new beginnings [c.f.]

chapter twelve

 Conrad sat on his bed, absentmindedly running a hand through his hair as he thought about Daisy, The kiss they'd shared was still fresh in his mind - the way her lips had felt, the warmth of her touch. They had admitted they liked each other, but now, things felt... different. It was more real, and that terrified him.

Ethan, sprawled out on his own bed, noticed Conrad's distant expression. "Dude, you've been staring at the ceiling for, like, twenty minutes. What's going on? And if you say nothing, I swear..."

Conrad blinked, pulling himself back to reality. "Nothing. Just... thinking."

Ethan smirked knowingly. "Thinking about Daisy?"

Conrad felt heat rise to his cheeks. "Maybe."

Ethan sat up, tossing his phone aside. "Man, come on. You already kissed her, right? She's into you. Ask her out. What's the holdup?"

Conrad sighed. "It's not that simple. What if I mess this up? What if I'm not ready for this?"

Ethan rolled his eyes. "Con, you're already in it. You've kissed, you've admitted that you like each other. It's happening, whether you're ready or not. Besides, you've got nothing to lose. Just ask her out on a real date."

Conrad hesitated. "What if it's weird after? We're friends... I can't lose her."

Ethan rolled his eyes. "You're overthinking it, Con. You two are way past "just friends". Trust me, if you don't ask her out soon, you're going to regret it. She's into you, you're into her - it's a no-brainer." And before Conrad could open his mouth Ethan continued. "You've already crossed the line from friends to more. You're just hesitating because you're scared. But if you don't take the next step, you're going to be stuck in this limbo forever."

Conrad bit his lip, his nerves still eating at him. "You really think I should just ask her out?"

"Absolutely," Ethan said confidently. "What's the worst that could happen? You two like each other. Just make it official."

Conrad nodded slowly, Ethan's words sinking in. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was time to take the plunge.

That afternoon, Conrad found himself walking toward the café, his heart racing. Daisy was already there, sitting by the window, her usual spot. Her notebook lay open in front of her, but she was staring out the window, lost in thought. As soon as she saw Conrad approaching, her face lit up with a smile.

"Hey," she greeted him, her voice light. "What's up?"

Conrad slid into the seat across from her, feeling his heart race. It wasn't the first time he was asking a girl out, but this was Daisy, he couldn't screw it up. "Hey. I... uh... actually wanted to talk to you about something."

Daisy tilted her head, her eyes soft and curious. "Sure. What's going on?"

Conrad hesitated for a moment, his palms suddenly sweaty. He hadn't expected to be this nervous, but here he was. "I was wondering if... you'd want to go on a real date with me. Like, not just hanging out as friends. A proper date."

Daisy blinked in surprise, her lips parting as she processed his words. For a brief second, Conrad feared he had made a mistake - maybe she wasn't ready, maybe things were moving too fast. But then she smiled, her expression soft and warm.

"A real date?" she repeated, her voice almost teasing.

Conrad nodded, feeling a little more confident now. "Yeah. I want to take you out, do something special. What do you think?"

Daisy's smile grew, and she nodded. "I'd really like that, Con. Let's do it."

Relief flooded through him, and he couldn't help but grin. "Great. We'll figure out the details later?"

"Yeah, for sure," Daisy agreed, her smile never wavering.

They spent the next hour chatting, the ease between them palpable, but as the conversation flowed, Daisy's thoughts began to drift. After saying goodbye to Conrad and heading back to her dorm, her excitement started to mix with uncertainty. Her feelings for Conrad were strong, but part of her couldn't shake a lingering fear - the fear of getting hurt, or worse, hurting Conrad.

Later that night, Daisy knocked on Amy's door, needing to talk through her doubts. Amy opened the door with a smile, immediately sensing that Daisy had something on her mind.

"Hey, come on in," Amy said, stepping aside.

Daisy flopped onto the bed, pulling a pillow into her lap. "Conrad asked me out on a date."

Amy's eyes widened. "No way! That's great!"

Daisy smiled, but it was a little shaky. "Yeah, it is. But... I'm kind of scared."

Amy frowned, sitting next to her. "Scared? Of what?"

"I don't know," Daisy admitted, hugging the pillow tighter. "I'm afraid of getting hurt. Of hurting him. What if things get serious and then it all falls apart?"

Amy tilted her head. "You and Conrad have been close for a while now, right?" Daisy nodded. "And you've already admitted you like each other. He wouldn't ask you out if he didn't want something real. I think he's just as invested as you are."

Daisy sighed. "I know, but it still feels risky. What if I'm not ready?"

"Look, it's normal to feel scared," Amy said gently. "But you're not going to know how things will turn out unless you give it a chance. You like him, he likes you - just take one step at a time. Don't overthink it. And besides, you have been working like crazy, you deserve this little bit of fun for yourself."

Daisy nodded, Amy's words helping to ease her worries. "Yeah, you're right. I just... I really care about him, and I don't want to mess things up."

Amy smiled reassuringly. "You won't. Just be honest with him, and trust yourself. You'll be fine."

Daisy smiled back, feeling a bit lighter. "Thanks, Amy. I needed that."

"Anytime," Amy replied, giving her a playful nudge. "Now stop overthinking and enjoy your date with that gorgeous boy of yours when it happens."