The sound of the radio blares in my car as I sit waiting for her. Does she even remember what my car looks like? What if she decided not to come? I start nervously tapping my steering wheel as I feel beads of sweat caress my forehead. I look around my car and notice all the food wrappers and clothes piled up in various places. I made a good effort to clean the front of the car and was hoping she didn’t have the common sense look in the back. Ideas pop in my head as I try to figure out how to cover the disgusting rear scene of the car, until I hear my passenger door swing open.

“Yo whats up Dante,” Florina says as she practically bounces into the car. I turn to face her and my eyes lock onto hers. Instead of my dull dark brown eyes, hers are a radiant turquoise color that reminds me of the ocean. My weak-willed teenage boy mind can’t stop my eyes from traveling her body.

She had a small lithe build like me, but was reasonably shorter. She used to do track with me, but she quit sophomore year after a decent season from the school. I should of followed suit, but was pressured by the coach to continue running. I’m glad it’s finally over.

“Don’t stare too long.” She lets out a small laugh.

“Ah, sorry my bad. You look good today by the way.” I start my engine.

I start making my way out of the school until I hear a swarm of footsteps coming from behind me. I turn around and see almost the whole track team running towards my car. In the hands of most of them are signs saying “We love you Dante. I stop my car and open the door. The crowd swarms me and suddenly I’m facing the sky and my body is being launched up and down. Shouts and hollers surround me while people apart from the crowd start taking out their phones and recording.

Eventually I’m put down and the team gives me a group hug, I might not of liked track, but the team still felt like an extended family to me. I didn’t realize it, but tears started falling down as I say goodbye to this family that I was with since freshman year. The team started to disperse giving room room for the coach to come to the middle.

“So, finally saying goodbye. Out of all these years I have no idea how you felt about track, but I know you loved this team and you were a leader for it ever since sophomore year. No one disputes your skill as you led us to many district and state wins and have more school records than anyone I’ve worked for in my 25 years of experience. The team will miss you, but don’t think just because your gone we’re not going to keep being successful. This team is going to work twice as hard now that there's a hole in here without you. Your a legend, I hope you find yourself a bright future.” The coach walked up to me and wrapped his arms around me after completing that speech. I did the same and the crowd cheered so loud that I thought someone was going to file a noise complaint.

The crowd died out after that speech and after a few talks between other track members I swung my car door open and returned inside. I glanced at my passengers seat and realize Florina wasn’t there. I waited a few minutes and finally see her running towards the car with a small white box wrapped around with a red bow in her hand. She opens the door and quickly places the box towards her feet. I act like I didn’t see it.

“Can we head to my house before the movies, I want to drop my bag off and check in with my mom,” she says.

“Of course.” I start heading towards her house trying my best to make small talk, but none of my attempts are giving me that good of a conversation. Awkward tension filled the car.

We arrive at her house and she tells me to wait as she goes out to the car. I notice the box with a red bow under the passenger seat. Various parts of my mind conflict with themselves as I decide whether or not to open it. I settle on not going through my crush’s stuff, as that would probably only be viewed as creepy by her. Her front door burst open and slams as she rushes out. Her outfit is different as she now sports a green crop top with jeans that barely scrape her thighs.

“Isn’t it a little cold to be wearing that, it’s March,” I inquire as I reverse out her driveway.

“It’s pretty warm today, what you don’t like it,” she replies with a hint of disappointment to her voice.

“No you look good, I just don’t want you to get a cold or something like that.”

“Your one to talk, your in a tank top.”

“You got me there,” I let out with a laugh.

We continue driving to the movies and arrive at the amc on Euclid Avenue. I park the car in the lot and turn the engine off. We both leave the car and I notice that I have no idea what movie we’re gonna watch. I still lead her into the place and fortunately for us, there is no line for tickets.

“Let's do a horror movie,” I hear Florina say as she grabs my arm. I know I shouldn’t be taken aback by contact with her, we’ve honestly been flirting with each other since the beginning of the year. Still her touch can’t help but make my heart flutter.

“Ok, let’s go with The Nun.”

“I wonder who's gonna end up in whose arm today, I’m pretty resilient to these kinda things you know.” She gives off a smirk.

I smile back and roll my eyes. We reach the line and show them our ids and pick our seats. We walk to the concession stand and I look around, movie theaters are always so overpriced and I think its complete bullshit. Levi says that they have to because the movie makers most likely get a big percent of ticket sales and I can’t really argue with that. Still, I know it’s gonna burn through my pockets. I blame my mom for making me think so cheaply.

“So what are you in the mood for,” I ask.

“I probably won’t eat anything.” She pulls down on her crop top while saying this. She’s never really been a big eater so I’ve been used to this response.

“Ok I’m gonna get an icee.” I go to the employee and smile. She smiles back, but takes a glance towards Florina and the smile disappears as fast as it appeared. I ignore the awkward interaction and order a blue raspberry icee. I take the cup and guide Florina to the guard that rips the tickets.

