LOVELORN

55|Surprises & joy

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*Warning: An insane amount of fluff, potential side effects of reading this chapter include (particularly prevalent for single people), but are not limited to: Nausea from the sweetness, feeling incredibly single, wishing that was you*

IT WAS somewhat strange to get ready for a first date with someone when you lived in the same house. Zora had insisted we get ready separately to 'have the proper first date experience'. While I'd made a teasing remark at the cliche of it, secretly it made me feel absurdly giddy. I wanted to do all the classic date stuff with Zora; flowers and chocolates, candlelit dinners, movies, picnics, and the list went on.

Zora had told me the date was a surprise, and while I usually wasn't a fan of surprises, I trusted her. She told me the dress code was casual, but I still couldn't help overthinking what I should wear. Sure, we'd been friends for years and all, but it was a date so I had the urge to dress to impress.

I dug through my closet for a solid half an hour, trying to figure out what the fuck to wear. She'd added that it should be comfortable yet cute when I'd asked for clarification, yet I remained lost.

Finally, I stumbled upon a pale yellow knitted sweater I had no clue existed. It was a color I didn't usually wear, but it fit the criteria Zora had given me, and it was easy to style with my favorite—and most comfortable—pair of jeans. So, after doing my makeup and hair, putting on some jewelry, and grabbing my purse, I crossed the hall and knocked on Zora's door.

"Give me a minute!" She called out, followed by the distinct sound of Zora rushing around on the other side.

Then, the door opened, revealing an out-of-breath Zora. Her eyes did an appreciative up-and-down, hands sneaking under my sweater to grab my waist and pull me closer to her, our pelvises knocking together. I shut the door behind me but Zora barely seemed to notice, too transfixed on me. Her hands ran up my bare back, then down to my stomach and I suddenly felt hot all over.

"Is this good enough for our date?"

Her eyes snapped back to my face, darting all over my features before settling on my eyes. "You are gorgeous."

I smiled, feeling my cheeks heat up. My eyes dipped to take her in—her pink blouse, white skirt that flowed down to her ankles, and lastly, her makeup—she got more drop-dead beautiful every time I saw her.

"So are you."

She smiled, her hands' journey continuing up my sweater again. "So gorgeous."

"I'm getting the feeling that you want this sweater on the floor and not on me."

A smug expression crossed her face. "Well...I can't deny that. But we have plans, so it'll have to wait."

A swarm of butterflies went haywire in my stomach. "Is that a promise?"

The fingers under my sweater stopped just beneath the strap of my bra. "Mhm, it sure is."

"I'll hold you to it."

Her gaze dropped to my lips. "If we both weren't wearing lipgloss, I would so kiss you right now."

My fingers grazed her neck, then gently cupped the nape of it. When my eyes went to her lips, it didn't go unnoticed by Zora. One side of her mouth quirked up.