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“Um, no,” I practically whisper.
“Psha!” she says, waving her hand dismissively, like it’s no big deal. Like it isn’t a super rare thing for a senior to have never gone on a date before. And it just makes me like her even more. “Quality over quantity, girl… And Sebastian Murdoch is definitely quality.”
I gnaw at my lip. “Um… he’s also kind of a player.”
She shrugs. “But he knows that you’re not, right? I mean, you guys have hung out enough that he realizes if he’s looking for a quick hookup, you are not that girl.”
She has a point.
My phone bings and we both jump. Then laugh, because how ridiculous are we to be jumping at the sound of a text message?
Maggs and I both squeal this time. And I think that’s another first for me. I’m almost positive I have never squealed before in my life.
Oh my God.
I am going on a date with Sebastian Murdoch.
When Sebastian pulls up in front of Board and Brews to pick me up, Maggs stands in the doorway, waving after me like a proud mother. We are such dorks. And I’m too far into this thing now with Sebastian to pretend I’m not. I wouldn’t want to pretend, anyway. I like that I can be myself around him. Also, pretending to be cool seems like a huge undertaking.
Sebastian won’t tell me where we’re going, only that it’s an hour drive from Sandy Haven. And that it’s a surprise. Which… God. Makes me go all fluttery again. This boy… he makes my insides do acrobatics about seventy-five percent of the time I’m around him. Who knew hanging around one guy could be so bad for your digestion?
The car ride is a blast. Seb tries to explain the rules of football to me, and then quizzes me. And then tells me he’s disappointed I remembered everything because he was hoping he’d have to make me write out the rules on giant cue cards and hide them around campus to help me memorize them. I’m pretty sure he’s not even joking.
We go over some civics and English stuff too, but only a bit. And we talk about Xavier’s mother’s horrible sense of style. Honestly, I would be happy if just the car ride was the date. Of course, this is the first date I’ve ever been on, so my expectations are a little skewed. Still, just being alone with Sebastian, hanging out without the excuse of tutoring, but just because he wants to—because we have fun when we’re together—makes me think maybe my expectations are exactly where I want them to be.
We eventually exit the highway, and a few minutes later we’re pulling into a parking lot in front of a sprawling blue and white building, which I recognize right away as one of the aquariums my parents used to take me to when I was a kid. And I’m already speechless.Because Sebastian is taking me to an aquarium for my first date.
Because this boy, who is so different from me, totally gets me.
“Happy jellyfish day!” he announces, pulling into a parking spot. He turns to me once we’re stopped, the smile on his face wide and gorgeous. “There’s a presentation in like”—he glances at the clock on the dash—“twenty minutes. This lady who’s one of the world’s leading jellyfish experts is a guest speaker. I thought we could go together.”
And I’m sure my heart must expand a hundred times in just this one moment, puffing out and out like a balloon, ready to burst with emotions I swear I didn’t even know existed before now. And they’re all amazing. Almost overwhelming.
I mean, I always knew there were a hundred different ways to feel hurt. But it never occurred to me there might be a just as many ways to feel amazing.
“Shit, Caro…” Seb’s eyes scan my face and the tears welling in my eyes. “What’s wrong? I thought—”
“No… This is amazing.” I smile through the tears. “This is the best surprise outing ever.”
He still doesn’t look convinced. “You’re not disappointed? ‘Cos we can go somewhere else. Like if you want to—”
“I’m blown away. This is freakingperfect.”
And it totally is.
The speaker is amazing. And Sebastian Murdoch sits through an hour-long talk on Cubozoan and Aequorea jellyfish. For me.
Honestly, he probably watches me more than he watches the speaker, turning every few seconds to look at me, scanning my face like he’s absorbing how I’m taking everything in, or as if he’s trying to memorize my every expression and reaction. Forty minutes in, he starts getting really fidgety, shifting in his seat, thumb tapping, knee bouncing, eyes skimming the other attendees, the posters lining the walls, the plants by the podium. Thirty minutes is pretty much his maximum attention span, I’ve learned. Forty minutes is really pushing it. And an hour is probably torture.
I lean in twice and whisper that we can leave if he wants. That I really won’t mind. But he’s adamant we’re staying, and he sticks it through the entire hour. I’m so grateful because it’s one of the most interesting talks I’ve listened to. And I think Seb was intrigued by at least some of it. Like the fact that some jellyfish can send thousands of glowing particles into the water to confuse their predators. Which, in my opinion, is the most beautiful, and classiest, natural defense strategy of any creature I’ve ever heard of.
We grab a bite to eat in the coffee shop after the talk, then head into the main aquarium, straight to the impressive jellyfish area. Which isstunning;the tank is backlit and decked out with color-changing displays that make the cavernous space feel almost ethereal; flickery blue and glowing pink. And all ours, once the few other visitors trickle out, moving on to the rest of the aquarium.
And I’m suddenly hyper aware of Seb close behind me, moving in closer until I feel his large body pressed against mine, his breath so close it feathers my hair. His arms circle me from behind, and I inhale a shaky breath as he clasps his hands against my stomach and pulls me even closer against his hard body. He dips lower and rests his chin on my shoulder, and now I feel his breaths against the side of my neck, and it’s… wow. He smells amazing. Like outdoors and just a hint of cologne. Hefeelsamazing.
And I feel like one of the jellyfish floating and gliding all around us, limp and delicate and glowing from the inside out.
“I really like you, Caroline Heinz,” Sebastian whispers against my ear, his voice deep and almost lethargic.
