A Shot In The Dark :: Pacey

[PACEY LUCAS BAEK]

Pacey grinned, catching her faint blush. Oh god, that was too cute. Carson was too cute. Pace had been on dates before, of course he had, but the blonde was just adorable and quirky and... had really pretty hair, actually, which may have sort of broken up the flow of that thought, but Pacey wasn't always the most focused or serious of guys. He had a thing for hair. "Oh god yeah, we need to stock up on hot Cheetos." That sounded heavenly. "I'll make a trip down to New York just for them or something. Can't go into a bunker without the necessities." Oh, yes. The necessities always included hot Cheetos. Pacey would have settled for any Cheetos, though. He would have even settled for the knock-off no name brand -- it wasn't as good, honestly, but he wasn't picky at all when it came to food. That was a virtue when it came time to survive the zombie apocalypse.

He tapped his chin in thought. Well, how fast were the villains in the action movie? (Apparently, in this action movie, they were the good guys, and the police and/or concerned citizens were bad -- oops.) "Probably pretty fast, but never as fast as us," he said finally. It was true! Action movies tended to have relatively cheerful endings, after all the running and gunfights and shouting at one another, so the good guys typically outran the baddies -- either by escaping, or catching up to them and beating the crap out of them. This time Pacey would settle for escaping, though -- he didn't have the heart to beat up anyone at all. "That's okay! I bet I'm still faster," he said, then stopped and smiled when he realized what she'd actually said. "Me? Nah, I'm just trying really hard to be cute." He batted his eyelashes and then chuckled. "But no, I definitely think you're more adorable if anything." She was, too -- Pacey may have had the baby face angle working for him, but Carson was pretty and so happy all the time. It picked him up -- not that he'd been really down before, but hey. It was the principle.

It tended to surprise people that he could eat as much as he did, but it was actually rare to find Pacey not eating. Some people might have considered this a serious problem but really, he wasn't overly fussed about it at all. He mostly just enjoyed his life and kept snacks on hand at all times. Of course, he hadn't brought any with him now because he'd been on his way to the movie theatre where there were snacks... plus, that seemed kind of a weird thing to do on a date, bring along a ton of food, unless they were going on a picnic or something. "I'm always hungry!" he said, laughing once he was sure that she wasn't judging him too badly. "Mm, food... Oh, hey, there's a pretty neat restaurant just down the road from here. Are you down? Or we can grab whatever you want, I don't mind at all," he told her, his voice upbeat and cheerful. Food was food. Her company was really more important than where they ate.

He held open the door for her as they exited the theatre itself. "Oh yeah, I don't mind at all -- I'd love to drive you home," he said, smiling. He would, too; they had been on a couple of dates but he'd yet to do anything like drive her home or pick her up, even. Hell if he knew why that was, because he would have in a heartbeat, but he'd take the opportunity now. "Oh and you get to meet Carly! I don't think you've met yet." He stopped and then chuckled a bit at himself as he headed in the right direction. "She's, uh, my car." Once they arrived at the car he was grinning -- he loved his car -- as he held open the passenger door for her as well, then hurried over to the driver's side. "So yeah, this is Carly," he said with a sheepish smile, hoping she didn't mind the fact that, um, he'd named his car (he wasn't about to admit upfront that the car was named after Carly Rae Jepsen, either). "Do we wanna do that restaurant, then?" Pacey would take her wherever -- there was a whole world of delicious foods at their fingertips... or, well, at least, within a few minutes' drive away.

[CARSON PARKER GARROWAY]

Pacey was obviously a man after her own heart, considering he also seemed to enjoy hot Cheetos. They weren't easy to get a hold of but you could bet when she went to visit family in the states she stocked up on those bags like there was a real apocalypse. She nodded eagerly, chuckling. Hot Cheetos were definitely a necessity, next to all of the other foods they had lined up for their meals. Running from the zombies would be a means of exercise so they wouldn't gain weight from eating all the junky stuff. "Oh, no never as fast as us," She agreed. "I mean, we're like superheroes or something. Or would we be super villains?" If they were causing a disturbance and getting in trouble they would be the bad guys, right? Bad guys with super powers. No one could stop them! "You probably are!" Like the Flash, only without the red suit. She started pondering on what hero's abilities she would take on before he batted his eyelashes and she giggled. "You don't have to try hard...and thank you," The blush crept up her cheeks again, enjoying the complements. Who didn't like to hear that someone thought they were adorable or...hear anything nice like that, really? It made her smile more.

