We were driving on the highway this time. This was pretty different from the mossy trees we passed the day before. The car was quiet besides the hum of the radio. I actually liked driving around with Luke, he was really kind and sweet and fun to get along with. When he is around, I forget about mum and dad.
"Luke?"
"Yes Nova?"
"When are you leaving Seattle?" I ask, looking down at the floorboards.
"I'm leaving tomorrow, why?" He says.
"Nothing.."
"Nova?" He questions, glancing over at me.
"I said it was nothing." I say looking at Luke.
He nods, understandingly. I didn't want to tell him that I wanted him to stay. That would be strange, wouldn't it? I hum to the song that was playing. Soon, commercials came on. There were several but one had caught my attention.
"Luke H-" it started but Luke had instantly shut the radio off. I just figured that he didn't like that commercial. A few more minutes pass before we exit the highway, making a left turn.
Now I was wondering where we were going, but I still didn't ask. Fifteen minutes pass before we pull into a small parking lot. There was a sign that read "WOODLAND PARK ZOO".
"This zoo is humongous!" Luke exclaimed. "I visit it anytime that I come to Seattle."
"How often is that?" I ask, unbuckling my seatbelt.
"Every nine to ten months." He paused, handing me a pair of sunglasses, "Wear these while we walk."
"I don't see the poin-"
"Please, just please." He says. I take them, put them on, and step out of the car. As he got out, he put some on too.
I figured this must have something to do with the things he isn't telling me. As we walk across the small parking lot, a group of girls started giggling and taking pictures.
He paid our way into the zoo. The first thing we saw walking through the doors was a humongous aquarium. Luke grabbed my hand and started running. I had to run to keep up with him. We dodged crowds and people. Then we suddenly stopped in front of a glass cage. I read the sign that said PENGUINS and a little description of the penguins.
"Look!" He said breathlessly, pressing his face along with his free hand against the glass. He looked like a kid at a candy shop. "They're my favourite!"
I let out a little giggle, "They are so cute!!" I exclaimed.
"Look, look, look!! They're feeding them!" He said pointing with the hand that was holding mine. He looked at his hand and let go of mine. "Sorry, I just get really excited."
I smiled, "It's okay." I paused, looking at the penguins. "Look, Luke! One is swimming!"
"Ahhh it's sooo cute!!" He says.
We walked around the zoo for a bit, looking at fish, koalas, lemurs, and giraffes. I stopped when we arrived at the polar bear exhibit. They are so cool, it did a whole project on them in my sixth grade year. They are my favorite.
We made our way to the exit of zoo. Someone stopped Luke and he waved me on. I go out of the zoo, it was raining pretty hard so I waited on Luke. He came out a few minutes later.
"Sorry about that, the person only had a few questions." He looks out at the rain, "Do you want me to pull the car up?"
"No, it's not like we will melt." I say, giggling a little. We ended up running through the rain instead of walking. Luke still opened and closed the door for me.
He started the car and turned on the heat for a little. We didn't go to my house yet, he was taking me somewhere else. It was about an hour long car ride. We played I spy, singing contests, and little random talks.
It was only 12 pm, he turned into another parking lot and we got out of the car. We walked side by side to this medium sized building.
"Mr. Hemmings?" The man at the front door asks.
"That's me." He says smiling brightly.
"Right this way." The man says.
We follow the man into a room with a few people in it. They weren't like the other people that we encountered.
"Drinks?" The man asks. I asked for tea and Luke did as well.
We take our seats, there were menus already on the table. We opened them and looked through them for a minute. "Do you know what you want?" He asks me.
"Actually, I don't, I can't decide." I paused, looking out the window. There was a massive body of water around us. "Wait, we are over the ocean?!"
He chuckled, "Yeah, isn't it cool?"
I nodded, "Do you know what you want?" I ask him. He shook his head. "I have an idea, let's order for each other."
That's exactly what we did, I ordered him a garlic pasta plate with shrimp and sauted green beans. He ordered me a plate with salmon, alfredo pasta, and sauted green beans with mushrooms.
Our plates came, we tasted our plates. "This is actually good!" We both say in unison. I laughed a little. We finished rather quickly and drank the tea that took forever to get to our table.
Luke called for the check and we left. Back in the car, he headed back to my place.
*****
It was about 1:40 pm when we arrived at my house. I went up to my room, changing into Nike shorts and a oversized Nirvana T-shirt. Then I went back downstairs, Luke was laying down on the couch.
I sat down on the floor in front of the couch. Then I took my hair down from my french braided pig tails and brushed it.
Luke smiled at me, "You could've asked me to sit up."
"No, you're good laying there." I say, smiling.
"You can lay here too, I don't bite. Well maybe a little." He said with a little laugh.
I sat there thinking for a minute whether I should lay with him or not, but decided to anyway. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. I shut my eyes and listened to his heartbeat. I slowly drifted off to sleep.
****
His phone woke me up with American Idiot by Green Day. I looked at his screen it read "Ashton".
"Luke, your phone is ringing." I say nudging him.
"Who is it?" He asks, his eyes were still closed and his voice was raspy.
"Ashton." I say as the phone stopped ringing, then it started ringing again.
Luke grabbed the phone and slid the green button to the left and put the phone on speaker.
"What's up Ashton?" He asks groggily.
"Nothing just sitting here. You sound like you've been sleeping. Ooooh did you sleep at her house?!" Ashton taunts Luke.
"Actually, I only took a nap." Luke said.
"Have you told her yet?" Ashton asks.
"No and I'm not going to." Luke says looking over at me, I looked away.
"We'll have you seen all social media? I can't believe you saw polar bears without me!" Ashton laughs.
"I gotta go Ash. I'll text you later." Luke said and hung up. He sighed, running his hands through his hair.
It was about 5 pm. Wow, I slept for about four hours. I looked over Luke who mouths 'I'm sorry' and walks out the front door. I heard him start his car and pull out of the driveway.
