Paranoia.

B

'Ethan, where are we going?' She looks at me of and she gently grips my thigh. I can't help it. I've rejected it for way to long. I smile at how she looks.

'Somewhere special. You'll see when we get there.' I answer.

'I hate not being able to control the situation, Ethan. You know that.' She tries to take off the blindfold I put on her but she's not able to reach it. 'GOD FUCKING DAMNIT.'

I smile, and after seeing her struggle for a couple minutes, I park the car and take her blindfold off. Although it's dark as hell, I see her eyes light up while they widen.

We're standing in a glow in the dark forest, which was used for an experiment a few years ago. They wanted to see if glow in the dark paint would damage the trees, I don't exactly get why. But they kept it that way and I've found it.

'Ethan, this is....' she gets quiet for a moment. I just look at her, feeling the feelings in my stomach that I've been trying to ignore since I met her.

'Ethan, this is amazing. How did you find a place like this?' She still looks amazed at the forest.

'I don't know, I just stumbled upon it.' I keep staring at her while she has that beautiful smile on her face. I grab her arm, and bring her further into the woods. 'Come, I need to show you something else.'

We walk deeper into the forest and I see Austen shiver from the cold. I wrap my jacket around her and we stop by a lake. It's full of little fireflies and fairy-lights.

'Did you make this place?' She looks at the couch standing under a tree.

'Yes, I did. Kind of. It's the place where I go when I need to let all my feelings out, or when I just need to make a few things clear, clear up my head. Nobody knows about this place, not even Grayson.' I explain with a smile on my face.

'But why'd you take me here than? I mean, this must be very special to you.'

'So are you. That's why I brought you here. I just wanted to show you this, because you're special to me.' I smile at her and turn my head back to look at all the lights. After a few minutes, I sit down on the couch and Austen takes place next to me. I am still smiling like an idiot.

'Ethan, you smile, like a fucking lot.' She looks sideways and I can't stop admiring her beautiful features. 'What's happening to you?' She asks, looking into my eyes.

I look at Austen and I know. This is the moment. The moment I've been scared to experience for way to long. The moment I've been secretly waiting for. I can't let this moment slip away. Not now, because it may be the last. I lean in and do something I haven't done in forever. I kiss her, soft and slowly. I pull back and look at the smile on her face.

'I think you're curing me.'