"Not a bad thing!" The girl chirped, shaking her head for extra enthusiasm. Youth usually came with high metabolism so he'd be fine for quite a long time before things slowed down. Carson was a busy body and loved to go out and play sports, and that always kept her energy burning high and thus made her quite the hefty eater, so it wasn't like she thought badly of him for having an appetite. More often than not she simply got distracted from eating so she tended to forget. Maybe Pacey could keep her on a better track. She clasped her hands together and clapped, a toothy grin gracing her face. "That sounds awesome! Let's do it. What sort of restaurant is it?" Her head quirked to the side. Not that it really mattered; most places had a wide variety of things and being as she wasn't picky the menu was usually no issue. "And what's it called? I go out to eat quite a bit but I haven't been everywhere." More often than not she spent a lot of time at the same places--Timmies, coffee shops, and she had been to some of the really high end restaurants too, with the family.

There was a light bow/curtsy of sorts when he opened the door for her. Such a gentleman. "Thanks!" The air outside was nice and refreshing, Carson tilting her head back to look up at the sky. It sure was pretty. "I really appreciate that," She dropped her gaze to look at him with a smile. He was so sweet. "I figure my mom would wanna relax for the night anyway. She had a long shift yesterday." Life at the hospital could be brutal--long shifts, a lot of patients, some in the morning and some went through the night. Achelle did get her days off but by that time she just wanted to lay on the couch for a while and zone out. Who wouldn't? "Carly?" She blinked and tried to recall if she knew anyone named Carly; maybe it was someone from school? Or maybe a sibling she didn't know about. She shook her head, then laughed when he cleared it up a moment later. "Oh, I see! She's probably beautiful." Even if Pacey were referring to a human the complement would have been the same. She hardly ever felt threatened by others. Her assumption was confirmed as she saw the car and climbed in when he opened the door for her. He really was the sweetest thing! She couldn't get over it.

Carson gave the car a nice pat on the dash before buckling up and nestling down into the seat with a content sigh. "I was right, definitely beautiful. You have a good taste in cars!" The complement was sincere as she glanced over at him, offering a smile along with it. "Yeah! Sounds good. We definitely should. Although, before we go...I did think of something for that prize." Carson said, remembering that Pacey still owed her a prize for winning their candy tossing contest...thing. She leaned over slightly, arm resting on the middle piece between the seats. Her eyes reflected some mixture of mischief and eagerness, teeth toying with her lower lip thoughtfully. "Kiss me?"

[PACEY LUCAS BAEK]

Pacey nodded seriously. This action movie stuff was some serious business, and he would never allow the people chasing them to be faster than them -- he had a reputation as a big bad action film star to uphold, after all! He couldn't go around being caught. "Uh... I guess we might be supervillains, but we're not that bad! We just wanted to have fun!" he protested as if already trying to plead not guilty in court. "Supervillains usually wanna like... take over the world or something like that." That was a fairly primitive supervillain storyline, but hey -- he wasn't a screenwriter here! He was coming up with this on the fly. "Hey, no problem," he said, waving it off as if it were nothing, but he smiled widely when he saw her blushing. That was too cute.

It wasn't a bad thing as far as he was concerned anyway, because Pacey just loved food too much to care, but considering his metabolism was alright (actually, probably abnormally fast, considering how much he really did eat) he was pretty alright for now. He was sure that, once his body started slowing down and what-not, he would also stop being hungry all the damn time. If that meant that he wouldn't be able to eat yummy food all the time, though, that wasn't necessarily desirable. "As long as the food's good!" he agreed, laughing a little, but he was happy that she seemed to be up for the idea of a restaurant. Carson didn't seem to disapprove of a good too many things, actually -- she was pretty fun and outgoing that way. "It's like, this... tiny Italian restaurant," he said, trying to think of the name and failing. "I can't think what it's called right now but it's really cute! You've probably seen it, actually, it's pretty near Main Street..." It had been around for ages too, he was pretty sure.

