novelraw Chapter 158: Happy
Chapter 158: Happy
Chapter 157
Nolan
The car is warm. The city lights blur past the window. Jack’s hands are steady on the wheel, and I’m still thinking about what he said.
The Nolan that’s his own person.
I don’t know what to do with that.
Jack is an amazing guy. I don’t know what to do with the fact that I like him. I like him a lot.
He glances at me. The streetlights catch his face, shadows and gold, and he looks like something out of a dream I didn’t know I was allowed to have.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No." I look out the window. The city is alive around us—restaurants still lit, people walking home, couples holding hands. "You said something right. I just don’t know what to do with it."
Jack doesn’t answer immediately. He slows the car, pulls into a parking spot along the street, and cuts the engine.
"Then let’s not go home yet," he says.
I look at him.
"What?"
"You heard me." He gets out of the car.
I watch him through the window, confused, as he walks around to my side and opens the door. The night air rushes in, cool and city-scented.
"Come on, doggy."
I get out slowly. "Jack, it’s late. Ciel is waiting—"
"Ciel is fine. He’s probably asleep by now." Jack locks the car and pockets the keys. "Besides, I texted him. Told him we’d be late."
"You texted him without telling me?"
"You would have said no."
"Because it’s late."
"Exactly." He grins and starts walking. "Come on. I saw a place a few blocks back."
I follow him. Because of course I do. Because when Jack walks, I walk. When Jack talks, I listen. When Jack looks at me like I’m something worth looking at, I forget how to breathe.
"It’s been ages since we spent time together, you know—just the two of us," he says.
And I follow.
We find some place still open. Well, it’s almost closing. But with an extra tip and Jack’s charm, the food truck agrees to prepare food for us anyway.
We walk while eating. The city is quieter now, the crowds thinned out, the lights softer. The food is hot and messy and perfect.
Jack steals some of my fries. I yell at him. He laughs. It’s amazing.
We’re like two normal guys.
Hanging out.
When have I ever just hung out?
I don’t know. Maybe never. There was always Ciel to protect, always somewhere to run, always someone watching. But here, in the dark, with grease on my fingers and Jack’s shoulder bumping mine, I feel... light.
I toss the empty packets into a trash bin and watch Jack finish the rest of his burger. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, and I should find it gross, but I don’t. I find it endearing.
"What?" he asks, catching me staring.
"Nothing."
"You’re doing that thing again."
"What thing?"
"The thing where you look at me like I’m a puzzle you’re trying to solve."
I look away. My ears are warm.
We head back to the car. The streets are empty now, the city settled into that late-night hush. Jack unlocks the doors and we climb in. The leather is cold. The engine hums to life.
But he doesn’t start driving yet.
Instead, he leans over and kisses my cheek.
Soft. Quick. Like it’s nothing.
Then he puts the car in gear and pulls away from the curb.
I sit there, hand pressed to my cheek, heart doing something embarrassing in my chest.
*
I’m in the shower.Seriously, this shower is huge—you could host several people in here. The water is hot, steam curling up toward the ceiling, and I’m standing under the spray, running my fingers through my wet hair, trying to process the last hour.
The walk. The food. The way Jack kissed my cheek like it was nothing.
Like it was everything.
I hear the door open and close. I don’t look back.
"So," a voice says, "how was your date?"
Ciel.
I pause, hands still in my hair. "It wasn’t a date."
"Not what I heard." His voice is light, teasing. He’s leaning against the sink, probably, arms crossed, that smug little smile on his face. "A romantic walk. Food involved. Making out."
"We didn’t make out!" I say.
Silence.
Checkmate.
He’s got me.
I hear the shower door open, and hands wrap around me from behind. Warm. Familiar. Ciel’s fingers press against my stomach, his chest against my back.
I turn in his arms, water still dripping down my skin, and find him blinking up at me with a victorious smirk on his face.
"It wasn’t a date," I grumble, and place a kiss on his forehead.
He laughs, the sound soft and warm, and doesn’t let go.
"You’re a terrible liar, Nollie."
"I’m not lying."
"You’re blushing."
"The shower is hot."
"The shower is not that hot."
I glare at him. He grins. I hate him. I love him.
His hair gets wet under the shower, going from bright red to a deeper, darker crimson. The water slicks it back from his face, and his golden eyes are even brighter against the contrast.
I hold him closer.
"I like seeing you like this," he says.
"I’m always like this."
"I mean happy."
I blink. "You make me happy."
"Yeah, yeah," he says, and moves to wrap his arms around my neck. His fingers play with the wet hair at my nape, light and teasing.
"Since you already made out with Jack," he says, "it’s my turn now."
"I told you we didn’t make out."
"I don’t believe you."
"We didn’t!"
He just grins. That infuriating, beautiful, knowing grin.
I sigh, bending down to lift him. His legs wrap around my waist automatically.
"Instead of being nosy," I say, "you should drink milk to get taller."
"But then, if I was taller, you wouldn’t get to pick me up like this." He wraps a hand at the base of my scalp and kisses me.