He doesn’t take his eyes off the road. He only grins, “It’s a surprise.”
Once we pull up to our old high school, and he turns in, I look at him with a perplexed look. The high school? What? He pulls his truck up slowly to the fenced in field and hops out, leaving the truck running. I watch as he unlocks the gate and pushes it wide open. He jumps back in the truck, without looking in my direction and pulls his truck onto the blacktop tra
ck. After we get over the few humps of the track, we pull into the ever-expanding green grass football field. I take the field in with one large gaze. When you’re up in the stands, the field looks ginormous. It looks huge as guys with big pads on their shoulders are running down to the end zone with a brown football in their hands but now that I’m on the actual field, it’s not that big. It seems normal-sized.
“What are we doing here, Rowen?” I say as he backs the truck up to the middle of the field, facing the goal posts.
“Don’t you remember?” he says, as he looks over at me. I bite my lip and take a look around. “This is the first place we met. Right there… ” He squints his eyes, causing wrinkles at their sides and I follow where his finger is pointing. My gaze lands on the metal bleachers that house the student section and for a second, it’s like I can see a bunch of rowdy high schoolers watching their school team play football. I close my eyes and I see me sitting beside Samantha, bored out of our minds. Then I see Rowen and Kyle and a whole bunch of guys, jumping up and down, yelling and cheering. I feel a smile brush across my face and my eyes snap open as Rowen is pulling my door open.
“Come on, Sade.”
I jump down from his truck on my own, making sure my dress lays flat against my legs. We round the back of his truck and I stop dead in my tracks. Up ahead, there’s what it looks to be a giant projector, set up just inside the end zone.
“What is that?” I squeal.
Rowen hides his grin as he answers, “It’s a movie projector.” My mouth gapes open and I look over at him in amazement. This new, older, mature Rowen sure knows how to wow a girl.
I don’t have time to say anything because the next thing I know, Rowen’s steady hands are around my waist, causing my heart to jump into my throat. He gently places me in the bed of his truck and the moment his hands leave my hips, I suddenly feel let down. I am in so much trouble with him.
Once I’m in the truck I realize that there are several blankets and pillows piled in the back, I assume for us to lay on. I’m amazed, simply amazed at the thought he put into this.
As I sit down and crawl over to the back windows, landing softly on the pillows, I say, “This is infinitely better than watching a movie in your parent’s basement like we used to… ” I laugh as I trail off the last part of the sentence.
One of the first times we ever got somewhat frisky with each other was in his parents old, wood-paneled walled basement while watching some Halloween movie. His parents never really came down to check on us; thank God because they would have seen all sorts of body parts.
“Yeah, well it’s been a long three years. My dating skills have gotten infinitely better.” He wags his eyebrows up when he crawls up beside me. Then he opens the cracked back window, reaches in and pulls out Twizzlers, and two Diet Cokes. IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER!
“Just wait until you see the movie I picked,” he says as he winks at me. My insides are sizzling. He’s not only wowing me with our date but with that damn wink, too.
He clicks something on his phone and then the movie starts up ahead. Once I see what movie is playing, I can’t even help the smile breaking out, covering my tiny face.
“Rowen… ” I whip my head to his and he has on a small smile, gauging my expression. It’s that same Halloween movie from years ago. The first movie we ever watched together. I’m not even sure how he remembers that, I barely do.
He looks so relaxed with his one leg hiked up and his arm draped over it. I don’t even have time to think about what I’m doing—I suddenly feel myself quickly move over to him and I throw my arms around his neck. He’s stunned, and I am, too, but then he falls into the hug and wraps his other arm around my waist.
Once I let go, I say, “This is the best second first date that I’ve ever had.”
“It’s the only second first date you’ll ever have.” His eyes darken for a second and then we both laugh, turning our attention to the movie. I don’t dare move back to my spot. I stay right there, with my body touching Rowen’s.
Twenty-One
Rowen and I’s date ended on a perfect note last week. We watched the Halloween movie, sneaking small touches here and there, but by the end of it, we weren’t even watching it anymore. We were talking about old memories, his new hopes and dreams, and mine. Our hands were intertwined and I smiled inwardly when I realized that his hand felt so different beneath mine, yet so right. We may be different on the outside, but our hearts are still the same old hearts that never seemed to stop loving.
“Mom, so… ” I trail off when I see my dad walking into the kitchen from the back door. I take a deep breath as he stands off to the counter behind my mom, crossing his arms, waiting for me to continue. By the way he is standing, guards up, he knows. He knows Rowen and I are back together. I can feel the tension rolling off his body, just like rain running off a windshield.
“Before you say anything, either of you.” I glance in my dad’s direction. “Please remember that I’m now twenty-one.” My dad snickers and I chuckle. I’ve literally been twenty-one for like seven hours but whatever. “I’m twenty-one, and I can choose who I want to be with.”
No one says anything. My dad rolls his eyes and my mom stands there, waiting patiently for whatever I’m about to say. “With that said, Rowen and I are going out tonight for my birthday.” My mom’s eyebrows scrunch up in wonder, and I realize it’s more than likely because I said the sentence so fast, I sounded like a drunk auctioneer. It came out something like this; “Witsaid, RowIbriday.”
“I heard the name Rowen and that’s all I need to know.” My dad storms past me and it make me feel like crap. I get it, I understand why he’s worried. Part of me is, too. I let out an audible huff, blowing my hair off my face, as I turn towards my mom.
“Oh honey, just give him time. I’ll talk to him.” I must not seem very convinced as she ushers me to sit down and places a huge pile of pancakes in front of me. “Birthday girl’s gotta eat!” There’s just something about moms that can take your bad mood and make you forget about it, completely. And that’s exactly what I do after I take a whiff of the warm, sweet syrup.
Rowen and I barely work together this summer since he spends most of his days working on the field with the guys, slaying their bodies so they’re ready for the football season. I found out on our date that Rowen already has a job set up for after senior year. He’ll be the new PE teacher at the high school and he’ll be assuming the assistant football coach position for a while before climbing the ropes to the athletic director. It’s a great plan and I would have never expected anything less from him. He’s always been a planner; he’s always had his head screwed on straight, except for that whole breaking up with me thing. He lost his mind on that one.
Before going to work, I realize that since I’m going to an undisclosed location with Rowen for my birthday, I’d better make myself presentable and shower in the locker rooms at the club. I don’t know why I didn’t think about that last time; I guess it was the nerves. I could barely sleep last night, wondering what Rowen had up his sleeves for today. We are definitely taking things slow; he only kissed me on the cheek when we parted a few days ago and we’ve texted a few times, nothing too clingy or strong. I can’t decide if I like that or not. I should like taking things slow, but my libido doesn’t. Taking things slow should be the route we take, because if go fast, I’ll tip over the edge and fall for him quick. Just like three years ago. Our love was one of those fast, fall-for-you-in-a-flash type of loves. The ones that can destroy you in a flash, too.
I told Sash that I’d lock up after showering and he willingly obeyed. I think he’s just happy he doesn’t have to stay around for stragglers to leave. I shower nice and slow, letting the hot water scald my body. I want to look perfect, and not smell like a swimming pool. It’s my twenty-first birthday, so I’m almost positive we’ll be going to some type of bar or something along those lines so I planned to wear something sexy but not too dressy.