“Idea?”
“Let’s go for a drive.”
“Are you going to kidnap me if I say no?”
“Kidnap you? No.” Tyler’s laugh is soft and warm, sending chills down my spine. “Stand outside while throwing pebbles at your windows, yes.”
“If I say yes–”
“Which you will.”
I hesitate for a moment; the rational part of my brain reminds me of all the reasons why I shouldn’t go out this early… late? But then there’s this side of me that’s urging me to say yes and to spend time with him.
“Okay,” I say, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “I’m in.”
“Get ready and meet me outside in ten,” Tyler says, “I’ll pick you up.”
Quietly and quickly, I do a quick get ready before slipping on a hoodie and grabbing my keys, I make my way outside. The cool night air sends a shiver down my spine as I step onto the porch, scanning the darkness for any sign of Tyler.
And then I see him, leaning against his car with a smirk on his face. “Ready for our early morning adventure, sunshine?”
“Lead the way,” I say, wondering if this is a bad idea, but what teenager doesn’t love bad ideas.
Chapter 26
Tyler
“I still think you’re kidnapping me,” Serena teases, her voice light and playful as she nudges me with her elbow. She’s been asking me where we’re going for the past hour and my answer has always been the same.
“Have you ever heard of Ted Bundy? Because you’re giving me those vibes.”
“How many times do I have to say it’s a surprise?” I retort.
“I don’t know, maybe a hundred more times?” Serena quips, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
I steal a glance at her, her silhouette outlined by the soft glow of the dashboard lights. She sits beside me, her hands folded in her lap and her gaze fixed on the road ahead.
“We’re almost there, so you can stop asking me.”
Serena nods, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. She nods and pokes her head slightly to the front, trying to catch a glimpse of what’s ahead.
I reach out to adjust the car’s radio, of course playing one of Serena’s playlists:morning vibes, which fills the car with feel the same by The Millennial Club. We round the final bend, and the sight before us takes my breath away. Lake Norman’s always had a unique beauty. Parking the car in a secluded spot by the water, we step out into the cool morning air.
“Why are we at the lake?”
“You’ll see.”
I find a secluded spot by the water, I lay out the blanket I grabbed earlier, and we both sit down, admiring the beauty of the moment. The first light of horizon paints the sky with streaks of gold and crimson, casting a warm glow over everything it touches.
In true Serena fashion, she’s already snapping photos of the sun. After taking almost thirty photos, she turns to me, “You took me to watch the sunrise?”
“Bucket list number four, watch the sunrise.”
“Tyler Westman is a romantic? Shocker.”
“Oh, baby, you haven’t seen me at my best. I also brought you here to distract you from whatever’s going on in that head of yours.” I crane my head to get a better look of her glowing face, the sun’s golden glow hitting her just right. “Did it work?”
Serena nods and faces the front again, “It did. Thank you.”