He chuckled when she gave her slight bow-curtsy-ish gesture, and he did a huge sweeping bow in return, with plenty of extra wavy hand motions. Then he scrambled to catch up with her, following her gaze to the sky before bringing it back to meet her eyes again. "Sure thing," he said softly, smiling. "Do you need to let her know that you'll have a ride home okay, or...?" He didn't want Carson's mom to have to wait around for her to call or anything, especially if she'd get worried once the movie should have obviously ended by now. He wondered what Carson's mom did, actually, but he figured that long shifts could happen in any job really. Pacey's mom... didn't even work, so there were no shifts to worry about, but that didn't mean that she didn't have plenty to do. "Oh, for sure. The prettiest girl I know!" he joked with a small laugh, before pausing for a second and looking at Carson. "Or... well, I mean, one of the prettiest at least." His date was of course gorgeous in more of a human girl way than a, uh, motor vehicle way.

Considering he talked to his car and also patted her dashboard (and wing mirrors, and whatever else, really) all the time -- he really loved that thing -- he just smiled and nodded when she patted the dashboard upon getting in. "Thanks! I picked her out," he said. That had been a good time, going car shopping with his parents. Carly was no Ferrari, but she was beautiful. "Oh?" he asked then as he turned the key in the ignition, distracted now by her sudden comment. The mischief in her eyes excited and almost scared him at the same time, but he kept his gaze trained on her anyway, curious but anticipating. It wasn't subtle. He could guess, and he wasn't disappointed. Pacey smiled, turning the key back and dropping his hand, not moving his gaze away from her the entire time. God, she was so pretty. He didn't even know what to do with himself, but there was the familiar lump in his throat as he leaned in. He pressed his lips against hers in a kiss -- not for any longer than a few seconds, not wanting to push his luck (even though technically she had been the one to ask), turning more towards her as he did so, before he withdrew. "I... wow," he said lamely, a little breathless already, but he grinned at her next second. "And you're sure that wasn't a prize for me?" he asked with a chuckle, turning the key again. Play it cool, Pacey.

[CARSON PARKER GARROWAY]

She watched him with a small smile on her face as he tried to describe the little restaurant, giggling when his definition was a little less than the actual name. Not that it mattered! She was up for going just about anywhere and doing anything, especially when a good time was involved. Pacey seemed to know how to have fun so she was open to any suggestion tossed her way. "Hmm," Carson thought, rifling through the restaurants she had visited and seen since she had been in the Hollow. "I guess I'll know whenever we get there! I might have seen it and I just don't remember." Her memory was actually pretty bad overall; it was a shock she managed to keep her head on straight. Names and faces weren't too difficult if there was a reason to remember them but more often than not she had to ask later. Same with street names and restaurants too. "Ohh, hopefully they'll have chicken carbonara. That's one of my favorite Italian meals." Just the thought made her mouth salivate, free hand patting her stomach. Food was just good overall.

There wasn't even a hint of concern or worry in regards to Achelle knowing her whereabouts, but still nodded. "Yeah, I'll send her a text now before I forget," She replied, yanking the phone out of her pocket and sending a quick message to her mom. Pacey is taking me home, so no worries! Be home in a couple of hours after the restaurant. "There we go! All done." Time wasn't exactly an issue but she figured it wouldn't be much more than that. Unless they decided to sit in the restaurant and talk. Ah well, another text would be in order then. No big deal. Her parents were fairly easy going when it came to curfews and other things; they had a fairly high level of trust, especially with the older kids. Janessa, in Carson's opinion, could do with a bit less, but that was a sibling speaking. "Awww, you're so sweet to your car!" She replied with a chuckle, catching his eye and blinking and forcing back yet another blush. Why was he so nice? "And...sweet in general." The words were soft but sincere as the chuckle turned into more of a giggle.

Car talk only made the urge to get her license even worse, though waiting was a necessity. Not much longer though! Still, waiting was so annoying when she wanted to go car shopping. Clothes and make-up and other things were always fun but a vehicle was a big deal. "Like I said, good taste. Maybe I'll take you with me when I car shop." That could be a good time! Achelle might not mind too much. Or well, whoever decided to take her. Maybe Gavan would. Of course the excitement over cars was briefly shoved away for other things...and for some reason the girl felt a small wave of nervousness. She felt pretty confident in herself but there was always a chance he could turn her down. When his hands abandoned the keys and he turned towards her, however, the doubt was instantly washed away and there was a slight smirk on her face as he closed the gap between them. Her hand moved up to rest on his shoulder by instinct, a comfortable place. When Pacey broke away, her head almost moved forward as her eyes slowly opened. "Yeah..." She could barely catch her breath or her heartbeat. She smiled when he did. "No, that was mine," Hand still resting on his shoulder, Carson tucked a finger under the collar of his shirt in attempts to lightly pull him in for another kiss, this time instigated by her. It lasted a little longer but not by much since she was still coping with all of her giddy, heart racing emotions. She barely pulled away before looking at him. "And that was yours."

