Catching feelings. A story about you & Austin North.

"Oh hell no! Get me out of this nightmare house"

My phone chimed letting me know that I had a text. "So theoretically, if I wanted to take you to dinner somewhere & wanted to surprise you...is there any world where you'd let me drive your truck?" Austin couldn't help but be charming, even through text. "I might could be persuaded." I answered. Ding. Another text. "I've been doing research. I found a place but it's a bit of a drive. I'll walk over to your house at 6." Hmm. He cared enough to do research & ask me out to dinner. That's actually really sweet. "Okay, I'll be ready" I typed out & hit send.

6pm that night:
I heard a knock at my door & quickly went to open it. Austin stood their open mouthed. I'm sure I had much of the same expression on my face once I'd looked him up & down. He was wearing a red button up long sleeved shirt & dark wash jeans that looked amazing on him. His hair was styled but a little messy as if he'd nervously ran his fingers through his hair multiple times. He looked me up & down again. I guess I'd picked the right outfit. I was wearing black heeled booties for once & a red dress with a deep vneck showing off just the right amount of cleavage. I had my silver horseshoe necklace on & my hair was loose & wavy. I'd put on a bit more makeup like a light smoky eye & a red lipstick. "You look beautiful" he said smiling. He held up a bandana & smirked. "Now turn around!" He demanded. I let him tie the bandana around my eyes & guide me up & into the truck. He controlled the music & we sang along to everything from the Oliver & company soundtrack to T-Pain. We sang loudly & off key & laughed the entire way. After what felt like ages, I felt the truck stop. I heard the driver door shut, footsteps, & then my door opening. "We have arrived my lady" he said sounding exactly like the Prince Charming that he was. He took hold of my hands & helped me down from the truck. I stumbled a little on my heels & he held my arms to steady me. He slowly lifted his hands up to my blindfold. His hand drifted down to my cheek for a second before returning to the blindfold. He lightly tugged it up & off of my head. "Austin! Freddy's? This is literally my favorite place. How did you know?!" I grinned up at him. "I may have shamelessly stalked your insta & Twitter & found out that you liked this place. Plus, I've never had it so I figured it was a sign that we needed to come here together" he explained while putting his hand on my lower back, guiding me into the restaurant. I ordered a single bacon cheeseburger with cheese fries. He opted for the same thing & we sat down to eat. "I didn't know anything could beat Carla's cafe but here I am, with a new favorite place to eat!" He announced. "So we definitely have to eat here again when I have to take you back to the airport huh?" I asked. "Of course, but no thinking about me having to go back home yet. I have more fun planned!" He said as he grabbed my hand. Soon we were back on the road & back under the blindfold I went. This was a much shorter trip though, before I knew it, We were stopped. Austin got out & came to my door. As he opened it, I heard music & loud talking & laughter. "Okay princess, I hope you love this as much as I hope you will." He helped me down & came around behind me walking me forward & guiding me. "Hey handsome, still wearing a blindfold here. I'm enough of a fall risk when I can see, you can't imagine the danger I am when I'm blind" I laughed. "Hang on just a little longer!" He whispered. We walked for a good ways & I heard him quietly talking to someone. The conversations of people & the music was much louder now so wherever we were, it was crowded. "Aw are you surprising your girlfriend?" I heard a girl ask. I felt Austin squeeze my hand. "You think she'll like it?" He asked. "She'll love it! I wish my boyfriend did things like that" she replied. I then heard a deeper voice go "uuuuugh" like he'd just been elbowed. I'm guessing that was said boyfriend. I felt Austin guiding me slowly up stairs. What in the world? I heard him whispering to someone again & a mechanical whirring noise. "Cmon" I heard a new voice say. He guided me a couple of steps then told me to sit. I felt a bar being put over my lap & I felt Austin's hand grab mine again, interlocking our fingers. I felt my seat jolt & then slow upward movement. Breeze hit my face. "The suspense is killing me!" I whined. I felt a jolt & we stopped. Austin untied my blindfold & let it fall to my lap. I looked around. I could see colorful lights everywhere. We were high in the air & I could see for miles. I looked down at all the crazy carnival rides & I could literally smell the funnel cake. "A fair! Oh my gosh, this is literally my