Head Over Heels

(Updated) Chapter 12- Poker Game

"Thanks for letting me borrow your jacket up there. Here you go." I take off Tyler's jacket and try to hand it to him.

"That's alright, you keep it the rest of the night. You need it more than I do." Tyler smiles his crooked smirk at me.

"That's nice of you but I'm totally fine, really." My arm's still extended to him. Suddenly the night breeze comes sending a wave of shivers up my exposed skin causing visible goosebumps we both notice.

"Is that so?" Tyler laughs. "Will you quit the tough act with me and put the dang jacket back on?! I can see the goosebumps from here." Tyler grabs the jacket from my hand and swings it over my shoulders once again.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I never act tough. I am tough." I give Tyler a playful smirk. "But if you insist......" I push my arms through the giant arm holes, feeling instantly so much warmer wrapped in Tyler's jacket. "Thank you." I say genuinely when our eyes meet again.

"You're welcome Lila."

"But if your fragile little body gets too cold, just let me know. I can give you your jacket back because like I said, I'm really not even that cold." I joke. Maybe I'm being petty, but I couldn't resist the chance to dig at Tyler again. I don't want him thinking he's won. It will only inflate his ego further.

"Fragile?! I've easily got a hundred pounds on you!" Tyler scoffs. "You're just lucky that I'm such a gentlemen, even to stubborn girls who never want to accept help from anyone." Tyler winks at me with a big grin.

Did he really just wink?!

There's no time to try and over analyze what just happened because Kelly and Chase are walking down the exit ramp towards us. Not far behind them are the rest of our friends coming in pairs off the ride.

"Everybody ready to get going?" Payton asks the group. She looks completely smitten, her hand resting in Jakes. She must've had a nice time on the Ferris Wheel. 

"Sounds good." Tyler answers for the guys.

"Yep, let's go." Kelly agrees.

Our group begins heading back to the Johnson's house. All the guys take the lead on our walk which is totally fine because all of us girls are dying to hear how Payton's ride went.

"So! How'd it go?!" Kelly asks excitedly as soon as the boys are out of earshot.

"It was.....perfect." Payton says with a sigh. "Jake asked me at the top if I would go on a real date with him next Saturday! I of course told him I needed to check my calendar." She pauses to look us each in the eye and then bursts out laughing. "Just kidding! I told him yes, obviously!"

We all squeal along with Payton in her excitement.

"Did he say where he would take you?" Claire asks.

"He told me he wanted it to be a surprise so I have no idea what he has planned, but I can't wait! I've been hoping this day would come for so long that I would be happy with just about anything. But if anyone wants to drop him some hints that I hate movie first dates, feel free." Payton laughs but is completely serious at the same time.

"What's wrong with going to the movies?" Kelly questions.

"Nothing.... It's just they aren't worthy of a first date. First dates are special. You can't ever have another first date with someone. No do overs. You only get one. So it better be a good one."

We all look at Payton with blank stares so she continues her explanation.

"...I'm just saying I want to be wooed a little on a first date. Something more special than sitting in a dark room staring at a screen and not talking to each other for two hours. That's a total cop out. I'd rather do something more thoughtful. You know, something like a hand packed picnic dinner on the beach with star gazing afterward....." Payton looks lost in a daydream before she comes back to reality. "I'm just saying, first impressions are important. You can tell a lot about a guy based on how good his first date is."