Destined to be?

Chapter 26

Brayden

Looking over at her, so gorgeous as she peers out the window of the limo.
Something that she does any time she's in a car, I've noticed. Always looking out, seeing everything that passes by.
I have to hand it to Amara. Getting this limo was a good idea and Sarah looked so happy when she walked out and saw it.
Then again that might have mainly been for the fact that her best friend was waiting outside for her.
Still this was worth it, even if I did find the distance a little bit of an inconvenience. I'd much rather have her sitting next to me but there will be plenty of time where I will be by her side once we get into the dance.
Looking over at amara seeing her enthused by something on her phone. Her dress was also pretty, better than the countless ones I saw her try on in the store. It almost seemed as if she had gone for the exact opposite of the tight dresses she kept trying on. This one had way more fabric on the bottom and flowed out. In fact the only part that fit to her body at all was the top and that fit well. A dip in the front that went way further down than it should showcasing her boobs.
Turning my head away knowing that what I was thinking was wrong. This is my girlfriend's best friend for crying out loud.
Looking over to my left, giving Luke a nod needing to put my thoughts on anythign else.
Not really what I was expecting when amara said she picked a date.
He was tall though I still had an inch on him, his blonde hair was buzzed short, reminding me of the movies when they have the marines getting their heads shaved for boot camp. They told me that he was an athlete but his body was so scrawny that you would never know just by looking at him. I never actually asked what he did but I'm sure that will come up in a future conversation.
I only just met him when they drove by to pick me up and the most we said to each other was, 'hey.'
So I didn't really know much about the guy but something about him just hit a nerve.
I just couldn't figure out why.
Pulling my phone out of the inner chest pocket to look at the time. Relieved to find that we would be arriving at the hotel the prom was being held at in less than ten minutes.
Wanting this car ride to be over so I could finally have my girlfriend by my side. She had an episode earlier where she had seemed to space out and I've been wanting to ask her about it but she waved me off. Instead of going to her like i wanted i sat back down in this stupid seat. A decision that I've been regretting ever since.
Of course I could very well go and sit by her now but everyone seemed to be doing their own thing, as if each of us had our own assigned space and moving now would break the invisible barrier that they had created.
Would that really be so bad?
After all this was just a limo, one that I had helped pay for and yet I was letting an imaginary barrier that I created keep me from moving across the way.
Seeing how her head kept on bobbing as she kept on finding new things to look at.
If I were to move now then all that wonder on her face would be gone and it would be my fault for interrupting that, whatever it was she was doing.
Knowing that I would never be able to understand how her brain works. A girl that finds shapes in the clouds.
An adorable little habit, I will admit.
She has an eye. The pictures that she takes are amazing and when she actually gets into talking about them, about what she saw to even pick up her camera in the first place is just wow.
Our entire journalism class was in awe of her, the only time when no one else would have little side chats because they were all listening to her.
That was impressive, she is impressive. Yet it's like she doesn't even know the gift that she has.
Always worried that her projects were not good enough, or needed more work.
I mean hell, the last one she presented she hadn't even known what the project was. I had to text her the topic and she had managed to not only have the best presentation out of anyone by far, she was the only one to use an image that she had taken herself.
Everyone else, including myself, had just thrown together pictures from online. Most of us had two pictures side by side, explaining the difference between the old one and the new. Where she had managed to pull an entire speech just from the one photo.
When she had come back to her seat afterwards she had to ask if she did alright.
I had been dumbfounded.
How she could have felt that she had done anything other than far beyond what was expected.
If we had been on a field I would have whacked her in the back of her helmet and asked her if she was serious.
That was just another major difference between the two of them. Amara knows that she is pretty and has a body that most guys drool for let alone touch. Though if any poor sap did try, well i would not want to be them.
Sarah.
Sarah is so beautiful but it's as if she isn't aware of that, always so unsure of herself. In more ways than I can count.
