No Such Thing As A Hollywood Ending

chapter 15

Lucy sat beside Henry at the piano, her heart pounding in her chest. The conversation had gone well so far—better than she had expected. She felt lighter now that they'd talked about the awkwardness of the movie theater and the tension that had followed. But there was still something she needed to address, something she couldn't ignore.

She glanced over at Henry, his calm presence helping to steady her nerves. Taking a deep breath, she knew she had to say it—no more dancing around it.

"Henry," she started, her voice softer now, "I think... I want to try again. You know, with what happened at the movie theater. But I want to do it right this time. The way we should've done it from the beginning."

Henry blinked, clearly surprised by her words, but he didn't interrupt. He was always so good about letting her speak.

"I know I messed up before," she continued, feeling a warmth rising in her cheeks. "I rushed into it, and I didn't think about how you felt. I just... I want us to be on the same page if we take that step. And I want it to be something we both really want."

Henry looked at her, his expression thoughtful. He didn't seem shocked, but rather like he was considering what she had said. After a moment, he nodded.

"Lucy, I've thought about it too," he admitted. "And I appreciate you saying all this. I mean, yeah, I freaked out at the movie, but it wasn't because of you. It's just... I wasn't ready for it like that."

"I get it," Lucy said quickly, eager to reassure him. "I wasn't thinking, and I should've been more considerate. But now, if we do this, I want us to talk about it first--- like you had said—figure out how we both feel, and make sure it's something we want to do together."

Henry looked down at his hands for a moment before nodding again. "I'd like that," he said quietly. "I want to try too. But only if we're both comfortable with it. Why else would I give you condoms for Christmas?"

Lucy felt a sense of relief wash over her. This was what she had been hoping for—for them to communicate openly about this. She didn't want to rush things like before, and she didn't want to make him feel pressured. This time, they were doing it the right way.

"So, we'll take our time," Lucy said, offering him a small smile. "We'll talk about it, figure out what we want, and go from there."

Henry smiled back, a bit awkwardly but warmly. "Yeah, I like that plan."

There was a brief silence between them, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was a moment of mutual understanding, a moment where they both knew they were on the same page. Lucy could feel her heartbeat calming down, the tension that had been looming over their relationship finally beginning to fade.

"Thank you for being patient with me," Lucy said after a while, her voice sincere. "I know I'm not always the best at this kind of stuff."

Henry chuckled lightly. "I'm not exactly an expert either, but we'll figure it out together."

Lucy smiled, feeling a strange sense of contentment. They had navigated through the awkwardness, the confusion, and the embarrassment, and now they were on the same path. She knew there were still challenges ahead, but at least they were moving forward, together.

As they sat there, still by the piano, Lucy felt that they had grown closer in a way she hadn't expected. It wasn't just about sex or physical attraction—it was about trust, communication, and figuring out how to be together in a way that made sense for both of them.

And in that moment, Lucy knew that whatever happened next, they were going to be okay.