The Thread Between Danny and Me

Chapter 7: How ya doin'?

"What is it, Maria?" Anna asked me from her bed.

Aurora, Anna, and I were having a sleepover on a blustery, winter day in late December.

"It's me and Josh," I said.

"What? Seriously?!" Aurora exclaimed as she settled next to me. "But you guys are so perfect for each other. What's wrong?"

"I don't know," I sighed. "Everything is...fine, I guess."

"So, what's the problem?"

"That's just it. It's...fine."

Anna crossed her legs. "Something is wrong because it's fine?"

"I don't get it," said Aurora.

"We hang out and talk but, it just seems like, I don't know. It's not like I thought it would be."

"Josh is so nice though. He got you that awesome drawing book for your birthday and he's like, literally the sweetest," Aurora said.

"Yeah..."

The drawing book he got me was a nice gesture, but it was small and blank-paged. I usually preferred larger notebooks with graph paper. I felt bad I didn't like it.

Actually, I felt bad about everything.

"How far have you gotten?" Aurora asked.

I felt my cheeks heat with embarrassment. "Uh...not...far."

"Not far as in, first base?"

"Not even that."

"What?!" Aurora cried. She jumped up and threw her hands in the air. "You've never even kissed? You've been dating for two months! No wonder things are weird between you guys! You gotta take it to the next level! Start with kissing and then let him feel you up."

I inwardly cringed at the suggestion but didn't have a good reason for why the idea felt uncomfortable.

"Josh is probably just waiting for you. He's such a gentleman," Aurora said.

Anna nodded.

"I guess..."

"Trust me," said Aurora. "Next time you hang out make sure you kiss. It'll make a huge difference."

"Okay," I said, still unsure. "I'll do it."

"Let us know how it goes!" Anna said.

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Josh and I ended up hanging out the following weekend. We decided to meet at the small lake for ice skating.

I wasn't particularly good at ice skating, but it was something to do at a place we could hang out without our parents.

We held hands and skated. I tried to focus on the feeling of our entwined fingers and Josh's cute smile.

I was so nervous.

"What's the matter, Maria?" Josh asked as we skated.

"N—nothing," I stuttered. "Just trying not to fall, ya know?"

Josh smiled. "Want some hot chocolate?"

"Sure. Sounds good."

We skated over to the exit and walked awkwardly on the blue rubber dotted flooring they laid out. The blades of my ice skates sunk into the mat and it almost made me tip over.

Even after all my practicing with skateboarding, how am I still so bad at staying upright?

After Josh and I paid for our hot chocolate, I glanced around. There were too many people. How were we supposed to kiss?