{{Dedicated to @izzzyyyy123 for always leaving the loveliest comments}}

After inviting Floyd to what would surely be a night of cheap booze, shitty music and hormone-driven teenagers dry humping each other on the dancefloor and getting a positive answer from him within five minutes, Rhea peacefully devoured her ice cream, already getting excited in anticipation of Friday evening.

Admittedly, a high school party wasn't the ideal environment for her to be getting to know her potential –or at this point, straight-up– soulmate, but she was too much of a wuss to ask him out when she'd known him for a single day, and a social gathering such as a party gave her the perfect excuse to do it.

As she munched on the ice cream cone in her hand, Willa talked her ear off about the kind of outfit she should wear –it shouldn't be too revealing but it should totally make him do a double take when he sees you–, how they should do her hair –we should totally curl it, I'll bring over a curling iron–, and make up –smoky eyes, definitely–. Rhea could tell her best friend was already getting into the idea of Floyd and Rhea together.

Then again, this was how she always got when a potential suitor –Willa's words, not Rhea's– for Rhea presented himself. She'd get even more excited than Rhea, planning outfits for her dates, giving her a spare lipstick for when she went out on the date and anxiously waiting by the phone for details.

Unfortunately, all of her efforts had been fruitless so far. No luck in finding a worthy specimen for Rhea. Again, Willa's words. However, Rhea had a feeling that that was about to change.

When she got home at around six, she found that her parents had already come back from work and that they were sitting on the living room couch, watching the news.

It was her father that first noticed her entering the living room, and as soon as he did, he laid a hand on her wife's thigh to alert her. She instantly sat up when she realized why his husband was trying to get her attention, scooting to the edge of the sofa to inspect her daughter's face carefully. Apparently, watching the news was a ruse; they were waiting for her.

"Hey Mom, Dad," Rhea said, coming to sit on the plush, beige armchair, hoping to get the inquisition over with. It was inevitable, really, so why fight it?

"So?" her mother said, trying to suppress the delighted grin until it was confirmed by her daughter that everything had gone well.

"I met him," Rhea said, getting to the heart of the matter. "He is cute and funny and absolutely charming."

Upon her words, her mother clasped her hands together and let out a squeal of delight, as if Rhea had told her she'd won a million dollars in the lottery.

Her mother was nothing like the mothers who'd lose it over the idea of their daughter snatching up a prosperous man with an impressive bank account, a mansion in Saint Tropez or a million dollar company. She'd always been the "I don't care too much for money / money can't buy me love" type. Yes, she was, and always had been, a romantic at heart so it was important for her that her daughter would be with someone worthy of her.

"I am so glad, honey," she said finally, getting up from her seat to give Rhea a hug. For a moment or two she fought against the hug –as was obligatory for all teenagers–, but then she sunk into it. In all honesty, her mother gave the best hugs into world; even Willa's hugs had nothing on hers.

"I am happy for you," Rhea's father, who had kept quiet through the mother daughter bonding, said.

"Are you sure about that?" Rhea teased, "Your daughter is on the verge of getting hitched to a young man."

"Hitched?" her father said, with a teasing glint in his eyes. "Just you bring this boy over and I'll show him my magnum .47."

"What? Dad, you don't own a gun," Rhea said laughingly. Her father's antics never ceased to amuse her.

"Maybe it's time I got one," he countered.

Rhea let out an airy laugh at that, but then sobering up she said, "Dad, you know I am capable of taking care of myself, right?"

"I know," he said solemnly, "But you'll always be my little girl."

***

On Tuesday, Floyd sat next to Rhea on their lunch table for four, where the rest of the seats were occupied by Wade and Willa. To Rhea, it almost felt like a double date. The key word being almost, of course. She and Floyd were in that beautiful place where it felt like the beginning of something, though neither felt the need to label it yet. It was all flirtatious disses and soft smiles.

Much to her relief, Floyd won over both Wade and Willa almost immediately. He struck up a conversation about NBA with Wade and frankly, all it took for Wade to like Floyd was learning he was a Celtics fan like him.

When the lunch period was over, the girls started walking side by side, discussing outfit details for the party in hushed tones. Floyd made to follow, but Wade grabbed him by the elbow before he could.

"Hey pal," he said, "If you ever hurt Rhea, I'll rearrange your facial features in such a way that even S.H.I.E.L.D's facial recognition softwares won't be able to place you."

"I won't," Floyd said with a serious expression on his face, his jaw set, "I swear."

***

On Wednesday afternoon, she had AP Chemistry and when she thought about seeing Caleb again, she felt embarrassment clog up her throat. Yes, he'd ruined her book and had been kind of a jerk about it so maybe her behavior at lunch was justified. But the way she'd lashed out on him during class afterwards was uncalled for and she knew it.

She also knew that she had to fix it. It was going to be very hard, but she'd just have to put on her big girl panties and apologize to him.

It was with these thoughts in mind that she made her way into the classroom where the Chemistry class was held. Upon looking over the rows of work places, she saw that Caleb was already sitting at the one they'd sat on Monday, peering down at his phone. Once again, he'd got the window seat. She'd have to get a move on that next time.

Checking the clock hung above the teacher's desk, she saw that there was still three minutes before class would start. So she decided to fit in the apology in those three minutes; this way, any awkwardness that might ensue would be cut short by the beginning of class.

Mentally patting herself on the back for her cleverness, she made her way towards the work surface and set down her backpack. Caleb didn't look up from the phone in his hands, his thumbs flying over the screen with startling speed.

"Hey Caleb?" Rhea called for his attention.

"Hmm," came his noncommittal acknowledgement. He was still typing, and it left Rhea standing awkwardly, staring at the top of his head.

"About the other day..." she started, and he finally looked up. "I might have overreacted a bit. Not to mention the way I went all psycho on you in class."

"A bit?" Caleb asked teasingly, an easy grin taking over his features.

"Will you be serious for ten seconds," she said exasperatedly, "I am trying to extend an olive branch here."

"Okay, go on," Caleb said, pressing his lips together in his attempt to wipe the grin off his face.

"Well," she said, clearing her throat awkwardly, "I was sorta on edge on Monday and, like I said, I overreacted. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," he cut in.

"Great," she beamed at him. Caleb was turning out to be more agreeable than she's initially thought. "Seeing we're stuck together for the rest of the term, I think we should at least try to be friends."

"Yeah," he said, nodding his head.

"Yeah?" Rhea asked; she couldn't believe it was going so smoothly.

"Yeah, why not," he said, giving her a full smile, and just like that, a huge weight was lifted off of Rhea's chest.

***