Chapter 21
Tyler
The night carries on, and we find ourselves on the patio deck, watching Priya play beer pong. Part of me wishes I would’ve kissed Serena right then and there when we were alone earlier. But another part of me is enjoying the tension.
Serena’s too busy with Cheesecake, teaching the puppy tricks and sneaking her pepperoni from the pizza. Her cheeks flush pink, not because of me, but from the jungle juice she’s been sipping.
Deciding it’s time to leave, I turn to her. “You ready to go?”
Serena giggles and nods, “Yeah, I’m getting hungry. I really want some nuggets.”
“Nuggets?”
“Yeah. Don’t you like nuggets?” Serena counters, arms crossed.
“We can get nuggets from Liberty’s,” I suggest, fighting back the urge to laugh .
We both say goodbyes to our friends on the deck. Instead of wrapping my arm around her petite frame, I opt to intertwine our hands together. The party’s gotten more packed and I’m starting to feel more protective with Serena.
I’m leading the way back inside the house, but she halts our steps. She tugs her hand away from mine, which sends a pang through my chest until I see what she’s trying to do. She reaches down for Cheesecake and cradles her like a baby. “Can we bring Cheesecake?”
I can’t help but be in awe for two reasons: she takes my breath away and she’s asking to steal my friend’s dog.
I pet Cheesecake’s head. “Maybe next time. This is Elijah’s dog.”
Serena pouts again, her lip puckering out. Damn it. “But she’s so cuuuute.”
“I know, but we can’t steal a dog.”
“Yes, we can. You can be the getaway driver and I can hold her. It’s a perfect plan.”
“Babe, put the dog down.” I tease, making Serena’s eyes widen at the latest pet name and I can’t help but wink at her in response.
With an adorably sad pout, Serena reluctantly releases Cheesecake from her arms, saying goodbye to the furry golden retriever before we head off. We run into a few people, so we say a quick hello and goodbye. I let her lead the way with my hands resting gently on her hips. I catch Elijah’s curious stare as we pass by. He sees my hands on her hips and nods in acknowledgement like he’s proud of me. The connection between us is undeniable, and it’s both exciting and nerve wracking.
I open the passenger door for Serena and buckle her in safely. “I can open doors myself.”
“I know you can, just let me do it.”
Serena doesn’t fight with me buckling her in, but before I can step over to the driver side, she takes my wrist. “You didn’t drink, right?”
I hold her hand in mine, reassuringly. “No, I didn’t drink. I’m driving.”
Serena nods quietly and releases my hand, allowing me to hop over to the other side. I start the car and head to Liberty’s for her chicken nuggets. Knowing she had way too much to drink (jungle juice is the official blame), I can’t just take her home without food.
As we drive, Serena’s laughter occasionally bursts out, likely fueled by the jungle juice. She’s not drunk, but she’s not sober either. Her temporary chaotic energy adds an extra layer of bubbliness to our after party adventure. I can’t help but smile at her carefree spirit, appreciating the way she embraces the joy of the night.
We arrive at Liberty’s and order via drive-thru since Serena is still giggling uncontrollably to get out of the car. I ordered a twenty piece nugget meal with fries and water to share. We decided to eat the nuggets in a local park’s parking lot. It’s almost midnight, and the only sounds in the air are the nearby stream from the pond.
The golden streetlights peek through the car windows, casting a warm glow behind Serena. If looks could kill, I’d have dropped dead on the spot.
“Cheers!” Serena exclaims, waving a nugget in the air.
I chuckle at her, waving my nugget in return. “Cheers.”
“You know, you’re pretty cute when you’re jealous,” Serena says, matter-of-factly.
I scoff and choke at the same time. Stupid nugget. “I wasn’t jealous.”
“You were annoyed with me.”
“I was not.”
“You cornered me in the hallway.”
I take another bite of my nugget before turning to face her fully. With a chuckle, I confess, “Okay, I was jealous. ”
“Ah-ha! I knew it.” Serena points to me, “But why?”
Because I really like you . “I like it when I make you laugh like that. Not when someone else does it.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean why?”
“Why do you like to make me laugh? Why can’t Travis do that?”
“Do you like him?”
“Nope.” Serena answers, popping the ‘p’ in her one-word response. “But I think you like meee.” The confession bubbles out of her. God, she must be out of it that she inversely confessed my feelings.
“Serena–”
“Admit it,” Serena demands in a cute commanding way while also waving a nugget in my direction. “You like me.”
Serena’s challenge hangs in the air, her eyes sparkling under the night skies as she takes small bites out of the nugget. Her legs are tucked underneath her, showing off her smooth skin, and the flutter of her lashes sends a shiver down my spine. Without overthinking or second guessing myself, I reach out and brush her cheek with my thumb, a simple yet powerful move that speaks volumes .
Something shifts. Everything changes at this moment. We’re stuck in time, caught in a weird moment of anticipation. I confess, “I do, Serena.”