Content with her prize--and his, to be perfectly honest--she smiled at him and slid away before sitting back in her seat and letting out a very happy sigh. Life was pretty damn good at that point and everything was awesome. She gave herself a moment to relax before finally saying, "We should definitely go and eat now..." Because food. Yeah, yeah food was good.

[PACEY LUCAS BAEK]

It was very possible that she had seen it before and forgotten -- the restaurant wasn't very noticeable, but its location was pretty good, actually. These were the kinds of things that Pacey noticed -- well, that, and the fact that the food was awesome. Though he wasn't a picky eater, he had his favourite places. "Maybe! If not I hope you like it, anyway," he said breezily, not particularly worried. The restaurant would be fine. "Oh my god chicken carbonara..." He was possibly going a little dazed just thinking about it now, actually. That sounded wonderful. "Why would you do this to me?" he asked, bawking at her as if personally offended. Of course this wasn't the case at all. He just loved food. Maybe that was what he would have now, too... Ah, he'd figure it out when they got there.

He smiled and nodded, releasing the hand he was holding to let her text her mom quickly. "Okay!" he said cheerfully. "We'll try not to get back too late, then." He wondered if she had a curfew or anything -- he did, when he was at home -- but figured that she'd let him know if she was worried about it. The last thing Pacey wanted to do was make her family think he was some kind of delinquent or something though, getting their daughter in trouble. Nuh uh. He was a good kid beneath the hair dye and complete lack of responsibility with money. "I have to be! She drives me around everywhere," he said, patting the steering wheel appreciatively before smiling. She looked a little bit flustered but happy, and he grinned, looking away. Oh man.

At the mention of going car shopping, though, he perked up again. That was something he was pretty good with, actually -- for the life of him he didn't know how a car worked and he probably would never be able to change a tire, but he did know a nice car when he saw it. This was the boy with heated seats, after all -- which felt lovely, by the way. "Hey, I'd love to come! When are you getting your license?" He really would love it, too. A day with Carson would be fun, checking out all the cars and what-not. He supposed that it would mean spending quite a bit of time with her parents as well, but from what he knew of them that would probably be just fine by him. He wasn't typically too weird around his friends' parents... unless they hated him. That would be unfortunate. "Do you know what kind of car you want yet?" he asked, actually pretty interested.

Even though they were still firmly seated in his car, the topic was long forgotten by the time she kissed him. Well, damn. She was gorgeous and he could smell her hair and it was lovely and possibly a little dizzying. He felt like flailing around a lot after pulling away, but refrained from doing so, instead just sat and looked at her, completely dazed even as she answered his question. "Well, I..." He didn't even know what he wanted to say but was saved from having to think of something when he noticed what she was doing, her finger under his collar. He let her go ahead, moving his hand to her waist, another instinctive move. "Eh? I thought the prize was supposed to be yours," he said, his voice low, but a grin slowly spread across his face. Oh lord. What was he supposed to do now?

There was a long moment while he tried to think of something funny and cool to say, his mind suddenly blanking on him (seriously, since when did he have to try this hard?) but he just nodded and chuckled a little when she said they should go eat. "Yeah... Food," he said, fixing his mind on this goal instead of letting it wander away, because it probably would have. "Food!" He did enjoy food very much, after all. "Are you hungry?" he asked to make conversation, glad that his mouth was able to settle on something semi-relevant to say as he pulled out of the parking lot and down the street. Really the restaurant was close enough that they could have walked, but he'd be dropping Carson off later anyway so that didn't make any sense. Besides which, he never passed up an opportunity to show off Carly when he had one.

Before long they had arrived -- the restaurant was too little to warrant a parking lot of its own so he parked outside, dropping a few coins into the meter to max out their time, not caring if it was too long to be reasonable for dinner. "After the pretty lady," he sang, holding the restaurant door, feeling exuberant and happy and ridiculously silly. Once they were seated, he had managed to calm down a little, but he was probably still smiling like an idiot. "Oh look, chicken carbonara," he hummed, pointing it out on the menu before flipping the page. "Why do I want to eat all the things..." This was a serious problem.

