No Such Thing As A Hollywood Ending

chapter 16

Lucy stood by the snack table at the party Sarah had invited her to, fiddling with the rim of her cup. The music was loud, and people were dancing all around, but she wasn't really paying attention. Her mind was elsewhere—specifically on Henry and the conversation they'd had at the piano.

"Hey, there you are!" Sarah's voice jolted her out of her thoughts. Lucy turned to see her friend striding up, a mischievous grin on her face. "I've been looking for you! So, spill. What's going on with you and Henry?"

Lucy sighed, knowing this conversation was inevitable. Sarah always pried for details.

"Well..." Lucy began, hesitating as she glanced around the crowded room. She lowered her voice a bit, not wanting to be overheard. "We've been talking."

Sarah's eyebrows shot up. "Talking? As in... talking talking?"

"Yeah, like, about... you know." Lucy felt her face warm as she struggled to get the words out. "We've been talking about... having sex."

Sarah's eyes widened with excitement. "Oh my God, no way! Are you serious? You and Henry?"

Lucy nodded, feeling the weight of the admission settle on her. "Yeah, I've been thinking about it a lot. We had this conversation, and we're trying to figure it out, you know? We're just taking things slow."

Sarah let out a low whistle, clearly impressed. "Wow, Lucy. I didn't think you'd be the type to, you know, jump into something like that. Especially with Henry."

"It's not like that," Lucy quickly clarified. "We're not rushing into anything. We're talking about it first, making sure we both feel comfortable. It's... different with him. He's been really understanding."

Sarah gave her a playful nudge. "Well, look at you! Being all responsible and grown-up about it. That's kinda sweet."

Lucy smiled, a bit embarrassed but glad Sarah wasn't judging her. "It's just... I don't want to mess things up again. After what happened at the movie theater, I realized I need to handle this the right way, for both of us."

Sarah nodded, her teasing demeanor softening. "That's smart. I mean, if you really like him, then yeah, you gotta make sure it's the right move. But wow, Henry, huh? Never thought I'd see the day."

Lucy laughed nervously. "Yeah, I know. It's weird, right? But he's... he's different from other guys. You know He actually listens to me, you know? And he doesn't care if I ramble about random stuff like my writing or my weird obsessions."

"That's good," Sarah said thoughtfully. "It sounds like he's really into you too. So... are you guys going to do it? Like, for real?"

Lucy bit her lip, feeling the weight of the question. "I don't know yet. I mean, we've talked about it, and we're both open to it. But it's still a big step. I don't want to rush him, especially with everything he's dealing with. But he did give me condoms as a Christmas present."

"That's fair," Sarah said, nodding in agreement. "You're doing it the right way, Lucy. Just don't overthink it. If you're both on the same page, it'll happen when it's supposed to."

Lucy appreciated Sarah's advice, even if she still felt a bit uncertain. This was all new territory for her—being so close to someone, opening up in ways she hadn't before. But with Henry, it felt right. Even if she was nervous, she knew they would figure it out together.

"Thanks, Sarah," Lucy said, giving her friend a genuine smile. "I just needed to talk it through."

"Anytime," Sarah replied with a wink. "And hey, when it does happen, I want all the details!"

Lucy laughed, shaking her head. "We'll see about that."

As the conversation wound down, Lucy felt a sense of relief. Talking to Sarah had helped her clear her thoughts, and now she was more certain than ever that whatever happened between her and Henry, it would be because they had both decided it was right.