"I thought we were going for burgers?" I averted my gaze from the window looking over at Brooks. He came back from his away game earlier today which they won by the way.

He texted me an hour to get ready, he was coming to pick me up to get burgers. So I naturally assumed we were going to Millie's since it was the place everyone on campus went for burgers. But instead of pulling into Millie's parking lot, he drove straight past the diner without any intention of stopping.

"We are going for burgers," he replied his eyes fixed on the road.

"But we just drove past Millie's," I pointed out.

"Thanks, for stating the obvious," he teased shooting me a quick smile before redirecting his gaze back to the road. "I'm taking you to a place in Randall," she said referring to the next closest town.

I rolled my eyes. "I just assumed we were going to the diner since you never said we were going someway new."

"Well I'm telling you now and you'll thank me later when you try it. I guarantee it's the best burger you've ever tasted."

"That's quite presumptuous of you," I grinned at him. "But I'm sure you're wrong because nothing could beat the burger I had at this place in New York."

"Just wait you'll see," he declared confidently. "One thing you need to know about me is that I'm always right, It is one of my many talents." He winked at me a smirk curling at the edge of his lips. "I could show you some others if you want?"

"Ugh, you're such a pig!" I exclaimed playfully hitting him on his shoulder.

"Ow, the violence," he laughed. "And while I'm driving, are you trying to kill us!" he joked.

I could tell he was joking, he was laughing but I was powerless in controlling my reaction to his words. My body locked up and the smile I was wearing instantly fell from my face.

Retracting my hand I placed it in my lap twisting it together with the other one. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking." The frantic words poured out of my mouth without control.

"Hey, It's okay I was joking," he reassured me, his eyebrows pulling down in concern as he took his attention away from the road to quickly look at me. But I didn't pay him any mind, effectively tuning him out as I felt the panic beginning to take root inside me.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

I know I didn't hit him hard enough for him to lose control of the car but what was I thinking hitting him while he was driving? I had first-hand experience with the fact that accidents can occur in the blink of an eye. I shouldn't be joking around like that and distracting him while he was behind the wheel.

My actions caused him to take his eyes off the road for a few seconds. A lot can happen in a few seconds.

And suddenly I was no longer in the car with Brooks instead I was back in the past hearing the screeching of tires, the sound of glass shattering around me, and my name being shouted.

I was so lost in my head that I didn't realize Brooks had pulled to the side of the road. Until he grabbed my face between his palms effectively pulling me back to the present and away from the past.

"Baby, Are you okay?" He asked his voice laced with concern using his thumb he wiped away a tear that fell down my cheek. "What the fuck just happened." The confusion and panic were evident in his voice.

"I'm fine," I whispered hoarsely, clearing the lump from my throat I pulled my face away from his hands as I straighten up attempting to compose myself.

"No, you're not fine you're shaking and where is your inhaler you sound a little wheezy," he reluctantly dropped his hands looking around for my purse. "Maybe we should turn back around and go home."

"I said I'm fine," I snapped harshly pausing his search for my purse Brooks looked over at me hurt flashing in his blue eyes before he masked it. He pulled back his jaw clenching as he stared wordlessly at me.

Instantly feeling guilty I reached over grasping his large hand in my smaller one. " I'm sorry but I'm fine, really," I reassured him giving his hand a light squeeze.

He didn't look convinced. Why would he? A minute ago I was on the cusp of a panic attack and now I was claiming to be fine I wouldn't believe me either.

He looked like he wanted to say something his eyes were swimming with questions but my eyes were telling him to let it go. I wasn't ready to talk about why I freaked out with him yet I couldn't bear him looking at me with pity in his eyes.

I like the way he looks at me now like I'm just Gen, not the sad broken Gen who could've barely pulled herself out of the bed four years ago. Like the way my family and Mia or anyone else who knows my past looks at me sometimes.

He blew out a frustrated breath before squeezing back my hand. "Are you sure, you don't what me to carry you back home," he asked one more time.

I nodded. "Yes, I'm sure." An awkward silence settled between us both of us not knowing what to say.

"So are we going to this place or what? So I can prove you wrong," I said breaking the silence and attempting to snap us out of this awkward silence we found ourselves in.

It had the effect I wanted, as Brooks chuckled I could see the tension leaving his shoulders.

He looked down at my hand that still rested on top of his a strange look entering his eyes. Just as I made a move to lift my hand he snatched it lacing our fingers together causing my heart to jump in my chest.

