Between Two Worlds

CHAPTER 14 - Friends and Laughs

The aroma of coffee wafted through the air, carrying me into the kitchenette where Jess stood; I still had the butterflies from our conversation in my chest. She moved about this tiny space with a sense of comfort that made everything seem like a guarantee- we would have done this a thousand times. She filled two mugs with steaming coffee and my mind ran wild with the possibilities.

Do you take sugar?" she asked, her cheek and smile towards me as she scanned past over her shoulder.

"Just a little," I said to her: in this, perhaps, a human failing, I was doing my best not to think.

It was a small table, but we sat down; sipped our drinks and seemed to realize that something had shifted between us. The kiss opened the door, and here we were, standing at the threshold, peering into a future both exciting and scaring the living daylights out of me.
"So, what are your plans for the day?" Jess asked, setting her mug down and leaning forward with interest.

I shrugged and sounded as unexcited as possible. "I was thinking I'd go to the library, work on some reading I'm behind on. Perhaps get started on that class project."

"Ah yeah, sounds super productive." She throws me a teasing glance through sparkling eyes. "Or you could take an hour off of school and let me take you on a tour of my secret spot on campus. It's great to forget about school for a while.".

I hesitated, the siren song of adventure battling against the weight of my responsibilities. "I don't know..." I said, genuinely desirous of burrowing under the covers and erasing myself from the world for a while longer. "I really should get some work done."

"C'mon, Mia. You deserve a break," she urged, a playful pout forming on her lips. "Besides, I promise it'll be worth it. A little fun never hurt anyone."

The thought of being able to leave behind my worries for even half an hour dug at my heart. "Okay, okay, you win. I guess I just have to see your secret hideout."
"Well, that certainly is part of it," Jess beamed. Her excitement was contagious, making me smile along with her. "Awesome! Just give me a minute to get ready.".

After she began walking up and down the room, I took my time to think things through. Tension from all the rest seemed to flow out of me and out the door, leaving only a lightness that I hadn't felt in forever. Maybe today would be different; maybe Jess and I would be able to dive deeper into this strange connection without the threat of everything ending.

Once Jess was ready, we came out into the fresh crisp air. Walking side by side, I finally had that camaraderie building between me and Jess. It was nothing like that which I'd had with Ava but just seemed exhilarating in its own way.

After a short walk, we ended up at the secluded spot on campus—a little patio of flowers tucked away behind the library. It was quiet, with tall trees and full-flowing flowers sprouting everywhere, a perfect escape from the mayhem of student life.

"Welcome to my sanctuary," Jess said, opening her arms wide and smiling so broadly in excitement in her eyes.

"It is beautiful," I said, taking in the peace surrounding me. "How did you find this place?

I chanced upon it one day when I needed to think. It's become my go-to place when I want to get away," she said, sitting down on a bench beside me. Together the weight of the world was lifted ever so slightly.

We spent the next hour talking, laughing at really good jokes while our lives' stories flowed. The conversation went easy on both of us as it revealed our life stories. My worries began to fade, but this time they were replaced with this sense of belonging. It is nice to be with someone who understands you without the complication of the past.

But as the sun dipped, there was that familiar weight of uncertainty. I knew it would be impossible to overlook what stood between us, but I could not rush things at this stage. "Jess can we discuss last night again?" I asked hesitantly.
"There is," she said with very serious expression.

"I just want to make sure we're on the same page," I started. "I don't want to hurt you or ruin our friendship."

"I understand, Mia. I really do," she said, her eyes steady. "But I also want you to know that I care about you. I'm not looking for anything wild; I just want to see where this can go. Together."

Her words managed to placate my fear, and I found myself smiling to consider it. "Together," I whispered, and I could feel her hand in mine, warm.
Sun set down, at a hue of golden color against every moment, and I realized that maybe this was just what I was supposed to do: explore a new connection, rediscover at the same time along the way.

Let's just take it one day at a time," I said, my heart raising up with hope.

"Agreed," Jess said, her smile allowing hope to wash over the moment.

As we sat there, the world around us seemed to fade into the background as I did my best to feel the promise of something new forming in between us. It was the beginning of something new; for the first time in such a long time, I was ready to grasp it.

Well, things felt lighter between Jess and me for a few days as we adapted to our new dynamic. It was a breath of fresh air to finally have someone you could share your thoughts with, while our banter kept the mood easy and fun. I did not know how long it would last, but I appreciated every moment.

