Warm and enjoyable

You woke up at 11 am, you rested well and you're full of the energy you'll need today. You end up in front of your apartment at 1h30 waiting for Ashley to arrive. You wonder how she got your address, you think of your goal for today: a neutral and platonic date, you won't make a move on someone who thinks she's your girlfriend all of a sudden because if there really is something strange going on, then she isn't really consenting.

As your mind keeps changing subjects you end up thinking about your mom. Your not really close but you worry nonetheless as she didn't come home yet. You sent her a text this morning and she told you she was still at work and would go home in the afternoon.

About ten minutes later, someone creeps up behind you, startling you in the process. You turn around and see Ashley, you're surprised to see her in very comfy clothes which clashes with her habitually very intricate and feminine clothes. She feels more authentic when she's dressed like this.

"You look good. I like your clothes" You tell her instinctively. Her face starts blushing slowly, she grabs your hand.

"Come on, you dummy, let's go." She leads the way, trying to hide her red face.

You arrive at an arcade and she looks at you expectantly.

"We're going to an arcade for our date... I was expecting something more romantic." You tell her while looking straight at her.

"I like games... Come on let's go inside." She enters and runs to the nearest crane game.

You feel like someone is watching you but the street is empty, you shrug and join Ashley inside.

You try to win her a plush but you lose for the tenth time, you decide to bring her to the actual arcade instead, you play a zombie shooter where she saves you a few times and you end up spending lots of time on a fighting game where she proves her skill again by demolishing your character with long combos. You think you spent most of the game in the air.

You spend the afternoon enjoying yourself and forgetting about your troubles, you even win a few times.

You decide to bring her home and you cross a small park:

"Hey John can we sit on a bench for a bit?"

"Sure you answer."

You feel a soft wind on your skin as you look at the trees without leaves of winter. She's the first to break this comfortable silence.

"I really enjoyed myself today."

"Me too." You say contemplative.

"I'm... happy I can be myself when I'm alone with you." She lays her head on your thigh and looks at the distance.

"What's stopping you from being yourself all the time?" You ask calmly.

She pauses for a while.

"Sorry... I hope you had fun today. Let's hang out again sometime." She gets up and stands before you.

"You're dodging the qu-" Your sentence is cut by the touch of her lips on yours. She then hugs you warmly, and you pat her hair for what seems like an eternity.

"See you on Monday!" She says while wiping away her tears. Before you can answer she's already moving. You let her go in order to give her some space.

You ready yourself to go home and as you turn around you swear you saw a figure looking at you in an alleyway. You shiver and decide to go home.