Carolina and The Fan Non-fiction | H.S

Five

We crossed the road, reaching a black Range Rover sport parked by the sidewalk. Harry grabbed his keys and unlocks the car. He opens the door to the passenger seat for me while I enter, letting go of his hand. Too soon, I felt like. He then circles the front of the car, going to the driver's seat and starts the vehicle.

"Hey, uh, you can put your backpack at the back so you're not obstructed so much," he said, pointing at the car seat behind us.

I followed what he said and realized the amount of free space I was going to miss out on with the bag on my lap. I also realized I had nowhere less awkward to put my hands on except on my lap like a little girl told to sit properly on her chair.

Harry takes his sunglasses off and then we are on the move.

I decided that the way I sat won't last me long in this drive so I set aside all overthinking that Harry will judge me for being too comfortable. I rested my back and leaned closer to the window. I placed my left arm by the frame of the window to support my head.

The warm tone of lights that adorned everything we pass by made me feel even more cozy in my position. I watched as the roads and buildings slowly become less familiar to me.

"Haven't been around here before?" Harry asked.

"Nope," I answered, turning my head towards him.

"Trust me, you'll love it there," he spoke, smiling and returning my stare.

"Trust given," I said, smiling. My emotion-sober self would have not said that.

It's only tonight. This is a unique situation. Harry seems nice. Nothing could go wrong. I should've not thought about that, now everything could go wrong. I sighed, trying to make sense of it all in my head.

Harry turned on the car's speakers, playing music while there seemed to be no sign of the traffic moving just yet.

The soft jazz notes began, enveloping all of the car. Immediately, I feel a sensation within my heart, right against my chest. I couldn't tell if I was happy, nostalgic, or overly delighted by the sound. Norah Jones. My mom and dad's favorite singer. The go-to soundtrack of our family drives, specially at night.

'Come away with me in the night,' the first line went. My lips moved in synced, mouthing the lyrics I know and love.

"Come away with me and I will write you a song," I hear Harry sing along. The deep rasp in his voice complemented the soft, cool tone of Norah. He sounded so good. Of course. It gives me chills. I never thought I'd hear him live, not specially this close.

Come away with me on a bus

Come away where they can't tempt us, with their lies

I can feel a stupid grin grow on my face. It's because of the overwhelmingly good feelings that I either haven't felt in a while or haven't felt before. All this is right now is new and nostalgic at once. It's making me slowly care less and less about the stressful things in the back of my mind, like how drives with my mom and dad would. I couldn't even bring myself to wipe off that said stupid grin anymore.

And I want to walk with you

On a cloudy day

In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high

So won't you try to come

Come away with me and we'll kiss

On a mountaintop

"Why are you smiling so wide?" Harry teasingly asked. I could see his gaze by the corner of my eye.

"Why are you staring?" I retorted.