Achieving Unbroken

-Chapter 28-

Achieving Unbroken
Chapter Twenty Eight

—

"I can't really tell why there's hills on my skin
When you're whispering all your intentions;
I don't really know why my heart skips a beat
When you get too close"
First Love | Lost Kings Feat. Sabrina Carpenter

—

Lilla
[Saturday, June 12th, 2018]

Jason and I sit in a pleasant silence for the few first minutes of the drive to his house. I gaze around at the houses that we pass, but soon switch my focus onto Jason; whose gaze is dead set on the road.

It's nice to look at him from this angle, when my heart isn't pounding because he's so close in proximity and he isn't sad or anxious. This is Jason, just Jason, driving these streets that he has known for years. This is Jason in his simplest form. Seeing him like this makes me smile, just a little.

His honey eyes glow in the light of day turning into evening, his muscles flex and his jaw shifts as he turns every corner. I feel my hand itch to touch him, his face, his sharp jawline. Obviously, I don't, because that's fucking weird. But I want to. And maybe one day I will.

"Something on my face?" His voice breaks the silence, scaring me so bad that my hand flips up and right into the door, ringing out a clean slap. Pain rushes through my fingers and knuckles. "Shit, are you okay?"

I nod, squeezing the fingers of my right hand.

"Fine." His right arm reaches out to me, hand brushing over my joined ones, and I take the hint. Hesitantly, I pull my right hand from my left and bring it to his extended one. He squeezes it, like I was just doing, and runs his thumb over my knuckles. My heart skips. "And no, nothing on your face. Just... Staring."

He pulls his hand away, and my right hand feels cold. I notice him steal a glance at me as we come up to a red light.

"Didn't your parents teach you that it's impolite to stare?"

"They did. But I do it all the time without realizing it."

"Am I just that attractive?"

I roll my eyes, leaving him without a response. The light turns green, and we start to move. As the car speeds up, there is movement out of the corner of my eye, and it continues for the next minute. I can see Jason turning his head to face me, but I don't know if he's looking at me or not. Throwing doubts out of my head, I push my limits.

"Something on my face?" I smirk.

"Just staring."

"Didn't your parents teach you that it's impolite to stare?"

"They did. But I couldn't help myself."

He went off script. I crane my head to his direction, taken by surprise by his boldness. There's a victorious smile on his face, almost like he knows that I literally feel like I could spontaneously combust at any moment.

Girl, you need some milk. You guys are friends. Stop.

"Home sweet home," he interrupts my internal speech as he turns the car into the driveway.