Chapter 20

The next morning, I woke up feeling warm. I glance around my bedroom and ultimately, I feel lighter, happier. I guess it's the post-first-date vibes. Macklin's jacket was currently draped over my desk chair which reminded me of all the sweet moments and romantic gestures that occurred last night. Everything still felt a little surreal, where the memory of his kiss stayed fresh in my mind, making my stomach flip every time I thought about it.

I stretched, yawning as I grabbed my phone off my nightstand, only for my heart to do a completely unnecessary little skip when I saw a text waiting for me.

Macky: Good morning :) How'd you sleep?

I bit my lip, feeling ridiculous for how giddy a simple text made me.

Me: I slept well, you? :)

Macky: Same. Woke up missing my jacket though. Wonder where it went.

I laughed, shaking my head.

Me: No clue. But whoever has it probably looks really good in it.

Macky: I bet.

I was still smiling at my screen when another text popped up.

Macky: What are you doing today?

Me: Nothing, why?

Macky: Come over around 1. I've got a plan.

I frowned at my screen, suspicious.

Me: What kind of plan?

Macky: A great one.

Me: That's not an answer. Did you miss me already?

Macky: Obviously, wear something comfy.

I sighed, staring at the vague text before shaking my head. If there was one thing I'd learned about Macklin, it was that he was stubborn, if he wanted something to be a surprise, he's definitely not budging.

I groaned as I rolled over in bed, checking my phone to see the time.

10:07 AM.

Still a few hours before I had to head over to Macklin's. Which meant I had plenty of time to eat before dealing with Will and Gabi's inevitable questioning.

My stomach grumbled in agreement.

With that, I dragged myself out of bed and, unsurprisingly, I found Will and Gabi in the living room again but this time they're playing the board game of "guess who" but with celebrities.

I paused, taking in the scene before crossing my arms. "You guys seriously need to go outside and see the sunlight."

Will, who was half-buried in a blanket while studying the people in front of him, barely glancing at me. "Nah. We're good."

Gabi, curled up on the other side of the couch, gave a lazy thumbs-up. "Vitamin D is a scam."

I sighed dramatically. "You are both ridiculous."

"Uh-huh." Will finally turned to look at me, and I saw the shift in his expression immediately. He smirked. "So... how was last night?"

I shot him a warning look. "Nope. Not yet. I need food in my system before I deal with you two."

Gabi perked up. "We should get food."

Will sat up, stretching. "Bill's Café?"

That caught my attention. Bill's was a staple, one of the best breakfast spots around. My stomach growled again, right on cue.

"Fine," I said. "But if we go, you're paying."

Will scoffed. "Fine, I was already going to pay anyways" he grumbled, grabbing his keys.

—

A short drive later, we were sitting outside Bill's Café, the morning air crisp but not too cold, the scent of coffee and fresh toast filling the air.

Our food had just arrived, my eggs Benedict looking perfect, Gabi's plate stacked high with chocolate chip pancakes, and Will's standard scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast.. when the interrogation resumed.

Gabi took a sip of her iced coffee before leaning in slightly. "Alright. Spill."

Will nodded, chewing on a piece of bacon. "Yeah, let's hear it. How'd the date go?"

I sighed, cutting into my eggs. "You guys are relentless."

Will smirked. "Obviously."

I rolled my eyes but gave in, setting my fork down as I exhaled. "Okay, fine. It was... really nice."

Gabi's eyes lit up. "Details."

Will leaned in. "Yeah, details." They are literally partners in crime. "Macklin's my boy," he continues before stating, "gotta know how he did."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Well, your boy planned an amazing date. We went to the arcade first, which was super fun. He was surprisingly good at Skeeball."

Will nodded approvingly. "Hockey hands."

"Right?" I took a sip of my coffee. "But I still wiped the floor with him at the basketball game."

Will grinned. "No way."

Gabi laughed. "Did he take the loss well?"

"Oh, he was fine, great sportsmanship" I said, waving a hand. "But you should have seen how smug he was when he won me a plush toy."

Gabi gasped. "He won you a plushie?"

I smiled. "Not just any plushie. A little white dog that looks exactly like Clover."

Will's eyebrows shot up. "Damn."

"And I didn't even ask for it," I continued. "He just sorta did it. Like, he saw it and went, 'Oh, that looks like Clover,' and next thing I knew, he was handing it to me like it was nothing."

Gabi clutched her chest. "Okay, that is adorable."

"After the arcade, we went to this rooftop restaurant, and honestly, I don't even know how to describe it—it was perfect. The whole place was lit up with fairy lights and there were candles between us on the table. We were up on this balcony overlooking downtown San Jose, and the city lights made everything feel so... magical, I guess?"

Gabi's eyes went wide, and she practically melted into her seat. "That's like, straight out of a rom-com."

