What Happens Under The Sun

''So what's Spain like?'' I asked as we drove. Even though he had no accent, I was almost certain that Derek was a native to the country.

''Really beautiful actually, I love being there.'' He said.

'''So I assume you speak Spanish? I personally don't speak anything other than English and the French I learned in school.'' I told him and he smiled warmly.

''Spanish is my first language.'' He said.

''No way!'' I said and he nodded as he chuckled.

''Can you teach me something?'' I asked eagerly.

''Hm, ok try this: ' Mi nombre es Kate'.''

''Mi nombre es Kate'' I repeated and he smiled.

''Good!''

''Something else!'' I urged.

''Hm…ok: ' Derek tiene un extremo agradable.'' I repeated what he said and Jordan laughed from the front seat.

''What did I say?'' I asked, looking between the two smirking boys.

''Apparently you think he has a nice butt.'' Jordan laughed and I rolled my eyes as I shoved Derek playfully.

That was it for my Spanish lesson. We were at the park, we got out of the car and walked towards the many colored tents that littered the park. What ever was going on, smelled amazing.

It turned out to be an international food show. There were all kinds of food and everyone was giving out samples. Most of the vendors had thick accents when they spoke English and the people running the 'Spain' booth seemed to light up when Derek spoke to them in Spanish.

We spent the entire day at the park, there was so much to do. When the sun had been out of the sky for a while we decided it was time to go home.

I had been alone with Derek for most of the day as Jessica and Jordan tended to wander off and do their own thing. Derek was easy to talk to, he was a great listener but had his fair share of stories to tell as well. When I told him about my recent vacation, I was careful to omit the part about Tom and the article that had shown up when I got back.

There was no need to stop for dinner as we had spent most of the day eating and I was quite disappointed that it had ended so quickly.

''Ok let's see it, the money face.'' I said to Derek as we drove.

''What you want me to do it right now?'' he asked and I nodded vigorously.

''I'm not even prepared!'' he joked.

''Just pretend I'm a camera.'' I said. Derek laughed lightly and then his face went serious before turning into a look of pure, intense sexiness. My heart nearly stopped. That was definitely his money face.

''Your turn.'' He said and I furrowed my eyebrows

''I'm hardly a model.'' I informed him.

''Oh come on, just do what I did.'' Derek said.

I smirked and then tried to copy the face that Derek had made. I probably looked like a fool, but he smiled encouragingly all the same.

Our modeling show in the backseat ended when we pulled up in front of our building. I looked out the window at it like it was a bouncer trying to throw me out of my favorite club.

''Can I call you?'' Derek asked as the boys walked us to our apartment.

''I'd like that.'' I said. The words came out of my mouth faster than I could think about them.

''I'll see you later.'' Derek said as I stepped inside.

''Bye.'' I replied and closed the door, leaving Jordan and Jessica to do their thing in the hall.

I thought about what I had just told Derek. ''I'd like that.''. Would I? I mean, of course I would, I'd be crazy not to, but I'd been so cautious because I didn't want to end up with a broken heart and now I was opening right up to this guy after only knowing him a day?

But then again, there was something about Derek that felt safe. Maybe it was because he'd told me that he'd been hurt recently too. Or maybe it was the way he listened so perfectly when I talked, but Tom did that too…used to. I'd kept him at arms length since we got here. I hadn't even bothered to test that water, to see just how hard I had to fall before he let me hit the ground and let me shatter into a million pieces.

Maybe I could- No! there were no maybes and there would be no testing the water with Tom. Even if it did work out and something sparked between us, it wasn't allowed to. Derek was different than Tom, in the sense that I could be with Derek if I wanted to. What I had with Tom was fine as it was, we were both getting what we wanted out of it and that was that.

All the thoughts of rules and walls and boundaries and maybes and boys were starting to make my heard spin.

I pushed out all the maybes, coulds, and couldn'ts and focused on this afternoon.

What was it that drew me to Derek so much? I remembered when he first came to the door. The biggest thing I had noticed were his eyes, warm yet so mysterious.

That was definitely it. It was his eyes.