“So will this be everyone in your party?” A young hostess asked from behind the front stand. Behind her was a small restaurant with booths and tables. In the middle of each table was a rounded grill where people cooked thinly sliced cuts of meat.

  “Yeah, it’ll just be the two of us.” Baron, standing stiffly within the outfit Abel curated for him, answered as the smells of cooked meat tempted his hungry stomach.

  “Perfect! Just follow me then,” she said in a peppy, customer-service voice. Following her, Baron and Rose didn’t stray from her as they slipped by busy waiters, rolling carts, and chattering tables.

  “How exciting!” Rose, who smelled of a pleasant floral perfume, said with an infectious smile that complemented the appealing red lipstick on her lips. Not the only part of her that looked stunning to him tonight, he looked her up and down with a fluttering in his stomach.

  To match her short blonde hair, she wore white heels, which he hadn’t seen her in yet, and a grey long skirt that came down to her ankles. Pleasurably, his eyes continued to admire her until he came up to a white cardigan that was only buttoned at the top over a light blue undershirt. It all complemented her, and paired well with her rounded glasses.

  Baron felt his face grow red, and he didn’t want to leer or linger on it too long. But he liked the way her outfit humbly clung to and complemented her feminine frame.

  Wow. She’s absolutely stunning. In fact, Baron was sure that no one had ever looked upon someone as beautiful as he did now.

  “I’m happy you’re as excited as I am,” he said with a lovestruck smile of his own. At their table now, the hostess stepped to the side as Rose slid into the booth. And before he took his own seat, there was a thought. Doesn’t the spot next to her look more comfortable? He asked himself.

  The idea made him feel hot, and his cheeks red as the heat traveled up. It felt like a good idea, but he couldn’t muster up the courage to ask. To not hold up the workers or customers, he quietly sat across from her. I’m the worst at this. The rush of warmth dispersed the bold desire he still wanted to make happen somehow. It was simply too scary. Even after they started officially dating, which Baron didn’t expect. Actually, he wasn’t sure what he expected, except maybe for it to feel more natural than before.

  “Your server will be over for you shortly,” the hostess added before she headed back toward her host stand. It left him alone with Rose, who fluttered her curved eyelashes. He thought he’d gotten comfortable with her, but his sweaty hands and turning stomach told him otherwise.

  It was funny to him. He’d saved his appetite for this dinner, but now the nervousness made the smells of food, and the hunger he felt, nothing more than a backdrop to Rose.

  You’re so pretty. Sitting with a cute smile and eyes that felt like they embraced him with only her gaze, Baron felt like he needed to say something. It was that, or he may never find the boldness to speak up again in his life.

  “Uh. I just wanted to say…” Choked up by his own words, Baron found himself struggling to speak his mind. “Er. I wanted to say that you look really pretty right now.” Internally cringing at himself, he was happy he at least said it.

  “Oh? So I’m not pretty normally?” Rose asked with a raised eyebrow and a teasing smile. One that Baron didn’t pick up on as his eyes went wide, and his worst fears seemed to come true. No! How did you mess that up!?

  “What?! No?! I promise that I think you’re always pretty!” Baron said in a rush of panic, though a part of him already knew that he’d do something wrong at some point. Because that’s just the sort of person he always was.

  “Relax, I’m kidding,” Rose light-heartedly giggled. It was an immediate relief. One that made Baron giggle at his own anxiousness. “You’ve just seemed so stiff since we got here. Guess I just wanted you to enjoy yourself.”

  “Sorry,” Baron said as he rubbed the back of his head with an awkward giggle. “It’s just… This is our first date as boyfriend and girlfriend.” Testing how it sounded out loud with her, Baron still said it unnaturally. “I think it made me a little nervous.”

  “I get it, don't worry. This is all so new. But if it makes you feel better at all, I’m liking it a lot,” she said. Her eyes slowly looked him up and down. “You’re looking handsome yourself.” The butterflies in his stomach fluttered and danced up to his heart, though he still struggled to see himself as anything but a child dressing up and playing pretend.

  Normally, he wouldn't have known what to wear, but Abel had helped with that. From Abel's own closet to complement the dark blue jeans he wore, and the plain white sneakers he already had on, Abel insisted that he wear one of his nicer button-ups. Admittedly, he thought it looked good, but that was when Abel wore it. Not him. However, that one compliment suddenly made this stiff outfit feel perfectly fitted to him. Like the goofy, kind of ugly in his own opinion, kid he saw in the mirror before leaving for this date, may have looked a bit better than he perceived at first.

