A World Alone - D.R.

nine

The film credits rolled over the screen, and Jade turned to Dan, the smile wide on her face. "Thank you!"

Dan shook his head, readjusting his seat, smiled back at the girl in his passenger seat. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," he paused. "you did enjoy it?"

Jade laughed, "Yes of Course!" She started putting all the snacks back into the carrier bag Daniel brought with him.

She finished the rest of the liquid in her glass, and put back in the bag behind Dan's seat as he guided them out oft he field and back onto the motorway, heading back towards the city.

"Are you still hungry?" He asked her, glancing over at her. She looked more at ease as he drove in the fast lane again, more comfortable with the speed he was at.

At that exact moment, Jade cheeks heated up as her stomach rumbled. She hadn't eaten many of the doritos, despite them being her favourite snack, she was too worried she'd get crumbs over the soft leather seat. That, and they were a loud snack, and regardless of her being able to quote the movie from start to end, she didn't want to miss any of the lines.

"I'll take that as a yes then," He grinned. "I made reservations at a pizza place near yours." Daniel paused, unsure of whether Jade would actually want to go get dinner with him. Especially after he had just taken her to see a film.

"Pizza?" Jade breathed, "Id kill for pizza."

Daniel couldn't help but start laughing. He pushed down slightly on the accelerator pedal, sending them flying just a bit faster down the tarmac. They entered the city limits a short while later, and Jade could've sworn she saw a speed camera flash, to which Daniel just grinned and made no attempt to adjust his speed.

He pulled over the side of the road, and instructed her not to watch while he attempted to parellel park. A feat she thought would be easily completed by the formula one race winner. In the end, she forced him to get out of the car, and she slid over into the drivers seat, completing the manoeuvre perfectly in one go.

Daniel couldn't quite believe that he, the formula one driver had been out performed by a medicine student of all people. she should be able to install a catheter no problem, but parallel park should be a bit out of her area of expertise. Regardless, he led the way to the pizza restaurant. Jade following a step behind, wondering where the Aussie was leading her - half expecting him to murder her down a dark alleyway.

The pizzeria was small. All the tables were close together, everyone able to hear what anyone else was saying in the small area without actually meaning to.

jade didn't really mean it. The gin she had drunk earlier was trying to get her to open up a bit to Dan, but the close proximity of the other tables and patrons of the restaurant prevented her from doing so, and boy was she glad, she didn't really want to put dan off her before he even had a proper chance to get to know her. She felt a bit bad really, Dan had only really spoken to her when she was off her face on some form of alcoholic beverage, and yet here he was, resisting a visit home in order to spend time with her and she wasn't even able to relax and be herself with him. Even as he tried to coax some less awkward conversation out of her, she kept herself closed off to him.

Dan was confused. All the other times they had hung out, including the trip to the drive in cinema, Jade had been comfortable with him. It was only after he mentioned the dinner plans he had sorted she had closed off. She was telling him a very weird story about when she was a kid, and she was bolt upright, going back over parts of the story she had just explained, as though she was unsure of the story herself as she was telling him. He laughed along with her as she finished what she was talking about, and excused himself to the bathroom.