Dinner and a date.

The burger place was busy but casual, with bright lights, booths along the windows and the smell of grilled meat drifting through the air. Kat seemed to relax almost immediately once we were inside. She ordered a cheeseburger, fries and a milkshake, while I went for a similar meal and found us a booth near the window.

When we finally sat down, Kat looked at me with an enormous grin. “That was ridiculous.”

“Which bit?”

“Rebecca. All of it. The outfit, the cinema seats, the Korean barbecue…”

I laughed. “Don’t forget the part where she made you sit through half a film while she kept talking to me.”

Kat covered her face with her hands. “Oh, my God. I genuinely thought I was going to lose my mind.”

I grinned, remembering the surprise of Kat's sudden, very enthusiastic kiss. “You handled it pretty well.”

“Thank you. I thought I did too.”

She lowered her hands and looked at me. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Do you think she was trying to get your attention?”

I hesitated.

Kat noticed. “Come on. Be honest.”

I looked down at the table for a moment before answering. Rebecca had been my best friend for so long that I didn't want to judge her too harshly. “Maybe.”

Kat nodded slowly. “I thought so.”

“I'm not sure she even realises she's doing it.”

Kat gave a little laugh. “Are you kidding? She practically dressed for a night out with a celebrity.”

I laughed. “She's always dressed well.”

“Not like that she hasn't.”

I couldn't argue with that.

Kat took a drink of her milkshake and looked thoughtful. “I don't think she's deliberately trying to hurt me.”

“Neither do I.”

“But I think she likes having you around.”

I looked at her. “What do you mean?”

Kat shrugged. “I mean, you've been her best friend for years. She's used to being the most important girl in your life, even if she didn't think of herself as your girlfriend. Now you've started dating someone else, and suddenly she's having to think about what that means.”

Her words made me pause. It wasn't something I'd considered quite so clearly before, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Rebecca had spent years taking my affection for granted because she'd always assumed I'd be there. Now that I'd started exploring something with Kat, perhaps she was only just beginning to realise that things could change.

“Maybe you're right,” I admitted. I dreaded to think what Rebecca would do next if she genuinely was trying to win me back.

Kat smiled faintly. “I usually am.”

“Don't get too cocky.”

She laughed and threw a chip at me.

I caught it before it hit my shirt. “Nice try.”

“Shut up.”

We both laughed, and for the next few minutes the conversation drifted towards less serious things. We talked about the film, school, Michael's ridiculous messages and the likelihood of him turning our cinema trip into a running joke for the next month. Kat told me about something embarrassing she'd done in class earlier that week, and I retaliated with a story about Heather that made her laugh so hard she nearly spilled her milkshake.

After we'd finished eating, Kat leaned back against the booth and smiled at me. “So.”

“So?”

“Was this a date?”

I grinned. “Let's call this half a date. I still owe you a full one.”

She smiled. “Good.” She reached across the table and took my hand. “Because I'd quite like another one.”

I squeezed her fingers. “I'd like that too.”

Kat leaned across the table and kissed me, smiling when she pulled away. “Next time, just you and me.”

“Definitely.”

We paid for our food and stepped outside into the evening air. The sun had dipped low enough that there was only the faintest shimmer of light left behind the building in the distance. The temperature had dropped, but it was still warm enough to be pleasant while walking around. Kat slipped her hands into the pockets of her oversized jumper as we started towards the park that sat between the shopping district and her neighbourhood.

She seemed in a much better mood now that we'd escaped Rebecca's little cinema performance. Every so often she'd bump her shoulder against mine or reach for my hand, and I found myself smiling whenever she did. It was strange how quickly the awkwardness from the dance had started to disappear.

As we entered the park, I glanced down at her track pants and trainers. “You know, there's something I've been meaning to ask you.”

Kat raised an eyebrow. “Should I be worried?”

“Probably not. I was just wondering how the training for the marathon was going?”

She looked at me blankly. “What?”

I gestured towards her outfit. “You're dressed for a workout. We could jog home instead of walking if you wanted to get an extra run in.”

For a second, she just stared at me. Then she burst out laughing. “Oh, my God. I hate the both of you!” Kat said as she punched me in the arm.

“Ouch!” I overplayed how much she’d hurt me.

“I should have just gone home when you showed up,” Kat played along, but I could see the impishness in her eyes. “You haven't even seen the worst bit of my outfit tonight.”

I looked her up and down with exaggerated seriousness. “I don't know. Those sneakers are doing a pretty good job of setting a low standard.”

She gave me a playful shove. “Shut up!”

