Every Little Thing

Follow the Plan?

The rest of the day had gone by faster than anticipated. With it being a half day, I thought it would drag, but with my anxiety about the impending dance looming over me, it just sped by. The game wasn't any different. From start to finish, it felt like minutes. Not to mention the fact that we won in a landslide. It was damn near a close out, but the coach made us give them a pitty touchdown. Now it was almost time to pick Lily up for dinner, and my God, I'm nervous. All I have to do is act normal, easy peasy, right?

I anxiously tapped the steering wheel of my car as I drove towards Lily's house, the purple tie around my neck feeling tighter and tighter the closer I got. As I pulled into her driveway and parked, I let out a slow breath to try to calm my nerves, feeling almost frozen as I stared at the front door. Shaking off whatever anxiety I could, I got out of the car and made my way to the front door, my heart pounding harder with every step I took. I know exactly what Jace would say. 'You can floor dudes twice your size, but you can't say three words to a girl?' To which I would tell him to screw off.

As I got to the door, I reached up to knock, only to be met with the door swinging open and Lily's Mom standing there with a wide smile. "Caleb! Come in, sweetie!" She greeted cheerfully and nearly yanked me into the house. Letting out a chuckle, I turned and smiled lightly down at the woman I used to call my second mom. "Hello Daisy." I said softly as she pulled me into a tight hug. "Caleb." I heard the polite tone of Lily's dad behind me. "Hey Rod. How are you, sir?" I questioned when Daisy finally released her hold on me. "I'm alright. You sure played a hell of a game tonight." He stated in his raspy tone and shook my hand.

"Thank you, sir." I chuckled out and rubbed my hands on my dress pants once he let my hand go. "Doesn't he look dapper, love?" Daisy cheerily stated before making her way to the living room. "Daisy, don't embarrass the poor boy." Rod chuckled out as he followed his wife. "It's okay, sir. I'm not embarrassed." I stated as I leaned against the wall in the living room. "Where are you two kids headed for dinner?" Rod questioned as he took a sip of his cream soda. That's one thing I really liked about him. He was never a drinker, despite other people trying to get him to drink. "Oh...I figured we could go to our favorite spot just out of town." I said with a light smile. "The diner? Good choice, son." He stated with a light smirk.

That one word made me stare at him with conflicted feelings. He had always treated me like his own when Lily and I were growing up. But with the lack of my parents' presence for most of my childhood, hearing him call me son made me feel things that were hard to describe. And the tone in his voice this time, it was like he knew things I didn't. It wasn't necessarily an uneasy feeling, rather, hopeful?

We stood there for a few more minutes in silence, something we both enjoyed, until we heard footsteps coming down the hall. "Ready to go?" I heard Lily ask in the sweetest voice. Looking over, I was about to respond until I saw her. I used to think she couldn't be any more beautiful than she already was, until this moment. Her purple and black dress hugged her torso perfectly and flared out around her thighs down to her knees, her hair falling in soft curls around he face, framing it perfectly. Not to mention to soft makeup around her bright eyes, just dark enough to make them completely pop. And holy shit, whatever she had on her lips that made them shine like that, I was about to drop and do anything she would ask of me.

"You look..." I said softly, trying to find the words without giving to much away. Clearing my throat I smiled and held my hand out to her. "You look really nice, Lily." I managed to get out, mentally kicking myself when I saw the slight narrow of her eyes. "Just nice?" She teased with a slight eye roll. "Oh you two look so adorable!" Daisy chirped as she entered the room with a camera. "Oh mom...pictures?" Lily groaned. "Yes! Now get closer together!" She cheerily stated as she fiddled with the camera.

"Daisy, it's homecoming, not prom." Rod chuckled out from his recliner. "Shush! Say cheese!" She giggled out and pointed the camera at us. Glancing down at Lily, I smiled slightly as she glared at her Mom. Reaching over, I wrapped my arm around her, my hand gently falling onto the curve of her waist to pull her closer to me. Her eyes snapped to mine, and I could tell she was taken off guard. I gave her a light, gentle smile, trying to show her that it was okay. As if acting on instinct, she placed her hand on my chest, a smile spreading on her lips that looked almost... loving? No, I must be seeing things, but the way she was leaning into me as her Mom started taking pictures had my emotions going all over the place.

"Okay, hun. That's enough." Rods voice broke trough the trance I wasn't aware I was in, making me pry my eyes away from Lily to look over at her parents. "Okay! Okay! You two go have fun!" Daisy laughed out before going to sit on the couch. "Shall we?" Lily asked in a quiet voice, making me look back down at her. Smiling softly at the amused look in her eyes I nodded and took her hand without thinking, "We shall." I chuckled out before leading her out of the house and to the car.

"Where are we headed?" Lily questioned as I opened the car door for her. "Oh...you know. Just our favorite place." I teased as she got in. "Yes! I'm craving a burger." She laughed out just before I closed her door. Running around to the driver's side I got in and started the car back up. "How did I know you would say that?" I teased with a wink before backing out of the driveway and headed off down the road.