The Speed of Sound

I sat up in bed, still half asleep and picked up my phone. It was still dark out, I looked at my clock wiping a hand over my face. It was three sixteen am and Chance was calling me. I waited a moment debating on whether or not to answer. I sighed and swiped my phone screen before putting the phone to my ear.

“Hello?” I said groggily.

“Hey, come outside.” Chance said on the other end.

“What?” I said, pinching myself in hopes that this was some crazy dream.

“Come outside.” He said.

“Why? Do you know what time it is?” I asked, a little annoyed.

“Aw, you’re so cute when you’re tired. Just come outside! Don’t change or anything, I want to see you in your natural state.” He said.

“You’re crazy.” I said getting out of bed and looking out of my window. I could see his headlights in our driveway.

“Do I have to start throwing rocks at your window?” He said.

“What no! Oh my god, fine, fine! I’m coming.” I said.

I hung up the phone and put on a pair of shorts and started looking for my shoes. I heard a small tap on my window.

“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?! It is the east and Autumn is the sun!” I hobbled over to my window and opened it.

“What are you doing!” I almost whispered.

“Being romantic!” He said.

“Well, fucking stop it! My mom is literally right over there!” I said pointing at her window a few feet away from mine.

“Come out here! Enjoy this beautiful night with me!”

“Oh, my god. Hold on.” I said. “And stop throwing shit at my window!”

I closed the window and grabbed a shoe, not even bothering to put it on yet. I grabbed one of my crutches in hopes to make less noise and waddled out of the house. “What the hell are you--”

He grabbed me and pulled me close to him. “I want to show you something.” He whispered.

“And it couldn’t wait until morning?” I asked.

“I suppose it could have, but then again, it’s already morning.” He said, giving me that signature smirk in the hard beam of his head lights.

I couldn’t help but to blush, he was incredibly smooth and could probably get away with murder with a face like that. “Come one, trust me.” He said taking my hand and in one swift motion pick me up bridal style and carried me to his car.

“Is this really necessary?” I asked, holding on to him for dear life.

“Duh, you’re way to slow on your own.” He laughed. He put me down and opened the passenger side door, throwing my crutch in the back seat.

“Okay,” I said once he was in the car. “What is so important that you had to drag me out of my house in the middle of the night for?”

“You’ll see.” He said, once again giving me that devilish grin.

He pulled out of my driveway and floored it down the street. “Um, I’d rather not die thank you very much.”

“We’re having an adventure!” He said. “Have some fun!”

He reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing it slightly. “Do you want to get some food?” He asked.

I glanced down out or hands and then looked back up, hoping he couldn’t see that in the dark. “Um, sure?” I said.
“Cool, we’ll stop at In-N-Out and get some burgers.” He said.

“You’re crazy.” I mumbled, electricity pulsing through my hand and shooting me straight in the heart.

“You’ll learn to love it.” he grinned.

We stopped to get burgers and then we were off again, going God knows where. I could see him glancing at me out if the corner of my eye, making me blush and shift a little in comfortable leather seats of his car. “Let’s get this party started.” He said.

He turned on the radio and up down the top of his car, letting in the cool california air. He rested his hand on my thigh, making my heart flutter and more electricity flow through my body. He looked at me and smiled. We made a slow turn down a heavily wooded road.

“Okay, will you tell me where we’re going now?” I asked.

“You’ll see! You’ll love it, I promise.” He said. “We’re almost there.”

We drove a few more miles and slowed to a stop at the top of a really large cliff. “Where are we?”

“Paradise.” He said, getting out of the car and walking over to the passenger side.

He scooped me up again and sat my on the hood of the car, resting my back on the windshield. He grabbed the food and hopped on the hood next to me. He handed me a burger and smiled at me. “I thought you’d like it up here.” He said.

“I do, oh my god this is beautiful.” I said.

“Just wait about thirty more minutes. When the sun comes up, it’s like, everything stops and it’s just you. I’ve never brought anyone here before, and I thought I’d be nice to stop time with you for a little bit.” He said.

“What are you doing?” I asked before taking a bite of my burger.

“What do you mean?” He gave me a soft look.

“Why are you doing this? I mean, you’ve never even noticed me until today and now-”

“I have, everyday since freshman year. I just couldn’t say anything, and then when I could I didn’t know how to approach you, and I just figured, now would be the best time. Not that I’m glad that you broke your leg or anything it just, I don’t know. It gave me a kind of excuse to get closer to you.” I was kind of glad the sun hadn’t started to come up, because my face was blood red, and my heart was pounding and I’m sure I was about to stop breathing.

“I’m really sorry if I’m being too forward, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable because I really like you and-” He stopped himself. I didn’t need light to see the embarrassment on his face. “I’m sorry.”

“You… Like me?” I asked.

“I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. That was completely out of line I mean-”

“Hey.” I said, putting my food down. Butterflies were roaring in my stomach, I felt like I was going to puke. “I really like you.”

I took his hand, but started straight ahead at the bright city lights below us and the pinkish-purple tint the sky was teasing at. His hands were shaky, he was incredibly nervous. We were quiet for a while after that. Just watching the city lights die down and the sky take over.

The sun was just starting to come up when he turned to me. “Autumn?” He said quietly.

“Yeah?” I said, turning to look at him.

His lips crashed into mine, stopping my heart for a few seconds before he pulled away. It was a quick peck but the aftermath was like a hurricane. He stared into my eyes for a moment, my heart throbbed and my lips ached for him. I found myself pulling him closer to me, pressing my lips to his and letting a waterfall of emotions fall over me. Butterflies tied my stomach into knots, my head spun, his hands felt like fire on my skin. Time had definitely stopped. I let him go and pulled away from him.

I bit my lip and turned back to the sky, a chill went down my spine causing goosebumps to rise on my skin. “Are you cold?” He asked.

“I have a jacket in the car, let me grab it.” He said hopping off of the car and opening the trunk. I slid of the other side and limped to the back.

“It’s fine, really. I have to go soon though.” I said.

“Right, right. Definitely, just here, put this on for me, please?” He handed me the jacket and I slid it on.

“Thanks.” He said.

I smiled at him. “I think I’m supposed to say that.”
The sun was high when I made it home, Chance grabbed my crutch and helped me to my front door. “I think I can take it from here.” I said.

“I probably have a lot of heat coming from my mom, and you don’t need to be there to see that.” I laughed. “I had the best time with you though.”

He leaned in and kissed me, pulling me closer. Time was non existent when he kissed me. I was like putty in his hands.

“I’ll call you later.” He said after he pulled away.