Back in the Saddle

Happening At Last

Karl's POV:

After a very long day at work, it's finally time for me to get ready for my date with Nick. And not just any date, but my first date. My first date with Nick, and my first date since Dallas died. Surprisingly enough, I'm not nervous at all; it seems like ever since Wil told me the truth about Dallas, it's been so much easier for me to function normally. Of course I'm still beyond myself with grief for him and I miss him more than words can express, but the main thing keeping me from moving on up until this point has been the guilt I felt. And now that's gone.

I'm tired of getting in the way of my own happiness. Nick makes me happier than I've been in a long time, and I want to allow myself to just be happy with him without the insecurities plaguing me and holding me back. I've been able to come to terms with the fact that maybe I do deserve to be happy, and ever since I did, all I want to do is spend time with Nick, my amazing boyfriend.

I also no longer feel like I'm betraying Dallas by being with Nick. I know that if I had been the one to die and him the one to live, I would've wanted him to move on and be happy, even if it's without me. It would hurt, of course, but he would have deserved it, and he would feel the same for me.

All of that aside, I rummage through the closet I share with George, trying to figure out what I want to wear. I want to do something that he hasn't seen me wear yet, but I've exhausted all my summer clothes. That being said, I feel like it's appropriate to break out a pair of pants, even though it's like a hundred degrees outside.

The pants are baggy and an off-white; I grab a regular black t-shirt to go with it and a brown and black splotched, short-sleeved, collared shirt to go overtop. Black Converses seem like the best option for shoes, and I decide that gold jewelry will go better with the fit than silver, so I grab my gold rings and a gold chain. My gold-rimmed blue light glasses complete the look, so I take my phone and wallet and head downstairs to wait for Nick to pick me up.

Toby and George are chilling in the living room, sitting on their phones while the TV plays quietly in the background. Wilbur is in his room doing homework, like usual, and Phil and Kristen are in the kitchen, making dinner for the five of them. No one acknowledges me when I come in and sit on the couch, which is fine by me because I don't want them to make a big deal out of this.

"Karl, are you excited?" Toby asks.

It would appear I spoke too soon.

"Um, yeah," I say, hoping Kris didn't hear.

"Oh yes, you'll have to tell me everything!" she says, poking her head around so I can see her over the bar. "I'm so excited for you, sweetie."

"Thank you," I say, smiling at her sweetly but secretly hoping I'll get saved from hearing all her congratulations and compliments.

My prayers are answered when I get a text from Nick saying that he's here. I quickly say my goodbyes and leave before she gets a chance to make me take a picture like I'm in middle school or something. Nick's truck is waiting for me outside, as is Nick, but he's not in the truck. Instead, he's standing outside of it with a bouquet of flowers, ranging from purple, to teal, to pink, to yellow.

"Oh, Nicky," I say once I get over to him, taking the flowers from him. "They're so pretty."

"I wasn't sure which one you'd like, so I just got the one with the biggest assortment of colors in it. And I know you said not to come to the door because you didn't want your aunt to make a big deal, but I didn't wanna be one of those boyfriends who just sits in the car and waits, so here we are."

"Well, I think the flowers are beautiful and you are very sweet," I say, leaning forward to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. I see his cheeks grow a pinkish red and I smile. "Let me run these inside really quick and we'll be good to go."