Chapter 21: Take Me Home with You

~“When I’m around slow dancing in the dark, don’t follow me you’ll end up in my arms.” —Joji.~

Chapter Theme Song: “Slow Dancing In The Dark” by Joji.

HARMONY

“Got any more classes today?” Blaze cranks up the volume on his radio, and Joji’s “Slow Dancing in the Dark” fills the car, creating a chill vibe.

“Nope.” I rest my head against his headrest, humming along to the music. The sky is starting to clear, and the rain has dwindled to a light drizzle.

I watch the windshield wiper sweep away the rain, my mind buzzing with thoughts of what just happened between us.

I’ve given Blaze Xander another piece of me that I can’t take back. That’s a little scary. Especially since I’m not sure how he feels about me.

The sun is starting to break through the gloomy clouds, casting orange light onto the windshield and making the raindrops sparkle. The contrast is beautiful and reminds me of Blaze and me.

We’re so different, but we fit together so well. I wonder if he feels the same.

I sneak a glance at him, taking in his dark curls and the way his fingers tap along to the music on the steering wheel. He’s humming the tune under his breath.

I can’t help but smile. The more time I spend with him, the more I care about him. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

“Well,” he begins, and I look up. “How about a movie?”

I turn to him, a spark of excitement lighting up inside me.

“Yeah, I’d love that.” I can’t keep the smile off my face. “But I was planning on going to the music club meeting today. I want to join.”

Blaze gives me an approving smile. “That’s great. Don’t worry, I can get you back to school by 4:30 after the movie.”

I know April will wonder where we’ve been, but I want to spend time with Blaze more than I’m worried about her questions.

I turn in my seat to face him. “So, where are we going to watch the movie?”

He grins. “Not a theater. My place.” He ruffles his hair with one hand while the other stays on the steering wheel. I can feel my cheeks heating up.

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. My dad’s not home.”

The idea of being alone with him at his house is a little risky. But I like it when it’s just the two of us.

He shows me parts of himself that he doesn’t show anyone else. I think being alone with him will help him open up to me.

He reaches over and takes my hand, lifting it to his lips for a kiss.

“Your hand is so small,” he murmurs against my skin, his eyes still on the road. I can’t help but smile.

“Yours is warm.”

He grins, his dimples showing, and sits up straighter in his seat.

Something occurs to me. “If you live so close to Homewood, why do you live at school?”

His face hardens, and I realize I’ve asked the wrong question.

“I’m sorry,” I say quickly. “I shouldn’t have asked that, right?”

He shakes his head, letting go of my hand to rub his lips. “No, it’s not that. I just don’t want to talk about it right now.”

~I should have known better. Blaze isn’t going to open up to me.~

I nod. “I understand.” I look at my hand, suddenly feeling cold without his touch. If I hadn’t asked that question, we’d still be holding hands.

It’s like walking on eggshells with him. You never know what might set him off.

His phone buzzes on the dashboard, and I see April’s face on the screen. My stomach flips, like it’s my mom calling instead of April.

Blaze answers the call, checking his mirror as he passes a slow driver. “Hello?”

I can’t hear what she’s saying, but I see Blaze’s smile turn mischievous. “Yeah, she’s with me...”

I narrow my eyes at him.

“Yeah, we’re in the middle of having sex.”

I gasp. “Blaze!”

I reach for the phone, but he moves it out of reach, laughing. “Talk to you later, April.”

He hangs up, still laughing, and I frown at him. “Why did you tell her that?”

He shrugs, still grinning. “Well, it’s not entirely a lie. We were being naughty earlier, weren’t we?”

He bites his lip and looks at me, and I can feel my face turning red.

“We didn’t have sex though.”

He laughs. “Yeah, but we came close.”

“No, we didn’t.”

“Yes, we did.” His eyes darken with desire as he looks at me, and I feel butterflies in my stomach.

~When he looks at me like that, it’s hard not to melt.~

His gaze shifts away from me, but he pulls my hand back to his cheek, his attention returning to the road. He honks at the slow-moving car in front of us.

“Get a move on,” he grumbles, and the car ahead picks up speed.

He glances at me, a small smile playing on his lips. “Don’t worry. April knows better than to take my words at face value. I’m not always honest.”

I look at him, his words stirring confusion in my mind. ~He’s not always honest?~

My thoughts are interrupted as we pull into his driveway. Memories of the party night flood back, especially the moment we were locked in his room.

He parks the car and I get out, my heart pounding as he reaches out his hand to me. The touch of his skin still sends my heart racing.

