I can't be sure we got out in time. We beat my alarm to the main floor by two seconds. But with the amount of rounding error expected I'm not confident.

But Jack's cackling turns into giggles behind me and I turn to see her doubled over with laughter. "I cannot believe I just did that," she laughs.

But she seems like exactly the kind of person who would do this, and that must show on my face.

"You must be new in town," she laughs. "No one who knew me two years ago would ever believe I did this. Which is the best part."

"You know I'm new in town because we've never seen each other before last week."

"Perhaps you're just a recluse." She shrugs, smile still tugging at the edge of her lips, black leggings hugging everything below her dark puffy jacket.

It's getting hard to talk with how fast we run across the parking lot and through the forested area to where the van is parked.

And I've completely forgotten where I put the keys. We get to the van and I still can't locate them in all the pockets of my coat.

"Hurry up," Jack whispers, bouncing on her heels and surveying the area. "We need to get out of here."

"I know. I can't find the keys."

"You can't find- you can't be serious." She's whisper-shouting, even though there's no one around. "Should we keep running?"

"Given how much both of us are gasping for air, I don't foresee us making it anywhere, if they are chasing us. We just need to calm down and find the keys."

"Here," she says, pushing her hand into my jacket pocket. "This is the last place I saw them."

"I just checked," I start, but I don't get to finish my sentence, because Jack's delicate hand emerges with the key fob.

"I guess we really did need to calm down. Now get in the car." She pushes down on the button to unlock the van with a beep I'm sure they can hear in space and then pulls the driver door open and hops inside.

"I can't let you drive my sister's car," I whisper. "She'll kill me."

"Well, I've had quite the night," she challenges, pulling the seat toward the wheel. "So you can sit here arguing with me or you can get home and argue with your sister. I'm not moving without a fight."

"You want me to fight you?" I ask, trying to regain my bearings.

"Do you want to fight me? Just get in the car, Alex." She turns the key in the ignition. "Let's get out of here. I want to show you something."

She wants to show me something? What on earth could she want to show me in our getaway vehicle after breaking and entering?

"Get in! I'll stop in town so you can drive the highway if that will make you get in the car."

"Right. Yes." My brain finally catches up with me and snaps back from Jack's face to the fact that we are running away from a potentially criminal offense. I really do need to get out of here. I throw the bag into the backseat and slam the door shut, flinging myself into the passenger seat and hastily fastening my seatbelt as Jack makes a violent doughnut and peels out of the gravel parking lot.

Three blocks away, when we turn onto the freeway, it finally happens.

Sirens.

"Oh no," Jack mutters, pulling into the right-most lane. "I have to keep going. I can't let you get caught."

"Are you kidding?" I'm sure my eyes look like saucers on my face. "If you evade the police it will only get worse for you. Pull over."

"I don't think I will."

"Pull. Over."

A heavy sigh escapes her as the flashing red and blue lights illuminate the interior of the van. "Fine, I'll pull over. You win."

It was shockingly easy to win, actually. And I'm not sure I like it.

"I didn't want it to go down like this," I whisper. "I should have never dragged you into this."

"Point of clarification: I dragged you into this. So don't apologize. This is the best night of my recent memory. Don't ruin that for me."

"Fine," I agree, but only because my heart is dancing in my chest. 'Best night of my recent memory' is much much better than 'worst date of my life'.

She pulls over and stops the car, just in time for the ambulance to speed right past us lights quickly disappearing into the distance.

A moment passes. The cars around us move back onto the road. Traffic speeds past us.

We do not move. We aren't even breathing.

And then, we laugh.

The whole van fills with cackles and gasping for breath as the fear of being caught is replaced with relief.

"I can't believe that just happened," I say when I've regained my ability to breathe.

"I thought we were going to spend the night in jail."

"My sister would have killed me for not bringing the car back."

"That's what you were worried about?" she asks, bringing the vehicle to full speed. "Your sister not having her car?"

"She's..." I pause, trying to choose my words carefully. I'm not sure how much Jack knows. "She's had a rough go of it lately. I don't need to be another thing in her life she can't rely on. I just try to do my best for her. For them."

"I like that about you," she admits. "It's one of your more intriguing qualities."

"I don't think anyone's ever called me intriguing before."

"Maybe not to your face," she says with a shrug. "But I guarantee they're thinking it."

"That sounds like something you would say to make me feel better about my life." I can't look at her. I can't see the look in her eyes that tells me I'm right.

