The question.

For a blessing, the girls hadn't gone home immediately. They were going to have some sweets at Maria's Coffee Shop, the place Mila and I went to on our first date.

Because it was a date, dammit. So was that Saturday with Grace and that Sunday with Sarah. We could pretend they weren't all we wanted, but we all knew those were dates.

If so, then why? Why invite me to three separate dates? If I assumed they liked me the way I liked them, I could only think of two reasons.

I ran, keeping a steady pace, but I was still going pretty damn fast. I could've taken the bus, but with the traffic at this time, it would've taken longer.

So I ran, block after block, for about ten minutes straight. Again, this was crazy for me. I only slowed my pace when I was getting closer to the coffee shop, yet I still moved with haste, worried the girls were gone already.

I went in, the little bell at the door rattling loudly at my push and drawing several sets of eyes to me. For once in my life, I paid them no mind. The only eyes I wanted to focus on were those of the girls I was here to see. Mila, Grace and Sarah were still there, at a table with cups of lattes and half-eaten pastries. They stared at me with puzzled expressions.

I swallowed my nerves and walked up to them, nodding my apologies to the woman behind the counter and the other customers for the sudden and rushed entrance.

"Oliver? What happened? Why are you so red?" Mila asked me.

My body felt like it was burning, and I was only just starting to catch my breath. Regardless of my new stamina, it seems I still pushed it with how fast I was going.

"I ran," I answered, a sheepish smile on my tired expression.

"We can see that," Sarah noted. "But why? Weren't you with Thomas and the others?"

"Take a seat," Grace told me, waving to the free chair at the table for four. "Did something happen?"

I swallowed dryly. Now that I was here, I was feeling the pressure of what I was about to do. Not to mention we were in public here. There were only like three other customers, but…

"N-No, nothing happened," I assured them.

"Then why did you leave?" Sarah asked.

"I…" Before I could start, someone appeared behind me and put a large glass of water in front of me.

It was the lady that was behind the counter when I came in. She looked between 20 and 25 years old and had vibrant strawberry blonde hair, bordering on pink.

Smiling, she said to me, "You look parched. Tell me if you want to order something, okay?"

By rote, I answered with a silent nod and watched her leave. That had been too sudden for me to process, but I was still thankful for the glass of water. I downed it in a few seconds, much to the girls' amusement.

There were two reasons I could think of for the dates the girls took me on. The first was that they wanted me to choose one of them. A single date, the possibility of maybe becoming something more than sex friends, but I was supposed to make a choice. It sounded… sort of logical, I think? Certainly more than the second reason I could think of.

"Sorry for coming here like this," I told them

"It's fine, Oliver." Mila laughed. "But seriously, why are you here? Did the guys have to split up early?"

I shook my head. "There was something I forgot to tell you, and… I didn't want to wait. I hope that's alright?"

Grace chuckled. "We weren't ready to leave yet, so by all means, say it. Want to order something?"

"I'm good. I… don't think I can eat right now." I laughed to try and ease my own nerves. Wasn't working much.

My stomach was an absolute mess. It twisted and churned in all directions at the same time. My head was so light I was starting to think I didn't have one, which would make sense, considering the idiocy of what I was about to say.

"Alright, enough mystery," Sarah said, leaning forward on her chair, smiling. "What's so important that you ran all the way here?"

…

Maybe I shouldn't say it. If this went wrong, there was a chance – a big chance – that I could end up alone again.

…

The ghost of a sting on my back nagged me. I still felt the slap on the back and heard the words that forbid me from backing out. I took a deep breath and let it out. Then, in a voice that was firm enough for the girls to hear but soft enough for other customers to ignore, I spoke.

"I was… I wanted to ask you three if you'd like to go out with me."

…

Silence, but not indifference. The words slowly but surely were starting to sink in.

"Oh, you mean like hang out this weekend, right?" Grace said, laughing awkwardly.

It was a way out, if I wanted it. I could pretend that was what I meant, since I hadn't told Sarah and Mila that I wanted to invite them to my house yet. But no.

I shook my head. "I meant that I'd like you three to be my g-girlfriends." Shit. The nerves showed right on the last word.

I saw their faces slowly turn redder and redder. I would've been happy to finally be the one to catch them off guard if I wasn't so on edge. They shared worrying looks of incredulity, and every second of silence was more agonizing than the last. At least they weren't quiet for more than 10 seconds.

Mila then smiled at me, face red and fidgeting in her seat. "Yes. I'd like to go out with you."

My breathing stopped. It was my turn to feel incredulous, but the smile creeping into my lips did so on its own.

"W-Wait!" Grace spoke, and I felt my heart sink in for a split second. "My God, Oliver! You need to pick a better place for things like these!" She was also as red as a tomato, a goofy grin from ear to ear on her face, eyes glittering with the threat of tears.

"I…" Sarah coughed one to clear her throat. "I'm gonna go pay for our stuff. Let's talk… somewhere else." She stood up. "Please."

My heart was going wild. One yes and two answers pending. And even though she had answered quickly, Mila was shaking her head as if trying to wake herself up from a daze.

I took a deep breath and followed the girls out the shop. No use thinking about 'what ifs' anymore. I asked my question, and I would get an answer. Just not here, not now.

I really could've picked a better time and place, huh?