Breakable Me

There was the knock at exactly six o’clock. Everyone’s eyes went wide as we all were frozen. Tory and Ronnie stopped their nonsense giggling on the couch, and Juliette stopped flipping through her latest Cosmo. “Shh,” I warned as I opened the door to find Nolan dressed in a nice button down and khakis. Similar to how he looked the first night when I met him.

“Wow,” Nolan said while looking me up and down. I instantly felt self conscious, maybe this dress wasn’t the best choice as it was slightly tight fitting especially with my tummy. Nolan grabbed my hand and swirled me around making my dress lift off my thighs before quickly returning. “You look beautiful darling.” I could hear the girls swooning behind me before they continued to talk to each other, pretending not to eavesdrop on our conversation.

“Thanks,” I said shyly as my eyes only met the ground. I didn’t know if I could face those clear blue eyes just yet.

“Nice to see you again ladies.” Nolan said with a smirk as Ronnie, Tory and Juliette all pretended like they just noticed him. “Well, we better get going.” Nolan said as he laced his arm through mine.

“Do you have any idea where we are going?” Nolan asked as we walked out the dorm and toward the main street.

I glanced up at him, and somehow I found him so much more attractive tonight. I shook my head, but I could tell my smile was so wide that all my teeth must have been showing.

“Good,” was all Nolan said before we got on the bus. “I guess Ronnie didn’t spoil it for you then.”

“What?” I spit out as we took a seat near the front of the bus. How could Ronnie have known?

“Well, I had to tell her so she could help you pick out something to wear.” Nolan smirked as he put his arm around me as we road amongst many other students and couples heading to downtown. Instead of thinking of what Nolan had just said, my mind went to what other people must be thinking when they looked at us like this. Did they think we were a couple or maybe just two old friends? I decided I wanted them to think the former so I scooted in closer to Nolan so our hips touched.

“Well, did she do a good job?” I teased.

Nolan just laughed. “Let’s just say I’ll trust her again.”

We remained the same way for the rest of the way to our destination, and I enjoyed every second of it. Nolan with his arm around me sometimes running his fingers down my arm and around my shoulder. However, with his touch, increased my nervousness about our impending kiss. There was so much pressure on the evening, and I just hoped everything fell into place. I hoped that we just worked and that everything would be natural. The girls assured me that would be the case, now I just had to believe it myself.

When we got off the bus, I would not have guessed we were still in the heart of Nashville. We were surrounded by a bountiful garden with a large historical building in the background. There were little lights and lanterns hanging around a path even though the sun had yet to set. The flowers were spectacular, all different colors and a lovely lake right in the middle. “Centennial Park.” Nolan whispered.

“Huh?” My mouth still gapping from taking in the site. This place reminded me of home so much, but maybe even better. I vowed to make it back here again before the end of the year.

“That is where we are. The first Friday of the month, they have a live band by the little restaurant over there.” I shook my head as I was enthralled by the flowers. I couldn’t help to notice they looked a lot like my neighbor’s garden. “We will have plenty of time to smell the flowers later,” Nolan joked. “We have dinner reservations.”

So once again I was following him, just like I did on our last date, he knew the path to take. Even though it wasn’t too difficult, as we seemed to be going in the direction of the music, a soft jazz group. The restaurant was a sweet little shop with outdoor seating and served mostly traditional fare. “This is lovely.” I told Nolan as I grabbed his hand across the table. Nolan was taken back by gesture again surprised I made a move to touch him.

“I’m glad you like it.”

Our dinner was followed by a quick walk through the garden. The flowers were still in full bloom, and it was obvious that there was much upkeep on these grounds. I could see my grandmother volunteering her afternoons to help keep this beautiful flowers alive. “We should be able to see the stars in a few minutes.” Nolan whispered in my ear as I bent down to smell a flower. I smiled, knowing how happy it would make him to gaze at them again. He grabbed my hand and turned me around so I faced him. The music was still playing softly in the background as he swayed me back and forth. He seemed to have a few moves up his sleeve as we kept getting closer until our bodies touched. I rested my head on his chest as I took in the moment and just let my body melt into his.

“So how did you find this place anyway?” I whispered.

Nolan was silent for a moment before he stopped swaying and looked me in the eyes. Somehow his blue eyes were still shining even though there were only the small lanterns there for light. The sun had completely gone behind the trees now. “My brother actually. He told me this was the place he took his fiancee on their first date.” My eyes went wide. Nolan smirked, “Don’t worry I won’t propose...tonight.”

I laughed as I accidentally stepped on Nolan’s foot. All this talk got me more nervous. I felt like the kiss was coming all the sudden, and I still wasn’t sure I was ready. “Mae.” Nolan used my nickname again. I looked him in the eyes, and he ran his finger down my cheek. “You are unlike any girl I have ever met. You have such an innocence and are so genuine. It is such a change as I have been around fake and arrogant people all my life. I’m so glad that I met you.”

I could barely listen to his kind words as my stomach was turning in knots. Nolan could read it all over my face. He pulled me back close to his body as we continued to sway. The music picked up, but we kept to our own pace. “Tell me about Norwood Hollow.” I stopped and looked at him, back into those ocean blue eyes. “It sounds like a nice sleepy little town.”