I laughed as she stepped away from me, looking around the park to make sure there weren't any other people close by. Then she glanced back at me with a mischievous grin.

“Fine. You asked for it.”

Before I could respond, she caught the hem of her oversized jumper and lifted it up to reveal a completely unglamorous grey cotton sports bra underneath. It looked several years old and the sort of thing that was purchased entirely for comfort, with broad straps, a plain design and absolutely no attempt at being fashionable.

Kat held the jumper in place longer than she needed to just show me what she had on before dropping it back down and looking at me expectantly. “Well?”

I stared at her for a second before bursting out laughing. “You cannot be serious!”

Kat started laughing too, folding her arms over her stomach. “I told you it was bad!”

“That is the least sexy bra I've ever seen.”

“Excuse you! It's comfortable.”

“I'm sure it is.”

She gave me another shove. “I wasn't expecting to see you today, okay? Rebecca told me we were having a girls' night. I got dressed accordingly. I'm wearing the comfiest clothes I own, and underneath them is the comfiest bra I own. I had absolutely no intention of impressing anyone.” She paused, then looked at me with a grin. “I definitely wouldn't have worn that on a date with you.”

I raised an eyebrow. “So you're saying that if you'd known you were seeing me, you'd have dressed differently?”

“Obviously!”

“How?”

Kat smirked at me as she thought for a while. “Maybe a tight skirt like Rebecca’s, only shorter.”

“I’m not sure that’s possible,” I laughed.

Kat continued. “A cute top and… some very sexy lingerie.”

My eyes went wide even picturing it in my head. Kat laughed at my obvious response and reached out to gently close my jaw for me.

“So maybe give me a heads up next time,” she laughed as we resumed walking.

“Note to self, definitely give a heads up.”

We continued through the park, following the winding path beneath the trees. The evening had grown quieter, with only a few people walking dogs or heading home after a day out. Even in the dark somewhere in the distance, a group of children were playing on the playground, their laughter carrying across the grass.

Kat seemed to have become more comfortable with holding my hand as we walked. She swung our joined hands between us occasionally, and every now and then she'd look at me and smile without any particular reason. It was a little thing, but it made me feel ridiculously happy.

We eventually came to a small gazebo near one of the quieter paths. It sat away from the main walkway, surrounded by trees and a few garden beds, with a wooden bench running around the inside. The setting was almost ridiculously romantic, especially with the evening light filtering through the branches.

Kat slowed down as we approached it. “Want to sit for a minute?”

I looked at the gazebo. “Sure.”

We stepped inside and sat together on the bench. For a moment we simply watched the park around us, neither of us in any particular hurry to continue towards her house.

Then Kat turned towards me. “You know what?”

“What?”

“I'm really glad Rebecca invited you tonight.”

I smiled. “Even though she tried to make herself the centre of attention for half the evening?”

Kat laughed. “Okay, maybe not that part. But I got to spend time with you, and that was the bit I wanted.”

I looked at her. “Me too.”

She studied my face for a moment before looking down at our joined hands.

“I was worried you'd end up spending the whole night playing along with Rebecca.”

I hesitated, not wanting to give her a dishonest answer. “I did get caught up a few times,” I admitted. “She's been a big part of my life for a long time. But tonight was supposed to be about us, and I wanted to make sure you knew that.”

Kat nodded slowly. “Thank you for being honest.”

I squeezed her hand. “I like you, Kat. It’s just strange for me to be liking someone other than Rebecca for so long.”

Her smile returned. “Good. Because I liked you too for a long time.”

For a while, we sat together talking quietly. The conversation drifted back to the dance, then to the film, and eventually to what we might do on our next proper date. Kat suggested a café where she knew they made ridiculous pancakes, and I immediately agreed that it sounded considerably better than being dragged to another expensive restaurant.

Eventually, the talking slowed, and Kat turned towards me with a small smile. “Can I kiss you?”

I laughed softly. “You don't have to ask every time.”

“I know. But I wanted to.”

That answer made me smile. “Then yes.”

She leaned towards me, and our lips met in a gentle kiss. It was longer than the ones we'd shared before, and when we pulled apart, neither of us moved very far away. Kat rested one hand against my cheek, looking at me with an expression that made my stomach flip.

“Okay,” she whispered.

“Okay?”

She laughed. “I'm just getting used to this.”

I smiled and kissed her again.

This time, she moved closer, slipping her arm around my shoulders while I rested mine around her waist. We sat together beneath the gazebo, kissing almost constantly now. After a while, Kat shifted on the bench, turning towards me so that we sat face to face, each of her legs resting on top of mine. I slipped my arm along Kat’s legs, sliding them up until I had a hold of her hips and drew her closer in towards me. She rested her hand on my chest, idly playing with the fabric of my T-shirt before looking up at me.