[CARSON PARKER GARROWAY]

"I'm sure I will! It'll be awesome," She said cheerfully, smiling brightly and without reservation. There was bound to be something she could eat there, and even if it didn't wind up in her top five places to eat it would still be memorable because she would have gone with Pacey. He made her smile and giggle more than usual, which said a lot for someone like Carson. She watched as he seemed to practically drool over the mention of chicken carbonara, then pulled her head back. "Pffft, to torture you of course! Why else?" She shrugged and looked shameless, but hoped that he wasn't truly upset with her for mentioning one of her favorite meals. That would be silly. And only a few moments after texting Achelle she replied with a 'have fun!' and a smiley face of sorts before Carson placed the phone back into her pocket. "No rush," She replied airily, nearly skipping. "My mom isn't too bothered by what time I get home, so long as I come home at some point." That was the one luxury of having parents who weren't strict, and it also helped that she wasn't the type of child to take advantage of their trust in a bad way. Staying out late with Pacey because she enjoyed a date was far better than anything else she could possibly do, right?

Although cars weren't exactly her forte, she did like them and appreciate them for their shininess. There was a look of excitement on her face when Pacey agreed to join her for car shopping, and had to refrain from bouncing around. The girl was far too happy for her own good. "In a few weeks," She said, almost unable to stay still. "I could have gotten it sooner but I was studying the guide and stuff. Mom says only if I pass with flying colors can I get the car I want." What car that was she wasn't too sure yet but having more options was always nice. Almost like reading her train of thought, Carson rolled her head to the side. "I have no idea yet. That's why I'll have you and whoever else goes with me!" Their opinions would matter the most.

Feeling overly giddy and full of her happy emotions, she hardly noticed that he tried to come up with something to say before she cut him off with the second kiss. She simply couldn't help herself; it gave her butterflies and a warm, comfortable feeling in her chest. There had been boys in the past and a few boyfriends too, but she liked the way Pacey made her feel. It was nice. She giggled and brushed her nose over his as he spoke. "I don't mind sharing if the other person deserves it too," She replied. "Not to mention you seemed to like it, so why not?" The question was innocent; it made perfect sense to her. Besides, she liked having the excuse to kiss him again. "And you'll still owe me a goodnight kiss later too." She added, side-eyeing him with a smile. The night was turning out so incredibly perfect and things couldn't be better. She was naturally happy but Pacey added to it.

Yet another giggle passed her lips as she nodded in agreement, shuffling her feet and putting her hands between her thighs. "I'm not starving but I can always eat," Carson admitted, nodding. She wasn't a bottomless pit that could harbor all the food things but if Pacey was hungry she could definitely eat. She sat in the seat quietly as they made their way down the street towards the restaurant, still wearing her little smile and refraining from chuckling. She watched as the car stopped, sliding out of the seat and stepping onto the sidewalk. "Thanks handsome," She winked at him and walked in. The smells were so amazing and now her appetite decided to show itself. Maybe having that chicken carbonara would be an excellent idea after all. She sat down next to him and got comfortable, peeling the menu open and making a quiet 'ooh!' when he pointed it out. It looked so delicious. "I think I'm gonna have that. Yep. What are you getting?" Her eyes peered over the top of the menu, little crinkles revealing the smile that was hidden behind it.

[PACEY LUCAS BAEK]

Pacey smiled, grateful for the vote of confidence -- she didn't seem to have any doubts at all... about anything, actually. It was almost admirable -- there were very few people who could say that. Still, he let his mouth fall open comically when she said that she wanted to torture him. "That's not very nice!" was all he could say in his pretense of being highly hurt and offended and shocked. "All I wanted to do was get some Italian food and this is what I get." He exhaled in a long, loud sigh of deepest woe. Of course he wasn't really upset, though. That would have been silly. "If you say so!" he said when told that her mom wouldn't be bothered. The Academy would want him back by curfew, but it wasn't impossible to sneak back into the school a bit late. Maybe it'd be a little exciting. He'd feel like a superspy or something.

