50 States, 50 Dates

Chapter 4

      I must've fallen asleep during the movie because when I woke up I was in an unfamiliar bed. Where am I? It was a nice room with gray sheets and a fluffy comforter. Oh right I was with Jude. Wait, was he a kidnapper!? Am I in his hideaway and I'm about to die?! 

Then Jude walked in. "Oh good, you're awake. Do you want pancakes or waffles?" " I don't accept food from kidnappers." "Kidnapper? Oh you, fell asleep last night and I don't know where you live or anything so I put you in the guest room." "Oh." My face flushed. I was so embarrassed. "My bad but I don't know you that well," I said. "No, perfectly reasonable suspicions." Jude said with a smile, "You did just wake up in a strange place with a strange person." "You're not that strange, Jude," I said, giggling. "Are you sure?" Then he crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue. We both burst out laughing. 

"So pancakes or waffles?" "Waffles, please," I said, politely. "Okay, anything for you," he said as he walked out of the room. I fell back onto the bed. My whole face was red. Either from laughing or blushing. I couldn't tell. Why does he have to be so cute!? I got up and went into the guest bathroom. My hair was a mess. He looked at me like this, ugh. I combed my hands through my strawberry blonde hair. It looks like Mom's. And when I looked in the mirror I saw my blue eyes. Dad's eyes. My heart ached. I put my hearing aid in and adjusted the sound level. Just then I smelled waffles. I trudged towards the kitchen and sat down at the island on a comfy bar stool. "Want whipped cream?" Jude asked as he rummaged through the fridge. "Yes, puhlease." He slid the whipped cream towards me and came to sit next to me with his plate of waffles. He passed me a fork. He started drizzling syrup on his waffles as I ate my waffles. He caught me watching him and smiled. I looked away and blushed. God, he's adorable. I continued eating my waffles, but then I noticed Jude staring at me. "What?" I asked. Although it was before I swallowed my waffles so it sort of sounded like Wufft. "Nothing you just have something on your face," he said as he reached over and wiped whipped cream off my face with his thumb accidentally brushing my lips.

  Now Stephanie, be good, alright? I blushed so much I was practically a tomato at this point. I stared at my dangling feet and when I looked up Jude was inches from my face. I started to ask why he was so close but I got an answer as soon as my lips parted. His lips hit mine instantly. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he pulled me closer. Our tongues collided and he tasted like maple syrup. He tastes so good. We pulled apart and he carried me to the couch with my legs wrapped around his waist. He sat down and I started to kiss him again. He grabbed my waist and my hands were in his hair. Everything was electric. My whole body was on fire. He continued kissing me and moved to my neck. We stopped, both of us breathing hard. 

He broke the silence saying, "Stay." "What?" I asked, confused. "Stay here for another day," he explained. "I'm not sure Jude." "Just one more day at least." I thought about it, what about your goal Stephie? I thought this was a road trip to Florida? All very good points I thought but is there really a time limit on this? "Fine," I said, "but how do I know you're not a kidnapper?" I smiled. He also smiled and then we kissed again. "But first we need a plan," I said.

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Less than an hour later we were headed towards the parking lot my car was parked in. Once we got there I decided I would leave the car there and take my bag to Jude's apartment for tonight. Then we would go on a real date. "I got it!" I exclaimed as I raced back to Jude's car with my bag. I climbed into the passenger seat and locked the seatbelt. "Why do you do that Steph?" Jude asked, referring to the seatbelt. "Oh," I said, surprised he even noticed. I didn't know if I was ready to tell him in the car. "I'll tell you at your place. Okay?" "Sounds fine to me."

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When we arrived at home we mostly lounged around watching silly videos and playing JustDance and of course I won JustDance because as of last night I learned that Jude couldn't sing or dance. It was hilarious. I thought Jude had forgotten that I still hadn't told him about the seatbelt but not too long after that he asked about it. 

"So what's up with the seatbelt thing?" he asked. "Well first off have you ever been in a car crash?" "No?" he said, confused. "Well, I have. Once. About 13 years ago. My family and I were on a road trip to Florida. Just me, my mom and my dad. My mom was actually pregnant with my little sister at the time and they were going to tell me in Florida. But we never made it. There was a crash. A person was drunk driving behind us and they came around us so my dad swerved and... and..." My eyes started welling up. 

Jude hugged me and cuddled closer. He stroked my hair and whispered, "Shhh, it's okay. You're okay." 

"We rolled and my parents weren't wearing seatbelts. I was and was able to unbuckle and drop down to use my iPad to call the paramedics. When they took my parents I didn't know they had died. But there was so much blood and now I can't look at blood without feeling queasy." 

Jude looked at me with sad, understanding eyes. 

I continued, "After I got to the ER I passed out and when I woke up my parents weren't there and I was in an unfamiliar place."