dream date. & a Ferris wheel? Austin this is amazing!" I said throwing my arms around him. We both laughed as he hugged me tight. I let him go & leaned back a little to look at him. "Seriously thank you. I can't tell you how much fun I'm having with you." I said. "I wanted tonight to be amazing. You deserve the world." He said that with so much passion. He leaned in & connected our lips once again. The kiss was electric. I ran my hands through the hair at the back of his neck & his hand came up & cupped my cheek. "This right here is a perfect moment!" He said while pulling out his phone & turning the camera on us. I leaned my head on his shoulder & smiled big as he took the picture. Then I kissed his cheek while he snapped another. Finally, he glanced over at me & I rested my forehead against his, looking into his eyes, & just loving being in this moment with him. I heard him click another pic. The ride jolted & we started to slowly descend. We exited the ride & just spun around, taking everything in. "Oooh the haunted mansion ride? We have to do that!" Austin shouted while dragging me towards the ride. "I should warn you, I don't do scary. I went in a haunted house one time & got banned for punching a clown. In my defense though, I warned him not to touch me." I said trying to make a joke so he wouldn't notice my utter terror. The guy working the ride ushered us in the little car & it started to move. "I'll protect you. No one is going to touch you!" Austin swore. I buried my face in his shoulder. "You better!" I muttered. I heard a loud witch like shriek & felt Austin jump next to me. "Jesus! Okay that got me" he chuckled. I tightened my grip & opened my eyes. Right then an animatronic zombie popped up beside me & I jumped so far back, I almost fell over Austin's lap & out of the opposite side of the car. "Oh hell no, get me out of this nightmare house right this second" I said while literally shaking. He stroked my hair & said "shhhh" while quietly laughing. As soon as the car came to a stop, I shot out of it & towards the cotton candy booth. "You deserve some cotton candy after that ordeal" he said while stepping up & ordering. He handed me the cotton candy & we went to sit on a bench. I pulled a piece off & put it in my mouth enjoying the way it melted & disappeared. Austin reached over to get a piece & I acted like I was going to bite his hand. "Get your own North!" I said sassily. Just then a girl came up & smiled shyly at us. "You're Topper right? From Outer Banks?" "That I am!" He said smiling at the young girl. "Can I please get a picture with you?" She asked. "I can take it for you." I said smiling at her. "Thank you, you're so nice!" She said quickly. Austin posed beside her & put his arm around her. I snapped a pic & then he stuck his tongue out, being goofy. I snapped another as the girl looked over & laughed at him. "Omg thank you" she said while taking the phone from me. "Girl, you're fine. You want a piece of cotton candy?" I asked, sticking the stick out towards her. "Yeah!" She said while grabbing a small bite. "Hey no fair!" Austin said as he fake glared at me. I heard the girl snap a picture of us on her phone. "Y'all are really cute together. Thanks for letting me take a picture with you. Can I get one with all 3 of us?" She asked. "Um obviously!" I said putting my arm around her shoulder. Austin put his arm around her other shoulder & we all smiled. She took the pic & rushed off. "I'll tag you in it!" She hollered over her shoulder.
After a million sketchy rides, we decided to go to the huge slide where you slide down on sacks. We grabbed our sacks & made the trek up the massive stairs to the very top. I sat my sack down & plopped down on it. Austin sank down behind me & pushed us off. We went flying down the slide. Austin lost his balance & his shoe skidded against the slick slide. I heard an "oh shit!" & then didn't feel him behind me anymore. I looked around & he had somehow flopped over & was going down the slide upside down right behind me. I skidded to a stop at the bottom & he skidded into my back, head first. We both laid there laughing hysterically. After that we got a funnel cake. He put his arm around my waist as we wandered around eating the powder sugar-y goodness & slowly made our way back to the truck. Laying in bed later that night, my phone dinged with an Instagram notification. "Austin North tagged you in a photo. I pulled it up. He had posted all 3 of our Ferris wheel pictures. "A perfect moment" is what the caption read. He already had so many comments on it. "Who is she" "I ship it" "you look so happy" "y'all are the cutest" "I'll sail this ship till I die" "a Ferris wheel? Topper would be proud" I read through & knew I was smiling that same goofy grin from the picture.