The Daughter of Illéa [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter Ten - Part Two

They walk in, and Jess closes the door behind them.

"This used to be an emergency bunker," Jess explains as the walk through what seems to be a small living room, packed with cushions, armchairs, even a couple of beds. "But, considering the rebels are no longer a threat, Officer Leger helped me turn it into a hideout! Y'know, when I don't want to socialise. I can hide here!"

Cole peers around everywhere, completely awestruck. He turns to Jess, eyes wide. "This was in your wall?!"

She drags him over to two large beanbags. "I'll grab us some snacks while you ogle the room,"

He looks over at her again, and Jess can't help but laugh at his expression. "There are snacks in this place? Sorry, Jess, but I'm never leaving here. Wait... Does it have a toilet?"

"Do YOU want to install indoor plumbing for me?" She asks rhetorically, opening a pantry at the back of the room.

"Sure!" He says back at the beanbags. "Just give me a hammer and I'll whip something up for ya,"

"Dork," Jess takes out a plastic container full of pretzels, popcorn, dark chocolate pieces and gummy bears. She sits down on the empty beanbag and holds out the container. "Help yourself!"

To her surprise, Cole gets up from his seat and places himself next to Jess.

She turns a steady shade of red as the beanbag's weight shifts.

"Come on, this is a date, isn't it?" Cole reasons, smiling.

Jess can only open and close her mouth without actually making any noise.

"Okay, truth be told... I've never actually been on a date," Cole admits sheepishly.

Suddenly, Jess can speak again. "Wait, what?" She demands. "What about your lady-skills or whatever??"

He laughs awkwardly. "I dunno. I mean, it's not like I didn't have the chance, but nothing...

sparked, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Jess says thoughtfully, nodding. "Been there."

"Which is why this is sort of weird for me,"

Jess nearly coughs up the pretzel she just popped in her mouth. "Sorry, what?"

He blushes a little bit, highly unusual behaviour for the easygoing lad. "Ahh, I dunno. This just feels... different from the other girls who asked me out, y'know? Like, I sort of wanted..." he trails off.

Jess tilts her head slightly so that her long, ginger hair falls in front of her face. "This feels different for me as well," she says shyly.

Cole puts his arm just behind Jess's head. He extends an arm and tucks her hair behind her ear. "You've gotta stop hiding your face like that," he says softly. "It's a very pretty face,"

Jess's breath catches. Heart beating out of her chest, her eyes dart down to his lips and then to the side. Anywhere but his eyes.

"Hey," Cole raises his eyebrows slightly, a kind smile splayed across his lips. "Don't go avoiding me now, not on our first date!" His face changes and he brings his arm back to his body. "I'm not doing something wrong, am I? I'm really sorry,"

"What? N-no!" Jess turns towards the concerned boy. "I'm just... really awkward. I've never been on a date before."

Cole relaxes slightly, but he doesn't regain his former position. "Honestly, neither. Well, besides once in kindergarten but that apparently doesn't count, I've been told." He makes a face and Jess laughs, a lot less uncomfortable.