𝓟𝓪𝓼𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓟𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼𝓼

Tangled in Thoughts

Nessa lay in bed later that night, staring at her ceiling, her mind racing through the evening's events. Her lips still tingled from the kiss, her pulse quickening every time she replayed the moment. Rob had kissed her. Really kissed her. And she'd kissed him back without hesitation. It hadn't been anything like the impulsive kiss at Tara's party-it had been tender, real, and deliberate. It felt like something had shifted between them, a door had opened, and there was no turning back.

But now that she was alone with her thoughts, doubts started creeping in.

She unlocked her phone and scrolled through her messages. Her group chat with Tara and the others was blowing up with random memes and TikTok videos, but none of that interested her right now. Instead, her mind wandered to Rob. She clicked on his name and stared at their last exchange.

Rob: "Just got home. Tonight was fun."

She hadn't replied yet, unsure of what to say. Should she keep it casual? Should she mention the kiss? Or should she wait for him to say something about it first?

Her phone buzzed again, interrupting her overthinking. It was another message from Rob.

Rob: "I wasn't kidding about that 'real' date, by the way. Let's make it happen soon."

Nessa's heart fluttered. He was being clear, direct, and unlike his usual easygoing, playful self. There was no mistaking his intent now-he liked her, and he wanted more. She smiled, typing back quickly before she could second-guess herself.

Nessa: "I'd like that. Let me know when."

Satisfied with her response, she set her phone aside, but sleep didn't come easy. Her mind kept racing, filled with questions. What did this mean for them? Were they more than just friends now? Or were they still playing it cool?

And then, as if on cue, her phone buzzed again. But this time, it wasn't Rob. It was a message from Tara.

Tara: "Soooooo... spill. What's going on with you and Rob? 👀"

Nessa sighed, knowing she'd have to face this conversation sooner or later. Tara had always been the one to press for details, especially when it came to Nessa's love life-or lack thereof. And now that something was finally happening, there was no way she could dodge it.

Nessa: "We just hung out."

Tara: "Uh-huh. Sure. You and Rob 'just hang out' now? 🙄 Come on, Ness. What happened?"

Nessa hesitated for a moment. She wasn't sure how to explain it all, especially since she was still trying to figure it out herself. But Tara wouldn't drop it, so she decided to be honest.

Nessa: "We kissed. For real this time."

Tara: "OMG!!! I KNEW IT!!! Spill, girl! How was it? Did he say anything about it? What's the vibe now?"

Nessa felt a mix of excitement and anxiety wash over her. Tara's enthusiasm was infectious, but the reality of it all felt overwhelming. She wasn't sure how she felt yet, let alone how to articulate it to someone else.

Nessa: "It was... good. Really good. He wants to go on a real date."

Tara: "Girl, he's into you. I could tell from the way he's been looking at you. And after that party kiss, I knew something was up. What are you going to do?"

Nessa: "I don't know... it just feels different now. I like him, but I don't know where this is going."

Tara: "You don't have to know everything right away. Just take it slow and see what happens. But trust me, Rob's a good guy. If he says he's into you, he's not playing around."

Nessa stared at her phone, her friend's words sinking in. Take it slow. That's exactly what she needed to do. There was no rush, no need to define things right now. She just had to see where this would lead.

But even as she tried to calm her thoughts, she couldn't shake the feeling that everything was moving faster than she could handle. Her mind replayed the moments of the night-the dinner, the walk, the kiss. It all felt too perfect. Too easy.

And that's when the doubts really started creeping in.

What if Rob was just playing it cool like he always did? What if this was just a fleeting thing for him, something he wasn't as serious about as she was starting to feel? She didn't want to get hurt. She didn't want to fall for him only to find out that he didn't feel the same way in the end.

Her phone buzzed again, breaking her spiral of thoughts. Another message from Rob.

Rob: "Can't stop thinking about tonight. You were amazing."

Nessa's heart skipped a beat. The doubts melted away for a moment as she read his words. Maybe Tara was right. Maybe she just needed to trust that Rob meant what he said. Maybe this could actually be something real.

Nessa: "Same here. Tonight was... something else."

Rob: "How about we make 'something else' happen again soon? Saturday work for you?"

Nessa smiled to herself, a warmth spreading through her chest. She couldn't help but feel excited at the thought of seeing him again. Despite her lingering doubts, there was a part of her that wanted to let go and enjoy whatever this was, without overthinking every detail.

Nessa: "Saturday sounds perfect."

As she set her phone down for the last time, she felt a mix of nervous anticipation and hope. Whatever this was with Rob, it was new, it was exciting, and for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, it could be something more.