I laughed, nodding. "It really was. And it felt like... something out of a dream. I don't even know how any date could top that, you know?" I shook my head. "It was just such a perfect first date."

Will leaned back casually in his seat, raising a brow. "I knew he wasn't gonna do something lame."

I smiled and shrugged, leaning back in my chair. "I couldn't have asked for anything better." But then something shifted inside me. The memory of the night, of everything that had happened, suddenly hit me in a way I wasn't expecting. It was all so new, so overwhelming, and I felt this wave of shyness hit me that I hadn't anticipated. "And... then we danced."

Gabi gasped, her hand flying to her chest. "Wait, you danced?"

Will's gaze sharpened, his expression staying cool but interested. "Seriously? What happened next?"

I took a quick sip of my coffee, trying to hide the grin that was forming on my face. "Yep," I said, soft but sure. "We danced."

Gabi nudged me, eyes sparkling. "Okay, now I need all the details. Tell me everything."

I smiled to myself, just remembering it made everything feel like it was still happening. "A slow song came on, and he just, didn't hesitate. He asked me to dance, and we just went for it. He spun me around, pulled me back in, and then..." I trailed off, trying to give them the annoying anticipation during a cliffhanger..

Will leaned in slightly, "And?"

I exhaled slowly, smiling more. "And then he kissed me."

Gabi's eyes went wide, and she let out a little squeal. Gabi grabbed my arm, shaking me gently. "That is the kind of stuff dreams are made of. You two are basically a rom-com."

I laughed, shaking my head. "It was just... really sweet."

Will gave a slight nod, "Yeah, that's solid. Proud of him."

I rolled my eyes, smiling. "You act like you coached him or something."

Will shrugged, that same cool, laid-back attitude on full display. "Maybe I did. Told him if he messed it up, I was stepping in."

Gabi raised an eyebrow at him. "Wait, you gave him a pep talk?"

"Of course," Will said smoothly, his smirk returning. "Told him if he blew it, I was coming in to rescue Lex and taking you back as my best friend."

Gabi rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the grin that spread across her face. "So... what now? You guys seeing each other again?"

I hesitated for just a second, feeling that flutter of nerves in my chest. "Yeah, I'm going over to his place later. Just hanging out."

Will smirked again, raising a brow. "Oh yeah? Round two?"

I shot him a playful glare. "Not like that," I said, rolling my eyes. "Just... a chill day"

As soon as Gabi excused herself to head to the restroom, I saw the perfect opportunity to get some one-on-one time with Will. I leaned in, giving him a look that said I was about to get straight to the point. "Alright, Will," I said, trying to keep my tone light but serious. "We need to talk."

Will's eyes flicked toward Gabi's empty seat, then back to me, clearly nervous. "What about?"

"You know exactly what about," I said, grinning. "It's about time you ask Gabi out."

His eyes widened slightly, a hesitant smile tugging at his lips. "Uh, what? No, I don't know about that."

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. "I'm serious. You two have been hanging out for ages, and honestly, it's obvious you like her. She likes you too, I can tell. So, why are you avoiding it?"

Will shifted in his seat, running a hand through his hair, looking genuinely unsure. "I don't know. What if she just sees me as a friend? I don't wanna mess that up, you know?"

I rolled my eyes, laughing softly. "Will, come on. You two spend so much time together. She wouldn't do that if she wasn't interested. Trust me, if she only saw you as a friend, she'd have kept things way more casual."

He frowned, still unconvinced. "But what if I'm wrong? What if she only thinks of me as a friend?"

I looked at him, trying to keep my tone as understanding as possible. "Look, I get it. You're scared of rejection, but you won't know unless you take a chance. So what if she sees you as just a friend? Make her see you differently. Make her see you as someone she could be with. You can't keep second-guessing yourself forever."

Will exhaled sharply, clearly stressed. "I'm just not sure how to do it."

I shook my head, leaning back in my chair. "Will, it's not that hard. You already know her. You've built a strong connection. So after breakfast, when you're alone with her, just ask her out. Don't overthink it. Just be honest and take her out tonight. No excuses. Like a proper date."

Will stared at me for a moment, a mix of disbelief and nervousness clouding his face. "You really think I can pull that off?"

I raised an eyebrow, a grin playing on my lips. "You've been pulling off the friendship part for a while now. You just have to switch gears a little. Trust me, she'll say yes."

He sighed, looking down at his hands, still unsure. "What if she doesn't?"

"She will," I said with more confidence.

Before he could respond, I spotted Gabi walking back to the table. I gave Will a little nod, signaling that it was time to stop the conversation. He looked at me for a second longer, then nodded, as if he was gathering the courage to finally make his move.

Gabi slid into her seat, flashing us a smile. "What's going on here? You two are acting like you're plotting something."

I shot her a wink, my grin widening. "Oh, nothing.."

Will shot me a look, clearly flustered but trying to play it cool. "Nothing to worry about. Just some random thoughts."