Sunflowers

-•- One -•-

The horn honks from outside, startling her from her thoughts. She pushes aside her sheer, light pink curtains away from her window to see a truck idling in the driveway. She would recognize the rusted old Chevy anywhere. A smile spreads across her lips and she hurries down from her room.

The front door is open, leaving only the screen between the cool indoors of her house and the heavy heat of Wyoming summers. Corbin stands on the front porch, leaning against the frame of the front door with his hands stuffed in his pockets. He has a lazy grin on his face and it curves upwards even more when he sees her.

She opens the screen door and puts a hand on her hip playfully. "You know you can just come in."

"I know." He looks down at her, his blue eyes light with happiness. "But we aren't staying long, so I figured it would be easier to wait outside."

Her eyebrows furrow in confusion. "What do you mean, 'we aren't staying long'?"

"Exactly what it means. There's a party tonight, and we're going."

"I never agreed to this," She teases.

"That's okay, because I agreed for you," he retorts, crossing his arms over his chest. "Now come on, go get ready. It starts in a little over an hour."

She looks down at what she's wearing. Its a thin white t-shirt and a pair of cutoff jean shorts. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"It's at the river. If we decide to go swimming, that shirt will be see-through."

"So?"

"So, no one should get to see that."

Her heart thumps in her chest as she rolls her eyes. "I can decide what I'm wearing, and I don't think there's a problem with it. It's going to be dark anyway, and if I go swimming, I'll wrap a towel around my shoulders."

"Go change," he says firmly.

"No," she responds equally. "God, can you stop acting like an overprotective father and start acting like my best friend?"

"I will after you change."

With a heaving sigh, she shuts the screen door and goes back up to her room. She pulls out her black swimsuit and changes quickly, then puts the shorts and t-shirt back over.

He's waiting for her in the same position. "I put my swimsuit on in case we go swimming, okay? Now my shirt won't get all wet."

He doesn't say anything, just opens the door and pulls her outside by her hand. He leads her to the truck, where he opens the passenger door for her. She climbs in as he goes around to the driver's side and as the truck starts, country music blares from the speakers.

He turns the music down and gives her a sheepish look, making her laugh. "Who invited you to the party?" She asks.

"Jax," he replies, backing out of the driveway and onto the street.

"Why wouldn't he invite me?" She asks, slightly hurt.

He glances over at her, a mixture of emotions in her eyes. She knows the answer is on his lips, but he doesn't answer her question. Her heart skips a beat as she wonders what reason her boyfriend could possibly have for not inviting her to his party.

The rest of the ride to the river is quiet except for the music playing softly. Corbin doesn't say anything, just keeps his eyes trained on the empty road ahead. One of his hands is out his window and the other one is resting on the top of the steering wheel. As they get closer to the party, notes of music begin to waft into the truck's cab.

He parks a good distance from the party and turns off the engine. They climb out and he throws an arm around her shoulder. "You ready?" He teases.

She's actually a bit nervous. Why wouldn't Jax invite her? It doesn't make any sense. She'd always gone to the parties that he invited her to. Did he not want her to be here?

Corbin notices her tension. He slows their pace down a little so she has time to shake out her thoughts, but when she doesn't, he stops walking altogether and turns to he's facing her. "What's wrong?"

She snaps out of her thoughts and gives him a tight smile. "Nothing." She steps around him and pulls his arm. He doesn't budge, but she knows he will follow anyway. "Come on, let's go party. Let's have some fun."