(Nathan POV)
Nathan rushed home. The moment he stepped in through the doors of his apartment, he stripped and went straight for the shower. The fresh water felt amazing. It helped melt away the weariness that had accumulated in his muscles from a long day's work. Though he usually liked to take his time in the shower, he couldn't allow himself to get distracted today. He had a pending date with Hazel, and he wanted to make sure he got to her house on time. Once he was finished washing up, the brunette made his way out of the shower with a towel around his waist.
"Oh, your home already. How was work?" His roommate asked when he stepped through the door a few minutes later. Nathan was already dressed in a pair of nice jeans and a button-up short-sleeve. He was fixing his hair in the bathroom mirror when the other walked up and leaned his weight against the door frame.
"I have a date today. I'm about to head out." He informed the other.
"Oh, right. You told me about that." His roommate muttered as he took a bite of a green apple he'd found on the table.
"You know, I don't mean to be a buzzkill..." He began as he chewed carefully.
"Then don't be." Nathan shot back, not in the mood to listen to the other's scolding.
"Just be careful. You know hiding the truth isn't the best choice most of the time. The truth will always come to light, sometimes at very inconvenient moments." He told him before taking another bite of his apple. Nathan rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, okay MOM." He muttered as he walked past the other male in search of his keys.
His roommate shrugged when Nathan blew him off. "Look, you and I know the truth can be painful, but nothing hurts worse than a lie. Don't say I didn't warn you..." He mumbled as he threw away the apple core, then locked himself in the restroom. After grabbing his wallet and car keys, Nathan shot one last glance in the direction of the closed restroom door. "Always so nosey." He mumbled before making his way out.
It did not take Nathan long to arrive at Hazel's house. She only lived a few blocks away. That little coincidence made things much easier for him. Of course, she hadn't been to his house yet, so she did not know where he lived. Perhaps that would change soon? As soon as he pulled up in the driveway, he took out his phone and texted her that he was outside.
He tapped his fingers on the wheel as he waited, his roommate's words still fresh in his mind.
"Don't say I didn't warn you..."
Nathan rolled his eyes. "Always so pessimistic. Why does it have to be a bad thing? I'm sure she'll get over it eventually. It's not like I'm lying to hurt her, I'm trying to protect her!" He reasoned out loud. Just before a knock on his window made him jump.
Hazel snickered from the other side of the glass. "Did I scare you?" She asked, an amused grin framing her face. Her hair was styled in a high ponytail today. Her bangs swept to the side of her face where she'd pinned them with a band-aid shaped clip. Nathan couldn't help but stare.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" She joked as she walked around and slipped into the passenger seat.
"I was just admiring your beauty." He admitted as he shifted gears and reversed out of the driveway. Hazel blushed at the other's brazen admission. She focused her gaze out the window, urging her speeding pulse to simmer down as they drove to their destination. The ride was quiet, but pleasant. Nathan had his phone hooked up to the stereo, which filled the vehicle with nostalgic 2,000's hits. Hazel bobbed her head to the beat, occasionally joining in and singing a chorus or verse. Nathan smiled; she had a nice voice.
"We're here." He informed his passenger as they pulled into the lot. The sign that marked the entrance to the mini-golf park glowed bright yellow with blue. Hazel's eyes widened when she saw the tiny carnival rides that framed the out skirts of the park. Everything was lit up. After stepping out of the car, the pair made their way inside to purchase tickets for the arcade, along with a round of golf for each of them.
"Ready to get your ass kicked at some games?" Nathan teased as he held out his little cup of tokens.
"Oh, you're on! Loser buys dinner." She enthused with a mischievous smile.
It didn't take long for Nathan to regret the bet he'd made with his date. Every arcade game they played she won. It was impressive. By the time they reached their last token, Nathan was more than ready to admit defeat. He'd only won three games out of the thirty they'd played. "Looks like I'm buying dinner. Is pizza okay?" he asked as he motioned to the menu that hung above the counter.
"Hm, I'm not really too hungry at the moment, so how about we take a rain check?" She asked as she leaned her weight on the purple golf club the associate had lent her. Nathan smiled.
