Bechloe - Like A Record, Baby

Chapter XV

Stacie's POV

This is it. This is the moment where I'm going to ask Aubrey to be my girlfriend. I wrote to her earlier and asked her to meet me next to the lake, which is just outside the hotel. It's a beautiful spot with trees, flowers, and sunshine. It's everything I need to set the scene to ask her out. I'd be lying if I said that I'm not nervous because I am. I'm so fucking scared. I want this more than anything and there's always that chance that Aubrey could say no but I just keep thinking positive thoughts. Nothing good can come of bad ones.

I pace back and forth, wringing my hands with anticipation, trying to calm my thumping heart. God, I'm so hot! I'm tempted to jump into the lake to cool off but I don't think Aubrey would find it as endearing as Daisy did in The Great Gatsby.

"Stacie?" I stopped my pacing when I see Aubrey approach me.

"H, hey! Hey, Bree!" I greet nervously.

"What's up? Why did you want me to meet you here?"

"Well... ah... I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh? What about?"

"Well..." I swallow and it feels like I'm swallowing razors. "Aubrey, we've been sneaking around together for a little while now and it's been great. I've enjoyed every moment of it and it's been a lot of fun but... I... I ah..."

"You don't want to do it anymore?"

I look up at Aubrey who looks at me with what I can only presume is sadness of some kind.

"No! No, not at all."

"Oh, good. Because I'm definitely going to need to wind down after tomorrow."

"Yeah, me, too," I laugh. "But there IS something I wanted to tell you and ask you."

"What's that?"

"I... I... Gee, this shouldn't be this hard... I'm not good talking about myself and all that but I've really enjoyed our time together and... well... Aubrey... I... I'd like us to be more than friends with benefits... if you know what I mean?" I look at her and I can't read her expression.

"Oh,"

"Yeah... I, ah... I've kinda... got feelings for you, and I... I want you to be my girlfriend. Yeah, I want you to be my girlfriend." I nod.

"Oh..." Aubrey utters and looks at me shocked.

"That's all?" I laugh.

"No, I just... I wasn't expecting that. I... I thought you didn't do relationships and all that?"

"No, I don't but you're different. You... you make me feel things that I've never felt before and after a lot of thinking, I've decided that I want to give being in a relationship a go and I want to be in a relationship with you. I know it's corny and stuff but I remember you saying that you like a bit of romance so... yeah."

"Stacie... I... I don't know what to say."

"You could say yes," I laugh awkwardly. "I mean, only if you want to. I don't want to push you. I just really like you that's all and if you said yes, I'd be so happy. I mean, it'd be cool. Not cool, but you know what I mean. Oh, God, I'm rambling. Shit. Okay. Ah, yeah, just... ah, say what you want."

Shut up, Conrad! You're blowing it!

I shut my mouth and watch Aubrey think and if feels like forever that I'm waiting for an answer.

"No," she says.

"N, no?" I repeat, having a hard time believing what she just said.

"I'm sorry, Stace... I... I'm not ready for a relationship. We're just friends with benefits."