When seeing younger students at the Academy, he enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing them taking the bus, getting rides from others, or walking everywhere. It wasn't so much that he wanted to be mean and rub it in their faces or anything, at least not in any more than a playful way, but hey, he loved his car. He loved having a car in general and being able to drive everywhere -- he'd gotten sort of used to taking the bus, but that didn't mean he enjoyed it. Ugh. His car was shiny and beautiful and much better. "That's not long at all!" he said happily. He'd gotten his as soon as he could have. "I'm sure you'll do great! And then you get to have your own car and then you go anywhere. It's pretty nice actually," he told her, chuckling a bit. It wasn't like he had been particularly restricted before, but things were easier when he didn't have to rely on other means of transportation.

Immediately he wanted to kiss her again, and really, he was even pretty sure that she would have let him too, but Pacey refrained. Too fast. Whether she would have been okay with it or not, and however much he would have liked to... Pacey decided it was probably best not to. Still, his expression was bright and happy and full of "life is so wonderful" as he smiled at her. "I did kind of like it," he said with a quiet laugh. Kind of was an understatement that he didn't bother correcting. "A good night kiss? I think I can probably do that!" Hopefully he didn't look or sound too eager. It probably didn't work that way. Pacey was rather excited -- partially for the kiss, yes, but also just... in general.

If anything, Pacey was a guy who could always, always, always eat, and he nodded and smiled at her. "But I'm glad! Now we can hang out a little more!" It was worth noting, alright. He enjoyed her company -- a lot, actually. Her wink when she walked in brougt an even happier smile to his face and it was with a slight bounce in his step that he walked in after her. He had been here quite often enough to know the staff, actually, and was therefore luckily seated near the kitchen. It smelled heavenly. "That sounds good! And... um." This was a problem. "I don't know! I just... everything's so good!" He was still poring over the menu, not having yet noticed that she was looking at him, but then he looked up, and his smile widened slowly. Again he thought that he wanted to kiss her again, but damn it all -- there was a stupid table in the way. No, no. Be cool, Pace. When had being cool worked out for him, though? Pacey lowered his menu down onto the table and winked at her before chuckling a little, looking away. She was so cute. It made him act all kinds of lame... Actually no, he already did that, but she seemed to be so okay with it. That made him happy at least. He decided it would be best to actually answer the question sometime soon. "I don't know, actually. This eggplant parmesan sounds good right now, though... Yeah, that'll be good."

They ordered when the waiter came over after a few moments, and then they were left to their own devices waiting for food. "Too bad there's no one to throw M&Ms at here," he said in an undertone, trying not to be overheard by the other guests. Movie theatres were easy, but not being caught while tossing candy at people in a restaurant would be like playing on Impossible Mode. "I could have even won myself another prize!" He grinned cheekily. He had good intentions, really.

[CARSON PARKER GARROWAY]

Driving had never been much of a thought for her, considering she was never bothered by other people driving around. It was nice, actually, not having to worry about car problems or being responsible for a two ton vehicle all on your own. That was a big deal. Still, having one she could call her own was pretty cool and the excitement was not hard to miss. "Nope!" She chirped cheerfully, still shifting around in her seat. "And I usually can go anywhere but...it just depends on if someone's willing to drive me or not. So at least I can leave and go whenever I want." That was the only sucky part; waiting to see if a family member would be willing to drive her around. The place wasn't so much an issue as waiting. Ugh. So maybe a car would definitely be for the best and now she wished the test was tomorrow.

Had Pacey kissed her again, the girl certainly wouldn't have said no, but she didn't want to get too carried away. They were supposed to go to the restaurant and sitting in the car making out was a bit counter productive, if not fun and satisfying. She still bit at her lip and didn't say much else, not wanting to encourage too much even though she wanted to. She giggled. "I kinda liked it too," She replied, messing with her hair like a giddy little school girl. So ridiculous. The blush to her cheeks seemed ever present that evening, though it did increase in color when he agreed to a goodnight kiss. She liked knowing that he wasn't deterred from kissing. Definitely nice. "Good, because I'll be expecting one!" He seemed willing to and Carson could only smile at him and feel all levels of happiness. Was there ever a moment in the past several hours where she wasn't smiling or giggling or acting all silly? None that she could remember.

