Words & Whiskey

EDITED VERSION: Chapter Twenty-Five

"So, where exactly is he taking you?" Samara questioned from my bed, hugging my pillow while watching me change in and out of over a dozen outfits.

I scrunch my nose at this one. The knitted blue sweater hugged all the wrong places and the leggings were the wrong shade of black. Groaning in frustration and I flung my hands to my sides and turned to my best friend. "I have no idea, he won't tell me."

"Awe, I think that's cute he wants to surprise you!" She mused. When I gave her a look that read I wasn't impressed, she sobered. "Alright, how about I ask Darian to tell me where his brother is taking you and then we can go from there?"

I nodded my head eagerly, desperate to get as much helpful information as I could for this date so I could make sure everything would go perfectly.

Samara left the room and I heard her trying to badger Darian to confess where Nathan and I would be going tonight. After a few minutes of banter, I then heard a loud smack and Darian groaning in pain. I sighed and plopped on the bed looking at my ridiculously messy floor. I was so nervous for tonight, but it was the good kind of nervous. I just want everything to be perfect so I don't mess things up with Nathan right on the first date, that would be both humiliating and disappointing.

My cell phone began to vibrate, causing me to snap back to the present. Without looking at the screen to see who was calling, I answered. "Hello?"

"Stop stressing, princess. Wear that green lace dress you have; you look beautiful in it."

I jerked my head back in surprise at hearing Nathan's voice. "Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Darian texted me like two seconds ago something about you were freaking out and Samara smacked him for not letting info slide," Nate chuckled lightly and I could hear the smile in his voice as he continued. "See you in an hour, princess."

He hung up on me abruptly, leaving me in stunned silence. Samara came back in and she huffed. "I couldn't get anything out of him."

I laughed and rolled my eyes. "No worries, Nate called and told me what to wear."

She arched a brow and laughed. "Are you serious?"

Getting up from my bed, biting my lip and nodding. I went to my closet and searched through my dresses, trying to find the one that Nathan was talking about. Finally, I found it at the back and grinned. I held it up to my body and turned around. "Is it just me or is this a fancy dress for a first date?"

Sam nodded her head and had a giant grin plastered on her face. "This is going to be great."

Again, I stood in the mirror and stared at my date-ready body. My emerald dress made my eyes of the same colour pop, with a little help from my eyeliner of course. My hair was half up and half down, curls cascading down my back. I gave myself a final nod and opened my door hesitantly. I couldn't believe how excitedly nervous I was.

Sam left a few minutes ago, saying something about her parents making her go out to see her "Evil Spawn" of a cousin for a New Year's Eve dinner, so I was alone walking down the hallway to meet up with Nathan. I think Darian was still here, maybe he'd ease the possible awkwardness if he is.

Taking a deep breath as the living room came into view. But rather than both Darian and Nathan being there, neither were. I tried to keep my mind from wandering and thinking the worst. But after a few minutes of standing in the empty living room, my stomach started to sink at the thought of Nathan changing his mind about giving us a shot.

I sat down on the couch and was about to get out my phone and shoot Nathan a text but instead, I heard a knock at the door. I sighed, throwing my phone to the side and got up from the couch. Straightening out my dress and putting on the best friendly face I could, I answered the door. "Hi."