𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐑 ━ beckham jr.

7. First Date Jitters

LUNA

The whole journey from walking towards Odell to him leading me out the tall entrance doors I only happened to see from afar, was a blur. It wasn't until the front doors shut behind me that it felt real. He extended his arm towards a black Maserati, only after noticing he was holding the passenger's door open for me. 

"Oh, there's no need" I smiled thankfully, trying to make my entrance in this car the less awkward possible, after all this was a short romper I had on

He made his way around the car towards the driver's seat after closing my side's door and my attention drifted towards the amount of buttons and GoPro cameras this thing had scattered around.

Filled with curiosity, I extended my hand to one of the many options but was interrupted shortly after by the sound of the door closing, only to see him staring at me.

"You might not want to do that, this car is like my baby" he joked, turning the car on by the simple press of a button.

I threw my hands up to match his energy "I sincerely apologize" a chuckle made its way through my mouth, before I decided to change subject. "You must be tired, no? You just want to eat and relax?" I readjusted myself in my seat, facing him.

He looked so taken aback that he just laughed.

"Glad to see you think so little of me." He replied and sped off so fast, leaving me pushed back by the speed.

A few minutes into the ride, I took the moment to admire the tall Miami skyscrapers surrounding us. This was home for me; I knew every step to these sidewalks and almost every road known to this area. There was nowhere this guy would take me that I wouldn't know.

"So, where are you from?" his voice broke the silence. The car was stopped and he faced me, so I figured: Red light.

"I'm a local, Miami born and raised" I smiled proudly "you?"

"Louisiana born and raised." He copied my words. So that's where the accent came from. I nodded, although I wasn't currently looking at him.

"I knew you were too polite to be from here."

"Guess so." His smile made my insides melt and my stomach turn in a way I didn't know was possible this soon onto a conversation with a stranger.

I turned to look at the stoplights before adding "please don't take off too fas-" before I could finish, we were already riding faster than I could tell. My first instinct was to grab onto something so I reached for what was closer. Only after looking at him did I notice he was laughing down at me. I looked down at my hand in his arm. My cheeks were burning at that moment, as I removed my hand shortly after.

Trying to brush off what had just happened, Odell managed to get me to talk and before I knew it, the conversation was flowing naturally.

Apart from sharing basic facts about each other, family was the main focus on both ends. He considered himself a proper family man, that was mixed with some college stories about his so-called wild years and the friends he still kept to this day. 

I looked out the window once the car came to a full stop and noticed a building by us with Dance Studio flashing brightly in Billboard style. Pretty self-explanatory, I thought to myself, after asking him numerous times what we'd be doing or whether there was any tip he could have given me. 

Before Odell could make his way to my door, I had opened it myself. He shook his head at me, watching as I closed it behind me, arms crossed to his chest.

"Let it go, 'Dell. I saved you three unnecessary steps." We both chuckled.

"I hope you can dance" he prepared me, in a low tone, adjusting to the silence of the lobby.