I place my hand in his and he gives it a gentle squeeze as we walk towards the mahogany doors of his house.

As he fishes for his keys, I take in the surroundings. I notice a woman on the porch of the house next door, her face twisted in a scowl as she glares at Blaze. When she catches my eye, she gathers her dress and disappears into her house.

Blaze catches me looking as he unlocks the door. “What are you looking at?”

“There was a woman there...” I point in the direction, and he shakes his head, smiling.

“That’s my neighbor. She’s not a fan of mine.”

Curiosity piqued, I follow him inside. “Why doesn’t she like you?” I ask, immediately regretting it, wondering if I’ve crossed a line. But Blaze just shrugs as he closes the door behind us.

“Well,” he says, moving closer, “would you like me if I slept with your daughter, stabbed your son in the neck with a pencil, and stole your cat to sell it downtown?”

My mouth drops open, and he laughs at my reaction, leaning in so we’re at eye level.

“See why she hates me now?” He smirks and walks away, leaving my mind spinning.

~What on earth has Blaze been up to?~ I blink, deciding to let it go. It’s too much to process right now.

My stomach growls, reminding me that I haven’t eaten all day. My tuna sandwich and milk got tossed during the Blaze-Leo showdown.

But the beauty of the house distracts me from my hunger. I didn’t get a chance to appreciate it during the party, with college kids everywhere.

Now, with the house quiet and empty, I can see how stunning it is. The living room shares the same moonlight gray and blue theme as Blaze’s room.

The furniture is either gray or blue, and the walls are adorned with various pieces of art. As an art enthusiast, I find this intriguing.

Art is peculiar. It doesn’t always make sense, yet it’s highly valued. A canvas splattered with random paint can be worth millions, and people will pay that much just to own a copy.

Maybe that’s why I love art so much. It’s free and expressive, requiring you to be yourself.

And then I think of Blaze. He’s a work of art himself—unconventional and carefree.

I want to appreciate his uniqueness without worrying about it being wrong. Isn’t that what art is all about?

I continue to explore the house, wondering about his father’s occupation. But I know better than to ask, given Blaze’s sensitivity about his personal life.

My curiosity is satisfied when I spot a photo of his dad in a police uniform on the coffee table.

~Oh.~

I pick up the photo for a closer look. It’s the man I saw Blaze talking to in the hallway. He’s handsome, which isn’t surprising given how good-looking Blaze is.

“You hungry?” Blaze’s voice startles me, and I quickly put the photo back, heading towards the sound.

“Um, yeah, a bit.”

“What do you want to eat? I have noodles, eggs, bacon... Ugh, I don’t even know what this is!”

I laugh as I enter the kitchen to see him rummaging through his cabinets.

“Eggs and bacon?” I suggest, crossing my arms and watching him flip cans to read the labels. “That’s more of a breakfast thing.”

“Yeah, but my dad doesn’t buy much because I’m not here often,” he replies.

At least I know that much about Blaze. It’s probably all I’ll ever know.

“I’m fine with noodles,” I tell him, and he smiles.

“Okay, I can make you some cheesy pasta. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Thanks.”

“Too bad we don’t have any chicken.” He opens the fridge, scanning its contents, and I can’t help but grin.

“Can you cook?”

He looks at me as if I’ve asked if birds can fly, and I giggle. “Well, yeah.”

I raise an eyebrow, smiling. “Really?”

I’m not being judgmental, but Blaze doesn’t strike me as the cooking type. But then again, I don’t really know him.

“Yeah. When my parents weren’t home, I used to cook for myself a lot.”

Well, that’s a new tidbit about him. It’s not much, but I’ll take it.

“I bet you’re a pro at it,” I say, grinning.

“You’re the first girl I’ve ever cooked for. Usually, I just fuck them and then tell them to hit the road.”

My jaw drops, but he just laughs. It’s a harsh truth, but it’s not like I didn’t already know.

I should be helping him with the food, but I’m suddenly aware of how much I need a shower after our beach escapade.

I had planned to take one back at the dorm, but since we’re here, I’ll have to go straight to the music club from here.

“Hey, can I use your bathroom?” I ask as he rummages through the cabinets for a pot.

He glances at me.

“I kind of...need to take a quick shower.” I shift awkwardly from foot to foot. Thankfully, he gets the hint and chuckles.

“Sure, go ahead. It’s the second door upstairs.”

“Thanks.” I turn and head in the direction he pointed out.