She clapped a couple of times; if she were to be any happier she might explode. Her cheerfulness was almost irritating. "Yay! I like hanging out with you, a lot. You make me happy." Carson said simply, blinking up at him with a content little smile. A lot of people made her happy but as to the level, well, it all depended upon the person. He seemed to be at one of the higher ones, next to her family and the handful of really close friends. Sitting next to the kitchen was a nice spot to be and her eyes scanned the platters as they came and went through the swinging door. If she hadn't been hungry before, she certainly was now. How could anyone deny heaps of Italian food as the scents wafted around their nose constantly? There was plenty of drooling to be done. She kept the menu up as she watched him, hiding behind it with a small chuckle when he winked at her. He was so adorable! "Ohhh eggplant parmesan," She said wistfully before finally setting the menu on top of the table. "Good choice!" The waiter came by and took their order--Carson asking for a few extra lemons to go with her water before he left. She inclined her ear to catch what Pacey was saying. There was a mischievous look on her face. "Oh, there's plenty of people. It just wouldn't be a good idea." Too many people could see them and it wasn't dark so they couldn't duck down or anything. They had had fun with it at the theater, at least, and she was still glad that he joined in on her 'trouble making', if that's what it was. She bit at her lip and nommed on it for a second. "You can have as many prizes as you want, you know. All you have to do is ask." If the prize was the same as before, then Carson certainly wasn't against it.

A plate full of food and a few deliciously sour lemon wedges later, Carson leaned back in her chair with a content sigh. Man, that was a lot of food! She felt like rolling herself out of the building. "That. Was so delicious." Her hand rubbed her stomach as though settling its contents. "Are we paying separately?" She asked. Either way was fine with her. Once the meal was paid for, she thanked the waiter for being awesome and took Pacey's hand to go outside. The night air was so nice and it heightened her mood even more. One of the best dates she had been on. The smile was almost irremovable. "...so I guess you should..take me home now. I don't really want to but.." There was the pout, but it wouldn't do any good. She didn't want to show up at home too late and wake up everyone, plus Pacey had his curfew.

[PACEY LUCAS BAEK]

Getting rides wasn't a bad idea or anything -- Pacey wouldn't have minded doing that at all, but he just didn't like that he had to bother someone else to get to where he was going, even if the other people didn't mind. Besides that, though... he couldn't even deny how cool he felt rolling up in an actual car that he got to drive all on his own. That was pretty sick. "Yeah, the fun part's all in the freedom," he said, laughing a bit. He was told frequently that cars were very bad investments for teenagers to make, but hey -- if his family had the money, then why not? He knew that Carson's family had the money too -- it was admittedly one of the few things he knew about her family.

It wasn't like he was the type to walk around all day thinking about girls and kissing and all the hormones that he needed to get in check -- which were apparently plentiful, oops -- but Carson was very pretty and... Well, he had a girl sitting in his car asking him to kiss her. He liked said girl a lot, too. Saying no would have been some kind of foolishness. "I look forward to it," he said with a smile, hoping he didn't look overeager. That might be kind of embarrassing. Then again, she looked happy too, and that just brought the silly grin back to his face. There were so many things to be happy about! "You make me happy too!" he told her in return, chuckling a little bit, but he really did mean it, even if he wasn't used to being so frank and simple with his statements. He liked that. Hearing it made him feel good -- he hoped that she felt the same. "We should try to hang out more often, then." The implication was probably obvious.

Pacey ordered, feeling hungrier by the minute as the waiter brought by plates of food to other tables. Man, he was starving. He was glad when the waiter left -- one step closer to their food, of course. "Yeah, I think we should try not to get kicked out if we can help it," he agreed iwth a nod. "Too bad though, because there's a dude over there with a shirt that pretty much blends into the wall." That was definitely harder to hit -- like, seventy-five points or something. Pacey just smiled, but his eyes moved almost immediately to her lips when she started chewing on it. Stop it, Pace. He grinned as he turned his eyes back up to her. "I'll remember that in the future then! Maybe not right now," he joked. Yes, because minor making out was probably a very bad idea at a restaurant.

Dinner was fantastic, naturally, and by the end of it Pacey was feeling very satisfied about everything -- not just with his hunger and how good the food was, but also with the night overall. Carson was a pretty awesome girl. "So good," he said in agreement, laughing a bit when he saw her rub her stomach. That was adorable. "Nah, it's easier if I just get it," he replied, shaking his head at her. He called for the cheque and paid, leaving a generous tip. Pacey always tipped well, but today was an exceptionally good day for him in general -- spreading the love. He took her hand and, still practically bouncing around in his happiness, left the restaurant. He inhaled and exhaled deeply once they were out. "It's so nice out," he said lazily and happily, though he sighed a little when she said he should be taking her home. "Me either," he admitted, because he would have readily still hung out right now if she were up for it -- a walk at night sounded pretty awesome, "but it's getting pretty late, yeah." He just grinned easily when he saw her pout. "But don't be disappointed! You can't get rid of me that easily, I'll call you." He'd probably do it soon, too. They did, after all, have a movie marathon of some kind to set up.

