13

"What?" She asked, absentmindedly.

"I know it's stupid, forget I asked." He tried to think of something else to say to change the topic because he didn't want to go to bed early and much to his surprise, he missed her voice.

"Yes, sure." She said, taking herself by surprise. Sure she wanted to go out once in a while with new people but agreeing to see him tonight after she was just in an argument with her fiance wasn't a smart move.

"Right."

"Do you mind coming to pick me up?" She wasn't comfortable with driving at this time of night.

"Excuse me?" He asked, confused. She'd just turned his offer down, or so he thought.

"Will you come pick me up?"

"Yes, of course. Where do you live?"

"You know where Lincoln Park is?"

"Familiar with it, yes. I'll be there in ten." Then the line went dead. She sat on her bed staring at her phone and immediately jumped up and hurried through her closet, picking out a clumsy outfit.

She quickly put on some warm clothes and grabbed her jacket from the rack before closing her door and rushing out. She didn't want to tell him where she lived because she wasn't too proud of her place. Sure it was fancy and all but it was far from home, much less hers.

She speed-walked to the park and reached the gates in a minute before he was to arrive. She looked around and saw the car lights of an approaching car and her nerves started working up.

The car slowed down in front of her and the driver's door opened, revealing a good-looking Kaden. They both smiled at each other and he walked over to her and gave her a hug.

"Don't you look warm," he teased as he shamelessly checked her out. She felt hot from his stare and fidgeted with the jacket in her hand.

"I just threw these on," she rolled her eyes and walked to the passenger side. He walked ahead of her and opened her door, letting her sit before closing it and going around.

"So I was thinking, maybe the beach?" He started speaking when he got in and drove.

"You can never make up your mind, can you?"

"Only unless it's business," he said shortly and she gave him a look before turning away. "Why did you walk?"

She looked at him quizzically before casting her gaze down. "I had to cool off."

"Hectic job?"

"Hectic life," she sighed and leaned her head back, closing her eyes. He stared at her for a moment, getting lost in her features.

Pulling up at the each parking lot, he turned off the engine and got out, going over and opening her door for her. She refocused and slip the jacket on before taking his hand as she got out of the car.

"You might want to remove your shoes," he smirked as he pulled up his sweatpants. She obediently took her sneakers and socks off. She pulled up her pants and folded them twice. He took her warm hand in his and led her towards the water.

"Slowly," he said as she gasped when the ice cold water touched her feet. The cold didn't seem to have much effect on him.

"I used to come here a lot," he said as he stared into the distance. She watched his Adam's apple go up and down and liked how his hair moved with the wind.

"What changed?"

"Work, life, people-" He looked at her and she felt as if time stood still as she stared back into his eyes.

"Everything," she finished for him and he smiled at her.

"Everything," he softly repeated.

"My dad would always remind me, 'Ari, change is the only constant'," she said, imitating an Indian accent.

"He was right," he said, looking forward for a second before turning to look at her instead.

"Sometimes."

"You miss him a lot?" He didn't want to say he was sorry for her loss because she probably received a lot of that already.

"Not really," she giggled.

"How long ago did he pass away?"

Her eyes went wide and she stared at him unbelievably before throwing her head back. She covered her face as she laughed hard. "He isn't dead."

"I'm sorry," he said shyly, scratching the back of his neck. He was feeling hot and he bet his face was red by now.

"Are you blushing?" She made fun of him in a singsong voice. "That's cute," she said when he kept his gaze down, refusing to meet eyes.

"Please stop," he laughed. He wanted to tease her, not the other way round.

"Or else?" She asked and he was about to say something smart when a shooting star sped across the sky. He looked at the time on his wristwatch and smiled at her.

"It's eleven-eleven. Make a wish."

"After you," she said, removing the hair that kept feathering her face.

"I wish you'll always be like this."

"Like how?"

"Pretty, gorgeous, beautiful and happy." He knew there were more things to describe her as, but that'd have to do for now. "You?"

"I'm wishing for this moments to last forever."

"Why?"

"Because being with you makes me feel pretty, gorgeous, beautiful and happy." Her face hurt from all the smiling she was doing and she was more than happy she hadn't turned down his offer of meeting him. She felt lighter than she had in her house.

"I'll make your wish come true," he promised her, placing a kiss on the side of her head. After that they talked for a while more before heading back and driving her back to the park where she said he could just drop her.