Chapter 14: Part 3

"I like you." Her eyes widen. Not what she was expecting. "I wanted this to be a spontaneous date. I haven't dated in... a while. I'm a little out of practice. Could you possibly forgive me and consider giving me another chance?"

A sigh of relief, "I haven't dated in a while either."

"And why is that?" She shies away from his question, but his gaze lingers.

"It's hard to explain," she breathes. "It's almost like dating is different. I don't like the changes."

He's amused, "Different? In what way?"

"There's no romance anymore. There's apps and booty calls, everything is so accessible at the tap of a finger. Guys don't even try anymore. No one opens car doors anymore, or throws rocks at girls' windows. They don't even walk to the door and ring the doorbell they text you when they're outside. Maybe I'm an old soul, but I just don't have the energy to entertain that garbage."

He nods, "I can understand that."

"Can you?" Even as the words escape her lips, she regrets them. Of course he does. She can sense he has an old soul as well, from the way his phone is still sitting on the table before them. He's never even looked at it once. Also, it's the way there's no electronics in this place and the romance of that candle-lit dinner under the stars. This Nate, he's different.

"I can," he responds, his arm finding its way to the back of the couch behind her. The closer he gets, the faster her heart thrums in her chest. Her palm is sticking to the stem of the wine glass, as it grows sweaty. She takes another sip to distract herself from his beautiful eyes.

"Well, um, that's—"

"Sera, you know you can trust me right?" he asks, "You can tell me anything."

She meets his eyes; somehow, she feels the urge to respond honestly. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"You're afraid of me?"

"Kind of." The words slip from her mouth before she can stop them.

"Why?" She doesn't miss him moving back a centimeter.

"Odd things have been happening to me lately, I don't want you to be one of them." The truth is, she doesn't want to wake up, and find out this is all just another dream. But, why is she telling this stranger all this?

"Odd things? Like what?"

"Just weird things, you wouldn't get it." Stop talking Sera! Geez.

"You'd be surprised by what I can comprehend."

"I doubt anything would surprise me anymore."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that." There's that secret smirk again.

"Do you ever feel like everyone is in on a secret, but you?" His smile falters as she continues. "That's what it feels like. I just feel like things are different, and I can't for the life of me figure out why."

"Like what?"

She finally falters, she barely knows this guy, why is she divulging so much about herself? It's like she can't stop it. "I'm stronger, smarter, and immune to alcohol apparently." She places the wine glass on the table in front of them, although, as she says it, the room sways slightly.

"I see," is all the mysterious Nate replies.

"That's not all." It's like she's opened up a floodgate and can't stop mid way, "I think I'm seeing things." She gasps. Her hands cover her mouth. Shut up Sera, shut up! She wills herself. "What was in that wine?" He blinks, his face alone screams with guilt, "Was there something in that wine?" she whispers afraid of the answer. Nate ignores her question, "Do you feel as though you are in danger?"

"Yes," she blurts out again before re-covering her mouth.

He stands immediately pacing the living room floor, "Why?" his voice is commanding. Something within Sera is once again compelled to answer.

"I had a car accident today," she responds through clenched fingers, "And I feel as though someone is watching me all the time."

His fists clench at his sides as he leans against the mantle. "I knew it."

"What the hell is going on Nate? Do you know something I don't?"

"I know just as much as you."

"I find that hard to believe." Sera climbs to her feet to meet him at the fireplace. "Do you know more than what you are telling me?"

He turns to face her now, his mouth contorting, trying to withhold the truth. It looks like he had some of the wine too, "Yes."

She takes a step back. This was a mistake. She should never have come. "I... I have to go."

"Sera wait! Sera, I can explain." He reaches for her. She escapes him by swinging around the couch and into the foyer. "Sera! It's not what you think."

She swings open the door and holds it for a second, "Nothing is what I thought it was. Nothing will ever be the same again."

She slams the door behind her and dashes down the steps to her car. She pauses when her white sedan comes into view. Her breath hitches in her throat.

The door behind her opens, and she can feel Nate standing there. She slips around the completely repaired fender and climbs into the car. Turning the car in reverse, she peels away from the house and swings the car around to face forward again only to zoom off down the dirt road away from him. Why does he seem so concerned for her and then would slip her some weird truth-telling wine? Just when she thinks she has things under control, more things come out of the woodwork to toss her for a loop all over again. She was right about one thing. Nothing is what she believes it to be.

*

Sera comes storming through the front door. Her mother sits in the recliner. Barely looking up from her Kindle, she greets her daughter, "I was wondering where you were."

Sera takes a step into the house, "Uh, yeah I just came back from... well, I think it was a date."

"Another date?" That grabs her attention, "with the guy from the other night?"

"Uh," Sera shifts uncomfortably on her feet, "No, it was a different guy."

"Oh my. Who would have thought, my little Sera."

"Who indeed," Sera deflects with humor. "So many gentleman callers, so little time," she mutters with a southern accent and begins ascending the stairs.

"Well, I hope you had fun sweetie. Just remember, I want to be a mother-in-law before I'm a grandmother."

"Mom!" Sera gasps dashing up the rest of the stairs.