Sometimes I just want to compare her to a little caterpillar and I'm just waiting for her to cocoon and burst out into that confident butterfly that's not afraid to fly.
Then again.
Butterflies can't even see their own beauty. With the coloring on the inside of their wings they pretty much go through the rest of their lives not knowing what they look like. Though I guess they don't really need to know either.
Which seems to fit Sarah so well.
Her beauty is just a part of her, not who she is.
God is she beautiful right now.
Seeing the darkened glass begin to lower that's been separating us from the driver as he informs us that we are entering the parking lot and will arrive soon.
Everyone shouts out a thanks just as the privacy window closes back up and we all hustle around to get ready to exit.
Readjusting myself in my seat pulling at the fabric around my knees wanting to smooth out some of the creases.
It wasn't long after before we stopped and a valet was opening the door.
Nodding to him as I stepped out buttoning up my suit jacket making sure the collar was sitting properly as I took a step to the side.
Luke came out next, adjusting the tie he just now decided to put on, standing next to me as we waited for our dates.
Amara came out first, bright eyed as she looked around at the decorative white pillars that lined the covering we were under, as well as the lights that were wrapped so professionally into the rose bushes lining the tinted windows that the flowers themselves seemed to glow.
Ignoring both the outstretched hands of her date and the valet as she stepped forward taking everything in but my eyes weren't on her anymore. They were on my date who was shyly peeking her head out of the open door.
Moving past Luke who was still messing with his tie as I go to hold my hand out just as the valet bends down to pick something off the floor blocking my path.
He goes to stand up but not fully. Hearing his words 'for you' not knowing what he's talking about until he stands straight and I see Sarah holding a red rose.
One that must have blown off one of these bushes.
That shy look gone as she looks at the rose twisting it between her fingers, corners of her lips perking up into a wide smile as she gets out. Thankfully ignoring the valet's hand, a pint of jealousy bubbling up in the pit of my stomach that this worker was already outdoing me and making my girlfriend smile. That smile should have been mine, I should have been faster, should have been ready for her when she was getting out. Then that smile would have been because of me and not some stranger who worked for tips.
Clenching my jaw trying to keep my cool as I place my hand on her lower back giving him a look that should read loud and clear that she is with me. A look he hadn't even noticed considering he was still enthralled by my date who was still enthused with the stupid flower.
Giving her a little pull she very easily steps closer into my side. Straightening my stance, giving myself some unneeded height already towering a few inches over the valet who could easily be in the same grade as us.
Just then something seems to click and he looks up in my direction. His look of wonder was gone and replaced with one that made him look as if he wanted to shit his pants as he dutifully took a step back clearly realizing the mistake he had just made.
Guiding Sarah carefully away and through the open doors that our other pair had already gone through.
Slowly releasing the air I had been holding in now that we were inside the building just a few steps behind the others. I could have easily sped up my pace and caught up with them but I liked that we were almost alone right now. About as alone as we are going to be all night.
Sarah was lifting the petals to her nose and I was faced with two emotions.
One to rip the flower out of her hands and throw it into the nearest trash can.
Two, enjoy just how cute she is as she takes joy from something so small.
Unable to hold back my own smile as I see hers widen, eyes still shut, watching her shoulders fall as she whispers out. "I love the smell of roses." Then she begins to blink dreamily as she holds the rose up for me to smell.
Obliging, I lean down and take a sniff nodding my head even though I could hardly smell anything besides dirt.
She takes another long whiff looking as if she's smelling the most delectable thing in the world before glancing off into the crowd noticing just how far ahead Amara and Luke are.
"We should probably catch up."
"We will." I say as I adjust my hand in her back keeping her close, making sure that anyone who looks knows that she is with me as we walk through the lobby.
Past people of all ages, though everyone seems to be dressed for some sort of event so I don't really feel as if i'm overdressed.
Not like anyone is looking at me anyways.
Already having to shoot daggers at three older guys that looked as if their teeth were ready to fall out. Either by their age or my fists. Both worked for me.