Waiting on You

Chapter 5

Juliette and Bel had left a couple hours after I had told them the whole story. Our story.

We had curled up on my bed, holding each other and crying. I couldn't tell if the experience I shared with my friends made me feel better or worse.

All I knew was that I could no longer ignore what was happening to me.

••••••••••••••••••

"So are you going to go?" Tucker asked me.

He was sitting across the table from me. We had gotten the booth in the back of Charlie's Diner, our usual spot.

"Huh?" I looked up at him from my milkshake. "Where?"

He cocks his head and gives me an amused smile. "Prom."

I roll my eyes and chuckle. "Isn't the girl usually supposed to bring up the dance?"

Tucker shrugs. "Well, you didn't. I thought I was may as well just ask."

I bring my straw to my mouth. Chocolate melts over my tongue and I smile with delight. "I don't know if I'm going..."

He lifts his eyebrows, seeming genuinely surprised. "Really?"

I shrug. "Yeah."

Running his hands through his honey hair, he picks at the fries in the center of our table. "I would say that that is not like you to say that, but you have never really been into that kind of stuff."

I laugh. "You know me so well, Tuck."

He gives me a sloppy grin. "You want any more?" He gestures to the fries.

"Nope," I respond. "Ready to go?"

We walk out of the door, and we are greeted by a bitter wind. I tie my scarf around my mouth, shielding myself from the cold.

"It's so cold!" I squeal, catching up with Tucker and grabbing hold of his arm.

He grabs my gloved hand in his own and pulls me down the street. "Hurry! Let's get to the car!"

I giggle like a little girl, letting him lead me around the block, towards his car.

When we get to the car, I pull on the handle of the passenger door frantically. "Unlock it!"

He chuckles. "Your so dramatic."

I never considered myself dramatic. But, when I was with Tucker, I allowed myself to be the fun, spontaneous Rory. Not the quiet girl that everyone else saw.

Finally, he unlocked the car and I hop in, shivering. "Oh my gosh, it's cold."

Tucker falls into the drivers seat, laughing. His cheeks are rosy, making his eyes look more blue than usual. "Let's get you home."

It is dark outside, the street lamps the only thing guiding us along the black. The city is a blur as we drive. Tucker and I chat happily, relieving me of the pain from the conversation with my friends I had earlier that day.

"Wait," I said to my best friend suddenly, making him flinch.

"Did you forget something?" He asks.

I shake my head. "No. Don't take me home."

There is something in his eyes now, an emotion that I cannot measure, but I swear I had seen it somewhere else, except this was different. He smiles.

••••••••••••••••••

I stumble. There is an explosion of ice and suddenly I fall into a sitting position. Except this is not comfortable in any way.

My lungs and chest hurt so much from laughing.

There is a scraping sound and Tucker is suddenly next to me, an amused look on his familiar face.

"You don't ice skate a lot, do you?"

He knew the answer, he just wanted to hear my response. Over and over again.

I fake a pout. "Sometimes I do."

"This is sometimes," he clarifies.

Tucker pulls me from the ice, and we slowly inch our way around the rink.

There are not a lot of people here tonight, probably because it was pretty late. The only people here were a few hard-core skaters.

"Why did you suggest this again?" He asks me.

I give a short, humorless laugh. "Because I don't want to go home. I'm having too much fun."

"Me too."

He grabs my waist, swinging himself behind me. His scarf swings against my neck and I realize how tall he really is.

"Ready?" I feel his breath and a shiver crawls down my spine.

"I don't know," I respond.

He ignores my uncertain comment and starts to skate, pushing me in front of him.

"You are so macho," I laugh. "A man who knows how to ice skate. Lady killer."

Tucker goes faster now, and I feel the wind brushing my cheeks. My breaths turn short and heavy.

His grip on my waist tightens slightly and I gasp. "Don't run into the wall!"

He laughs. "I won't! Just trust me."

I close my eyes and allow myself to fall into him, letting him guide me along the ice. The only thing that really matters in this moment is what I have shared with him my whole life. Trust.