Movie || Noah Centineo

-11-

[UNEDITED]

By the time they finished walking Coco, it was a little over 5 pm and the sun was just starting to set - the air carried a nice breeze and the sky was painted a beautiful mixture of pink, orange, and lilac hues. It was a very picturesque sight, Luna thought. There was just something about the look of a day at this time that was so serene - it almost makes her forget how tired she was having practically walked the whole neighborhood. Her brother, River, got carried away, having too much fun walking the Golden Retriever.

"Riv, we should turn back. We've been going around the village for nearly an hour- I'm sure Coco's had her fill," She tells him as wistfully as she can pretend to be. He looks back at her and gives a small pout, so she juts her thumb and points it to Nate who was beside her.

"And he should be getting back to his grandma soon," She adds, cocking an eyebrow. Nate offers a rueful 'sorry, buddy' though she was sure he was thankful to head back too.

River, with a sad sigh, nods in clear disappointment, muttering that he wishes there was more time and that he wants his own dog. Although Luna never liked seeing him sad, this was an exception - her legs felt like jelly. She wanted nothing more but to plop down on her bed.

"Will he be alright?" Nate feigns concern, leaning slightly so he his mouth was hovering a few inches from her ear. She grins, "I think he'll be okay,"

When the three of them change route, Nate shoves his chilly fingers down his pockets and Luna brings her hand to her face and blows on them for warmth. River didn't even seem bothered by the cold, in fact his skin was shimmering with sweat as he skipped steps.

"What do you feed that kid? When I was that age, I never had that much energy," Nate wonders out loud, rubbing at his nose. Luna shrugs, clueless as well, "Must be the spaghetti sandwiches we're always eating,"

He looks at her all weird but the lighthearted smile was still on his face, "Really?" He squints a judgmental eye.

"Have you ever had one? It's good - don't knock it 'til you try it," She counters. He chuckles, putting his hands up, "No need to get defensive,"

It was her turn to laugh, "I wasn't!"

"Alright, alright - whatever you say," He concedes playfully. She chuckles, looking down at the concrete and gently kicking a stone out of her path. Silence shrouds them, but it wasn't like earlier - this one is nice.

In front of them, River yips as Coco jumps at his command; the teenagers laugh briefly at the sight. When their amusement dies down, Luna, with a smile, pipes up a conversation. "So what time is your dinner supposed to start?" She asks, craning her head to the side so she can look at him.

Under the vibrant colors of the sky, Nate looks like a dream. The orange light made his eyes look greener than hazel and the shadows that were cast on his face highlights his features- long eyelashes, full lips, soft cheekbones, and a strong jaw.

"Around 6:30? 7?" He answers though sounding unsure. Luna's reverie breaks hearing his voice. She blinks at him before looking at her wristwatch, "You've got more or less an hour," She says, focusing hard from her warming face.

Nate clucks his tongue, "That's more than enough time to cool off, I think,"

With that, she bites the inside of her cheeks, contemplating. Her stomach was doing weird flips at the thought of him in her room,  but decides for it anyway. It's not a big deal, or at least it shouldn't be. "You could wash up in my bathroom if you'd like, if you're feeling sweaty or something."

For a second, Nate just looks at her before smiling gratefully, "If that's okay," He scratches his scalp, "I'll just wash my face,"

She shakes her head kindly, "It's not a problem."