Chapter 18: Ahliyah

Mercedes took me out shopping because she claimed that my first date that my clothes should either be cute or beautiful. Or both. As we went through each store looking at clothing I didn't know what I was supposed to wear. Carter wasn't giving me any hints on what we were doing and every time I asked he would say that it was a secret.

Now I was in the dressing room with too many dress and no idea of what I was going to wear. I walked out of the dressing shaking my head to all the dresses I tried on. Mercedes smiled giving me one more dress to try on before we went somewhere else. The last dress was a short navy blue dress and as I put it on and looked at myself in the mirror, I didn't hesitate to take it off and purchase it.

" I can't wait for you to go on the date with him. I'm so excited. Make sure to take pictures and send them to me please. " She beamed.

Mercedes grab some jewelry and make up for me because the dress was the only thing a girl needed. When I got to the apartment, I put my things in the closet keeping it a secret for Carter. Lorenzo came to pick up Mercedes and she reminded me to call her and give her all the details.

I went to my room to lay the things I bought out on the bed and when I laid my dress on the bed, Carter stuck his head in trying to look and what I was trying to wear.

" Get out. It's a secret." I laughed.

" That's not fair. Why can't I see what your wearing tonight?" He asked.

I thought about it. Why didn't I want him to see what I bought or the makeup Mercedes bought me? It was because he wouldn't tell where we were going and I wanted to know.

" I guess you'll find out when we leave then." I smiled.

" Okay, fine. You're very stubborn but that's okay." He left with a big smile on his face. While he went to go get ready, I was figuring out what I was going to do with my hair and how I was going to do my makeup.

Hours later, I was in the bathroom curling my hair and applying makeup on my face. When I was done I looked in the mirror and smiled because I was beautiful. I was going to have to thank Mercedes a ton because looking at myself in the mirror made me want to to myself out on a date instead.

As I walked down the hall to Carter, my heart sped up and I was really nervous like I was the first time we kissed. I stood there and he got up eyes wide in happiness and he smiled. " There are no words describing the way you look tonight. I can't believe I'm taking out on a date tonight." He smiled.

" Can we go now?" I asked.

" I thought I could look at you a little longer but we can leave now." He grabbed my hand leading me out the door and to the car. He opened the door for me and when he started to drive, I didn't say anything I sat there waiting until we got to where we were going.

Carter had to make one stop to grab something and when we got to our destination he told me to close my eyes. I closed my eyes as he came in the other side of the car grabbing my hand pulling me out of the car. We walked and walked, I was waiting eagerly to find out where we were going to be.

Then we stopped walking and he removed his hands from my eyes, when I opened them there was a blanket in the sand and a picnic basket sitting there with glasses and dessert.

" You did this for me? What about what you wanted?" I asked.

" I've already gotten what I wanted. All of this is for you, so let's go eat."

We sat on the blanket and I looked at sky watching the sun set. Carter grabbed the food out of the picnic basket. He pulled out chicken salad sandwiches and chips, I sighed in content because this was one of my favorite meals.

We quickly finished our food moving on to dessert. He pulled out slices of carrot cake smiling. This was going to be one of my favorite days forever, even if I was leaving soon. As I thought about leaving, I frowned because I didn't want to leave. I wasn't ready to.

Not yet. Not until I told Carter that I loved him.

I didn't know what was going to happen, or what tomorrow would bring. My mother was still sick and as much as I wanted to tell myself that she was going to get better there was no telling when she would go back to the hospital, or if she would make it out.

I quickly put the smile back on my face not wanting to ruin the moment with Carter. He moved the picnic basket over, we laid on the blanket looking at the stars and the constellations. It was beautiful and relaxing. I wouldn't want to spend this time with anyone else besides him.

" This is very relaxing and I could lay here all night with you. Our first date is going to put all the other first dates to shame." He said.

" I'm sure it will. Thank you so much for tonight and it was a well kept secret." I told him.

I told him about what I wanted to do for our first date but I didn't know if he was actually going to do it. Tonight was beautiful and I had Carter to thank for that.

I love you.

Why was it so hard to tell him?

I love you.

All I needed was time and when I tell him I don't want it to be when I leave because then what would I do. I didn't want to end things because laying on his chest and being with him made me realize that I wanted to spend every waking moment with him. I wanted to be there for everything.

I needed time but I didn't want it to be late before I finally got to say. I love you.