“I have to use the bathroom, I’ll meet you in the theaters,” Florina says this while basically running away towards the restroom.

I walk up towards the ticker ripper, she was a girl around my age. I reach into my pocket to fish for my ticket.

“You can just go ahead, I’m pretty sure I saw you get a ticket beforehand.” The guard glances to the side. I say my thanks and head towards the hallway where the theaters are lined up. However, I stop before going down to our theater and wait for Florina. I see her skip towards the guard.

“Ticket please,” the guard exclaims.

“Oh it's right here..,” she trails off while thrashing around her two front pockets. I hear an annoyed sigh from the guard. She finally locates the ticket in her back pocket and gives it to the guard. The guard practically snatches it from her hand. Florina continues pass the guard and towards me, unfazed.

“Hey do you want me to say something to her, she was being a prick,” I ask.

“Nah, it’s fine. People are just like that, she probably had a bad day,” Florina replies.

I give her a shrug, it might be a girl thing, I know in my school girls have a tendency of being rude to other girls for no reason. Now that I think about it, that happens to a lot of girls around me. I dismiss thinking about it too much and walk side by side with Florina towards our designated theater. Should I try to hold her hand? That seems like a big first step for a first official date. I drill it into my mind though that during the movie I’ll try to make a move on her, hoping that if I keep thinking about it I’ll actually have the courage to do it.

We go into the theater and sit on the seats we picked earlier. The theater fills up rather quickly and the movie begins. I hear the music shift for the first time indicating a jump scare was about to come up. I shifted my body to make my posture more straight. She talks a big game, but I know Florina scares fairly easily. 3..2..1..

“AHHHHHHHHHH.” I hear a scream escape from Florina’s mouth. I snuck my arm over her shoulder and pull her towards me. She clutches on my shirt like a newborn child and her head rests on my shoulder.

“I’m s-sorry,” she stutters.

“Don’t worry about it,” I respond as her chest sinks into my arm.

The movie continues and a few more scares brings us so close together that I have to lift the armrest between us. I can feel her breathing quicken and slow every time a scary scene passes. I can fill her soft curls grazing the skin of my arm.

The movie eventually comes to an end and we wait a bit longer so we don’t get trampled as we try to leave. At Least, that's what I tell myself, even though I know I’m just trying to prolong the situation I’m currently in. Moments pass and I realized the whole theater is empty besides us. I look over to her and notice how relaxed she is. Her eyes are closed and mouth is partly open, she has more of a baby face then I realized.

“Even though I’m enjoying this we should probably get going.” I gently squeeze her face.

“Yeah, your right.” Florina slowly rises to her feet and stretches. She reaches for my hand and helps me up. Not wanting to waste this moment I wrap my hand around hers and start walking out of the theater, our hands still pressed together.

“Took you long enough, for someone always so calm you were way too shy with me today,” Florina says.

“It’s just first date jitters, I think I’m over it. You don’t know how long I was waiting for this to happen.” After the success of the date I spill this information out for reasons unknown to me.

“Me and you both.”

We exit the amc and arrive back in my car and drive off. Unlike earlier the conversations run rampant between us as we talk about our lives and future. My car makes a stop as I drive into her driveway.

“I want to go to your house for the next date.” She rotates her body to face me.

“Why is that.”

“It just sounds exciting, all the Mildas in one house.”

“It can get pretty hectic.”

“Trust me, I live with one baby brother and one baby sister, I know how it gets. It just sounds fun. What? Are you gonna turn me away.” She gives an exaggerated pouting face.

“No I would never.” I clasp my hand over my chest. She gives a full teeth smile and rolls her eyes.

“I have a surprise for you.”

Reaching below the seat, she retrieves the box she hid there when we left the school. She slowly unravels the red bow and opens the box. The thing that was there startled me, it was a rock. It wasn’t a bad looking rock by any means, it was smooth and was a pretty jade green color.

“You might not remember this, but the first time we met was both of us discovering this rock at recess. We played with it together until we were called in, I think it was in 1st grade. Anyway, you gave me the rock and I’ve kept it ever since, it was my good luck charm. I want to give it back to you though,” the story flows out of her mouth like she practiced it multiple times.

She put the rock in my hand, the cool touch of it sends sensations down my skin. I don’t remember much of 1st grade, but I do know we were best friends during it, but later drew apart because of her being homeschooled. We met back with each other in middle school and she was one of the few people I could call a true friend.

“Thank you, but what if you..” I begin to say.

“No. I made up my mind, I used it so now it's your turn to use it, besides I already have you as my good luck charm anyway.” Her face turns a noticeably shade more red as she reaches out and hugs me. She then opens the car door and bolts inside her house waving behind her.

I laugh and rest in the car a bit, a sigh of relief escapes me. I back away from her house and make my way home as I anxiously wait to tell Skye the news.