|Never Let Me Down Again||Joel Miller|

Chapter Three

"Joel!" Called Caroline. Her dark eyes scanned the crowded hallway. She was sure that was him. She had been thinking about every piece of him from Saturday night. She had ran through every detail of their first date over and over again as if she were going to forget it, yet she knew that she never could. She spent her whole next day by the phone, waiting for it to ring. It never did.

So, when Caroline saw Joel in the hallway Monday morning, she let all of her pent up emotions get the best of her.

"Hey Caroline!" She'd recognize that voice anywhere. She turned around to see him standing there, his wide grin giving her all the relief she needed.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you after our date. I had to help my dad in his fields and I didn't get done workin' till' late, and I didn't want to wake you." The apology poured through his eyes. She was all that he thought of on Sunday.

"Oh, it's alright." Caroline said, ashamed of how naive she was.

"What class are you headed to?" Joel asked, changing the topic.

"Biology"

'Yuck."

"I know. You?"

"Good question." He said, followed with a smirk.

"What?"

"I usually skip. To be honest I don't even think I know my teacher's name."

"Joel!" Caroline said, playfully teasing. His laugh in response caught her off guard. She hadn't realized how much she truly liked being around him until now.

They paused for a second, just enjoying each other's company.

"Well since I will be attending my classes today, I've got to get going."

"Oh, alright. See you around." Joel said, the sadness oozing from his voice.

Maybe tonight he would call her, Caroline thought as they parted ways.

It was now 10:30pm, and Joel had not called.

I ought to give up, thought Caroline. Maybe he's just one of those guys. Can't hold em' down no matter how hard you try.

Just as she got comfortable in her bed and shut off her light, she felt something hit her window. Thinking it was nothing, she turned over and ignored it.                                                                                                           

A few seconds following, there was another bang.

Frustrated and slightly scared, Caroline threw on her pink robe and went to her window.

It was Joel.

She threw open her window, forgetting that it was 10:30 at night and she should be sleeping, and called out to him.

"Joel, what are you doing out there?"

"I came to see you." He whispered just loud enough so she could hear.

"I'll be down. Give me a second."

Caroline quietly closed her window, crept down the stairs, and went out the back door. She really hoped her parents didn't hear her, but that fear would not hold her back from seeing Joel.

She walked around to the front to meet him. He wore a dark blue flannel, blue jeans, and the cowboy boots she swore he never took off. His outfit was topped off with a white baseball hat.

"Nice robe."

"Oh shut up. If you wanted to see me in something better you should have come by earlier."

"Noted." He said, followed with a wink.

She didn't know her heart could flutter that much.

"Do you want to take a drive?" Joel asked, motioning towards his truck parked a few houses down.

"I don't know, I mean I would be in so much trouble if my parents found out..." She said as she wrapped her arms around herself nervously.

"Oh, that's alright. I'm just glad I got to see you anyways." Joel said as he started to walk off.

"No, wait. Where do you want to go?" Caroline said as he whirled back around.

"Our spot?"

"Let's go before my mom hears."

Cecilia's heart fluttered the whole walk to the truck, excited for what the night might hold. She'd never snuck out before, let alone with a boy. But she liked it. He even grabbed her hand during the walk. He called the spot from their first date their spot. She really was starting to like Joel Miller.

...........

On the drive over, Joel put his dad's old Linda Ronstandt playlist and rolled down the windows. He watched as Caroline put her bare feet up on his dashboard, hung her arm out the window, her dark curls blowing in the wind, and sung the lyrics as loud as she could. Joel wished he could drink in this sight forever.

When they finally arrive to the clearing, Joel helped Caroline out of the truck, and instead of barreling towards the water like she was, he headed for the back of the truck.

"Where are you going?", she called.

"Gettin' some stuff." He responded, mysteriously winking.

He came back towards the beach with a blanket tossed over his shoulder, a basket in one hand, and candles in the other.

"Joel! What is all this stuff?"

"Stuff." He grinned as he set down the stuff and began tossing the blanket on the ground.

They both sat down as he began lighting candles and setting them around the blanket. He then dug into the basket and pulled out a couple bags of snacks and set them out.

"Joel Miller, sometimes I really do wonder." Caroline said as she laughed and a smile spread across her face.

"Wonder what?' He asked, matching her goofy energy.

"I don't know, I guess, just what this all is." She said, her smile slowly fading.

"This can be whatever you want it to be."

"Well Joel, what do you want?" They both danced around the topic as much as they could, both afraid to cross the line neither of them had met yet.

Joel took a deep breath. "I like you, Caroline. I like you a lot. But if you don't feel the same way I totally understand. I don't want to pressure you into anything you don't feel or-" He had started to mumble, but was cut off by the sweet touch of Caroline's lips meeting his.

"I like you too, Joel." Caroline said as she leaned in farther to the kiss.

They stayed like this for a while, both finally letting go of the feelings they had been containing for too long.

When they both had to pull away to catch their breaths, Caroline looked out at the water.

"Is everything ok?" Asked Joel, worried there was something wrong.

"No, everything's perfectly fine." She said as she kissed his hand. "So, what is this?"

"Oh I see. You want a label." Joel laughed as he pulled her into his chest. "Considering that it would kill me to see you doing this with anyone else, I think you should be my girlfriend."

"Oh really. You think so, don't you." Caroline giggled.

"Yes, I do."

"I do, too."