the right decision

Chapter 27

"And all at once, you are the one I have been waiting for."

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I am officially freaking out. Nick should be here to pick me up any second. I haven't been that nervous in a while. Well, I also haven't been on a date in a while. So, being nervous is normal, I guess? I saw my reflection in the mirror and took a deep breath. I don't even know why I'm freaking out. I'm going on a date with Nick. It's him. There's no need to be that nervous.

All of the sudden, I heard the doorbell ring. That must be him. I quickly checked my outfit in the mirror. Nick had given me a quick heads up to wear something warm and comfortable, so I did. Well, the top I was wearing wasn't exactly something that you'd consider warm. But it was our first date, so I would definitely not show up in a turtleneck or something like that. No, instead I went for a silky black sweater with some lace details and a deep v-neckline, paired with tight jeans and knee-high boots. Not the stuff I would usually wear on a first date but still acceptable.

My hair was falling down loosely onto my shoulders, and I only put on a little make up. I ran my hands through my hair one last time, before I made my way downstair. "I'm coming.", I screamed, grabbing my coat and my bag as I went to open the door. "Hi.", I said a little out of breath. He looked great – simple blue jeans, a flannel shirt, and a black jacket to top it off.

I noticed how he started fidgeting around with his fingers while he was looking at me. Oh, now I know from whom Charlotte had picked up that habit. I realized that he was probably also nervous. Somehow, that calmed me down a lot. "Hi.", he replied. "You look... beautiful.", he stated.

Hearing his compliment made me blush, so I instinctively looked down to the ground. "Thank you.", I said giggling a little. I walked up to him and closed the door behind me. "Let's go?", I asked him. He nodded and reached for my hand. His car was only a few steps away, but this little gesture still meant a lot to me. I felt...safe? As our fingers interlocked, I felt how all the nervosity fell off me.

However, I could sense that Nick was still very nervous. He didn't talk much, which was unusual for him. I tried to lighten up the mood by joking around a little. "So, are you telling me where we're going or is this a kidnapping situation?", I chuckled while I got inside his car. Of course, he held the door open for me. The perfect gentleman.

I heard him laugh a little as he walked around to get to his side. Once he got in, he looked at me. "Well, you deliberately got in the car with me. So, no, not a kidnapping situation. But I'm also not telling you where we're going.", he said smirking at me before he started the car and pulled out of the driveway.

"Oh, come on. Just a hint.", I demanded. I was really curious about what he had planned for us. Given the details he gave me for my outfit, I figured it might be something outside, but I wasn't so sure about that. "Nope. That's not how it works. You're always in charge, you always know everything. So, this time, let me take control. Just sit back, relax and enjoy this.", he explained to me, his eyes fully focused on the road. I only grumbled something incomprehensible and looked outside the window, which made Nick laugh.

Oh, his laugh. I could tell that he was getting more relaxed by the second. Then, as if it was the most natural thing on earth, he put his hand on my thigh while he was driving on the freeway. I just looked down on it with a big, idiotic smile on my lips. I could get used to this.

A few minutes later, he drove off to a small road. There was no pavement anymore, it was more of a dirt road than anything else. I raised my eyebrows, obviously confused. "Well, this does feel a lot like a kidnapping situation now.", I stated laughing a little. I had no idea where we were. Nick also laughed a little and then turned off the car.