Emergen-C {Avi Kaplan}

Chapter Six

AviPOV

“So? How’d it go?” Kevin asks when I get home. Mitch, Scott and Kirstie all look up from the couch.

“It was fine,” I answer, slipping my coat off.

Kevin grins. “If that look on your face is anything to go by, I think it was better than fine.”

I chuckle. “It was good. We had fun.”

“You really like her, don’t you?” Mitch asks excitedly.

I nod. “Yeah, but it was just one date,” I answer.

“One date, and the whole saved-your-life thing,” he laughs.

“Yeah, that too. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I really want this one to work out.”

Kirstie smiles. “Aww, that’s sweet. She likes you too, you know.”

I grin back. “You think so?”

“Of course!” she answers. “It’s obvious. So did you kiss her?” I feel myself go red, looking away. “You did, didn’t you?!” she squeals.

“Well, she kind of…kissed me, I guess. Right before I left.” I smile a little at the memory.

Mitch claps. “She made the first move? I think I like her.”

“So when are you going to see her again?” Scott asks. “Ooh! You should invite her to our picnic tomorrow!”

I roll my eyes at their excitement. You’d think they’d gone on a date themselves. “You don’t think tomorrow is a little soon? Isn’t that kind of desperate?”

Kevin grins. “Don’t you want to see her?”

I chuckle. “Of course I do,” I answer. “I’d go back and see her again tonight if it wouldn’t make me seem completely insane.” I pause, thinking for a minute. “Do you guys think I might be completely insane?” I ask hesitantly.

“For liking her?” Mitch asks.

“For liking her this much after one date.”

They consider it. “Well,” Scott muses, “If it was just one date I’d say yes, but…”

“But it wasn’t,” Kirstie finishes. “I mean, not really. There was the whole saving your life thing. That’s a big deal. So it makes sense that you’d feel more strongly.”

Kevin nods thoughtfully. “You know I always say that every bad time has a bright spot. The whole accident, and almost losing you…it sucked, man, but maybe she was the bright spot. Maybe it was the universe bringing you two together. I mean, she’s already seen you at your worst, and she still agreed to go out with you.”

I cringe, remembering the night of the panic attack. “I guess that’s true. So I’m not crazy?”

“I don’t know if I’d say that,” Mitch teases lightly. “But about this, no. So are you going to call her?”

I grin. “Yeah, I think so.” I start to get up, and they all whine.

“Oh, come on!”

“We want to hear!”

“We want to say hi!”

I scowl and throw a pillow at them before going to my room, closing the door behind me. I hesitate, dialing the number and then erasing it a few times. Why am I so nervous? My heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest like a cartoon character. It’s just one phone call, right? I take a deep breath, dialing and hitting send before I can stop myself. When she answers, my pulse slows a little.