and we scored

Scene 27

CADEN

Nini is looking at me from the passenger's seat, while I'm driving us along the highway. Although she's been in my car before, she can't stop looking around. She has already noticed the protein bars I keep just in case in the car compartment, or the empty bag from a sandwich lying on the backseat from when I drove with my car to a game and was starving, so I had to buy myself something to eat. As I noticed she has seen it, I quickly remove it, which only makes her chuckle softly and whisper: "Trust me, I have seen messier cars."

Nini is meanwhile busy complaining about the music on the radio. It's some rock song she can't stand, making her give me a rant about it. Not wanting to see her suffer any longer, I connect my phone to the car and give it to her, so that she can choose some songs. I can see her take a deep breath the moment she sees herself as my wallpaper, and the way her fingers shiver on my phone, yet she quickly hides it and goes in the music app.

"Let's see what little Cady here likes to listen", she says in a sing-tone voice and I can't help but chuckle.

"Little Cady?" I ask her amused with an eyebrow raised.

"Well, you already found a nickname for me, I find it only fitting that I do the same."

"As you wish, Broadway", I reply, forcing myself to look away from her, so that I can drive with my eyes on the road. However, it takes a huge effort.

With the corner of my eye, I can see Nini scrolling through my playlists, laughing about the names.

"Work it hard?" She asks, while opening one of them. It reveals the cover photo of some weights I like lifting at the gym.

"My workout playlist", I explain. She nods, as if she already figured that out.

"Feeling' Starboy", she continues, opening another playlist, with a photo cover of me in a hoodie, showing the middle finger at the camera.

"My feel good playlist", I say. She mumbles something like Well, the photo says a lot then continues scrolling. She only stops again on the one playlist I have nothing to do with. The one called...

"Swiftie 4ever?" She asks me, her voice hiding so many questions.

"It's not mine..." I try to explain. She looks at me skeptical. I continue: "My best friend, Jacob, he's a huge fan. He even has a hoodie with her tour dates, made me watch a concert marathon once and even took me with him at a concert of hers one time."

"You two went to a Taylor Swift concert?!" Nini asks, barely hiding her excitement.

"As I said, he's a big fan. And I had to go with him. He didn't have a girlfriend then, well, neither does he have one now...And he was alone. He asked me to go and I couldn't say no to him."

"So you went to a Taylor Swift concert?!"

"Yeah..." I say, not knowing where this is headed.

"Holy Moly! Can you introduce me to your friend?"

Jealousy raises involuntarily in me at her question. "No", I let out dry. She notices the swift in my mood since she starts smirking.

"Little Cady is jealous again."

"Am not."

"Yeah, sure. I bet you never plan on letting me and Jacob ever meet."

"Well, you might have to meet him one day."

"Somewhen in the very distant future if it would be up to you..."

I laugh. She smirks. "I don't have a problem with you meeting Jacob. You've seen him at the canteen before. And besides, he'll be there tonight. You two can talk there."

Nini nods, yet the smirk doesn't disappear.

"Of course, platonic stuff only", I add, which only makes her smile harder.

"Of course", she says amused, yet there is a certainty hidden in her voice that assures me she's not going to flirt with him or anyone else at the party.

When she's done looking at my playlists, she types something in the search tab and after a few seconds, a song fills the car. Nini turns the volume louder.

"You're just too good to be true...", she begins singing to the lyrics and it's then I recognize the song.

"Frank Sinatra?" I ask her confused. She nods.

"Only the best song ever."

"Aren't you too young to know this?"

"Asks the guy who clearly knew this song and is only one year older than me."

Point taken.

"How did you even find it?" I ask after a while. She shakes with her shoulders as if it were the most normal thing in the world and answers.

"10 Things I Hate About You."

I look at her making it clear I've never heard of that before.

"You've never watched 10 Things I Hate About You?" She asks me shocked. I shake my head.

"No..."

"Holy Moly! How are we two even talking right now?! It's only the best romcom movie ever."

"Yeah, still haven't heard of it."

"My favourite movie..." she continues, fake tearing. My little actress.

"Okay, I'm sorry", I say, not knowing how else to react. She stops fake crying and chuckles.

"No problem. But we still need to watch it together one day."

I notice the opportunity and quickly take it.

"What about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Nini asks confused. "We've already met today. Won't you slowly get bored of me at one point?"

"I could never get bored of you, Broadway."

Her cheeks turn all red and she quickly looks out the window. For a few seconds, I think that what I said was too much too fast. Yet as she says "Tomorrow works for me", I smile and throw a glance in her direction. Although she's still looking out the window, she must have felt it since she smiles. I also smile and turn my eyes on the road again. Nini continues singing to the song, and I let her voice fill me in. After a while, I join her and we're both singing together. At one moment, she turns her head to me and smiles. Smiles with her whole heart, smiles like she's just seen the moon and the stars, smiles like her world is perfect, smiles like she loves the fact she's here. With me.

I smile back at her and continue driving just with one hand on the steering wheel. The other one I reach out for hers, curling our fingers together. A warm feeling fills me up as soon as I can feel her touch. It's nice and cozy and it feels like home. I guess that's what falling in love feels like.