It was a short (too short, maybe) car ride later that they were pulling into her driveway, as he took directions from Carson. He didn't, after all, know the way to her house. "Alright," he said softly, looking up at her house for a moment before turning to smile at her. "I'll walk you in!" It was a little sad that the night was drawing to a close, he thought, but he was still so, so happy with how everything had gone. Thinking this over, he was smiling ridiculously by the time they reached the door, holding hands again. "I, um... I had a lot of fun tonight," he told her, for some reason feeling a little warm. Oh boy. The kid wasn't usually embarrassed easily at all. "So I, uh -- hope I see you soon?" It was phrased as more of a question -- he sounded hopeful for confirmation. Kiss her, you idiot. He raised the hand that didn't hold hers, touching it gently to her cheek as he said, "So... about that kiss I owe you..." Pacey pressed their lips together and then, only after a few moments, withdrew. Already the smile was spreading widely and quickly across his face again. "Good night, Carson."

[CARSON PARKER GARROWAY]

She fidgeted with her pants as he talked, feeling giddy and giggly and all sorts of girly. Most people made her feel happy but she felt extra happy around Pacey. She liked it a lot. "Yeah, we definitely should. As often as you want." The reply insinuated something too, her eyes barely catching his before she giggled at herself and her ridiculousness. Being around boys and receiving complements shouldn't have been a big deal but it was tonight. It was almost too difficult to focus solely on ordering food and making full conversation since her mind kept drifting off to other places. Like their kiss, for instance. The smile crept up on her face subconsciously at the thought, and fought touching her lips. Instead she stuck to the smile and a small head shake. "That's the perfect camouflage!" She replied, looking stunned at how well it matched the wall. "Worth quite a few points." It was like their game now, a little something that she associated with Pacey and Pacey alone. Even if they didn't throw candy at people they could still imagine who would fall victim and how many points they were worth. Carson shook her head but giggled again. "No, right now wouldn't be a good idea." She was pretty shameless though and public displays of affection weren't much of an issue.

If they had a better way to roll out of the restaurant, she probably would have taken it. She wasn't overstuffed but enough to where a nap was possible. Her excitement about the evening managed to help her keep the energy she needed until she got home. "Oh, thank you...you're so sweet," Carson dropped the wallet she managed to partially fish out of her purse, letting it settle at the bottom. She could have easily argued and said that she could cover her portion of the bill but it as not in her nature to do that. If he wanted to pay, then she would let him. It was sweet and thoughtful and she liked that he was willing. When they were past the restaurant and the smells and the warmth she managed to take in the night air and sigh happily, nodding in agreement. The night was perfect in more ways than one. If only they could go on that walk and just talk and hold hands and continue to enjoy their date. "Okay!" She said cheerfully, the pout gone. "I wouldn't want to get rid of you. You can call me any time you want. Or text. Whichever..." Her cheeks turned a little pink as she glanced away, still smiling. Why did he make her feel so happy?

The ride home wasn't too bad, her directions hopefully not too confusing--aside from the one brief 'whoops! turn here!' when she was distracted by conversation. She realized he had never been to her house and looked forward to their next date. When they parked, she slid out of the car. "Thanks!" Her fingers willingly gripped his hand, enjoying how comfortable it was. She took the few steps up to the front door and stopped, turning to look at him with a sheepish smile. "I did too. One of the best nights I've had in a while." Her voice was quiet enough not to disturb anyone who might be sleeping, since some of the bedrooms were on the front part of the house. She nodded. "You can see me whenever you want to see me. I'm always up for spending time..." The sentence somewhat drifted away when Pacey touched her cheek, the warmth rising up through her neck. Carson felt her heart skip a beat when he kissed her, pushing her lips against his to show she wanted it, smiling as soon as he pulled away. She gave him another small kiss in appreciation. "Goodnight Pace. Be safe on your way home." Unwillingly she stepped back from him and went inside, glancing back before shutting the door. Best night ever.

[And fin~]