𝐌𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓- ᴄ. ᴄʟᴀʀᴋ

06

*— NARRATIVE, INSTAGRAM

CAITLIN was waiting patiently in the lobby, sitting on one of the dark couches as she flipped through a discarded newspaper left on the glass coffee table in the small lounge area. I approached softly, swiping a strand of hair out of my face as the woman turned her head to glance up at me, a large smile written on her face.

"You look hot," she admired, taking my jacket from my hands graciously. Her hair was down, straight, and framing her face evenly. The basketball player had chosen to wear a bomber jacket, covering a long sleeve and paired with cargo pants.

I had been holding a heavy dark jacket and was currently wearing a body-hugging black long-sleeve with baggy jeans and Converse, horrible crude stars stitched into the fabric, a project that Gracie and I had attempted last year with our matching pairs of shoes and failed miserably. The first time Iris saw the jagged yellow and blue lines, she had asked if I had attempted to create a spider.

I had lied and agreed.

"You look hotter," I replied instantly, making a pained face after the comment, making Caitlin laugh. "That sounded better in my head."

"Then we make one hot couple, sunshine," she agreed, slipping a hand around my waist and sending a wave of soft electricity up my spine, my shoulders holding back a shudder. "That also sounded better in my head. You wanna head out?"

"Always."

--

Caitlin chose to drive a Jeep tonight. She had helped me into the passenger's seat and had paused to glance into the trunk as if looking for something before climbing behind the wheel and pulling out of the parking lot.

I introduced her to boygenius, which she really enjoyed, and we listened to the three women sing harmonies of love and heartbreak for the rest of the car ride. It couldn't have been more than half an hour before Caitlin had slowed to a dirt trail, blocked by a gate. We had left the busy highway long ago, traveling along small streets through forests and rock formations.

"Be right back, don't steal the car and drive off," was what the brunette had told me before hopping out. I watched curiously as the athlete easily shoved the metal gates to the side, making enough space for the large car to fit through.

"It's just an awkward car to drive," Caitlin had admitted sometime throughout the drive when I had asked where she had gotten the vehicle from. She had rented it. "But a little birdie told me that you liked the aesthetic of cars like this, so..."

I had gaped at her, my heart blossoming as she flashed a cheeky smile.

"Whatcha thinking about, pretty girl?" The basketball player asked, getting back into the car and starting to drive down the small dirt road, a tunnel made of trees protecting us.

"How beautiful everything is here," I murmured, glancing out the window before moving my eyes back to the girl, a soft smile on my lips.

Caitlin expertly parked the car on a serene hill, affording us a breathtaking view of the distant freeway and the trees bathed in the warm, golden light of the setting sun. As I stepped out of the vehicle, I couldn't help but be captivated by the tranquil beauty of the landscape. Meanwhile, Caitlin effortlessly opened the trunk and retrieved a modest yet inviting blanket and a well-stocked cooler, enhancing the picturesque setting with her thoughtful preparations.

"I've brought some beverages and an extra jacket if you get cold," she explained, dropping the stuff on the grass. As I began to help unravel the blanket and spread it out, the woman continued to say, "It does get cool once the sun sets."