Give Me Hope (h.s)

14

With the open road, no signs of anyone following us is present. I can only hope we left in enough time so we weren't able to be tracked.

The night has fallen and my adrenaline is still pumping that I am nowhere near tired. I keep driving, glancing at Arabella to see her eyes fixated outside. The stars seem to have caught her interest and an idea strikes me, my eyes watching for a rest stop. When I see one, I pull off and drive to it, my hands steering the truck to back into a spot.

"Stay here, I gotta check something," I tell her, her head nodding. I kiss her cheek and walk back, opening the bed of the truck. I grab the blanket and open it, covering the bottom. I take out a hoodie and lay it on top so we can rest our heads on it. My body jumps out of the truck and I open her door, her eyes looking down at me.

"Come here," I smile, her hand undoing her seat belt. She takes my hand and I walk to the back of the truck, leading her in. She is beaming ear to ear and I can't help but love seeing her this way. She looks happy again.

"This is so cool," she says, my head turning once I lay down beside her. She's so beautiful; eyes focused up above and her skin touched by the moonlight.

Instead of saying anything, I lift my arm up and carefully maneuver it beneath her head.

"I couldn't take you out on our date so this is what I came up with instead," I tell her, her body moving closer to me.

"It's perfect," she grins, kissing my cheek. I look at the stars and I hold her hand, resting my other on my stomach.

"Harry?" she whispers after a few minutes of comfortable silence. I hum in response.

"Are we, um, boyfriend and girlfriend?" she asks, my lips releasing a sigh. I hadn't thought of this much after the park, but I want it to be true.

"I don't know. With everything around us, it's just so complicated. Do you...want that?" I ask, turning my head so I can see her.

"Yeah, but...but I don't know," she mumbles, my eyes not focusing anywhere but her. I move my lips to her forehead and then she turns her head, allowing our foreheads to touch.

"What don't you know?" I ask, her eyes closing at the feeling of my breath on her lips.

"I-I feel things I've never felt with you. And I don't know what to do about that," she tells me, my body moving to lie on my side. I bring my hand up and brush her hair back, taking my time with her.

"What do you feel?" I ask, wanting to know everything. This is the first girl I genuinely care for, wanting everything about her to be safe with me.

"I-I...it's embarrassing," she laughs nervously, cheeks flushed clearly despite the lack of light.

"No, just tell me," I smile, hoping to encourage her. I'm not one to really act on my feelings, but I want her to feel safe with me. Whatever she's feeling, I need to take consideration with.

"I, uh, feel different sometimes. Like I, um, want you," she starts, and I find myself in disbelief. I know she's never done anything with men before, and to hear her say stuff like this is shocking and unexpected.

"Does that scare you?" I ask out of curiosity, knowing that her telling me this affects me too. I would be the one teaching her things, but at the same time, earning her trust.

"No," she says almost immediately after I ask. "It's...weird. I don't know, but I've just...never done anything with guys."

I nod and I wrap my arm around her, locking her in my embrace. The tips of my fingers play with her hair and I process all she's told me.