Monday

Nope. I can't do it. He's so gorgeous it hurts, and that makes it so much harder to say! Every time I get near him, my heart feels like it's about to give out. He still stares so hard at me, so that does not help either! And if he's too close, his cologne clogs my senses, making me forget everything I prepared to say. So. I was avoiding him. Until lunch, that is. The teachers would not let me leave the cafeteria because there were too many students in the hallway right now.

"So, why have you been avoiding me today?" His deep tenor asked, startling me from everything, including my fork, which splattered in my potatoes. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

He took the seat RIGHT next to me, drawing me back into that now familiar scent of cologne, and I looked up into his deep green eyes. My heart jumped into my throat, and my vision narrowed, making me focus solely on him. It was all I could do to remember to breathe, and I pulled away from him, too out of control to help myself. I needed to breathe. Breathe.

Was it too much? Not enough? One look from him and I was a puddle of nothing. Something. I didn't know, but I needed to walk. Run. Hide. I didn't know, but I wanted to stand up first. Before I could, however, warm fingers wrapped around my wrist, making me turn to find him sitting with a serious expression on his features.

"You said you didn't hate me." Davin questioned more than stated, his green eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Why do you keep running from me?"

"Um. I. Um. Could we maybe have this conversation alone?" I ventured, glancing around at all the onlookers. "Not here?"

He looked around himself before his eyes landed back on me, and to my relief, he nodded. Having such a personal conversation in front of everyone was embarrassing. Just the thought had me shivering, and I glanced at where his hand still held onto my wrist, too afraid to move. I both wanted that comforting touch and wanted to run from it, too. His hand was warm, and really nice.

"Ahem. Your hand…" I whispered, averting my gaze when he turned to look at me. "If you have a girlfriend, she'll misunderstand."

"You won't run?" He wondered, and I shook my head no. "Promise?"

"I promise, now please?"

To my surprise, he released me and shifted away, but still turned to focus on me. It was like he was committing everything about me to memory, and it only made me feel uncomfortable. But I really didn't want to have the conversation here. After another five minutes of sitting there, the hallways cleared, so the teachers finally let us leave and I followed him outside to an iron bench, one of several that littered the school courtyard.

"I'm not good with guys…" I whispered as we sat down. "You're perhaps the first I've ever held a conversation with, and I don't know if I'm doing it right."

"You worry too much. It's cute." Davin replied, making me glance at him before back at the ground as we sat down. "Just be you. Like you are when you're with Amber."

"But you're different. I don't know you." His shoulders drooped at that, and he looked away. "Though I don't mind getting to know you. It's just… I'm a little embarrassed."

"Why? I mean, you went to a private school, right?" He wondered, making me glance at his broad back. "You had boyfriends, I'm sure. Unless you went to a girl's school, you should have…" Davin paused, and he turned to look at me in shock. "You went to a girl's school."

"Yeah…" I nodded, and his jaw fell.

"Holy cow. You mean you've never been around boys your age? What was it like?" Davin questioned; emerald eyes glimmering with curiosity. "Oh, but wait. I'm so sorry. I just assumed a girl as stunning and perfect as you are would've had boyfriends in the past, and that is so insulting…" He slapped himself on the forehead before grabbing my hand. "I can be your first boyfriend if you like."

Stunning and perfect. He just told me I was stunning and perfect. My cheeks flooded with heat and I turned away from him before his joking question registered in my brain and I turned to stare at him in complete shock. Did he just ask me out? In a way he could play it off as a joke if I rejected him? Though I logically understood it, I didn't expect it, so I sat there gaping at him like a fish, unable to think of what to say.

"Um… Boyfriend?" I questioned dumbly, before shaking my head and meeting his gaze. "If that means closer, then I'd love if you were my boyfriend."

I answered that right, right? I wondered, then realized exactly what I just said. In my shock, I turned to look at him, and he looked so happy. There was no way I could take it back. Wasn't this too fast? Too much for people so young? But those concerns fell away when he wrapped his arms around me. In fact, everything fell away when that scent filled my nose. He was perfect. Like a missing piece. No. Like the piece was always there from the beginning. Davin made me feel whole.

"I'm going to make you so happy." He stated, that deep voice in my ear startling me. "Where should I take you?"

"Huh?"

"For our first date?" Davin replied as the bell rang. "Hey, Lulu?"

"Yeah?" I replied as we started walking. "What is it?"

"Thanks for giving me a chance. I know you have far better options." He stated, drawing my gaze over to the dimple in his cheek. "Especially in your circle."

