the other side of us | ✓

1.17 | can I have this dance

It had been almost a month since Mason had asked her out, and Charlotte had been waiting for him to follow up about it. But he'd been silent, almost infuriatingly so.

He was in the kitchen now, washing the dishes from that afternoon's post-lunch coffee crowd. The dishwasher had broken last week—again—so Mason was washing everything by hand. Every time she saw the stack of plates and cups that begged to be washed, Charlotte was more grateful than ever that he had agreed to work with them.

When she'd told her friends about him asking her out, Devin had been the first to cheer, and Ash had been right behind her.

Max had been wary, though he'd never met Mason, so it was understandable.

"How'd he do it? When did he do it? You said yes, right?"

Charlotte had laughed as Devin peppered her with questions. They were at Max's house for a change, and the coffee table in front of them was littered with snacks and drink cups, a half-eaten pizza sitting precariously close to the edge.

"After work, and yes."

"Wait, yes you said yes?" Ash asked.

"I did."

"You, Charlotte Evans, said yes."

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

"I just—wow."

"It's about time." Devin said. "Now the awkward sexual tension can just be regular sexual tension."

Charlotte blushed. "We did not have sexual tension."

"Ignore her," Ash said, swatting Devin in disapproval. "It's great news, Charlie."

"It's really not that big of a deal. It's just a date," Charlotte said, trying to downplay the fact that she was feeling just as excited as her friends.

"Yeah, it's just a date. But it's your first date."

"So? A date is a date."

Ash rolled her eyes. "She doesn't get it."

Charlotte did get it. She'd never dated before. And Ash was right, this would be her first date. Ever. But Charlotte knew that if she treated it like it was a monumental thing, she would freak out about it and overthink everything.

So, it was just a date, and it wasn't a big deal.

Even if Mason was the first person who'd ever made her heart feel like it was going to beat through her chest.

Suddenly, Charlotte found herself trying not to overthink again.

*

"If you stare any longer, you're going to drool."

Charlotte turned and smacked Devin on the arm, rolling her eyes in the process.

"I was not staring," Charlotte defended herself.

"Please," Devin said, setting down her tray of empty napkin holders. "If your eyes shot lasers, pretty boy would be dead."

Charlotte stuck her tongue out and returned to her task of measuring out ingredients for the scones she was planning to bake tomorrow morning. Devin had been driving her insane for the past week, asking for details about her and Mason's relationship, even though there was nothing to tell.

"He hasn't said anything yet?" she asked now, ignoring the fact that Charlotte was facing away from her.

"Devin, you asked me that an hour ago and my answer is still the same."