BLOOM • awsten knight

33

APRIL 2018

Awsten is taking Elle out to eat to finish off her birthday; the restaurant is nice, but not too fancy that she'd feel overly conscious about feeling out of place.

They reach his car, and Awsten opens the door for her; he never misses the way she smiles at his gentlemanly gestures.

Seeing him settle himself into the driver's seat, already increases Elle's heart rate. She remembers watching his livestream before he left for tour, thinking that she wouldn't be able to stop staring if he ever drives her anywhere - she isn't sure how it's taken her this long to get in a car with Awsten, but Elle already can't take her eyes off of him.

He almost looks too good, with his shirt tucked into his jeans, his sleeves rolled up and his lavender hair falling perfectly over his forehead.

Even if wherever they're going is familiar, Elle would have no idea, because she's not watching where they're going - she's watching Awsten.

His hand glides over the top of the steering wheel as he turns the car, and he catches Elle watching him out of the corner of his eyes.

"What?" Awsten giggles softly, only half snapping her out of her daze. "What're you looking at so intently?"

"You, you just-" Elle blinks a couple of times, sitting up a little stranger. "Sorry, just you," she blushes, feeling caught out.

Silently, with his free hand, Awsten interlocks his fingers with her's over the console, causing Elle to look up at him; a smile plays on his lips, as he tries to focus his gaze on the road.

He holds her hand for the rest of the drive.

Once they arrive, Elle tries to tell Awsten that the place he's chosen looks far too pricey, but he waves her off; he knows she doesn't care much about things being expensive, or high end - he knows she'd be perfectly happy with a McDonald's - but he wanted to do something a little more than that.

They may be the loudest pair in the restaurant, accidentally talking too loudly when they get overexcited, laughing non-stop at anything the other says, like two teenagers - but they definitely appear to be the happiest, too.

"So," Awsten starts, as they're finishing up dessert, "good birthday?" He raises an eyebrow.

"The best, I think, actually," Elle replies, a bright smile.

"Wait, really?" His eyes widen in slight surprise.

"Oh, yeah, it's been so good," she confirms with a nod. "Definitely better than last year," Elle adds.

"What happened last year?" Awsten questions, cautiously.

"It was just one of the times Alex broke up with me," she huffs a dry laugh, and he makes a face.

"What the fuck," he grimaces. "Sorry, no, let's not talk about him," Awsten drops the subject quickly, which Elle is grateful for - she much prefers being here, in the moment, with him, rather than talking about her ex-boyfriend.

Awsten pays the bill, and they head outside, Elle's arm linked with his.

He drives back to her apartment, and she stares at him all over again; whenever the two of them are alone together, they feel as if they're in a bubble, and neither of them want to burst it.