180 Degrees- Completed

Chapter Six

"Hi!" I walked out of the complex, looking at him. He'd changed since this morning and now he looked completely different. Still wearing his glasses but now in a leather jacket, leaning against the hood of his little convertible car. I might need a few minutes. 

"Hey." He smiled at me. "Nice jacket." 

"It's like we co-ordinated." He moved forward, putting a hand on my hip and gently kissing my cheek before opening the car door for me. "Okay introverted my ass." 

"I am." I slid into his car, buckling up as he walked around and climbed in beside me. "I've just been hijacked by my identical twin brother." 

"Oh twin brother. Got it." Nodding sarcastically as he chuckled. 

"What do you want to do today? I was thinking the Gardens? It's a nice day? A little drive around first?" 

"That sounds fun." 

"Well okay then." He took off driving and I was smiling the whole time. Wind in my hair, sun beaming down on us, music blasting through the radio. If my parents saw me right now I'm pretty sure they would drag me back home and home school me. 

We were driving for about 20 minutes when he pulled up, looking out over the local lake.

"What made you choose Duke then?" His hands turned the volume of the radio down so it was just running in the background. 

"I wanted somewhere I could do it all. Volleyball, dance, psych. I could have done all of that at Stanford, been with friends, been on the team with them and everything. But I needed to get away from high school really. Clean slate." He nodded. 

"Bullies?" 

"Not necessarily. Just people who thought things of me that weren't true and they have no evidence to back up what they thought." 

"An ex then?" I snickered. "What?" 

"I feel like that's all I keep talking about at the moment. I haven't had a boyfriend. There isn't an ex to be running from. Its embarrassing I kn-" 

"Me neither." I turned to him, nervous smile disappearing. 

"Really?" 

"Yeah. Not even had a first kiss." I gave him a soft smile. 

"Me neither. Strict parents?" 

"Ugh. The strictest. Just wanted me to focus on school and staying out of trouble." I grinned at him. "My brothers are kind of the dim ladies men, complete jocks with no ability to process thoughts. They needed at least one of us to get into school for some reason other than sport and parties." I nodded, understanding exactly what he was saying.

"My sister was so smart. High grades, was set to go to Harvard law. My parent's proudest achievement was her. Then she fucked it up and now she's a single mom working 3 jobs t pay bills." 

"Ouch." 

"Yeah. Hence the whole no boyfriends, no parties thing." 

"I mean, makes sense." I nodded. 

"So Mr smart boy in a leather jacket. What else do you do? Any hobbies? Murdering girls you just met and dumping them in a lake? A heads up so I can call the cops would be great." He chuckled at me. 

"Actually yeah let me just get the cement." I smiled at him, praying he was joking. I knew he was but I was still a little suspicious. "I play guitar actually." 

"That's really cool and-" 

"Unexpected?" 

"Yeah. Really unexpected." I liked how his face looked when he smiled. Sweet and soft but with a slight edge that made it feel a little spicy. Just a hint. I couldn't pin point what it was but I knew it was there. Maybe it was him having a leather jacket. That was throwing me off enough as it was. 

"I just taught myself a few years ago. I was bored and needed something I could do between assignments. I could pick it up and put it down as I needed to. No restrictions or demands. My own pace." 

"I'd love to be able to play an instrument." 

"I heard you singing along to the radio. Singing is classed as an instrument and you're really good." I scrunched my face up, turning in my seat to face him better. "Thanks, for insisting to buy me a drink." 

"Oh no, not a problem. I really need to learn to watch where I'm going. It's my own fault." 

"You sure you're okay?" 

"I may have a bruise starting. It's fine." 

"I've been told I'm like a brick wall." 

"You are." 

"I spent probably too much time at the gym this summer." 

"Oh alright. Do you need a pump for that head inflation or are you just going to let your ego do it for you?" He laughed at me. 

"I didn't mean it like that." 

"I know you didn't." 

"What did you do over summer? Before you came up here?" 

"Not much. Read all the text books. Started some of the assignments. Interned for my parents. That's it. Not very extensive." 

"None of that sounds like a hobby." 

"None of it was. I mean we took a week away. We went down to Florida to see my grandparents. But that was it." 

"Sounds like a crap summer." 

"It was. Really crap." I nodded and he smiled. 

"Well, we still have a week. Why don't we do some fun things?" 

"Are you asking me on a date Jasper?" 

"You mean another one? Yeah." 

"Another one?" I raised an eyebrow.

"That's what this is right?" 

"I mean I guess it could be seen that way yeah." I tilted my head at him. "Your not an introvert Jasper." 

"I'm a little shy. I can be when I first meet people. Once I start talking though it's hard to shut me up." 

"So your not an introvert?" 

"No. I don't think so." I rolled my eyes smiling at him. "Give me a break. I'm new to all this." 

"So am I but I'm not pretending to be shy. Don't ever go into work as an actor." I could see him biting his tongue like my gentle teasing was pissing him off. "Sorry I'm taking it too far." 

"No carry on. I'm enjoying watching you laugh." 

"Yeah you're definitely not an introvert. Lacking in confidence maybe. I can see a little shy but I don't think it's as big of a deal as you made it out to be." 

"Yeah that was a bad choice wasn't it? I am shy. I can be. I don't know. I just feel comfortable with you. Like your naturally comforting just to be around." 

"Weird question I know, but can I take a picture of you?" 

"Now?" 

"Yeah." 

"Why?" I laughed. 

"Basically my best friend is in Stanford and made me promise to send her pictures of any people trying to replace her." 

"That's kind of sweet, kind of creepy. How many pictures have you got so far?" 

"Just 1 more." 

"Another guy I presume? Just by how your not being specific?" I looked at him, giving him a big cheesy grin so he would smile for me. 

"Thanks." I pushed my phone back into my bag before looking back up at him. "I only met him yesterday." 

"The other guy?" 

"Yeah." 

"Is it bad that I'm jealous?" I laughed at him. I liked that he could be so open and honest about that.