[Edited] Chapter 13: The Thing With The First Date!

Nova:

God! Today was the worst day ever! 

This non-ending crowd at the diner was literally make me go nuts! 

Plus, I hadn't even eaten my lunch yet and it was already evening! 

Huh!

"Hey, Nova, you don't have to be here! Your shift has already ended!" Kara said, walking towards me.

I looked at her for a second but then returned my attention to the burger, I was making right now.

"I know I can leave... but you only have three waitresses here today! If I leave, you would not be able to manage the crowd here." I said to her.

"Its okay, Nova. I'll manage something! You haven't even eaten your lunch yet!" Kara said, placing the burger on a tray.

"I'm not hungry... okay?" I said, lying through my teeth.

"You have to take care of yourself, Nova!" She said, looking concerned.

I was about to say something when I heard:

"She's right! You gotta take care of yourself, Brownie!"

Scott.

I turned to see Scott leaning against the kitchen door.

"Ace! What are you doing here?" I squeaked.

"I wanted to pick you up after the end of the shift since you didn't have you own car!"

"Oh..." I said, looking at him.

Shaking my head, I said, "I can't! There too much crowd here!" I quickly gave him a pleading look and walked past him to the tables to take their orders.

When I returned to the kitchen, Scott looked at me and said, "Kara says she can handle the crowd here, Brownie, I'm only gonna say this once... you will willingly come with me to eat something right now or else I'll have to use other means."

I stopped and asked, "What other means?"

"If you come with me right now, you wouldn't have to find out." He said, grinning at me.

"I can't, Ace," I said and ran past him to take other orders. 

Walking past him, I heard him mumble, "You leave me no choice."

I walked to the table and took their orders, smiling at the customers, I turned towards the kitchen when I saw Scott's on his knees in the middle of the diner, looking directly at me.

I gulped. 

I looked around the diner to see everybody were looking at him curiously while Kara was just smiling at me knowingly.

"Brownie?" I heard him say, so I looked at him.

All the customers were looking back and forth between us curiously.

I quickly walked towards him and whispered, "What the hell are you doing?"

He just winked at me and grinned, and turned towards an old man sitting at the table next to Scott.

"Sir, I've been in love with this girl for five years and every time I ask her out she just says 'No'. Could you please tell her, to just have one date with me right now?" Scott said, with pleading look in his eyes.

Damn! He's a good actor.

The old man turned towards me smiling and said, "Young lady, you should go out with him. You don't find such a gentlemen like him nowadays." I looked at Scott to see him smirking.

I seriously hated him!

The woman next to the old man, who I'm assuming is his wife, said giddily, "Yes, dear. Go out with him, it's so romantic! I can see he's clearly smitten with you!"

I fought my urge to roll my eyes. 

Yeah! Right! Like Scott Taylor's smitten about me.

"Novella Katherine Stark! Will you please go out with me?" Scott said, dramatically. 

He took his one hand behind his back, held something in it and extended it forward to me. 

I looked at it to see it was a little chocolate cupcake.

I chuckled at it and I'm pretty sure I heard some laughter in the diner after people noticed the cupcake. 

I looked back at Scott to see him having a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

Someone shouted, "OMG! Scott Taylor's asking you out! Say yes. Say yes!"

Suddenly, some teens at a table started chanting, "Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!"

Slowly, the whole diner joined them. I looked at Scott, to see him raising a eyebrow at me.

Damn! He's good!

I looked back at Kara to see her smiling and mouthing, 'Go.'

I sighed and nodded at Scott. He smiled and handed me the cupcake. 

I smiled and took it from him.

As soon as I finished eating the cupcake, Scott lifted me and carried me, caveman style over his shoulder out of the diner. 

All the customer waved at us as I wave back.

Even once we were out of the diner, he didn't lower me. Instead - he just kept on walking. 

I started poking Scott's butt. "Put me down!"

I heard him chuckle and poked my butt in return. "Stop that! Put me down!"

"Scott Hunter Taylor! Put me down right now!"

He stopped walking and sighed, putting me down.

"Thank you!" I said, adjusting my top.

"Why did you do that? I mean, I was gonna come with you, so why carry me?" I asked, looking at him.

He shrugged, "I just wanted to make a grand exit!"

"Uh uh. You know, I'm still mad at you!" I said, crossing my hands under my chest.

"I know..." He said, nudging me with his shoulders. "And I know a perfect way to make you forgive me," he winked.

"What way?" I looked up at him in confusion.

"It's a surprise! I can't tell you!" Scott said, excitedly.

"Why are we walking? Can't we take your car?" I said to him, whining.

"Trust me, Brownie! It's more fun this way," he said and placed his arm around my shoulder.

"'Kay!" I mumbled.

After nearly five minutes of walking, I whined, "I don't wanna walk any more! I'm tired!" I stomped my feet. I know it was childish! But I couldn't care less.

"Come on, Brownie! It's just ten more miles!" He said, shrugging.

"WHAT? Ten miles? Are you freaking kidding me?" I yelled at him.

He held his hands over his ears and said, "Jeez, lady! Don't blow my eardrums! I was just kidding! It's right around the corner!" He held his hands up in surrender.

I looked at him suspiciously and mumbled, "You better not be joking."

He smiled and continued walking. I followed him, silently. 

Suddenly, he stopped and turned around to look at me. 

"Novella Katherine Stark, are you ready for your fake first date with me?"

Date with Scott! Why does that made my belly flip?

 Remember Nova, he was just acting...

He raised his eyebrows at me, which makes me realize I hadn't answered his question yet.

I looked at him and shrugged. 

He face-palmed himself. "You know, you could at least show a little bit more enthusiasm."

Damn! I was an idiot. 

He's done all this for me and I could not even appreciate his efforts.

"God! Ace! I'm so sorry! I dunno what's going on in my mind today! It's been a really long day!" I said to him, apologetically.

"It's okay..." He said and started to turn around.

Damn it! Do something, Nova!

I tugged on his sleeve making him turn back. Quickly, without giving him time to think about anything else, I pulled on his collar and stood on tiptoe and smashed my lips against his.

Wait! Why does his lips feel familiar?

I pulled myself back quickly, 'cause I wouldn't be able to if I kissed him a second longer.

I looked at him to see, his eyes widened and his body standing still like a statue. 

I cleared my throat and said, "This enthusiasm... um... better?"

He looked at me and ran his hands through his hair and smiled shyly. "Yeah... definitely better."

I smiled at him and noticed his cheeks redden. 

He looked at me and said, "Ready?"

I nodded excitedly. He held his hand forward, and I took it willingly. 

He turned right on the corner and stopped me outside the second restaurant on the strip.

I looked at the name of the restaurant and read out loud, "The Blues."

I looked back at Scott to see him watching me intently, waiting for my reaction. 

"Blues?" I smiled at him, shaking my head.

"Remember, oh blue... I love you blue... my blue... blue blue blue." Scott said, imitating my drunken state.

I hopped on him and hugged him tightly, "You're seriously, the best fake first date boyfriend ever."

"Come on now, let's go inside and make your stomach stop growling." He said, teasing me.

"Aah! My stomach's not that bad!" I said, pulling back.

"Have you heard it?? I'm sure even the airplanes flying above us could hear your stomach!" He teased, mocking me.

"And to think - I just thought you were my best fake first date boyfriend ever!" I said dramatically.

He looked at me and I continued dramatically, "Don't worry, stuffy bear, he's just a mean ol' bully!" I said to my stomach patting my hand over it.

I looked back at Scott to see him laughing, "Come on, Brownie! Let's fill your stuffy bear with food."

He took my hand and led me inside.

Hot damn.

***