Not to be found

Chapter 12 - Wine and Dine

The city lights are bright, dazzlingly bright in fact. As we navigate our way around the tiny city I stay close to Noah to make sure that I don't get lost in the swarms of people passing us by. I've changed into that dress that Noah had brought for me; the expensive, black one that hugs my body in the best way.

The air is crisp and cold but not clean, the smell of car fumes fills the air and is almost suffocating. My legs are cold, I forgot about tights. Damn it. The sound of my heels clicking on the pavement beneath me drown out the sound of car horns and conversations from passers by distracting me and making me focus on the charming and handsome man in front of me, guiding us through this labyrinth of light and madness. He is now wearing black ripped jeans, white shirt, suede boots and a blazer jacket his hair messily swept back as usual. He has my hand in his, keeping me with him. When he offered it to me I hesitated for a moment but then said yes because I didn't want to make things awkward, I have a tendency to do that in all situations, make it awkward.

We come to an abrupt stop outside of this restaurant, its fancy but that's nothing new when it comes to being with Noah he practically oozes and should be a poster guy for being fancy. Its purple awning that is hanging out front, along with its leather interior and diamond chandeliers makes me feel like a nervous wreck. I can feel my hand beginning to shake in Noah's as we stand outside and look into the posh restaurant that must sell overpriced food. He must feel it because he lifts our hands up looking at them, a smile appearing on his lips and spreading over his entire face, its infectious as I feel myself doing the same.

"Now that we're here I never actually asked you did I?" he asks me, the smile on his face even wider than before.

I can feel my stomach turning over, ask me what?

"What didn't you ask me?" I casually reply trying to not to sound panicked in anyway possible.

He hesitates before answering my question, looking down at our hands, "I know its fast, I know this is fast but......but I really like you Gracie. I can feel it and I just wanted to take you out for dinner to get to know you better. So will you?" he asks me a look of hope and shear terror in his hopelessly brown eyes.

I bite down on my bottom lip, its yet another habit that I have acquired, I look up at the night sky with the stars shining bright and the sound of the occasional plane flying overhead and I just think, but I stop in my tracks with any train of thought because I already know my answer, and that is to give my heart what it wants. To give this a go no matter what the risk is.

"I would love to, I really would." I say and he grips my hand just a little tighter and guides me inside.

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Once we're sat down at the table we order our food from the menu, all of it is fancy and so I don't have a clue as to what I'm reading so I just pick something at random and keep it in mind. My parents weren't people for going out to restaurants and so decided to host their own parties where they would cater for the guests, and so because of that I feel a little out of place right now.

Noah seems to know what he is doing though, his eyes eagerly scanning the room for a waiter or waitress to take our food orders, even though I have no clue as to what I'm going to be ordering.
Eventually he summons over a talk dark haired waiter with a very deep British accent, more so than mine anyway. He eyes me; looking at how I'm dressed, do I not meet the standards of this place or something? Not that I didn't suspect that, I smooth my hands over my thighs to straighten out my dress to try and make myself look at least half decent.

I just manage to pronounce the food that I have chosen although I know it was bad because Noah let out a small chuckle once the waiter had left us, way to go show yourself up Lacey.....I mean Gracie. Damn it. I need to get better at this, I need to be more confident, more bold, I need to be worthy of Noah. After all he is my first real chance of getting a boyfriend. Oh wow a boyfriend. Geez never thought I'd say that. My parents are so over protective, I can't do anything without being interrogated.

"Are you okay?" Noah nervously asks me, the look of worry returning to his eyes.

"Yeah I'm okay, I'm just thinking that's all?" I reply, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips, I can't help but adore how much he is concerned about me even though we only met a couple of days ago.

"Of what?" He asks, twiddling the fork around in his finger tips.

I hesitate, place my head in my right hand and look down at the gold placemat that is laid out before me , "just my parents, what they'd say and what they'd think of me if they saw what I was getting up to right now."

"Would they not approve?" The look of concern and worry is replaced with curiosity.

"I don't think so, they're quite, what's the word......judgemental" telling him and being straight to the point.

He puts the fork back down on the table and looks at me directly, "well who cares? Only you should make the judgments, it's your life after all you should do whatever you please with it."

Shocked by his statement because I didn't suspect those words to be escaping from his lips and rolling off the back of his tongue I attempt to create a response, "that is true, but I do like my parents to think good of me, I don't want to be a disappointment" I take in a deep breath and then sigh, "however I think I already am."

I look across the room, avoiding all eye contact with the boy that sits before me. I can feel his eyes on me, searching my face for some sort of emotion but it's blank. He's drawn a blank. I feel a warmth shoot up my arm, I look down and there laced between my fingertips are his.
"Why on earth would you say that?" He asks, "You're wonderful."

I can feel my cheeks flush a darks shade of crimson and the feeling of butterflies in my stomach; big butterflies, so big they occupy all the free space within me. I almost gasp but cover it up by looking back over my shoulder. I feel like I'm on fire.

"No one has ever said that to me before." Is the only thing I can think to say.
"Well they're fools, they need to open their eyes," a grin spreads across his adorable features and relaxes my entire body.
I feel at peace.