chapter twelve.
I cheered as number 36 ran down the line, completely unopposed.
"FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!" The crowd shouted as he jumped into the end zone, scoring the final touchdown of the game and essentially winning the game. The crowd roared enthusiastically and jumped up and down.
"Ready to go?" Joey's said in my ear, in order so I could hear him. I smiled and nodded, and he grabbed my hand, leading me out of the crowd of people towards his car.
"What is it with everyone already driving!" I pouted slightly as he unlocked the car and I slid into the passenger seat. A nervous bubbly feeling seeped through my stomach and I smiled slightly. I hadn't felt butterflies since, well, Pete. Joey pulled out swiftly, beating the traffic that was exiting the stadium, that had decided to revel in our victory a few minutes longer than we had. "Bottoms Up" by Trey Songz came on and I started singing along, nodding my head.
"So, where are you taking me?" I leaned my head back on the seat and lolled it around to look at him.
"It's still a surprise!" He grinned and after 5 more minutes of debate, I gave up trying to weasel it out of him.
"Almost there." He pulled into a mall parking lot and I looked at him.
"You're taking me shopping?" I raised my eyebrows, smirking.
"Not quite." He winked and got out of the car.
We walked into the entrance and I racked my brain, trying to think of where he'd take me.
"You better not be selling me for drugs!" I widened my eyes at him jokingly.
"Not even drugs compare to you." He laughed and reached out to take my hand. He was so warm. What the heck? How could he be so much warmer when I'm pretty sure it's scientifically proven that we're BOTH supposed to be 98.6. He led me towards Clyde and Camp's, which I had never heard of before. At the door, he said that he was Camp's nephew, and they ushered him in, giving him two cards.
"What is this place?" I said in awe, staring at all of the rides and flashing lights.
"It's our little Dave and Busters." He smiled, pulling me through.
"Joey, that's expensive." I said, looking at him.
"Not when your uncle owns it." He smiled, flashing me the two cards. I gaped at him and he shrugged. "C'mon!" He said, pulling me forward.
In half an hour we discovered that I owned at Skee Ball, Joey was beast at basketball, and that Joey only likes to crash during bumper cars. "Ooh! Let's Glow Golf!" Joey said and grabbed my hand again, pulling me towards the glow-stick splattered looking room.
"I've never golfed before!" I laughed at him, he was so alive like a little kid.
"Two clubs please." Joey told the attendant, who handed them to us with a bored look on his face.
"We're lucky," Joey told me. "Since it's a friday night, hardly any kids are here. Normally this place is packed." He walked into the black and neon maze, grabbing a pink ball for me and a lime green one for himself.
"Ladies first." He bowed.
I chuckled and placed the ball at the starting line, and took a wild whack at it, sending the ball nowhere, but my club across the room.
"Whoa whoa whoa!" Joey put his arms up and surrendered my club.
"I told you I've never golfed before!" I blushed.
"I'll teach you." He said, coming up from behind me and placing his arms around me, grasping my hands around the club. "Lean back a little bit." He whispered and touched my hip, to which I quickly obliged. "Pull back," He murmured, "and swing." We swung our hands and the ball ricocheted off of the track and landed in the hole, giving me a hole in one.
"I did it!" I said excitedly, spinning around to hug him. He leaned in slowly and I stayed still, letting him come to me. At the very last second, I turned my face so he caught my cheek.
"Haha." I smiled and scrunched my face up and ran away.
"Oh no you didn't!" Joey laughed, chasing after me, catching me around the waist.
"Nooo!" I giggled, squirming to get away.
"I got you now!" He laughed, tightening his grip slightly. I wiggled around until I was facing him and I kissed him, freezing where I was. His arms tightened around my lower back and my hands rested on his neck. He broke the kiss and his forehead against mine. "I was supposed to kiss you first." He murmured, his eyes smiling.
"I beat you to it." I smiled.
"Yes." He kissed me again. "You did."
"Mommy, why are there two clubs right here?" A little boy's voice asked and we broke apart, laughing.
"Sorry, those are ours!" I jogged back and retrieved the clubs and balls and we walked through the rest of the golf course holding hands, done with the game. We left the clubs and balls with the attendant at the other end and left Clyde and Camp's, entering the freezing wind.
"Oh my God." I shivered and Joey took off his jacket, wrapping it around me.
We talked animatedly about school the entire way to my house, and he walked me up to the door. He gave me a single kiss goodnight and drove away, leaving me to walk inside with his jacket on my arms and him on my mind. Joey had just executed the most perfect first date I had ever had.
"How was it?" Pete knocked on my door and walked into my room as I pulled Joey's jacket over my head to wear to bed.
"Good." I smiled nonchalantly.
"Hmm, maybe I don't want to know." Pete raised his eyebrows.
"Goodnight." I got up and kissed his cheek, in too good of a mood to let him ruin my night. He flicked off the light and closed the door, leaving me to snuggle down with the smell of Clinique Happy for men.