hey

wanna go out for some ice cream?

i'm craving something sweet

I'm sweet

😏

let me rephrase that

i'm craving ice cream

Fine

I'll be at your door in a sec

I put some pants on, take a look in the mirror to see if I look like a civilized person after spending the entire day doing nothing in my room, then grab my bag and leave.

I think, and hope, it's just going to be Jamie and me. I've been on cloud nine since yesterday, not only because we are together, but because we worked things out and are back to normal, or a new normal at least. I missed having her around and I'm beyond happy that things turned out great between us.

Last night I stayed up for a while just thinking about everything that happened and how happy that made me. Now I just want to spend some uninterrupted alone time with her, figure out our new dynamic and just enjoy her company.

I knock on the door and Jess opens it with a grin almost the size of her face. "Hello, Allison."

"Allison?" I scrunch my nose up.

"Allie, whatever. So... I hear you're going on a date."

Jamie's head pokes out of the bathroom. "I only said we were going out." She gives me a look I know means that this is whatever I want it to be.

I smile and speak while looking at Jamie. "Yes, we're going on a date." She smiles and pops back into the bathroom.

"I knew it!" Jess claps her hands. "You guys are so cute!"

"Shut up, Jessica." Jamie comes to the bedroom and grabs my hand. "I'll see you later." We walk towards the elevator and I smile at our hands together. "Date, huh?"

I look up and she her smirk. "Why not? It'll be fun." I smile.

"Does that mean I'll have to walk you home at the end of it? Because I don't think I can walk that far."

"I would never do that to you! There are so many yards between our rooms!" We both laugh and have a nice chat while we drive to the ice cream shop.

"So..." she says as we sit at a table at the back of the shop.

"So..." I laugh and take a spoonful of my chocolate ice cream.

"I haven't done this is a while." She frowns.

"What? Talked to me?" I chuckle.

"No, a date."

"You know we're still friends, right? Nothing's changed there, we're just putting another flavor of ice cream on our bowl." We both laugh at my metaphor. "But I'm serious. People hate it when the person they're romantically interested in or involved with calls them a friend, but I don't get it. Don't you want a friend in your partner? Because I know I do."

"I guess you're right."

"I always am." I flip my dark hair and she laughs. "So let's just be two friends in a romantic relationship."

"Somehow that makes perfect sense."

"And this may be our first date, but it's definitely not the first time we're hanging out."

"Ok, you win." We laugh.

We talk for a little longer until we finish our ice creams and then decide to just go back to my room and hang out. We sing and dance the entire drive back home. The atmosphere around us is so pure and happy I wish it would never end.

We arrive in my room and I lay on my bed facing the ceiling.

"Are you going to sleep?" Jamie giggles.

"No, silly, let's just lay down and talk."

She lays next to me and I turn my face to look at her.

"Hi." I smile.

"Hi... so, what do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know..." I look at her beautiful dark brown eyes. "You're really pretty." I brush my hand over her cheek.

"That's a a really good subject." We both giggle. "But thank you. I just think you're prettier."

"Shut up." I press my lips against hers. She pulls me closer and I have to place my hand on the bed on the other side of her head so I can hold myself up. One of her hands strokes my cheek and the other holds me by my waist, pulling me even closer.

I deepen the kiss and my entire body tingles. I throw my leg over her so I could get a better angle. She pulls away and, before I could complain, flips us over so she's on top of me. She lowers herself and kisses me again. My heart races in my chest and I pull her closer to me.

She breaks the kiss, but starts trailing small ones along my jaw and down my neck. My fingers are deep in her hair, holding her close to me. The room gets hotter and she pushes herself up way too soon.

"We have to stop now," she whispers in-between heavy breaths.

"Why?" I complain.

"'Cause we're taking it slow, remember?" She smiles and leans back down to give me a small peck on the lips.

"I don't." I hold her face close to mine. "Just because we're taking it 'slow' doesn't mean we're going on turtle speed." I smile and kiss her softly.

"I know, but it's still soon. So before we start sprinting out of nowhere, I think I should go now." She gets off the bed and walks towards my desk to get her things.

"It's just..." I sit up and run my hand through my hair. "I'm not fragile, you know? You don't have to be super careful with me or be afraid to take it 'too far'. If I'm not comfortable with things, I'll say something. What happened is in the past, it's long gone and I'm here now, with you." I get up and hold her hands. "I know what I'm doing here. All I said yesterday is that I don't want to go headfirst. Yes, we're taking it slow, but it just means we're walking and not running. I don't want to rush, that's all." I squeeze her hands and just look at her, my smile never leaving my lips.

"I know, I just don't want to push you." Her voice is filled with concern.

"Then let me tell you if I ever feel that way. I don't want you to be scared. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then trust me when I say I'm fine. I don't feel pressured at all. I don't want you holding back."

"It's hard, but I'll work on that." She smiles and softly kisses me. "Good night, Allie."

"Good night, Jamie." I smile as she walks to the door and leaves my room.