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I practically skip back to my tiny apartment a couple of blocks away from campus. I change out of my jeans and t-shirt and slip on a summer dress as I wait for Arlo to get here. I’m just tying my hair up when there’s a knock at the front door. I grab his laptop as I head for the door, checking the peephole to make sure that it’s him.
I swing the door open and see Arlo standing there with my laptop in one hand and a bouquet of tulips in the other. He offers me both and I grin as I bring the flowers to my nose, breathing in their sweet scent. No one has ever given me flowers before, and I smile at him as I invite him in.
“Thank you for these.” I say as I try to find something to put the flowers in.
“No problem.” He says as he looks around my place.
There’s not much to see. I just moved in a couple of weeks ago and most of my stuff is still in boxes. I only have a tiny place, with a small kitchen tucked into a corner. There’s a bathroom next to it and the rest is my bedroom/living room. The boxes are stacked against the wall and there’s a few on the floor next to the futon that I’ve been using as a table.
“I fixed your laptop.” He says after I’ve got the flowers cut and arranged in a couple of glasses.
“Really? Oh wow! You must be a miracle-worker! What was wrong with it?” I ask.
“Just a problem with some of the software. It was a pretty simple fix.” He says modestly.
“That’s really cool that you are able to do that kind of stuff. I swear, I’m like technology illiterate.” I say as I grab my purse and we head for the door.
We have to walk down the stairs since my place doesn’t have an elevator. It’s an older building but it’s all that I could afford. We make it outside and Arlo holds the car door open for me. We head to a place down in the French quarter and we sit outside on the balcony so that we can listen to the street musicians across the street.
We both order the burgers and we sit outside in the warm fall weather and talk as we wait for our food to be ready. I find out that Arlo was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He’s always liked computers and he’s double majoring here at Tulane University. He already has a job, has in fact been working for a software company for the last couple of years. He tells me about how he designs and creates new software and apps and how he also does internet security.
I tell him about growing up in Arkansas and going to community college there for the last two years while I saved up money to afford to come to Tulane. I’m a junior, while he’s a senior, and I’m an English major. I want to be a writer and Arlo listens while I tell him about some ideas for stories that I have.
We talk about our families, his still lives in Baton Rouge, and mine are in Little Rock. We are both only kids and we both love our parents very much. He tells me his favorite food is pot roast and mine is salmon. We both have a sweet tooth and his favorite candy is peanut butter m&m’s whereas mine is sour gummy worms.
We spend hours sitting out on that balcony, talking. It feels natural and easy being with Arlo and I like getting to know him. He pays the bill and helps me down the stairs and back to his car. We drive home and talk about music and how I’m liking Tulane on the way back to my place.
Arlo walks me to my door, and I wonder if he’s going to kiss me goodnight. I unlock the front door and turn back to him.
“I had a really great time tonight.”
“Yeah, me too.” He says.
We both shuffle and I realize we’re both debating if we should make a move. I giggle quietly before I step into him, turning my face up to meet him. He takes the hint and I watch him gulp before he leans down and meets me halfway.
His lips are warm and firm on mine and I moan as his lips mold to mine. The kiss is over before I’m ready and I pout as Arlo pulls away from me. He smiles shyly down at me, clearing his throat as I take a step back.
“Goodnight, Arlo.” I whisper.
“Goodnight, Briar.” He whispers back.
He waits until I’m inside before he walks away, and I lock the door behind me before I collapse back onto the bed with a smile on my face. My lips tingle as I run my fingers over them and I squeal as I roll over in bed and fall asleep with a smile on my face and fantasies of Arlo and me playing out in my mind.
