Lunar

05 | Smooth

He smiles.

"Let me just text my brother quickly. I don't want him to worry about me not being on the bus," I explain. Although Alex was firm with me this morning over not missing the bus, I know he'd be nervous if I didn't make an appearance without an explanation.

"Oh! You have a brother?" Bennett asks.

"Yes, he's a senior," I answer. "I also have two younger siblings, but they don't go to school here."

I quickly take out my phone and let Alex know I'm getting a ride home from a friend. 

"Thank you so much again for offering to drive me home. It's so nice of you. The bus isn't exactly pleasant."

"Does your brother want to join us?"

I shake my head. "He has his friends with him. I don't... have many... there. I mean, I don't have many friends there on the bus."

Why did I say that? 

"I understand," Bennett says smoothly. I really feel like he does. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," I respond as I readjust the stack of notebooks in my hands.

"May I?" Bennett reaches towards me and gently takes the books from my arms. Before I can protest he's already combined them with his pile. "It seemed a little heavy," he says with a smile.

It was.

"Thank you," I say, a blush spreading across my cheeks.

"It's my pleasure," he says cooly. "The car is this way."

As we walk out of school, I can't help but feel a bit embarrassed. Bennett's beauty (and height) draw's the attention of almost every student. I'm not used to having so many eyes looking at me. Or, at least, around me. 

When we walk out of the building I notice Jeanette waiting for a carpool. She turns around for a moment and sees me. She begins to wave and make her way towards me until she notices Bennett walking next to me. I widen my eyes at her and she smiles, wiggling her eyebrows. I give her a small smile back as I continue to follow Bennett to the parking lot.

He walks slow enough so I can keep up and I feel grateful. I'm much shorter than him.

"So this is your car?' I ask, as we approach a lone car in the corner of the lot.

He shakes his head. "No, this is actually a friend's. I took the bus here today with my group. He's letting me take it home today because he had something... to do elsewhere. "

"Oh," I respond, a little confused by the waver in his handsome voice. "That's nice your friend is letting you borrow it."

Bennett takes my bag off my shoulders as I make my way to the passenger side of the car. I hesitate at the door as Bennett opens the trunk and secures our items.

He looks up at me. "What's wrong?" He asks, cocking his head to the side.

I shuffle my feet. "Are you sure your friend is okay with me riding in the car as well?"

I feel weird about getting into some random person's car. It's not because I feel unsafe. Even though we just met, I feel incredibly safe around Bennett – the most I ever have in my life.

I just get anxious.

"Of course," he responds. "If he wasn't, I wouldn't have asked to drive you home."

I bite the inside of my cheek. "I just don't want to get in trouble. I don't wanna make anyone mad."

"I won't get you into trouble Lanie."