Hearing the name of my town instantly put me in ease, “You remembered?” I really didn’t think he would as he seemed slightly drunk when I told him.

“I remember everything you say,” Nolan said with suave.
“Well, it is a sleepy mountain town.” I said as I could picture the view off of our back porch so vividly. “Everywhere you look the view is breathtaking. There are only four main roads in the entire town, and they all connect, making a square,” I spoke softly, at the same level as the sound of the music. “Everyone knows each other, and the whole town knows my grandparents and just loves them to death. We can’t go anywhere without someone stopping us, and them recounting on old stories or the latest town gossip. I love it though because they all recognize me too, and all of their old friends will invite me over to their homes to bake me cookies and tell me stories of when I was little or when my grandparents first moved to Norfolk.”

“Hmm that sounds nice...” Nolan murmured. “What about your parents?”

My voice got caught in my throat for a second. “I don’t remember them.”

“Oh.” Nolan stopped swaying, as he must have seen my eyes started to well up.

“No, it’s okay.” I liked the swaying so I went back to lay my head on his chest as we continued to move back and forth. “My mother was just so young and so successful. She didn’t think she was ready to raise me yet, so she gave me to my grandparents when I was four months old, and we haven’t seen her since.”

“I’m sorry Callie.” Nolan whispered as he pulled me in tighter.

“Don’t worry, I couldn’t be happier right now.” I pulled away but just so I could look at Nolan. My smile was wide, but his was wider.

Then it happened. His lips brushed mine, I could feel his warm breath, before his lips locked to mine. They were soft and smooth, matching with mine perfectly, and all I could think was that I couldn’t believe it was finally happening before he broke away. I didn’t even have time to think about all the things I was so nervous about for so long, which way should my head should turn, what do you do with your nose, what if my breath stinks. It was short, but so sweet and memorable. He took in my expression to make sure I was still okay, his aqua eyes wide. I subconsciously nodded, no words seemed to want to leave my lips. He kissed me again, and I felt all of those butterflies building in my stomach again. His kiss felt better than I could ever imagine, his lips making mine tingle continuously. More than anything, I wasn’t nervous. I felt completely comfortable as my body molded into his. “Thank you.” I whispered, my voice finally finding itself as he pulled away. “I wouldn’t have wanted it to be anyone else.” I said before I placed a small peck on his lips. I didn’t want to push it any further than that.

“My pleasure.” He said as he kissed my forehead. He understood too. “Now would you like to leave our secret hideout and go dance with the rest of the couples?”

“Only if you can promise me that you will ensure that I don’t embarrass myself.”

Nolan clicked his tongue. “I don’t know, you are pretty horrible at swaying.” He joked. “Good thing you make up for it in the kissing department.” He said as placed his arm around me; his hand finding the curve of my waist.

“It’s just because I have a good partner.” I gave him a kiss, disbelief in my confidence. It was like I couldn’t stop, and it was addicting. He made me feel so comfortable; I wasn’t nervous at all, and I didn’t understand why I was before.

I happily followed him past the restaurant to the little makeshift dance floor in front of the stage. We instantly went back to our swaying even though some couples were doing much more elaborate moves with fancy footwork and intense gazes. The music was much louder now, so we weren’t able to do much talking. When the music would pick up, Nolan would bust out some of his spinning and dipping moves as we seemed to copy some of the other couples. I felt lost the whole time, dancing never really being my thing, and I was glad that Nolan understood that.

Without us even noticing the crowd thinned out, and the musicians were announcing their last song of the night, to come back and see them next Friday. “We should.” I whispered to Nolan as we took our last dance together of the night. With the last note, Nolan placed another sweet kiss on my lips, and I felt my cheeks flush. I wondered if everyone saw it.

“I hope after tonight this makes you my girlfriend?” My heart dropped as the crowd shuffled around us. I was expecting the kiss tonight, but not that I’d be his girlfriend.

I was speechless for a moment. “You’re girlfriend?” I questioned as we stopped swaying completely now.
He ran his fingers up and down my arms. “Yeah.” He slowly dragged out. I felt my heart beating faster.
“Sure,” was all I could muster. I felt embarrassed that I couldn’t say more. Nolan kissed me on the cheek, and I responded by lacing my arm through his as we made our way back to the bus stop.
The butterflies in my stomach were still going a thousand miles per hour. I could still feel him breathing so heavily, my hot cheeks and quivering lips. I touched them so the electricity would move to my fingers. There was no other way to describe it than to say that I was on cloud nine. “Told you I was worth it.” Nolan joked as he wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked back to my dorm after we got off the bus.

“However, since we are dating now,” I could barely believe the words coming from his mouth. I had a boyfriend, who I was falling for so fast, and I felt understood me so well. His breath was in my ear, and I let it intoxicate me until I realized sharp words were coming from his lips. “I better not see you with that thick, deafening shit of a boy again.” My mouth flung open at his words. When did he see me with Anthony? It wasn’t like that, but I felt like I couldn’t tell him that. He wasn’t looking at me anyway; it was as though those words did not leave his mouth. He was as calm and collected as ever. He got his point across. I was his now. Nolan tightened his grip around my waist and briskly continued to walk, and I felt powerless.