"Heh, okay. Wanna go play some golf?" He asked her, his own club resting over his shoulder.
"Let's." she ageed.
The air was crisp and cool. The sun had already set, allowing the staff to light every attraction. Fairy tale scenes illuminated the park. From a colorful castle, to an iridescent waterfall, the small sets of scenery were entrancing. Nathan found himself coaching his date, her form being uncertain and her grip too light. "Try to place your hands like this, one on top of the other. Grip firmly and make sure your stance is solid..." He trailed off as he guided her hands.
A visible blush coated Hazel's face, their proximity making her nervous. Memories from before, from the kiss they'd shared and the question he'd asked, flooded her mind. "You okay?" His voice interrupted her thoughts, his warm breath brushing against the nape of her neck. He was so close...
Hazel clenched her eyes and swung, sending the ball flying straight into the opening at the bottom of the castle. It rolled out the other side, narrowly missing the hole. "Damn that was close. Good job!" He praised, which only made her heart flutter more. She shot Nathan a smile before taking the steps down to where her ball had landed. The truth was, that she had been avoiding thinking about that question.
Hazel knew she liked Nathan. She knew he was different from the other guys that had asked her out and it scared her. There were so many similarities between him and Croy, that she couldn't help but assume that their fate would be similar as well. She knew it was a silly thing to think, but that was a type of trauma she didn't want to re-live again.
Once she reached the bottom of the stairs, she aligned her club with the ball and gave it a tap, the small bit of force sending it directly into the hole. "Nice." Nathan complimented as he reached the bottom of the stairs, his own ball rolling out of the tube and straight into the opening as well. Hazel observed him as he bent down and picked up the ball. "Ready for the Next hole?"
The night continued like that. Every hole they faced was more challenging and fun than the previous one. Once the pair had finished their round of golf, they made their way over to the rides. The Go-Kart ride was clearly Hazel's favorite. She even lapped Nathan a couple of times. After that they went on the racing boats. She sat in the same one with Nathan, who clearly had no idea how to steer. They ended up spinning in circles most of the time.
The last ride was the Disko, a small type of coaster that swung back and forth on a U-shaped piece of track. Nathan kept his gaze on his date the entire ride. The way her cheeks flushed when she screamed, along with the gleeful expression that framed her face, was enough for him to feel guilty. He didn't want her to suffer. He didn't want to make her sad. It was then that he concluded telling her the truth, might really be the best course of action.
After completing all the activities that were available to do at the park, Hazel and Nathan both agreed to head home. The ride back was silent, but not as comfortable as the ride there had been. Both parties found themselves deep in thought. Once Nathan pulled up to Hazel's drive way, she unbuckled her seat belt and turned to him.
"Nathan...about that question you asked me last week..." She began, her voice timid and her face a deep shade of pink. "I...I think itâ" Hazel blinked and glanced up at the other as he reached out and with his thumb, silenced her words.
"Don't say anything yet." He instructed, his voice gentle and his eyes focused on her glossed lips. "There's something I need to tell you." He admitted as he pulled his hand away.
"What is it? Is everything okay?" She asked cautiously.
"Everything is fine, I just..." He trailed off. "There's something I need to show you. Once I do, then you can decide whether you accept me or not." He told her seriously. "It's something important, so I can't tell you here. But perhaps we can meet up next Friday? Here at your place?"
Hazel's pulse sped up. It would be the first time that Nathan would visit her house. Though the thought of being alone with him made her nervous, she'd also been considering inviting him over. His question was saving her the trouble (and embarrassment) of asking. "Okay. Sure." She agreed as she placed a hand over his cheek. Nathan glanced up, meeting her gaze as he felt the warmth of her skin against his own.
"Whatever it is...I'm sure we can figure it out together." She assured before leaning in and placing a sweet peck on his lips. Nathan's face flared crimson, causing his date to giggle. She then opened the door and stepped out of the car. She leaned her elbows on the sill of Nathan's window, her amber eyes reflecting the light of the full moon. "Thank you for this wonderful night. I'll see you next Friday?" She asked. Nathan's expression softened.
"Yeah, heh. See you next Friday."