  With an uncontrolled smile, Baron, as the warm blush washed over his face, was forced to shift his eyes down to the menu of different meats and vegetables. Not long after, their server, likely another college student like themselves, came by for both of them to order lemonades, and separate things of sliced beef and chicken bulgogi.

  “This place seems really nice. I really appreciate you bringing me out for this,” Rose mentioned as they both passively scanned over their menus.

  “That is good to hear. This is apparently a popular Korean barbecue place in this area.”

  “Silly. That's nice, but it doesn’t matter how popular a place is or how nice it is. I just have fun doing things with you,” Rose said with words that melted Baron to his core.

  “Me too. I’m unsure if it's the same thing exactly, but everything seems better when you’re around,” Baron agreed with an imperfect smile. Across from him, he could see her authentic, happy expression grow with his own. And while looking at her red lips and round cheeks, Baron couldn’t think of anything else but kissing her, though he’d never done it before, nor had he thought he’d ever actually get a chance. That made him both incredibly excited to maybe experience it, but also made the butterflies flutter and threaten to flip his stomach or blow up his heart.

  Returning without much time passing, the server gave them their drinks, before they placed down the beef in front of Baron, and the chicken on Rose’s side. They then sprayed down their circular grill with a spray bottle of oil before asking a final time as they left.

  Baron used the larger tongs to place his beef onto the sizzling plate between them, and Rose did the same with her own choices of meat and the side of corn she ordered.

  “I saved my hunger at school today for this. Smells worth it so far,” Baron mentioned more casually as they cooked their food, and the salty aromas filled their noses.

  “Same. I ended up skipping lunch to study with some friends from Psychology," she agreed. Great minds think alike, right? He rhetorically asked himself to reconfirm something he already believed.

  “So how’d that go? I remember you saying that it's not the easiest,” Baron asked as they pulled off the meat and began eating. The fatty beef melted in his mouth with a warm bite. His patience was rewarded by the salty and savory taste as they slowly ate, and as they cooked more food.

  “It was alright today. The class wasn't too hard, and knowing I had this to look forward to made it a whole lot nicer,” she said in between bites of her chicken. “How about you? Tiring?” Somehow, Rose was able to see right through him. She was right.

  “No, it was pretty nice actually. It wasn't too hard a day, just long with the early morning classes. If I look tired, it's probably because I stayed up a little too late to get some stuff done.” A very understated statement, admittedly. While he had stayed up past 2 am finishing homework, he kept the real reason he had to stay up that late a secret. “But I’m not tired or anything.” He was, in fact, very tired. His body was sore and heavy from running around, not to mention the tiring exertion of his mana usage from their fight, which made him feel slow.

  “That's good, it would be sad to see you overwork yourself and burn out.” But despite the bags under his eyes and the sluggish tiredness he carried about all day, Baron had begun to feel a newfound sense of energy since the date started. A feeling he attributed to what he assumed being in love felt like for not just him, but everyone.

  “If anything’ll burn me out, it’ll be the calculus,” Baron said with an overly dramatized shiver. A gesture that got a pleasant giggle from his girlfriend. My girlfriend. He thought to himself again after perceiving her that way so naturally.

  “Maybe I can help with the Algebra and Psychology I’ve taken so far,” she joked. Alongside her, Baron giggled as butterflies in his stomach faded with his tiredness.

  Then, before Baron could speak again, their server swung back around with a charismatic energy about them. Taking their second round of orders, they talked fast and seemed busy, so they didn’t linger long.

  “I’d love to have you there helping me. Even if it's just to have you there,” Baron picked back up while they patiently waited for more food to be delivered. “Maybe you should come over for us to study together sometime?” he suggested with a meek timidness in his voice.

  Meeting her eyes with his insecure gaze, Rose reassured him with a joyful look back at him. “I’d love to. Though we should make sure Abel’s alright with it when I come over.” Her answer, along with her presence as a whole, elated him; really, any reason to spend time with her excited him.

  “I’m sure he won't mind.” As he finished, the plates of raw meat were placed in front of them. With a thank you to the worker, they began to cook the next round of food.

  “That would be nice… Though I worry that Abel doesn’t like me sometimes, and only tolerates me because we’re dating,” Rose mentioned with an insecure tone, though she never broke eye contact or seemed to shrink from that uncertainty in her tone.