Our hands remained laced together for the entire drive.

~~~~~~~~~~

"I hate admitting this because it will just feed into your already gigantic ego." I narrowed my eyes playfully at Brooks who had a smug smile plastered on his face his eyes locked on mine from across the booth. "But you were right this is the best I've ever had," I admitted albeit reluctantly but I can admit when I was wrong.

"I told you," Brooks said popping a salty French fry in his mouth.

"Yeah, yeah whatever," I rolled my eyes.

"I know it was you," said a voice I looked up just in time as a middle- age man came to stop in front of us with a wide smile plastered on his face. The man glanced over his shoulder at a pretty woman standing a few feet away from us and a slightly embarrassed smile plastered on her face.

"Hey, honey, I told you it was him," he said excitedly to the woman who I assumed was his wife before bringing his attention back to us. He shot me a brief smile before refocusing on Brooks.

"You're Brooks Heyward, my name is Matt I'm a huge fan," said the man stretching out his hand towards Brooks for a handshake.

Brooks took Matt's hand giving it a firm shake before releasing it. "Nice to meet you, Matt."

"Sorry for bothering you but I just had to come over and congratulate you on a great game last night. I've been following you since you started with the team during your freshman year. You have great things in the future especially since you enter the draft next year."

Brooks smiled at him. "Thanks, I really appreciate that."

"No problem, do you mind if I take a picture with you to show my son."

"Sure, that's fine," Brooks replied getting to his feet. He flashed me an apologetic smile but I didn't mind.

Matt waved his wife over who beamed at both of us. "I told Matt, not to bother you guys on your date but he insisted he had to come over and say hi." she rolled her eyes smiling affectionately at her husband.

After she took the picture she smiled her eyes bouching between Brooks and me. "I just have to say that you two make a very cute couple."

I just returned her smile not bothering to correct her assumption and neither did Brooks.

They said their goodbyes before leaving Brooks and me alone once again.

"So does that happen a lot?" I asked him taking a sip of my drink while Brooks took a bite of his burger.

He chewed and then swallowed before answering me. "Sometimes," he said with a shrug.

We ate in silence for a while before I spoke again. "So are you going to enter the draft, you've never mentioned what are your plans after college."

"It's complicated," he shrugged. "I love football and I'm great at it. And my coach thinks it'll be a waste of my God-given talent if I don't enter the draft but on the other hand, I'm a Heyward there is no other path choice for me besides going to law school and then politics like every other Heyward." Considering who his family was I knew politics is a big thing in his family.

"But what do you want?" I asked him. "So far I'm hearing you talk about what your coach thinks, what's expected of you but what do you want? What does Brooks Heywood want?"

He stared at me for a few seconds not saying a word giving his head a little shake he leaned back in his seat with a sigh his eyes locked on mine.

"When I'm on that field holding a football in my hands the crowd chanting my name I feel like I'm in my element the feeling is indescribable. It's where I feel like I most belong," his entire face lit up as he spoke.

"See you can't live your life to please everyone else you have to live life for yourself. Do what makes you happy. Whether that's playing football professionally or going to law school. And it sounds like football makes you happy."

He stared at me while a look I couldn't decipher entered his eyes. "You're amazing you know that."

"I know," I winked at him.

He laughed. "And obviously very humble," he said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up," I threw one of my fries at him hitting him in the chest. He didn't seem bothered as he grasped the fry between his fingers popping it into his mouth.

"So what about you? Did you always want to be a fashion designer?" he asked.

I shook my head cracking a smile. "No, when I was five I had this short-lived dream of becoming a ballerina."

"Why was it short-lived?"

"You mean besides the fact that I don't have a graceful bone in my body," I chuckled before continuing. "I also had terrible stage fright, let's just my first recital didn't go that well." That was the understatement of the century my first recital was a complete disaster.

"What happened at your first recital?" asked Brooks curiously.

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh or to talk about it ever again," I warned him.

"Okay, I promise," he assured looking at me expectantly.

"Well, there I was really excited for the first recital I was pumped until they pulled that curtain and I saw how many people were sitting there staring up at all of us. I froze I couldn't move it was like all the other kids disappeared and I was alone on stage I didn't realize what was going on until I heard the other kids laughing and some screaming and that was when I snapped out of it and registered the warm liquid running down my leg," I told with a grimace.

"You didn't?" Brooks asked his eyes widening in horror.

I nodded. "I peed myself onstage."

He pressed his lips together I could tell trying not to laugh but he lost the battle bursting out in a fit of loud laughter causing several heads to swivel in our direction.

"You asshole you promised," I glared at him I'm not actually mad because I knew for sure if it was the other way around I would be dying of laughter too.

"I'm sorry but how can you tell me a story like that and expect me not to laugh," he responded fighting back his laughter.

"I was five and extremely mortified at the time, hell I'm still mortified," our eyes locked together as we stared at each other for a few moments before we both burst out laughing.