Catch Me

Chapter Seventeen: I'll Just Have To Prove It To You

Chapter Seventeen: I'll Just have To Prove It To You 

Haleigh hesitated to get on the bike. Her pulse was quickening. She could feel her anxiety threatening to take over.

"I can't do this." Haleigh sighed, taking the helmet off of her head. She took a step backwards as her eyes met  Zander's.

"It's really not all that scary." He promised.

"We could just walk to the Mall." Haleigh suggested. It was the closest place beside the bagel shop. She really didn't want to get on this death trap.

"It's a twenty minute walk. We can get there in four if you would just trust me." He smirked, amused.

"What if we crash? Then our brains will be all over the pavement!" Haleigh exclaimed, shivering as she imagined the sight.

"That's what the helmets are for." Zander joked. "Come on. I promise it won't be that bad." He held out his hand for her, she placed the helmet back on her head before taking his hand. He guided her onto the bike and instructed her to wrap her arms around his waist and to hold on tight. Zander squeezed the clutch lever with his left hand, and kickstarted the engine. Haleigh flinched as the motorcycle purred loudly.

"You know, I have a car!" Haleigh yelled over the engine of the motorcycle.

"What fun would that be?" Zander snickered, then pushed off the ground. The motorcycle took off. Haleigh screamed slightly and tightened her grip around Zander's waist. She clamped her eyes shut, willing the ride to be over. She could feel each and every turn the motorcycle made as Zander swerved in and out of the Burlington traffic. Before she knew it Zander pulled the bike to a stop in front of a meter. Relief flooded through Haleigh's veins. Zander cut the engine and Haleigh released her death grip from around his waist. He fed the meter and lead Haleigh toward the entrance of the mall. Church Street, where The Church Street Mall was located was a pedestrian street, which meant that no cars were ever allowed on it. It was basically a marketplace that all the locals called a mall. What was most important to Haleigh and Zander though,  was that it did have a food court. 

"That wasn't so bad right?" Zander smiled down at Haleigh who scowled up at him.

"That was horrible!" Haleigh insisted, causing Zander to chuckle. He was a few steps in front of her and he opened the heavy door that lead into the main building so that Haleigh could enter  first. "Who drives a motorcycle in November anyway?" Haleigh wondered as the two walked in the direction of the food court.

When they arrived at the food court Zander went to order a pizza from his favorite pizza joint, and Haleigh grabbed them a table. She slipped her leather jacket off of her shoulders and draped it over the back of her chair.

"Girl you're killing me." Zander sighed when he had returned. The crop top Haleigh had chosen to wear was making Zander crazy. Haleigh became all to aware that her midsection was showing, and desperately wanted to put her jacket back on. She instead crossed her arms over her bare skin and took a seat at the table she had chosen. "Ten minutes." Zander explained as he took a seat opposite Haleigh.

The food court was busy as the two sat awkwardly together. The silence between them was deafening. It was much easier for Haleigh to talk to Zander when they had been texting. She wasn't sure what to say to him and was afraid that whenever she mustered up the courage to say something that it would be stupid.

"So you grew up around here, right?" Zander asked, breaking the silence. Haleigh nodded.

"Well about an hour away, but my friend Shane and I would come to Burlington almost every weekend to shop." Haleigh explained. "There's not much to do in my home town."

"So you're familiar with the area then." Zander  seemed to be listening intently to what Haleigh had to say. She nodded again. "Do you have any siblings?" He asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

"I have a brother." Haleigh couldn't help but stare into the golden brown eyes that sat in front of her. "What about you?"

"I grew up in Winooski." Zander explained. Winooski was about a five minute drive on the interstate from here. "I have two younger brothers, and an older sister."

After a few minutes of some chit chat Zander got up to grab the pizza and their drinks from the counter. The two ate their meal, laughing and joking with each other. Haleigh was finding it easier and easier to talk to Zander. He was a laid back guy who was continuously flirting and making jokes which Haleigh couldn't help but laugh at.

"So then I had to tell her where I was going." Haleigh smiled as she told Zander about what had been going on between her and Sam.

"She was mad at you for two days because she thought you hadn't taken her advice, but you really had?" Zander laughed trying to make sense of the situation. "Remind me to thank her!"It was because of Sam that Haleigh had given Zander a second chance.

Zander and Haleigh finished their meal. Haleigh pulled her jacket back on over her shoulders and the pair made their way back out into the chilly November air. The Church Street lights were shining brightly down upon the cobblestone covered pedestrian street. Zander made his way over toward a bench where the two sat together and carried on with their conversation.

"Thanks for coming out with me tonight." It was the first time all night Zander's voice didn't have a hint of a joking tone to it. He looked at Haleigh, her eyes were focused on the intricate stone patterns beneath her feet.

"Thanks for inviting me." Her voice was quiet and she was still not making eye contact. The silence returned, but it wasn't an awkward silence. Zander sat, thinking about a way to make a move, he wanted to feel Haleigh's lips on his again. Haleigh sat and thought about the last time they had been alone together outside. She recalled the kiss that had made her knees go weak, and she wondered if Zander might kiss her again tonight.

"Do you understand how beautiful you are?" Zander finally broke the silence as he glanced at his date. Haleigh held her breath and finally glanced at Zander. The street lights behind her almost made it look like she was wearing a halo.

"I'm not." Haleigh protested. Her cheeks had turned a deep shade of red. Her eyes locked with Zander's yet again.

"You must be blind if you can't see it." Zander sighed as reached up and pushed a piece of strand hair behind Haleigh's ear. Haleigh glanced away slightly, but Zander cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand, forcing her to look at him. "If you don't believe me, I'll just have to prove it to you." He smirked and leaned in...