  “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that. He’s just Abel, and he’s that way to everyone. But trust me when I say you’d really know if he disliked you,” Baron said to comfort her. “Besides, I know that they both like you. They’ve said it themselves,” He reassured her as he flipped the scolding meats.

  “Alright, that’s reassuring. What do you think both of them are up to right now?” she asked. Curious himself, he stopped what he was doing to think about it.

  “Well. I imagine that Abel is either making music or art, and Dawn is probably studying, or maybe running around New York if she’s not practicing her ballet,” Baron said with a belief that his friends were being productive.

  “They do seem like hard workers.”

  …

  “Pass me that shit you greedy ass,” Dawn lazily slurred in a playful tone to Abel, who handed over the lit blunt. On top of the bodega Baron had them meet at before, her and Abel had rolled up the weed they had taken. Only just starting their rotation, they leaned against the rusted railing as they smoked with a scenic view of the city’s skyline.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Unreactive to her poking, Abel released a stream of grey smoke. Dawn watched him exhale as she took hold of it herself and took another earthy puff. She doubted that her eyes were very open, as the relaxing feeling of elation continued to drown out her and muffle the background noise of her insecure mind. Lazily giggling at the head rush, she passed it back to Abel, who took his own puffs without much reaction.

  “So how do you think our boy is doing right now?” Dawn asked with an impish smirk. For her, she was proud to see their adorable friend Baron dressed up for a date, but it was also funny to imagine his bumbling self in that situation.

  “Good, hopefully. But realistically, awkward. Seems like Rose likes that, though, or at least likes him enough to not care.” In a normal tone, and not appearing high to her on the surface, Abel told her as he passed back the blunt.

  “Probably. I believe in him, though,” she said with a genuine hope that things would go well for him. “Maybe he’ll even get to use that little gift I got him.” Not laughing alone, Abel smirked and chuckled with her.

  “Doubtful,” Abel responded to her, while clearly amused by her joke.

  …

  “Yeah, they’re both pretty productive most of the time,” Baron doubled down. With the tongs, he put the cooked meat on their respective plates. But while looking over at her, his vision drifted to her tempting lips as he had been the whole date. He couldn’t help himself. They were simply becoming too irresistible for him to ignore, and the idea of planting his own against them wouldn’t leave his mind.

  “That's good. They both seem like good friends,” she mentioned as they ate.

  “They’re the best friends I could ask for,” he said without hesitation. “If you don't mind me asking. What about Jen? What do you think she’s up to?” Baron asked, curious about her own best friend.

  “Knowing her, probably overworking herself.”

  “Oh. Is she alright?” Baron, only just hearing about anything like this, asked with a sincere worry in his squeaky voice.

  “She’s well... She’s been having a stressful time with everything going on for her, but she’s holding in there. At least enough to stay ahead of school and dance for now,” Rose finished, though she had a sense of worry about her as she had overshared.

  Admittedly, he did find Jen a bit rude, but hearing what Rose said made him feel more sympathetic toward her. Not that I didn’t already care for her before. He just had a real reason to rationalize her actions now. And while he wanted to ask if there was anything he could do, he figured it might be disrespectful to probe into her friend’s business.

  “I hope it all turns out good for her,” he simply said instead.

  “Thanks. Jen and I appreciate it, even if she doesn’t know it right now,” Rose said with a clear atmosphere of sadness. An emotion Baron was determined to dispel her from.

  “Of course. I’m sure she’s been as good a friend to you as Abel and Dawn are to me,” Baron said reassuringly, as they continued to eat and cook the remaining food on the grill. “You two have been friends from high school, right?” Baron asked to try to move the conversation on naturally.

  “Yeah, we were basically inseparable from middle school until junior year. Don't get me wrong, we’re still really close, but well…” She seemed to struggle finding the words. “We both have changed a lot since then.” A subtle expression of shame became apparent to Baron before it faded back to a half-hearted smile. “What about you? Do you keep in contact with anyone from high school?” Keep in contact with me? What a funny idea.

  “Er…” Baron found himself cringing at his past and the thoughts of him desperately trying to fit in during those times. “Well, not really. I wasn’t super popular, and I don't think anyone really considered me a part of their friend group.” He thought back to the four years of his life that only recently passed. In that time, even while in a Cognizant school, he couldn’t seem to make meaningful friends for one reason or another; most said that it was because of his boring personality and lack of a spine.

