Chapter 108

The following morning, I stood in my room as Grandma Jo handed me a dainty white dress decorated with delicate pink roses.

It reminded me so much of the rose bushes in Grandma Jo’s garden.

My eyes lit up as I held it up to admire the crafted details. When Grandma Jo suggested I wear one of her old dresses, I thought it'd be outdated, but this was beautifully timeless.

"Oh, Grandma Jo, it's so pretty!" I exclaimed, my voice filled with genuine appreciation. "I bet you looked lovely in this when you were my age."

Grandma Jo chuckled warmly, and it looked as if her eyes were twinkling with fond memories. "Oh, it's been so long since I could fit in that. You can keep it. I'm glad you like it, dear. It was my favorite dress back then, and I hope it brings you as much joy as it brought me."

"I'm sure it will. Thank you so much. I love it." Unable to contain my excitement and happiness, I hugged Grandma Jo tightly.

She squeezed me just as tightly back. Then she reached for a pair of heels, "I used to wear the dress with these heels. They're a bit tall, but I think they'll go together perfectly to complete your outfit."

They were stunning and I couldn't dispute the fact that they would really tie the outfit together. However, I hesitated, remembering my recent bout of dizziness.

"I really do like them, but I think I should go with flats instead," I said softly. "I don't want to risk tumbling in heels if I get dizzy again."

"Of course, dear. How could I be so silly?" Grandma Jo nodded understandingly, her smile unwavering. "Flats it is! Comfort should always come first."

I came out of my room after trying on the dress and the shoes. Surprisingly, it was a perfect fit and I felt prettier than I had in a long time.

I walked into the living room where Lucas and Grandma Jo were waiting for me. As soon as they heard me coming, both of their heads turned toward the doorway.

"Well," I said, giving them a small twirl. "What do you think?"

"My goodness, Shana!" Grandma Jo cheered, clapping her hands together. "You look beautiful!"

"Thank you." I smiled, feeling my cheeks warm at her compliment.

I looked to Lucas who still hadn't said anything. He looked nice too, sporting dress pants and a light-blue button-down shirt. I can't even remember the last time I had seen him dress up.

"You clean up nice," I said, nodding at his outfit.

"Uh," he cleared his throat, shaking his hair out of his face. "Thanks. You look... Uhhh... You clean up nice too."

Grandma Jo raised an eyebrow at him, and I couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh.

"Thanks, Lucas. Should we go?"

Again, Lucas skipped out on taking his motorcycle into town. This time it was because he felt like we were dressed a bit too nice to get all ruffled up from the wind.

The drive was long but relaxing as Lucas played soft music in the car. Lucas took me to the arts district in town.

It was only the afternoon, but the day was already starting off magical. There was a live band playing outside and lights twinkled in the trees. The gentle breeze flowed through my hair as we walked.

"I haven't been here in so long," I told Lucas. "Not since we were kids."

"Me too," Lucas commented. "They've changed it so much."

We walked past brick buildings and little mom-and-pop shops, pointing at certain ones that stood out to us.

I began to wonder what plans Lucas had here when he led us to an art show on the corner of the street.

"I thought you'd like this," he said. "It's a bunch of local artists who came together to create an art series on nature. Flowers, scenery, all sorts of things."

"Oh my God!" I cheered, grabbing his arm in excitement. "How did you know they were having a show tonight?"

"A quick search on the internet," he said, shooting me a wink.

We entered the art show, filled with sculptures, paintings, and models that caught our attention.

I pointed to an impressive sculpture of real vines wrapping around a metallic mannequin sitting on dirt. "Lucas, look at this one! It's titled 'Mother Nature,' but it looks like the vines are trying to bring her down into the ground."

"Yeah, it's an interesting concept," he commented. "I wonder how the artists get these intricate ideas."

I nodded in agreement, "I'm jealous of their creativity. I wish I had talent like this."

"You're talented," Lucas complimented.

I snorted. "Barely. I don't have any special talents, meanwhile, you seem to be good at everything."

Lucas rolled his eyes, his gaze shifting away from mine and for a moment I thought he seemed somewhat reserved, almost shy. But the warmth in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Oh! Look at this one!" I pointed to another sculpture nearby.

"Yeah, it's amazing," he replied, his voice soft. "You know, I'm really glad we decided to go out today."

"Me too." My heart swelled with affection for Lucas.

Something about him felt different today, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I was really enjoying this time together.

After we left the art show, the two of us stumbled upon the city's natural history museum, a place we used to visit often in our younger days.

Memories flooded back as we explored exhibits on the evolution of werewolves, bear shifters, and Dragon masters, other dominant species in the world, each with their own unique kingdoms.

We joined a group tour at the museum and a curious child in our group asked the guide if there were more mythical creatures in the world.

"Are there other monsters besides the ones in the museum?" he asked.

The guide playfully responded, "Oh, there are probably plenty out there. Just be a good kid, or the monsters might find you and snatch you up!"

I laughed along with the rest of our group at the tour guide's joke, but Lucas froze in his tracks.

"Lucas?" I gently asked as concern etched across my face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He hesitated for a moment, his eyes distant, before finally shaking his head. "It's nothing, c'mon. The group's already walking to the next exhibit."

I didn't think too much about Lucas's strange behavior after that.

By the time it was dinner, Lucas surprised me by taking me to a fancy restaurant with a romantic ambiance, complete with candles, flowers, and a breathtaking view of the city.

"Wow." I couldn't help but gasp in amazement. "Lucas, this place is incredible! It almost feels like we're on a date." I teased, letting out a giggle.

"Well, that's because we are on a date, Shana." A soft smile played on Lucas's lips as he reached for my hand. "A very special one."

I blinked at him as my heart raced. My cheeks immediately flushed when I felt him squeeze my fingers.

I couldn't believe it. Is this a date?

Did that mean this whole day had been a date?