The Time Taken to Understand (BoyxBoy)

Chapter Nineteen~ Adam

Mark and Alec were supposed to return today, but Adam wouldn't be there to see it. As soon as Adam's morning french class was released, he drove to Penny's, nervous, but happy for their date. The day after Adam had asked her out she had called him and told him that she would plan the date, he just needed to show up at her apartment on Monday after his class.

When Adam pulled into the parking lot he was surprised to see her already outside, leaning against her car with her attention on her cell phone. He parked next to her and she glanced up, smiling when she saw it was him.

"Am I late?" Adam asked as he climbed out of his car, slamming the door shut and locking it. She shook her head.

"Nothing to be late for. I was just nervous so I came out here... for some reason," she drifted off, her brown eyes on his face. "Are you ready to go?" She asked, her head tilted back to look up at him.

"Go where?" He asked, leaning back against his vehicle. She smiled.

"Well," she began, "you haven't lived here very long and I just wanted to take you around and show you where I grew up... Is that okay?"

That sounded much better than okay to Adam, and he beamed down at her. "That's perfect," he said, happy that he had agreed to her choosing what they'd be doing for their date, thinking about he would have consen something pretentious that she probably would have hated.

"Oh good," she said, her shoulders dropping as she relaxed. "I was worried you wouldn't like it".

"I'd like anything you chose, Penny," he said softly, and she smiled up at him.

He took in her appearance. She was wearing a baby blue shirt with a knit, warm looking, grey cardigan on top of it. Her hair was braided and resting over her right shoulder and Adam grinned at how pretty she was. He wondered what she saw in him. "Do I look okay?" She asked, and his eyes met hers again, "you were staring".

He blinked at her. "You look great," he assured, "I was just thinking about what Sam wore for our first date". Penny raised her eyebrows.

"What was that?" She questioned and Adam looked down at her feet, examining her old worn tennis shoes.

"Stilettos," he said, and Penny laughed. "It was absolutely ridiculous".

"I want to show you everything," she said, sounding excited. "Everything. It's a really good way to get to know me".

"And I do," Adam said, and then realized it made little to no sense, "want to get to know you".

Penny continued to smile and unlocked her car, climbing into the driver's side and gesturing to the other side of the car for Adam. He didn't think he'd ever been on a date where he wasn't the one driving, but didn't protest as he went to climb into the passenger's seat. When she started the car, a stream of classical music poured out through the stereo and Adam smiled, commenting on the composer. "You're too smart, Adam," she said, shaking her head, "it makes me wonder why you're here with me".

He looked at her to see if she was serious, and she appeared to be, no amusement on her face as she glanced over her shoulder to pull out of the parking spot. Adam swallowed. "I was actually wondering the same about you," he admitted, "people don't typically like me. I'm too straight forward to them or I'm too belittling". Penny was silent for a moment.

"You're honest," she said, "that's not a bad thing. I bet you couldn't keep a secret to save your life". Adam grimaced and she glanced at him, the car rolling to a stop at the exit of the parking lot to let a car pass. "Or you can, I see". She didn't ask him about it, just moved on to a different conversation. "How's your nose? It looks really good".