  “Aw. Well, that’s alright. I can't say I was very popular either, but that doesn’t really matter now, does it? We have each other, and more importantly, you have Abel and Dawn now,” she reassured him. And she was right, Baron began to recognize the dreary cloud of loneliness that lingered over him for most of his life had finally begun to disperse.

  “Yeah. You’re right,” he said, as the memories drifted further and further away from where he was currently. In his position, as an older and ever so slightly more confident version of himself, Baron shifted his vision from her lips toward the seat next to her. And deciding to push past the anxious dancing in his chest, Baron found a resolve similar to the one he had as Spriggan. “I hope you don't mind me asking, but er… Would it be alright if I sit by you?” he finally finished after his awkward delivery.

  For some reason, he thought it would sound smoother and nonchalant. What was I thinking? Nonetheless, Rose’s smile grew wider as she subtly bit down on her bottom lip and slid over to give him space. “Would you look at that? There just so happens to be a perfect spot for you right here.”

  Taking his opportunity, Baron slid over his plate and lemonade before switching to her side of the booth. Now, sitting side by side, he could feel her warm outer thigh and shoulder as they pressed against him. Somehow, this side was more comfortable, and it gave him an encompassing euphoria that tempted him to try further for a kiss. But Baron wasn’t ready to test his luck just yet; he was still him after all.

  “This is nice, isn’t it?” Rose asked. Her voice was now closer and much more intimate. Then, to Baron’s surprise, she leaned into him to rest her head against his arm.

  “Very.” You may not believe me if I say this was one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me. Baron couldn’t manage to say more than that for fear of speaking his mind too freely, at risk of looking like a fool.

  Luckily, before he could make a fool of himself, their server came back around to see if there was anything they could do; though Baron also noticed the look of approval they gave him. Ordering a last round of food, they walked away from them with the promise of it coming by shortly.

  “Hopefully this isn't the last one you take me on,” Rose joked from her fragrant position against his side.

  "Of course not! I really want to go on more dates like this, and to do a bunch of new things with you.” Confidently answering her with only a small voice crack, Baron finished as the last order of their food came.

  “That sounds nice,” she agreed. As she spoke, he continued to cook their food, though he was already almost full himself.

  “Then it sounds like a plan. Maybe next time we can try to go out earlier to do a few more things,” Baron suggested. Or we can just skip our classes and spend all day together, then maybe spend the night together too. No! That was unrealistic and crazy! Even if it does sound like a dream.

  “Oh, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you let me show you around one of the city’s museums? You’ll love it. They have a piece by Claude Monet, and there’s so much there to see.” Nodding his head, Baron had no idea who Claude Monet was, but he would have agreed with anything she said. After all, doing anything with her is more than worthwhile.

  “That sounds great. We can try to go next week if it works out,” he said in simpler words. All while they continued to talk, her side remained against his as they finished eating the remains of their final serving. “I’m stuffed. How’re you feeling?”

  “Same, and it was so good,” she said with a fondness that made Baron’s own happiness more plentiful. Smiling beside her, as his stare switched between her blue eyes and red lips, both enticed him to come closer.

  “I’m happy that you’ve enjoyed this as much as I have.” Kiss her. His mind raced with the thought, but that felt like a daunting leap of faith compared to just asking to sit by her. One he couldn’t make right now despite his desire to do so.

  “Maybe if you got the time, you could come part of the way home with me?” Rose asked him with the cutest tone he’d ever heard.

  “Of course, just let me pay for the check real quick,” Baron answered, and reached to pull out the wallet in his pocket. Perfectly on time, their server came back around for him to get the check. Luckily, not only did he save Hugo’s allowance, but it wasn’t as expensive as he thought it would be. Nice.

  With the sound of Velcro tearing, Baron opened his wallet to grab the money required. But slipping his fingers into it, they brushed the sealed square of a wrinkled plastic. The package of a condom - Dawn’s ‘little gift’ as she called it. She had given it to him before he left, despite his initial hesitation and protests, but she broke his will and convinced him as she tended to. Filled with regret and fear of embarrassment at her noticing, Baron was quick to pull out the money and lay it onto the table, leaving a good tip.

  “Ready to get going?” Baron checked. And with a cute little nod from her, he slid out of the booth to allow her space to get out. Most importantly, it appeared that she hadn’t noticed ‘Dawn's little gift’, which he had done his best to hide.

  “Yeah.” With that, the two of them exited the restaurant into the hustling New York streets of concrete and glass. A sight Baron always found impressive despite the lack of plant life or nature. Side by side, their hands grazed, and with his sweaty, clammy hands, he took hers into his. His fingers interlocked with hers for a perfectly snug fit.