"It shouldn't," she says simply. "I'm not the kind of person to give out compliments to make people feel better. Saying nothing to avoid being rude or confrontational? I'm very good at that."

"You are?" It slips out before I can stop it. I know I shouldn't say it.

"Well, in my natural state, I was. I think."

And, somehow, I believe she's right. The self-assured woman wearing the most exotic costumes and breaking into her ex-boyfriend's workplace. She's not all there is to Jack. She has so much going on and I've only managed to understand one facet of her life. A life after a man who broke her.

I've seen broken before and how it changes a person. Why was I so quick to assume it hadn't changed her? Was her strength so overpowering it distracted me from the truth? Or did I just not know her well enough yet?

"So," she says when we reach the center of town. "Are you letting me take you somewhere or are we heading home and parting ways?"

I risk a glance at her face, lit up in the most carefree smile I've ever seen her sport.

"Do I get to know where we're going before I decide?" The fear of the unknown is strong, but the pull of her smile is fighting for dominance.

She muses for a moment, taking the exit toward the downtown core. "I think I can tell you it would involve food and walking. We'll probably need to be wearing outfits that don't scream 'we just broke into an establishment', though."

"And where would this walking take place?" I'm trying to figure her out with no success. "Will it at least be well-lit?"

"Well lit? You worry about the most interesting things, Alex King." But she pauses to think before answering. "There's a small stretch that's sometimes a little dim if people don't leave their porch lights on, but it's mostly well-lit, yes."

"Thank you," I say, considering the information. The seriousness with which she handled the question makes me feel safe, even if the light is low. It's almost like she cares.

It's a strange and liberating feeling. And also a terrifying one. Because I never do spontaneous. I do calculations and thought-out and organized. And today has been nothing but spontaneous.

"Fine, I will accept your offering of a..."

"It's probably okay to just call it a date, Alex," she interrupts.

"An, umm, outing. If we stop at the store for new clothes, first. And I get to pay."

"I don't need anything new," she argues. "I have a red top in my bag."

"I don't ask questions about your thing, you don't ask questions about my thing. That's the deal. Take it or leave it."

The van goes silent. Nothing but the hot air blowing from the vents to keep us company.

We crawl to a stop at a red light and two young students race across the street in sparkling tops and elaborately curled hair.

Jack's nail taps against the steering wheel, and her lips draw between her teeth.

When the light turns green, she accelerates more slowly than usual and carefully makes a right turn. "It's a deal. But I'm picking the store. I don't wear just anything."

"As long as it's well-lit," I throw back, pulling a laugh out of her again.

"Yes, it's well-lit. And they even have a section of plain tee-shirts for those of us who may not want to expand our wardrobe."

"What makes you think I don't want to expand my wardrobe?"

"Just a hunch," she offers, glancing over at my current outfit of dark wash jeans and a plain, black tee.

"Fine," I relent. "I might have a particular love for solid colours but it's only because they are easier to wash and stuff."

"Oh no," she gasps. "Please do not tell me you're the kind of person who sorts laundry before doing it."

"I will not tell you that."

"Oh, I've made a terrible mistake. Take me home!"

Is that a joke? I can't tell if she's being serious or sarcastic, so I just plaster the best smile I can manage on my face and wait.

"I'm joking, Alex," she finally says. "I don't want to go home."

"I don't want to go home either," I reply, voice stronger than I expected.

"Sorry," she offers. "Didn't mean to make fun of you."

"Yes, you did," I answer. "But I can tell you didn't mean to upset me."

"That's... well, yeah, that's true."

"So, where are you taking me?" I ask, hoping she'll relent after our miscommunication.

"You not knowing is half the fun, Alex. If you make me tell you, you might as well just take me home."

"Take you... home?" I swallow the lump in my throat. I'm not ready for that.

"To my own house, Alex. Breathe. It's going to be okay. Tell me what kind of outfit you'd like to find for tonight."

"Are we going to be outside?"

"Only a little," she replies. "You'll need a coat, but I wouldn't wear a sweater, because it can get hot inside."

"That sounds good. I can probably keep these jeans, then."

She nods. "You definitely can." And the way her mouth perks up into a smile, eyes glancing over to look me up and down, it's almost like she's... appreciative of the pants. Is that possible?

Then again, she did say this could be a date.

But right now, dates are pretty much cursed. I'd much rather just get to know her and figure out my research questions. I'm not ready to make the leap to dating just yet. I probably should have told her that when she brought up the idea.

But it's too late now, right?