Lavender

Chapter Twenty-Two

Outside, he leads me to the black mustang that almost killed me my first night at college. I'm not afraid of it now that my life isn't being threatened, but chills do break out across my arms despite my jacket. Holden surprises me by opening the passenger door. This is a boyfriend move, a dating partner move at best, and I scold him with my eyes, not moving.

"Get in or not, I was just being courteous." He shrugs and walks around the hood to the driver seat.

"We aren't going on a date. This is merely two friends hanging out," I remind him and slide into the car seat, pulling on my seatbelt. I'm surprised his car isn't messy. The leather seats are shiny, and it smells of pine trees and vodka, unsurprisingly. I look toward the backseat over my shoulder and see marble notebooks tossed on the seat and a black hoodie sprawled against the black leather.

Holden laughs and backs out of the parking space. "I am not going to kiss you or anything, so don't worry. I've actually come to dislike your lips. They move pretty stiffly." I know he is only joking, and I shouldn't care since we are now friends, but I can't help but be offended.

"I kiss perfectly fine," I guffaw, making him bust out laughing. "You can ask Wyatt," I add before I can think better of it. I seriously need to think before I speak. I usually do, but when I'm around Holden I say whatever I am thinking. I'm not as cautious. I think the way he carelessly speaks is rubbing off on me.

He stops laughing and I immediately feel awful, but don't say anything more, afraid to ruin the mood yet again. "I think he would agree," he jokes. I appreciate him trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm sorry, it just came out..." I say but he waves a dismissive hand.

In hopes of brightening the mood even more, I turn on the radio. Immediately, Coldplay blasts through the speakers that rattle and complain about the volume. He lowers the music. I look over at him, expecting him to turn up his nose and laugh how different our music tastes are and switch onto his current favorite house song. But he taps the steering wheel and his head bops to the beat of the music. He likes the Coldplay which makes my heart swell since they are one of my most favorite bands.

In an attempt to change the tense subject, I ask him, "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere."

"I'm being serious."

"You'll find out when we get there."

"Why can't I know now?"

"Because you don't need to know everything all the time. Look, I get that you love being organized and plan every second of every day, but sometimes life happens. Shit happens. And you have to roll with the punches. Roll with this one. Who knows? You might like where I am taking you," he says, suddenly turning into a wise owl who won't outright answer me.

"What if you're whisking me away to Las Vegas or something?" I throw out an outrageous place without thinking.

He laughs while another song comes on, creating an unexpected lovely sound. "Don't give me ideas if you don't want me to follow through with them. I wouldn't whisk you away anywhere outside of California laws. Hell—we're going to reach the place in the next ten minutes." He looks over at me with a smirk. "But if we were to go to Las Vegas right now, what do you suggest we do?"

"I'd suggest we drive to the farthest hotel away from the wedding chapels," I say, and he laughs. I join in too and continue, "And then we could wear fancy robes with our names across the back and walk around the strip. Do the normal touristy things. Play poker and jackpot machines. Oh, and if we win the jackpot but if I win using your quarter or something, we would be like that movie with Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher..." I stop rambling, noticing him staring at me with wide eyes and deep dimples. "Oh God. Do not tease me."