Chapter 157

**Sara**

As we hit the road, the excitement of our spontaneous adventure bubbled up inside me. Tom's sleek car purred to life, and we pulled out onto the open highway.
"So, Mr. Spontaneous," I said, fiddling with the radio, "any hints on where we're headed?"
He grinned, keeping his eyes on the road. "Now, where's the fun in that? Let's just see where the wind takes us."
I rolled my eyes playfully. "Alright, but if we end up in some backwater town with a population of ten, I'm blaming you."
"Noted."
I finally settled on a station playing upbeat pop hits. As the first notes of a familiar song filled the car, I started bobbing my head.
"Oh no," he groaned. "Not this song."
I gasped in mock offense. "Excuse me? This is a classic!"
Without warning, I cranked up the volume and began belting out the lyrics at the top of my lungs. "I CAME IN LIKE A WRECKING BALL!"
"Sara, please. Have mercy on my ears."
I ignored him, continuing my off-key serenade. "I NEVER HIT SO HARD IN LOVE!"
As the chorus hit, he surprised me by joining in, his deep voice a hilarious contrast to Miley's high notes.
"ALL I WANTED WAS TO BREAK YOUR WALLS!"
We belted the rest of the song together, laughing between the lines and not caring how ridiculous we sounded.
As the final notes faded, Tom shook his head, laughing. "I can't believe you got me to sing that."
I grinned triumphantly. "Admit it, you loved it."
"I plead the fifth," he said, eyes sparkling with amusement.
As we cruised down the highway, the landscape gradually shifted from urban sprawl to rolling countryside. My stomach let out an embarrassingly loud growl, reminding me that I hadn't eaten a morsel since rolling out of bed this morning.
I glanced at the dashboard clock, surprised to see it was already pushing 11 AM. No wonder I was famished - we'd been on the road for hours without so much as a snack.
"Hey, Tom? Could we make a pit stop soon? I'm starving."
He nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. Keep your eyes peeled for anything interesting."
I scanned the horizon, squinting against the bright sunlight. After a few minutes of nothing but fields and farmhouses, I spotted a small cluster of buildings in the distance.
"Hey, I think I see civilization ahead," I said, pointing.
He leaned forward, peering through the windshield. "Good eye. Let's check it out."
The rural landscape gave way to a quaint small town as we approached. Colorful storefronts lined the main street, and a few locals milled about on the sidewalks.
"Ooh, look!" I exclaimed, spotting a cozy-looking diner. The neon sign in the window proclaimed "Mabel's Home Cookin'" in cheerful red letters. "That place looks perfect."
He expertly parallel parked the car, and we climbed out, stretching our legs after the long drive. My stomach growled again, loud enough for Tom to hear.
"Jeez, Sara. Got a lion in there?"
I stuck my tongue out at him. "Shut up. I'm a growing girl."
"I thought you were done with that years ago," he teased, ruffling my hair.
We entered the diner, a bell chiming above the door. The smell of coffee and bacon hit me like a wall, making my mouth water instantly. An older woman with graying hair piled atop her head approached us with a warm smile.
"Welcome to Mabel's! Sit anywhere you like, dears."
We slid into a worn red vinyl booth, and I immediately started perusing the laminated menu. Everything sounded amazing.
"I can't decide," I whined. "Pancakes? Waffles? Omelette? It all looks so good."
"Why choose? Get it all."
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to fatten me up?"
"Maybe. More of you to love," he winked.
The waitress returned, and we placed our orders - a massive breakfast platter for me and a more sensible egg white omelet for Tom.
As we waited for our food, I glanced around the diner. The walls were covered in kitschy decorations and old photos, giving the place a homey feel. An idea struck me.
"Hey, we haven't taken any pictures yet on this trip," I said, pulling out my phone. "Let's remedy that."
He groaned. "Do we have to?"
"Yes, we do. Come on, it'll be fun!"
Holding up my phone, I scooted around to his side of the booth. "Smile!"
He rolled his eyes but complied, putting his arm around me as I snapped a few selfies.
"These are cute," I said, flipping through them. "I should post-"
"No social media," Tom interrupted firmly.
I pouted. "Aw, come on. Not even one?"
He shook his head. "Sorry, but I'd rather keep this between us. You know how people can be."
I sighed dramatically but nodded. "Fine, fine. I won't post everything on social media. And I definitely won't post any pictures of you."
"Good girl," he said, giving me a quick peck on the cheek.
Our food arrived then, momentarily distracting me from my phone. My eyes widened at the enormous plate set before me, piled high with pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns.
"Holy crap," I muttered. "I think I might have overestimated my stomach capacity."
He laughed. "I believe in you. Put that growing girl appetite to work."
I picked up my fork, determined to make a dent in the mountain of food.
We chatted and laughed between bites, planning the rest of our day. The waitress refilled our coffee cups, smiling knowingly.
"You two make such a cute couple," she said. "Reminds me of me and my Harold when we were young."
I felt my cheeks flush, and Tom cleared his throat awkwardly. We hadn't defined what we were yet, but I had to admit, I liked the sound of "couple."
As we finished our meal (well, as much as we could—I still had half a plate left), he excused himself to use the restroom. I took the opportunity to sneak another selfie, this time with my ridiculous amount of leftover food.
When he returned, I showed him the picture. "Look, proof of my defeat. The pancakes won."
"I'm impressed you made it as far as you did. Want a box for the rest?"
I nodded, already planning on devouring the leftovers later.
The Professor's Temptation
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