“What?” I asked when I caught her smiling.

“Nothing. I'm just thinking.”

“Dangerous.”

She laughed and gave me a light push. “You're ruining the moment.”

“Sorry.”

“Don't be sorry. Just kiss me.”

I happily obliged.

As we kissed, I let my hand move from her waist to her slides, my hands slipping under the warm material of her jumper. She seemed perfectly comfortable with it, and when my hands rested against the bottom of her ribs, she covered them with hers and guided them a little higher. I paused, looking at her to make sure she was happy with the closeness.

Kat smiled against my lips. “It's okay.”

Kat had guided my hands to her breasts, and I felt them through the soft cotton of her sports bra. They were two perfect little handfuls just for me. I squeezed them, and she sighed into my mouth. I kissed her again, and she leaned into me, her hand moving from her own body to the back of my neck. We were both getting more comfortable with each other, and the nervousness gradually gave way to longer, more urgent kissing. When I had worked up the courage to slide my hands under Kat’s bra, she lifted up as I did and came and rested herself on my lap, straddling me. My fingertips found Kat’s nipples and pinched them as she started to rock her body against me, tilting her pelvis as she ground down on top of me. I was hard and I’m completely certain Kat knew as she rubbed up against my stiff cock.

After a handful more minutes of that, we were both gasping. I was feeling extremely hot in my pants as Kat leaned back, still right on top of me and lifted up the front of her jumper once again. She pulled her sports trainer up with her, and I got a look at those exquisite tits I’d been playing with. I took the invitation and dove my head down and started to suck Kat’s nipples. This time she moaned freely as I paid attention to each of them in turn.

I had just formed the thought that I was kicking myself not to have brought the condoms Heather had bought me when Kat pushed my head away and jerked her hips back from mine.

“Stop!” Kat groaned and she sounded like she was pleading.

I was worried I’d done something wrong for a split second before she reassured me there was no fault on my behalf.

“I want more, but I’m not ready.”

I nodded I understood and told Kat. “Of course.”

She laughed ruefully. “Damn, Rebecca! I haven’t even shaved my legs tonight.”

That made me laugh too, as a part of my brain wondered what else Kat shaves…

We stayed in the gazebo a little longer, wrapped up in our own little world. Every now and then someone passed along the main path, which reminded us that we were still in a public park, and not the most suitable place for going any further.

Eventually, Kat checked her phone and groaned. “I really should get home before Mum starts wondering where I am.”

I laughed. “Do you want me to walk you the rest of the way?”

She slipped her hand into mine. “Obviously.”

We stood up together and left the gazebo, heading back towards the path that led to her neighbourhood. Kat leaned against me as we walked, and I put my arm around her shoulders. By the time we reached her house, neither of us seemed particularly interested in saying goodbye. We stood near the front gate, still holding hands, with Kat occasionally glancing towards her front door as though she was trying to decide whether to invite me inside or let the evening end here.

Eventually she sighed. “I'm probably going to regret this.”

I frowned. “What?”

She pulled out her phone.

“I'm going to organise a lift for you.”

“Why would you regret that?”

“Because I know exactly who would pick you up right now.”

I had a pretty good idea myself.

Kat tapped at her phone for a moment, then held it to her ear. A few seconds later, she smiled. “Hey, Becca. Sorry to bother you. If you’re not home yet, could you do me a favour and give someone a lift?” She glanced at me. “Yeah, just at my house. He’ll be outside.” Another pause. “No, we're fine. I just thought you might be able to take him home. If you were still in the area.” Kat listened, then laughed. “Thanks. You're a lifesaver.” She ended the call and slipped the phone into her pocket. “She'll be here in a few minutes.”

I looked at her. “You really didn't have to do that.”

“I know. But I thought you might appreciate not having to walk all the way back in the dark.”

I smiled. “Thank you. This creepy girl followed me all the way through the park just before.”

“Ahh! You asshole! Is it too late to take back saying I liked you? Rebecca is welcome to you, I say.”

We both laughed and came together for a final cuddle.

Kat held me tightly. “I want you to get home safely.”

“Goodnight, Kat.”

She smiled. “Goodnight.”

We shared another quick kiss before she headed inside. I waited near the gate until she reached her front door and waved at me through the glass. A few minutes later, a familiar hatchback turned onto the street and pulled up beside me.

Rebecca wound down the passenger window. “Need a lift, Romeo?”

I laughed and climbed into the car. “Apparently.”