  Sharing a smile, Baron could see her blush as his body warmed as well, and most likely his face grew a deeper shade of red than hers. Down the sidewalk, they remained silent while in the other’s presence as they walked beside the noisy crowd. With the flashing lights of the city, and the glistening of the skyscraper’s glass behind Rose, complemented her and the natural glow she had to Baron. It was a moment that he was confident he’d never forget. He just wished time would stop and allow him to live here until he felt like it was long enough. Nothing less than forever would satisfy him.

  “Wait, this is perfect, let's take a picture real quick!” She grabbed her phone from her purse. She pulled him closer to her side by his hand, until there was barely any space at all between their cheeks. Smiling the best he could, he couldn’t compete with the radiant joy Rose had. He watched as Rose took a series of pictures before snuggling against his arm. A picture with Rose after this amazing date. Could life get any better?

  “Can you send me those later?” Baron requested as they descended the stairs of the illuminated, dirty subway station that had a peculiar musk to it. But he could barely notice while Rose was the fixture of his universe.

  “Of course. They turned out nice, so I don't mind sharing this time!” She flirtatiously answered while clinging to his side. A feeling he found incredibly comfortable, and it was one he knew that he’d dearly miss when she let go. But he was going to enjoy this until it had to be over.

  Amidst the evening crowd, Baron stared down at her as a gust from the tunnel chilled them. Pulling against him, Rose tightened her grip to shield herself from the cold, and Baron found himself pulling closer to her as well. Around him, the chatter of people and the train’s vibrations from stopping faded from him; currently, Rose was all he could see, her pleasant-smelling hair was all he could smell, the rhythm of her heartbeat against his arm was all he felt, and her quiet breathing was all he heard.

  In the forefront of his mind, he couldn’t think of anything other than feeling what her red lips felt like against his. After all, they’d gotten close while at Abel’s concert, so maybe this could be the chance to redeem himself.

  Without noticing the crowd move toward the opening train doors, he lingered with Rose still on his side. She looked up to meet his infatuated gaze, and it helped him make up his mind. You’ve got to at least try! Come on, Baron!

  Swallowing the nerves that choked him up and made him sweat, Baron forced his lips apart to speak. “Uh. Um…” Dang it! He couldn’t seem to find the words on his first attempt. “Uh. Do you think I could maybe kiss you?” Whatever he expected from himself, it wasn’t nearly as savant or smooth as he’d hoped it might turn out for some stupid reason.

  In a silent pause, she stared up at him with a smirk. A good sign. Right?

  “I don't think so right now,” she answered while still smiling toward him. Her words sent a brutal shock down his spine and made his stomach plummet with the weight of embarrassment. As his face shifted downward and his jaw fell agape, he started to think it could have been the single worst moment of his life.

  But then again. What did I expect?

  “Although one on my cheek would be nice.” Her words relieved the weight in his stomach and lifted his spirits back to life. No longer was this one of the most embarrassing things he could currently remember ever feeling, nor was it the single worst moment of his life.

  Quite the opposite, Baron believed that this may be the single greatest thing to happen to him, not that he ever had high hopes for himself to start with.

  She turned her head aside to give him the chance. In front of him, his nerves were nearly out of control now that the chance was there. But he wouldn’t allow himself to fumble this, as he leaned in toward her fragrant perfume and round cheeks. Baron’s thin lips made unpuckered contact with her soft, warm skin.

  Only lasting a second, he could have been fooled if you said it went on for longer.

  Fearing he lingered for too long, Baron snapped up straight as he stiffly pulled back. He had a starry look in his eyes, and he could see a similar one reflected in Rose’s.

  “Thank you. That, and the dinner, were really nice.” Finishing her sentence with a recuperated hug, she started walking toward the train before the doors closed. “Bye, Baron! I’ll be waiting to hear from you.” With a cute little wave, she slipped into the train before it departed.

  Wow. Left awestruck on the drafty platform, Baron was left with the rush of emotions that bounced around his head. Most important of all, was he a bad kisser? He’d never done it before and guessed that it would come more naturally, but now that Baron tried it, he felt like he’d done it wrong somehow. He felt stiff, his lips felt too flat, and it didn’t make the noise that he heard on TV and movies.

  But she seemed to enjoy it nearly as much as he, and Baron hoped that was all that matte