Taking The Plunge (The Puppy Honey Series)

New Beginnings

''Thanks for dinner, P'.''

Pick slows the car to a stop right outside the gates of Rome's house, ''No problem. I'll see you tomorrow.''

Rome retrieves his bag from the backseat and unlocks the door, unable to keep the silly smile off his face. Pick waves at him and then starts the engine, waiting until Rome's at the front door before driving off.

It still felt surreal, as if everything that had happened in the last few weeks hadn't taken place at all. The last thing Rome had expected for Pick to do was to apologize and admit that his feelings for Rome went beyond platonic friendship. I keep myself that this isn't a dream, but it still feels too good to be true.

''Rome, you're home. Have you had dinner yet?''

Rome affectionately greeted his mother with a particularly tight hug, smiling giddily up at her, ''I ate already, mae.''

He sways them from side to side and the older woman lightly taps his on the nose with the tip of his finger, ''My son seems to be in a good mood today. Did something nice happen?''

''Something very nice.''

Chuckling, she pats him on the head and shoos Rome away to go and take a shower, making a move to heat up the dessert that she had prepared earlier for the family. Rome happily takes the stairs two at a time, dropping his bag onto his beanbag chair and flinging himself onto his bed, giddily rolling all over the mattress as he recalls Pick's words. He accidentally topples off the bed and lands on his bum, groaning at the dull pain that shoots up his spine.

That's what you get for being too excited.

He stands up and grabs his towel that's hanging from the back of his chair, about to head for the bathroom when his iPhone pings repeatedly, indicating that he's received a few messages. Probably Emma checking up on him. He was slightly guilty for the fact that Emma had willingly chosen to spend time with him lately, limiting the time that she could spent with Porshe, and Rome made a mental note to make it up to her.

There were a couple of messages from Emma and Nai, both of them checking up on him, and a few from his classmates regarding school-related matters. Just as he's done replying to most of the messages, another one comes in and he nearly drops his phone when he sees that it's from Pick. That's a first.

Rome grins to himself while he types out a reply with one hand, placing his toothbrush under the running water. He sets his phone down for a moment to squeeze some toothpaste onto it before picking is phone up again, starting to brush his teeth.