Perfect Illusion

Sixteen - "In A Totally Platonic Way."

I tell Daniel not to bother driving me to campus today. I'm going to take a ride with Cara in my baby today.

"I bet Daniel didn't like it that you guys weren't driving together," Cara says as she slides in the passenger seat of my car. I back out of the parking lot and start to drive. "Didn't you tell me he's like obsessed with carpooling or something?"

"Yeah," I sigh, my hands sliding over the steering wheel. "He's weird like that."

"Watch out!" Cara shrieks as I almost run into a stop sign. I almost jump out of my seat before getting my head out of my ass and swerving my baby away.

My baby was seconds away from destruction. It's a mystery to me how I even passed my driving test.

"Holy shit, we could have died." Cara takes in a few deep breaths, her hands clutching her handbag real tightly.

"But we didn't!"

"I think it's time for me to get a car," she sighs against her seat, "you are a driving menace, Alex. It's amazing how I'm still alive."

"Hey my driving skills are not that bad!"

About a minute after I said that, I almost got run over by a truck.

Well.

We arrive on campus with about an hour to spare. Cara insists that we get here early so she can do some assignment with a few of her friends from class. So, while she's off doing that, I got plenty of time to kill.

I decide to find a nice shady sport under the tree and making it my own space. Placing my bag on the base of the tree, I sit cross-legged and contemplate on what I am going to do now. It's been a while since I read something. I take out my paperback copy of the newly released 'Blood of Olympus' and open to the page where I stopped last week.

It's times like this that I find slows down the pace of my now hectic life. These past few days have been hell for me. Daniel and I have been very busy planning out the engagement party that is going to happen in two days' time. I can tell you that it's been a breeze planning something as huge as this with Daniel, but even I know it's a lie.

We fight over the smallest details. Which caterer we should go with, what type of flower arrangements we'd like, whether the cutlery will be silver or gold. I let him make most of the decisions since it's his father that's going to be judging the entire party and I hope it's going to be up to his standards, otherwise I'm not sure what awaits me if it's not. 

I guess he could just have the entire contract voided if he doesn't like me. Which would lift a huge burden off my shoulders for a couple minutes, only to face the hard realization that Woods and Co might not be able to claw its way out of its financial troubles and close down for good.

Yeah, I'm going to stick to abiding by what Harry wants.

Sigh. Only two more years and 11 more months to go.

I start to lose myself in the story that is in front of me, forgetting all of the undying urge to ring Daniel's skinny little neck. My eyes dance over the words in supersonic speed, immersing myself in the beautiful world that has been created for me.

Then, I hear someone clear his throat.

I look up from my book and the first thing I see is the denim jacket.

My mouth hangs open.

"Are you... Busy?" Nate asks me, his eyes searching mine.

He's here.

He's actually here, standing in front of me, talking to me. I feel all the relief seep out of my heart and into the grass I'm sitting on.

"N-no." I stammer.