One night, Jess, Ethan, and I decided to check out the local diner that's famous for milkshakes and burgers at night. This place had more students unwinding from a long week, so it had an electric atmosphere of laughter and chatter everywhere.

We settled ourselves into a booth, and Jess gave the menu a mock-serious look. "Okay, team. What's our strategy for tonight? Classic burgers or going all out with the milkshake challenge?"
Milkshake challenge?" Ethan's eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. "Sign me up, please. I'm going for the 'Mint Madness' – it has actual chunks of chocolate in it!

"Pfft, amateurs," Jess teased. "I'll take the 'Caramel Comet.' It's pretty much a meal in itself. How about you, Mia?"

I laughed, contemplating my options. "I'll just have a classic chocolate shake. I have to be able to keep up with you guys!"

"Classic? That's so boring!" Jess declared, her eyes shining with mischief. "You need to spice things up! Live a little!"

"Yeah, Mia," Ethan chimed in, leaning in closer with exaggerated conspiratorial whispers. "How about we make it interesting? If you don't finish your shake, you have to wear a silly hat for the rest of the night!"

"Deal!" I shot back, feeling a surge of playful confidence. "But if I finish, you both have to wear ridiculous hats!

Jess and Ethan exchanged a look and nodded their heads. "You're on!" they chimed in unison.

The waitress returned to take our order, but as she walked away Jess leaned in and said, her grin expansive. "So how's it going with the romance of the 'silly hat' challenge? Any plans for the next kiss?"

I rolled my eyes, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't help but smile. "You kissed me!

Touché, shot back Jess with a dramatic flair of pretending to gasp. "Now I have to plot my next move!"

Ethan shook his head and laughed. "You guys are ridiculous. Wait till the next batch of milkshakes comes out. You'll be fighting over who finishes first."

Please, I can down two shakes before either one of you could even finish one, Jess boasted, crossing her arms.

"Okay, Miss Competitive," I teased. "Let's see if you can back that up!"

Just then, the waitress came back to deliver our orders: three towering milkshakes, each one a work of art, topped with whipped cream and cherry on top. Jess's shake was the tallest, a true "Caramel Comet" that looked like it could double as a science experiment.

"Ready... set... GO!" Ethan yelled, and we dived into our shakes, laughter erupting as we raced to see who could get to the bottom of the shake first.

Shouts of glee and the clinking of spoons into glasses echoed through this humble diner. I did not remember ever feeling this free and light-hearted and knew that this was a great feeling.

Halfway through the challenge, I looked over at Jess who had already drunk half a shake. "How are you that fast?" I was thinking to myself as I tried to keep up with the tempo of my own making.

"Pure talent, my friend," she said, speaking with her mouth full, "You should take notes." And both of us laughed at how absurd this was.

Meanwhile, Ethan was struggling to shake his concoction, a funny set expression on his face. "This is not a fair contest! Why is mine so thick?" he declared, attempting to suck in a huge spoonful.

"Because you chose the 'Mint Madness'! It's like cement!" I teased and he sent me a mock glare.

"Excuses! You have to know that this 'cement' is tasty," he declared as he took another bold spoonful.

Jess and I exchanged looks, then both of us laughed as I leaned into her. "I'm so glad we're doing this," I said. "It feels like... normal."

She beamed gently at me, warmth in her eyes. "Same here," she said. "It's nice to just be silly with friends.".

We all worked hard to finish our shakes, with the minutes ticking by. Of course, Jess won the challenge and her triumphant cheer echoed through the diner. Ethan and I simply looked at each other in mock defeat.

"Now, you two owe me a silly hat," she laughed, wiping her mouth dramatically.

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Okay but what are we talking about here? Like a giant foam hat, or more like a classy beret?"

"I want something that really says 'I lost a milkshake challenge,'" Jess grinned, leaning back in her seat. "Something colorful!"

I shook my head, laughing. "You're going to regret this when you're wearing a giant cupcake hat next time!"

Wrapping up dinner, the evening had turned out to be more of a celebration of friendship, interspersed with laughter, teasing, and an emerging bond between Jess and me. The burden of my past was still there, but somehow I felt as if I was progressing for the first time in years with people who actually cared about my well-being.

I opened the door to the diner behind me and looked back at Jess, who was still flying high on her excitement. Maybe this was what I was meant to find: this new chapter within the full bloom of friends and laughter with the promise of whatever was yet to come.