Oh, fuck." Without thinking, he lifted a hand to brush his knuckles across her dress. "There's a stain." It was most likely from the party. Someone probably spilled their drink, and Valerie was too high on the pure bliss of dancing with Awsten that she didn't notice.

  She looked down, he was right. A car honked behind them, signaling the light had turned green, and Awsten snapped back forward. "I'm sorry," he said.

  "It's not your fault," she smiled. "Someone probably—"

  "Well, yes, I'm sorry about that, — it's a very pretty dress — but that's not what I meant," he interrupted. Valerie felt her cheeks grow pink. "I mean about the driving. I'm not usually this distracted, I'm actually a great driver. It's just...."

  She picked at her fingernail. She was distracting him? Oh, that was....

  "I think I have a sweatshirt in my trunk or—or backseat or something, you can put it on over your dress once we get to the diner."

  "Oh, you're taking me to a diner?"

  "Yeah, I always go when I'm in town."

  "How often are you in town, Awsten?"

  He didn't answer, instead just shrugged, and silence fell over the two of them once again. He turned the volume on the radio to one, but neither of them recognized the band playing. By the time they reached the diner, the rain was coming down hard.

  Awsten ruffled his hair and turned to search his back seat. No sweatshirt. They were parked on the street, and he didn't really want to open his trunk in this. So he pulled his suit jacket off. "Here," he said, handing it over to her.

  She shoved it back. "What about you? You'll get all wet."

  "I've got sleeves. Your dress doesn't, just take it." It took a bit more back and forth, but finally, she took the jacket from him. "Okay, on my count. Three...two...one...go!"

  They threw their car doors open and jumped out. Slamming them shut, they rushed to the front door of the diner, laughing the whole time.

  "You're soaked." Valerie had a grin spread across her face.

  "I'll be alright."

  His socks made a squishing noise with each step, and they found a booth near the back. Valerie sat down and looked out the window. "I hope the party's doing okay."

  He set his elbow on the table, and a puddle instantly formed. "Their fault for not checking the weather beforehand." He looked out the window and watched cars pass, their headlights reflected off the rainfall, and his mind wandered to rom-com love confession scenes.

  But this wasn't a rom-com, this was real life. Sure, he and Valerie could become good friends based on tonight. Maybe they'd kiss, maybe even date. But that was for the future, not now. He needed to live in the moment; Needed to sit here, soaking wet from the rain, and admire the girl in front of him as she is right now.

  The diner was empty, the only people here were the two of them, the staff, and Queen playing over the radio somewhere deep in the kitchen. "I work hard (he works hard) every day of my life / I work 'til I ache in my bones"

  "You like the Bee Gees...you like Queen?" Awsten turned to her and she smiled.

  "Yeah, I like Queen, I breathe air, don't I?"

  "Okay, good just checking."

  They'd been sitting here a while, and no one had come to take their order, she wondered how much longer they would have to sit here for. Maybe they had to go up to the counter and Awsten had forgotten to mention that. He did say he was distracted.

  She stuffed her hands in her pockets — well, technically his pockets, as it was his jacket — and her fingers brushed against something. Slowly, she pulled whatever it was. "Headphones," she accidentally said aloud.

  Awsten turned quickly. "Shit." He took the earbuds from her and examined them. "Fuck, these are fried. I forgot they were in there."

  "Huh."

  He looked up at her. "What?"

  "I don't know, you seem like an Airpods guy."

  "Why? Cause I'm incredibly rich and famous?" Fuck, he didn't want her to know that yet.

  She snorted. "Yeah, exactly."

  Phew, he thought.

  Valerie looked out the window again, the rain was starting to clear up. She looked back around the diner, no one was coming to them yet. "Hey, do you want to get out of here? There's a gas station around here."

  Before he could answer, she got up, and grabbed the sleeve of his dress shirt, pulling him back out to his car.

tramp stamps is such a good band, might cast them in my next fic