"No, notnow-now but...I don't know.Later.Another time.After a date or something," I blabbered.
Some of Faye's usual smirk returned to her lips."Cassiopeia, are you asking me out on a date?"
The heat from my face spread down my neck, like fire sliding through my veins.In my attempt to make the conversation feel more natural, I'd managed to ramp up the awkwardness.At least for me.
I touched the back of my head.This would be a good time for one of Balthazar's interruptions but no, that darned cat was nowhere to be seen.
"I suppose so, yes," I said eventually.
"You suppose so?"The amusement was fully back in Faye's voice now."Wow, flattering."
I nudged her arm."Hey, I'm doing my best here.Romance isn't exactly my strong suit and you have no idea how many hours I've already spent agonising over how to ask you on a date and where to take you."
Faye's grin melted into a genuine smile."You have?"
Maybe I shouldn't have admitted that but Faye looked pleased.Very pleased.I was fairly sure I'd seen her exact expression on the cats when they got their way.
I looked away, tightening my jumper around me although the heat of my embarrassment was keeping me plenty warm.I put on my huffiest, haughtiest voice, hoping to sound snooty."If you don't want to go on a date, then forget I said anything."
"No, I do want to go on a date!"Faye blurted out, sounding giddy and breathless."Let's go on a date."
The butterflies rise up to my chest and I find myself grinning like an idiot.“Okay.”
“Okay!I'll message you to hash out the details because I think Mila needs your help,” she said, gesturing for me to turn around.
I twisted on my heels, nodding when I could see my cousin waving at me to come back inside.
“Yeah, looks like I'm needed.”I gave her a thumbs-up and turned back towards Faye, disappointed that our time was cut short.
“Well,” she said again, hesitating once more.
“Well…” I echoed, realising she was trying to figure out how to say goodbye.It seemed presumptuous to just kiss her but did I really want to see her off with a wave?
I leaned forward at the same time as she did, startling her and myself.A nervous chuckle bubbled up from her and she touched my arm instead, squeezing through the fabric of my jumper.
“I'll message you,” she said, moving back and departing with a big grin.
“And I'll reply!”I called after her, almost facepalming myself with the drill.What a lame response.
Luckily, Faye seemed amused and her smile was worth making a fool out of myself.
It wasn’t until she was gone that I realised she’d come to the coffee house and had left without a hot drink.A pleasant warmth spread through me knowing that she’d made the walk just to see me.
How cute.
FOUR
Snuggled under my duvet,I held my phone up above my face with my chat with Faye open.She'd said we would message and yet, no messages had found their way to me.Was she busy?Did she change her mind?Was she waiting for me to reach out first?
I hovered my thumbs above the keyboard, trying to think of what I should write.
I wrote, instantly deleting it.That was lame.Wouldn't it be better to suggest somewhere to go?I had plenty of ideas but most of them had been shot down by Mila, Balthazar, or the collectiveness of the internet.
Restaurants were too stiff, festivals were too loud.There was no talking during a cinema so it was too impersonal but inviting her over for a home-cooked meal wastoointimate and personal.For a first date, at least.
Why was friendship so easy and romance so hard?
I wrote out another attempt. I deleted the message when I realised I couldn't remember what she wore.I'd been too flustered, awkward, and distracted to take notice and commit it to memory.If I was going to woo her, I needed to pay more attention.
