She accepts.

After what seems like ages but in reality is only a few minutes, she answers.

“Okay.” Her voice is barely audible.

“You sure?”

“Don’t ask me that or I might back down.” She tells you more firmly.

“Hey, if you don’t want to I won’t **** you. Just know that I’m happy to help.” You raise your hands innocently.

“God, you really are a horny teenager.” She shakes her head. “Sit down.” She tells you, patting the spot on the bed next to her.

You leave your glass on the desk and sit down.

“Just to be clear, this is just a kiss. You’re not allowed to touch me anywhere below the shoulders.” She warns you with a frown.

“Okay. What about…” You clear your throat. “…tongue?”

Emily bites her lip, looking conflicted. “Only if I tell you you can.”

“Perfectly acceptable conditions.” You nod.

She takes a deep breath, turns her body towards you and closes her eyes. “Okay. Whenever you want.”

If that’s how she wants it, going straight for the kiss might surprise her. You put one hand on her shoulder and with the other you lightly brush her blonde hair. She stiffens, but soon relaxes into your touch. You trace your thumb gently across her cheek, then her lips. Finally, you lean close and kiss her.

It’s soft at first, lips barely brushing against each other, and slowly you press them firmly against hers. You cup her cheek, and the faint sound of your lips meeting and parting echoes across the room. You feel your heart skip a beat when Emily starts to return the kiss, trying to match your rhythm. She holds onto your shoulders awkwardly, but the fact she’s even trying to make contact is encouraging.

She breaks the kiss, and just when you think it’s over, she mutters “You can use your tongue now…”

You smile, put your hand on the nape of her neck and kiss her again. You don’t slip your tongue immediately, building anticipation before you surprise her. Her startled reaction reminds you of Megan’s. Your tongue entwines with hers, the new sensation causing Emily to moan in pleasure. The wet sounds of your make out session almost seem to thunder in your ears as the only sound in the tiny shed.

Emily’s hands start to roam down, running through your arms, the sides of your torso before settling in your chest. You keep yours where they are, in the nape of her neck and her shoulder, right where they’re allowed to be.

Emily suddenly breaks the kiss and looks at you with wide eyes and ragged breathing. Her face is still close to yours. “I… I think we should stop.”

“Was I too bad?” You ask.

“No! God no!” She tells you adamantly. “That was… really… REALLY nice. I just…” She clears her throat. “Got just a tiny bit… excited.”

“I’m flattered, then.” You smile reassuringly. “But if you say stop, we stop.”

“Thanks.” She says with an embarrassed smile. “Things don’t have to be awkward now, do they?”

“Not if you don’t want to.” You answer, watching Emily stand up and walk back and forth around the room.

“Right! This was just… two friends trying things out, right?”

You nod, and for some reason that seems to tick her off and she lashes out to you. “How are you so calm!? I’m a nervous mess here and you are acting like nothing even happened! Did that mean noth…” She cuts herself off before finishing that last sentence.

You frown, stand up in front of her, take her hand and quickly hold it you your chest.

“What are you-!?”

You shush her. “Can you feel it?”

Emily calms down and starts to focus, until she can finally feel how fast your heart is beating. “I might seem calm, but I’m definitely not. Of course that meant something to me. I can’t kiss a beautiful girl like you and feel nothing.”

Emily stares into your eyes with pursed lips before she stands up hastily. “Look, I… I better go. I’m sorry I made things awkward. I’ll be back to normal tomorrow. Everything will be. See you.” She takes her things, walks to the door and opens it before she stops as if frozen in place. You stare at her back until she finally turns around, walks up to you, gives you a kiss on the cheek and finally leaves in a hurry.

You throw yourself on the bed and lay there for minutes, unmoving. You’re not angry, sad or disappointed. Just… upset. You don’t even feel like looking at the App to see Emily’s score, feeling nervous about what it will show.

An hour later Megan sends you a message, apologizing for not being able to make it today. You ask about her grandmother, and thankfully she’s fine.

You exchange a couple of goodnight messages with Emma and go to sleep.