Hate to Love

25.

We drive past the town border and into the countryside "where are you taking me?" 

He smiles and shakes his head "a little place I like to call 'te River of Fall." 

I raise my eyebrow and nod "the River of Fall? Sounds interesting?" 

He rolls his eyes and nods "we are here."

 I look out the window and see a beautiful waterfall "wow."

 I get out the car and he smiles "beautiful right?" 

He walks towards the boot of the car and picks up a picnic basket and a large blanket "lunch and a view. What more could you want?" 

I smile and walk towards the grass "it's perfect." 

Ricardo walks over and sits a blanket down and I sit down and smile "perfect first date?" 

He hands me a can of cola and I nod "the perfect first date." He smiles and grabs himself a can "cheers to that."

The rest of the evening we talk and talk. We talk about our favourite things and our worst things. 

Our childhood and our parents. I tell him about my accident when my parents died and show him my scar on the number 8 on my left arm and he called it 'cute.' 

I tell him about the White family but leave out what Mr White and his friends done to me and the reason I ran away. Which Ricardo understood and didn't push me to tell him. Making me fall for him more. 

He grabs a grape and flings it in his mouth "so how did you get into the gang life?" 

He nearly chokes on the grape and laughs nervously "my dad was the leader of the Northsides but he died when I was 12. My mum was pregnant with Adrianna but after she was born she couldn't handle the grief and she took her own life." 

I smile softly and rub his arm "I am so sorry." He shrugs and eats another grape "I got two amazing little sisters so I will always be grateful to them." 

I kiss his arm and cuddle into him "you're too sweet." 

He rolls his eyes and smiles "don't let anyone else hear you say that."

I laugh softly and stand up "this place is beautiful." 

I stand towards the edge of the cliff and look into the water "I know." 

Ricardo walks over towards me and wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my head "we used to come here every second weekend but stopped when Adrianna had her accident." 

I smile softly and nod "I'm sure she will come back when she is ready." 

He kisses my forehead and stands up "let's go."

 He holds his hands out and I hold onto them "where?" He pulls me up and smiles "the date is not over." 

I raise my eyebrow and he smirks and cleans up the picnic and holds my hand "come on." 

He leads me back towards the car and I get inside and do my seatbelt. 

"Where are we going?"  He smiles and drives back towards town "you will see."

I lean back and close my eye letting the sunshine on my face for a few seconds and when I open my eyes I see Ricardo looking at me smiling.

 "What?" He shrugs and looks back towards the road "you just amaze me how amazing you are." 

I roll my eyes and lean back blushing "you're not so bad yourself." I feel him touch my hand and wrap his hand around mine and hold it onto the gear stick the rest of the journey. 

We pull up outside the milkshake bar and I see Adrianna and Rosie standing at the door with Carlos "girl's?" 

I get out the car and it stops and they smile and run towards me "Belle." 

They hug me tight and giggle "we have missed you." I smile and nod "I missed yous." 

Ricardo walks over and smiles "ready?" I nod and the girl's let go of my waist and hold my hand each "come on." 

They lead me inside and I follow them towards the booth. 

Carlos laughs sarcastically "I thought she was meant to be your girlfriend?" I sit down and nearly choke "what?" Ricardo shoves Carlos slightly and shakes his head "idiot." 

Rosie nods and smiles "Ricardo was going to ask you to be his girlfriend." I look at Ricardo and smirk "oh was he now?" 

He coughs nervously and blushes "yeah?" I smile and take his hand and kiss it "I would love too." He smirks and the girl's hug me "we are now sisters." I hug them and smile "always."

We order milkshakes and Rosie smiles "so what did yous do on your date?" I smile and look at Ricardo "we went to this amazing waterfall and had a picnic." 

They look at Ricardo and shake their heads "you took her to the River of Fall?" He nods and sips his milkshake "it's my favourite place?" 

Adrianna looks at me and smiles "can we go?" 

Ricardo leans forward nearly choking on his milkshake "what?" 

I look at Ricardo and raise my eyebrows "of course we can." 

I look at Adrianna and she smiles softly "tomorrow? Before the BBQ?" 

I look at Ricardo and he nods "I don't see why not." 

I look at Adrianna and she hugs me "yeah." 

Carlos stands up and waves "I'm going to work but I will see yous tomorrow." 

Everyone wave at him as he walks towards the door. 

The rest of the evening we order more milkshakes. Talk and laugh and before we know it the time has flown. 

Ricardo looks at his watch and nods "that's 8 o'clock girl's. Let's get yous home?" 

They nod and finish their milkshakes and stand up. "You want a ride home?" I smile and nod "yes please."

We head towards the car and Ricardo drops the girls of and waves "tell Abuelo I am dropping Belle of?" 

They nod and wave "bye Belle." I wave and smile "bye girls." 

They run in the house and Ricardo drives of when they shut the door behind them. 

He stops outside my apartment and smiles "you going to be alright yourself tonight?" 

I smile and nod "yeah." 

He kisses my cheek and I laugh nervously and shake my head before kissing his lips "you have officially earned for it."

 I smirk and get out the car "goodnight." He smiles and nods "goodnight Belle." 

I wave and he drives of 'what just happened?' 

I walk towards my apartment and smile 'do I really have a boyfriend now?' 

I unlock my door and close it behind me and head into bed. Star fishing the bed I grin ear to ear 'I believe I do? And this time it feels nice.'