1.1 | daunting medleys

forty-seven | darling

Oliver was sure that Tabitha was falling asleep in her in the short time it took to walk to her car. Her soft snores tickled his ear, and her grip against his neck tightened. Hating to wake her up, he shook her softly.

"Yeah?" Her voice was slow, and thick from sleep. She got off his back, and rubbed her eyes. Oliver watched the cloudiness in her eyes dissipate, and she handed him the keys to the car. "Would you please drive? I'm still sleepy and I don't want to fall asleep at the wheels."

He couldn't say no to her, and she didn't know. Tabitha didn't know the power she had over him, how she could command him to do anything at all and he would do his best to make sure that smile never left her face. So Oliver took the keys from her, opened her door and ushered her in. When he got into the driver's seat, he inhaled deeply, as Tabitha's perfume swirled around him. He felt lightheaded and his heart thudded, as his body usually felt whenever anything had to do with Tabitha.

Oliver pushed his chair back, as Tabitha's legs were much shorter than his, and it was an awkward fit. He eased out of the parking lot of the cafe, and the silence of the car was deafening. Tabitha reclined her seat, and her legs were on the dashboard. Oliver's lips quirked as she sighed, and he glanced at her, he could see in the dim lighting that she was fiddling with her fingers. He wanted to ask her if she was okay, or if she still felt guilty from not telling him her birthday.

"Are you okay?"

Tabitha sighed inaudibly. "I'm sorry for not letting you know it was my birthday."

"You need to know that it's not your fault that we don't know each others birthday."

They had finally gotten to a red light, so he could look at her, and she was lying down with closed eyes. There was a street light beside them, and he could see the slow rise and fall of her chest, and the way her beautiful face was calm, but her furrowed brows said otherwise.

"But-" She finally opened her eyes, and paused when she made eye contact with him. There was something about her eyes, how beautiful it was, and how desolate it was in the light. She sat up, and leaned into him. Her hand rose, and brushed his cheek, then picked out a piece of something in his hair. Oliver wanted to ignore the warning bells, and just kiss her, and she could tell. Her eyes widened a little, and her lashes trembled.

Tabitha shifted a little, and her hands fell but didn't break their eye contact, and he didn't want to either. His cheeks reddened, and he knew that if he leaned it just a little more, her lips would be on his.

The sound of a car honking pushed them apart, and she blushed furiously. Tabitha cleared her throat, never seeming to rid of whatever was lodged in it. His smile couldn't be hidden, no matter how hard he tried. Tabitha wanted him, wanted him and all the baggage he came with. His thoughts caused him to hum under his breath, and his smile was the brightest he knew he'd ever had.

"It's not your fault that you didn't tell me your birthday. You might have forgotten, and it's fine."

Tabitha's voice was tiny. "Ollie-"

"Do you know my birthday?" His focus was on the road, and not on the way her eyes were looking through her window.

Tabitha shook her head when Oliver glanced at her. "Exactly, and that's because it hasn't come up in conversation. The only reason that would make me upset was if you spent your birthday without telling me."

She was silent, and said nothing but reached out and squeezed Oliver's hand before letting go. He turned  to her, biting back a smile at the dazed, thoughtful look on her face. Then he thought of something, and drummed his fingers on the wheel.