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She was still pretty energized when the show had ended, that familiar post-concert buzz she always got showing and the excitement of living in the city still filtering out of her body.
You were in rural Texas, so there were no sirens, clubs with bass so loud you felt it from outside, and definitely no faraway traffic you could hear miles away even from the comfort of your apartment. Despite all of that, which you honestly took as a blessing although you too lived in and loved the city, she seemed a little underwhelmed by the greenery and farms and, you'll never guess, more greenery.
"This is it?" She asked, glancing down the empty road.
"This is it," you sighed in relief, closing your eyes and letting the sun hit your skin.
After a while of silence, you glanced over and couldn't help the giggles that slipped from your mouth at the sight of her. She looked vampiric and utterly distraught. She was squinting, because the sunlight was too bright for her and frowning, because the town was too empty—not full enough of alcohol, partying, and god knows what else she got into for her. The venue had been dark and full of noise like usual, but this was... Well, the exact opposite and a whole new world to her.
"What the hell did you do as a kid? Have imaginary friends?"
"Shut up, you're just so overloaded by partying all the time that this feels weird," you rolled your eyes, nudging her playfully.
"Yeah okay, what I am is hungry," she shook her head and chuckled, dangling her keys and making her way to her car. "C'mon."
"I call shotgun."
"Are you stupid? It's just us."
"Okay, but I didn't want to drive."
"It's my car, of course I'd be driving, are you stu—you know what, okay."
"You're fun to mess with." You smiled.
"Get in before I run you over."
Jane let you pick the diner, and you ordered fries, something greasy, and milkshakes to go. After the bags hit the counter, you headed off again and drove on some dirt path that cut through fields and seemed like it might go on forever.
By the time you finally stopped, the sky's canvas was painted all shades of orange and pink and it was still warm but not hot now, you know, how it's still nice out but the heat isn't beating your back anymore.
"Pretty." She said, making you look at her just to find out she was already staring at you.
"The sky, the sky's pretty, I meant." She tried to say casually and failed.
"I agree," you smiled knowingly.
You both sat side by side on the hood, your legs dangling and the takeout sat between you. At first she was restless without anything to do, tapping her fingers against the car underneath them, glancing at her phone out of habit even though her signal was low.
"You know it's okay to do nothing while you eat too, right?" You teased, popping a fry in your mouth.
"Yeah, but it's just weird. Life was never like this in Jersey."
"Do you like it?"
"I don't hate it, but it's different." She admitted.
"Like the crickets and sizzling barbecue and random farm animal noises way?"
"Yes! Like why the hell are there actual goats out here? Who the fuck owns goats?"
"You would've never survived when my neighbor's cows broke their fencing and spilled out onto my culdesac when I was nine."
"That sounds like those AI generated Tiktok stories."
"You'd be surprised how many times it happened." You chuckled.
You bumped knees on accident, but she didn't pull away. Instead she leaned into you, and you let your head fall onto her shoulder slow enough that she had time to stop you.
She didn't.
Against your better judgement, you reached up to press a kiss to the corner of her lips then pulled away quickly, starting to apologize.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"
She cut you off with another kiss, gentle but longer.
"I think that," she pulled away, murmuring against your lips with a giddy smile, "was my favorite part of Texas so far."