Analia
When Lexie arrives to pick me up on Friday night, I'm pleasantly surprised by her dressed-up appearance. She's wearing a black collared sweater, dark blue jeans, and black sneakers, a departure from her usual tee shirts or hoodies. I find myself admiring how well we complement each other.
"You look incredible. Why don't we cancel our plans and go upstairs? We could have just as much fun naked," Lexie jokes, pulling me closer by my waist.
"Thanks, you look good too." I glance at the blue Ford sedan she's leaning against. "Is this yours?"
She playfully tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "Well, I couldn't show up in a hoodie, could I? And yes, it is. We have my stepdad to thank for this beauty."
As she opens the passenger side door for me, I climb inside and notice that the backseat is down. I wonder if that's intentional. "Where are we going, anyway?" I inquire as Lexie gets into the driver's seat.
"We're going to have dinner at Ruth's Chris, and then we'll walk to the park where there's an outdoor double screening of 'When Harry Met Sally' and 'You've Got Mail.' I remember you saying you love romantic comedies," she explains.
Wow, we're going on a date. A thoughtful, well-planned date. Usually, I'm the one who plans all the dates, so this change of pace is refreshing. "That sounds amazing."
We decide to leave the radio off and engage in conversation the entire way. Lexie proves to be easy to talk to, and our topics range from future travel plans to our mutual hatred for black licorice.
When we arrive at the restaurant, Lexie insists on opening the door for me. "Table for two," she tells the waitress as we enter. The waitress nods and retrieves two menus, guiding us to our booth.
"You guys are a beautiful couple. What can I get you to drink?" she asks, setting the menus down in front of us.
"Two lemonades, no straws," Lexie promptly answers. It surprises me that she orders for both of us. That's exactly what I was going to order, but it still catches me off guard. As the waitress leaves, Lexie looks at me and smiles with amusement. "You hear that? We're a beautiful couple."
As we wait for our drinks, a comfortable silence settles between us. I feel content just being here with her.
"What's something you've always wanted to do? It can be anything, even something that wouldn't seem possible," Lexie asks, breaking the silence, after the waitress brings our drinks.
I ponder the question, not wanting to choose something boring. "I wish I could be up in the clouds. Like, so high up in the sky that the clouds surround me."
She nods, taking a sip of her lemonade. "That's a good answer, but have you never been on a plane?"
"No, I haven't. But that's not exactly what I mean. I want to physically touch the clouds, like with my hands. Now, it's your turn to answer. What's something you've always wanted to do?"
She pauses, seeming contemplative. "I want to see an alternative reality version of myself. I want to know what my life would be like now if my mom had never married my stepdad."
I nod, unsure of what to say. If that's what she would want, her relationship with her stepdad must be the worst. But I don't ask. "That would be interesting. I've never given much thought to alternate realities. Do you truly believe something like that could be real?"
"I don't know, maybe. Maybe not. But the concept is fascinating. Somewhere out there, there could be a version of you who hasn't experienced all the same things you have. You could witness what you would be like if you had made completely different choices in life," Lexie explains.
Lexie surprises me with her intellect. She appeared cool and enigmatic at the party, but now I'm witnessing a whole different side of her. I wonder how much more of her I'll get to see tonight.
Lexie
As we finish our dinner, we decide to walk to the park since it's a beautiful night and not too far away. The evening has already been everything I had hoped and more. It feels like we're a genuine couple, even if only for tonight. Despite her being with Wyatt, she's mine in this moment.
At a crosswalk, we come to a stop, and I can't help but gaze at Analia. She's absolutely stunning. Resting her head on my shoulder, she speaks softly, "I think I like you."
I tighten my embrace around her, feeling a surge of warmth. "I think I like you too." The light changes, prompting us to hurry across the street and enter the bustling park. The turnout is larger than I anticipated, with numerous couples and an array of vendors.
Analia's eyes light up when she spots a cart selling ice cream sundaes, despite having already had dessert. I purchase her a sundae called 'The Princess,' featuring two scoops of strawberry ice cream adorned with pink Skittles, pink animal cookies, and strawberry syrup.
She looks at me playfully, sensually licking the ice cream off the spoon before giggling. She's both adorable and alluring, and I feel elated to have her by my side.
We come across another cart selling blankets and decide to buy two of them. "Where would you like to sit?" I ask, following Analia to an empty spot near the front. I lay down one of the blankets, and we settle in, using the other blanket to snuggle beneath. Please, let this be it.
YOU ARE READING
HER
Romance"There's nothing wrong with following the rules. I don't like getting in trouble." She doesn't say anything for a minute, just stares at me. "That's too bad," she says, leaning in closer. "I was hoping to get into some." ...