It hurt a little that he thought that way about himself, but I didn't know how to tell him that. But I wanted to do something for him. Anything. What did my mom do when my dad was upset? I wondered, thinking back. On a whim, I slid my hand into his and watched as his face relaxed a little. If only he knew just how handsome he really was. When he glanced back at me, that dimple back full force, my heart thudded hard against its cage.

"Um… Uh…" I stuttered out, before trying to pull my hand away. "Huh?"

"If you're comfortable with this much contact, don't let me turn you away." Davin teased, his massive hand squeezing mine gently. "But I'd like to hold your hand. Maybe something more like this?"

His hand pulled away for a second before I felt his fingers sliding between mine, palms touching. The sensation of skin sliding against each other sent shivers of pleasure up my arm, and my fingers clenched automatically. Davin glanced down at me before squeezing back, a cheerful smile on his face. Maybe having a boyfriend wouldn't be such a bad thing. At the very least, this was different, I thought, looking at our interlocked fingers. A good different.

~~~~

"You accidentally agreed to be his girlfriend?!" Amber questioned during a brief break between classes later. "Oh, my GOSH! Yes! And I heard someone saw you two holding hands. Does he REALLY meet you between every…?"

I elbowed her when he stepped into view. It was like he was parting a sea of students, everyone staring at him. Then me. Then him again. It felt like we were in a comic strip, and so surreal, yet he came to a stop right in front of me with that mischievous smile on his lips, I rolled my eyes before taking his proffered hand, our fingers interlinking as they did before. It still felt like he shocked me with every touch, yet it felt different now.

"Davin!" Amber shouted behind us as she rushed to keep up. "You've got some explaining to do!"

"Try to keep up, because I'm stealing my girlfriend from you!" He replied, pulling me into a run. "Come on, Lulu!"

As we both broke into a run, he never let go of my hand, and before I knew it, the three of us were smiling, running, and laughing, until we reached the same bench where I confessed in the courtyard. I took a seat next to him with rosy cheeks, still embarrassed but happy when Amber took a seat on the bench across from us. I felt his arm fall against the back of the bench behind me, but tried to ignore it when I looked at Amber.

"You guys have only known each other for less than a week!" She yelled, throwing a notebook at Davin, who caught it with his free hand, and tossed it in the air before catching it. "Seriously, Davin! Lucia! What are you two thinking?!"

"I'm in love with her." Davin stated, shrugging, and my face felt even hotter than before. "She's all I can think about. All I can focus on. Hell, I couldn't sleep last night because of her, and I'm not even mad."

"Huh?" I turned to look at him, and he leaned closer, his grin growing.

"I'm so in love with you, and you're all I can think about. I couldn't sleep last night because of you, and I'm so stupidly happy that I'm not mad." He whispered into my ear, his minty breath ghosting across my cheek. "Lulu, I was so excited to see you today that I couldn't sleep last night."

Hearing all of that at once made me gasp, even more so since he said it twice. His arm shifted and his hand fell onto my shoulder, drawing me against his chest. I was sure that by now I was redder than a tomato, but stayed as still as a statue. Then the pressure of his arm went away, and I glanced at him only to see a guy walking away with slumped shoulders. Oh, my gosh. Did he just do that to ward off a confession?

"Regardless. I felt it was only right to let you know I was serious about this." Davin continued, without looking away from Amber. "I know she's your friend, but I just can't give up."

"I know. To be honest with you, Davin? I'm glad. She kept fighting with herself over what she should do about you. I was worried." Amber replied with a happy sigh. "I know how serious you are about her. Especially since she's your first girlfriend."

First. Girlfriend. My jaw fell and I turned to look at him as Amber stood to walk away. He was using his free hand to stroke the back of his head, an awkward smile on his lips. Surely, she was mistaken. There was no way I was his first girlfriend, right? His green orbs averted, so I moved to look into them, startling him. Davin's face turned bright red before he finally took my hand in his, distracting me for a second before I finally looked into his eyes and he sighed.

"It's true. You're my first girlfriend. I do not know what I'm doing, so I hope you don't mind." He shrugged, before tilting his head in a way that made me question his honesty. "I'm not lying. I swear it! Girls never interested me before you. Then I saw you from across the room."

"But you never even talked to me before then."

"Didn't have to." Davin smiled, leaning closer, emerald orbs sparkling with adoration. "Before then doesn't matter. Time started for me the second our eyes met Lulu."

Could he say things like that? Would my face ever be the normal temperature again? What was he saying to me? I leaned away as I tried to catch my breath, and he chuckled before I felt something warm press against my cheek. My eyes widened in shock, making my head snap to my right to look at him. Did he just kiss me on the cheek? Yes. He did. And my face would never be its usual color ever again.