“They don’t have to tell me,” Ria stuck her chin out. “They just feel irritated and I feel it.” Her parents had never bothered with surprise parties, not with four empath children who could understand what excitement and love and nerves felt like, and especially not when those four empath children had eight very big ears available to hear things and pass on to each other. Besides, they knew too many people, the guest list would have been too long for everyone to keep their mouths shut. Rahul had told her once that by the time she’d been born, he’d already known their mother was pregnant. He knew how to guess, and he’d been more intuitive aged seven than most people were at fourteen.
What in the world was going on? Ria watched as Jake tried to search the basket for whatever it was that he was looking for, his nerves growing by the second. He must have felt so bad, after everything, to have forgotten something. She didn’t care about the sushi, or the pizza, or any of it. Ria was too busy thinking about how Jake had tried to cook for her, and thought about what she’d like to eat, and how his anticipation was building in the same way hers was. For what, exactly, she didn’t know, but even this simple conversation felt more than just a conversation about Jake feeling bad about what he’d forgotten to bring.
She couldn’t blame him for how excited he was, how nervous he was— this was their first date. He’d asked her and everything, and he’d made a basket, and they were sitting here in a decidedly not-just-friends kind of way. “Hey, hey,” Ria said, putting her hand on top of his. “I don’t care abut what you forgot, or what isn’t here. I’m just glad we are. You don’t have to be so nervous, Jake, it’s okay.” She reached over to to kiss him, her hands moving to his face, her lips brushing softly over his. “We can go to the garage. We can do whatever you want.”
The touch caught him off guard, interrupting his planned out act and sweeping all feigned irritation from his features. Instead, a dumb grin took its place. Damn her. Did she even realise what a simple brush of her skin against his own did to him? After a quick study of her face, he decided that she didn't. Ria was just being Ria, quick to assure him as always. "You make me nervous sometimes, what can I say?"
While he hadn't been expecting the gentle kiss, Jake welcomed it all the same, his hand automatically finding the back of her neck and resting there, the warmth of her skin radiating against his palm. God, if he hadn't put so much work into the surprise itself, he would have happily remained where he was for the rest of the night. Brushing the tip of his nose against hers before ducking his head, Jake peppered light kisses along her jawline until he reached the curve of her neck, a low laugh rumbling from his lips as he realised he was getting carried away with himself. Drawing back slightly, he was unable to wipe the wide grin from his face.
"We can go to the garage," he repeated, nodding his head before pulling himself to his feet and offering her his hand. It took little to no effort in helping Ria to her feet, and instead of releasing his grip immediately Jake manoeuvred her into a little spin before bringing her close and pressing his lips against her forehead. "You go ahead to the car, I'll clear this up and bring the pizza to you." Now it was time to get back to his plan, though if she tempted him with more kisses, he doubted he would have the willpower to refuse her. That was something he would handle if and when, Jake decided, scurrying around where they had been seated and clearing up after them. It took quicker than he originally thought, thankfully, and Jake was soon approaching his car with pizza in hand.
After sliding in the drivers seat and handing the still warm pizza box over to Ria, Jake put the car in drive and began to follow the route he was all too familiar with. Lucky for them, and the pizza, the event had cleared up the roads, allowing them to make the short trip to the garage with no issues. Unlucky for him, Jake could feel the nerves stirring in his stomach as they neared the location. Had he done too much? Too less? Ria would smile at him regardless, and thank him for it, but he wanted to make her feel special — he wanted this to be special.
"I really am sorry for dragging you out here, Ria. I know you said it's okay, but I wanted this first date to blow all the other dates you've been on out of the park, yknow?" The words came easy to him, what was hard was maintaining the sad twinge to the smile his lips refused to mask. Parking up and making his way over to her side, Jake opened the door for her. "C'mon — just watch out, it's gonna be dark." He was almost certain that if the world was silent around them, Ria would have been able to hear his heart — which was beating erratically in his chest. A few more steps, Jake thought.
Once he had unlocked the main doors, Jake positioned himself behind Ria, hands on her hips as he guided her forward and into the darkness. "Wait here." He murmured in her ear before reluctantly moving away from her. A few moments and only one minor stumble later, Jake found what he was looking for and flicked the switch. Light burst into the room, walls illuminated by the fairy lights he had hung up the evening before. A square body chevy was in the centre, a mass of blankets and pillows piled in the back like a makeshift bed. The rear of the truck — where they would be seated, if all went well — was facing the only wall Jake hadn't strung lights along. Instead stood a projector, Ria's favorite movie on roll and ready to play at the press of a button. A musty scent lingered in the air, courtesy of him using incense in hopes to mask the smell of oil that clung to the garage. All in all, he thought he did pretty good. What he thought didn't matter right now though, and Jake found himself facing Ria with an almost shy smile. Almost.
stormborns
germansingergirl
