tongue tied - jake kiszka

36.

Bright sunlight shone in through the window, soaking me in warmth as my eyes fluttered open. "Shit." I quickly looked around for my phone to see what time it was. "Shiiit."

Jake had told me last night that he'd be coming around 10 and it was already 9:40. Why did he have to be such a morning person? I rolled over in bed and snapped my blinds closed, shutting out the warm light of the sun. I rubbed at my eyes, attempting to wake myself up fully.

Last night had been long. As soon as I'd gotten home, Dawn emerged from her room with her eyebrows raised. "I know I didn't just see the big ass SUV dropping you off outside." She'd grinned.

So naturally I had to tell her everything that happened. By the time I got done, she'd gone through every emotion, exclaimed "what the fuck" several times, and had even managed to knock me backwards in my bed from the force of her pushing against my arm in excitement.

Safe to say, she was happy for me.

I slid out of bed and padded into the bathroom, taking in my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a wreck and in desperate need of saving. I decided to pin it back with clips in hopes of making it look less intense.

"Dawn!" I called out and I could hear her door open quickly. Seconds later she appeared in the doorway, her eyes still swollen from sleep. "Hey roomie, not sure if you knew this but some of us actually to get a full nights rest." She reached out to flick my shoulder.

"Says the girl who was up at three giggling into her phone all night."

Dawn bit back a grin. "Shut up."

I stuck my toothbrush into my mouth as she began talking again. "He's gonna be here soon, you know that right?" I nodded, suddenly feeling nervous. "Do you have any idea of where he's taking you?"

Suddenly there was a knock on our door and her eyes lit up. "Guess we'll find out soon." She squealed, poking at my sides playfully before disappearing off to answer the door. I finished brushing my teeth and strained to hear their conversation.

It was definitely Jake. Fucking early bird.

I slipped across the hall into my room before he could see me. Tearing off my clothes, I looked for something to put on. He hadn't given me many details, but he told me it wasn't anything fancy. I felt relieved to hear that, knowing that I could finally give my poor sensitive skin a break from my foundation.

I threw on a big shirt and some shorts, thanking God that I'd shaved yesterday. Once I'd given myself a quick look over, I decided it was good enough for now and that I was ready to go.

Emerging from my room, I made my way to where they were standing. "You ready?" Jake asked, a big smile filling his face at the sight of me. I nodded, tossing an arm around Dawn to give her a quick hug goodbye. "Be good you two." She called out knowingly and I threw her a look, but she merely smiled back at me.

As we made our way down to the parking lot, Jake began to tell me his plans for the upcoming week. I listened intently, genuinely interested in what he had to say. It felt comfortable, just talking with him like that.

Once we were seated back in the SUV, he turned to look at me. "It's not a far drive. Maybe about ten minutes or so." I groaned. "Are you planning on killing me or something? Your lack of details is driving me insane."

"I'm a guitarist. Not a murderer."

"That I know of."

He grinned as he started the car. "You really are something else. Now here, put on your sunglasses." The big chunky sunglasses were shoved in my direction and I couldn't help but laugh.

I put them on anyways, looking out at the parking lot through the brownish lenses. "They take up pretty much your whole face." Jake said, poking at my cheek. "Hey, you said you liked them on me." I shot back, adjusting them a little.

"I definitely do."

We rode like that for the "ten minutes or so" that it took us to get wherever we were going, joking back and forth. I kept catching myself looking at him, taking in the way his fingers held loosely onto steering wheel, the faces he'd make when someone pulled out in front of him.

My eyes had travelled up from his hands to his wrists where my hair tie still held it's reign and it made me feel pleased to know he still wore it. When my eyes would reach his face, he'd look over at me and smile- that big smile that showed almost all his teeth.

When he'd finally look away, I'd take in the details of his face. The slope of his nose. His curved pink lips. How soft his tanned skin looked. I wanted to reach out and touch it.

I needed to get a grip.

He finally pulled into a parking lot and I peered through the window to see where we were.

"An animal shelter?"

He nodded, turning off the car. "What are we doing here?" I wondered aloud as I stepped out, shutting my door behind me. He appeared by my side and took my hand in his. "You'll see."