Chapter 27

Lost in Headlights and Eyesight…

THEN

(Beth)

I sat in the back seat of the car and looked out the window and watched as a shirtless Leith smoked a cigarette. It was just him against the moonlight. He'd take a drag of the cigarette and then put his head back and blow smoke into the night.

Every few seconds he'd look back at me and grin.

I grinned back and felt a tingling chill through my entire body. One that I never felt before until tonight.

Because everything I ever wanted had finally happened.

And I knew Leith wasn't the kind of guy to run to his school and brag about what had happened over the weekend. Then again, even if he did, nobody knew who I was.

And then again…

I looked down and laughed.

I was playing with my fingertips. Digging under my nails.

Part of me didn't know what to feel.

The moment came and went.

And I loved every second of it. Even the seconds that felt awkward as we tried to understand what the other person was thinking or feeling. But it was Leith. I was so comfortable with him and trusted him with my life.

I could tell he cleaned out his car too.

The way it looked and smelled.

That alone made my heart melt for him. That he took that much care to try and make the night special for us. We both knew going anywhere else wasn't an option. I could never sneak Leith into my house. And driving all around trying to sneak to his house would only waste time.

So we had our favorite back road.

No streetlights. No city. No town. No traffic.

It was just us.

Almost like we had found our own world to live in and take care of.

Leith took the last drag of his cigarette and flicked it toward the road.

He opened the back door of the car and I slid across the seat.

It was definitely warmer inside the car than outside.

"I'm freaking cold," he said as he rubbed his hands together.

He found his shirt thrown to the front seat.

I blushed as he reached for it.

"Are we leaving?" I asked him.

"Leaving? Why would we leave?"

"I don't know. I mean, we… did everything…"

Leith touched my face. "No, angel. We're far from everything. I didn't just pick you up tonight for that. You know that, right?"

"I know," I said. "I was just making sure. I mean, if there's anything else you have to do or whatever. Or if this is weird now."

"Why would it be weird?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "If it didn't live up to your expectations."

"Damn. Never. Beth. Never."

I nodded. "Fine." I looked up. "Hey. Open the sunroof."

Leith leaned forward and turned the keys in the ignition.

I looked at the back of his jeans and grinned.

He opened the sunroof and turned the keys back. We didn't need headlights or brake lights to give us away and end up in trouble.

He sat back down next to me.

I quickly put my head to his shoulder.

"Stupid moon," I whispered.

"The moon?"

"Yeah. It's too bright out. I wanted to fall asleep watching the stars with you."

Leith sighed. "Oh, angel, that sounds perfect. But you know we can't sleep out here. If you're not home by curfew your old man will have three departments out looking for you. And I'm pretty sure if he found us sleeping in the back seat of my car he'd bury me alive."

"You'd dig your way out," I said. "Right?"

Leith looked down at me. "For you, of course I would. But I'd be filthy. And sweaty. And tired."

"I'll still fool around with you."

"Just fool around, huh? So this is once and done?"

"See, look where your mind is now. Looking for the next time we-"

Leith swiped his thumb across my lips. "I'm messing with you, Beth."

"Sorry," I said. "I just…"

"Just what?"

"I thought I liked someone else once."

"What?"

"Last summer. It was after you moved and everything. I was so angry, Leith. And I was so hurt. We weren't talking."

"I remember."

"There was this guy."

I saw pain spread across Leith's face. "I know it's not my business to ask…"

"No," I said. "Don't ask the question. The answer is no. What just happened with you was the first. I swear on it."

"Okay."

"But what I'm saying is that I thought I liked him. And he was so cool. And he said all the right things. And then… he got something from me and he disappeared. He was suddenly too busy. He suddenly didn't like me."

Leith could've gotten really mad at me right then. But he didn't. He kept touching my face. With gentle care. I saw the anger and jealousy on his face. But he kept that to himself.

"I would never do that to you," Leith whispered. "I'm here. And if it were up to me I would somehow make this work forever. Without worries. Without sneaking around in my car."

"That's the fun of it for now," I said.

"I won't hurt you. Ever."

I smiled and kissed him.

I loved to hear those words from Leith.

But I honestly didn't believe them.

"So how does it end?" I asked.

We were now sitting on the trunk of his car. Our legs dangling off the car.

He was smoking again, still somehow making it look so sexy.

"I don't know yet."

"You don't have the ending?"

"Sometimes it's not easy," he said. "I just get these ideas. Or I see things."

"You see things? Like a psychic?"

Leith laughed. "Yeah. I can see your past and future."

"Oh, you can? Then let me have it." I turned to face him and crossed my legs. "Ladies and gentlemen, the great and power mind of Leith."

He threw his head back and giggled.

There were only a few times when he let himself get so relaxed he could laugh like that.

I loved it.

I loved him.

I love you, Leith.

I swear, I do love you.

"Okay," Leith said. "Give me your hands."

Leith took my hands.

He made a hmmm sound.

"What is it?" I asked in a playful voice.

"Well, I see you've been a little wild tonight."

"Shut up."

"I mean… whoa."

"Leith…"

"You want to know your future?"

"Yes, please."

"Your future is… a kiss…"

Leith leaned forward and I met him.

A simple moment quickly turned into something more.

A full blown make out session kicked off and I no longer cared about Leith predicting my future or talking about my past.

I turned my head and exhaled a breath.

"Maybe that should be my ending," he whispered.

"What?"

"Yeah. They go to the carnival together, hold hands and make out like fools."

"That's weak."

"But it works for me."

"You should write it out. See where it goes."

"I'll get there," Leith said. "My head and heart are a little distracted right now."

I smiled and hated myself as I had to check the time.

I had a strict curfew.

My father wouldn't bother me as long as I kept to curfew.

His rules were strict. I broke every single one of them though. But as he didn't know, he couldn't do anything about it.

"I'll get the perfect ending soon enough," he said. "It comes and goes in waves."

"My sexy writer guy," I said.

"Hey. What are we?"

"What are we?" I asked.

"You know… I mean… with tonight and everything…"

No, Leith. No. No. I don't want to do this.

"Oh," I said. "We've always just been us."

"And what is that?"

"Why does it matter?"

"I'm just asking. I mean, we…"

"Leith."

"I love you, Beth. And I know you love me."

"So?"

"If we love each other…"

The conversation was going to take a turn that would probably mess up the night. And it had been such a great night too.

Before I could say another word a set of headlights appeared from off in the distance.

"Car," I said.

"Shit," Leith said. "Come on."

He jumped off the trunk of his car and took my hand.

We hurried around to the passenger side and crouched down next to the back door.

We stared at each other, waiting.

If the car stopped, we were probably screwed.

Leith touched my face. It came out of nowhere. As though we were caught. As though he was going to be ripped away from me for the rest of our lives.

We waited.

I was holding my breath.

I figured he was probably doing the same thing.

The car came and went.

It didn't even slow down.

It was just some random person driving on a random road.

I sighed and started to laugh.

"Shit," Leith whispered again.

"Hey," I said. "I love you too, Leith. But I don't want to-"

Leith moved at me, stealing the rest of my words with a kiss.

Crouched next to his car, kissing, was one of the greatest moments of my life.

Leith opened the back door to his car and kept kissing me as we climbed into the back seat again.

I knew where it was going.

And I was probably going to break curfew.

Whatever - it was more than worth it.