Mary Mae and the Boys

Chapter 9

"I really like you, Mary," Gilbert said, standing on her front porch, both his hands in hers as they swung them side to side. She was smiling far too big as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. It got steamy really quickly as their hands were all over each other, holding and hugging as though they were each other's life lines.

"I," Mary breathed, "really... like.... you....too." She said, between kisses.

Gilbert suddenly pulled back for a second, "I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with my parents this weekend? I've been talking to them about you and they want to meet you." Mary blushed at the words coming from his mouth. She wondered if it was too soon, she'd never been in a relationship before and wasn't sure how long she was supposed to wait. They'd been on three dates in just a week already and she knew him pretty well by now, but every relationship was on its own timeline. She felt ready now to meet his parents, so why not?

"Yes! Of course! I'd love to meet the people that raised such a gentleman." She squealed excitedly as Gilbert smiled, kissing her once again.

"And on a related note, I would love it if I can introduce you as my girlfriend." His transition into popping the big question was exquisite. Her heart fluttered at the sound of the word.

She was going to be someone's girlfriend! The very idea of it made her giddy in a thousand different ways.

Her instant reaction was to say yes and kiss him some more, but she knew she didn't want to make this decision yet, not when she'd told Zach she would consider his offer of a date. She needed some time to process her best friends new confession and she had until this weekend to decide.

"Can I let you know by Friday?" Mary Mae asked, she had two days to decide now and felt stupid for even making Gilbert wait when she wanted nothing more than to have her first boyfriend and potential husband be this incredibly respectful and kind man.

He flinched slightly before regaining his composure, it made her wonder what past trauma he had been through for him to react that way. "Anytime that works for you; I would love to hear it and I'd love to start exclusively dating you because I really, really like you Mary Mae Mars." He said, kissing her cheek and forehead this time before walking back to his car, confused at her reaction and wondering if he had been reading the signs wrong the entire time. He thought she was into him, that she would jump at the chance of a relationship. Things had been going so well.

He decided not to overthink or stress too much, he just figured she had some things to sort out, maybe things with the boy who mindlessly fought him today, then she'd give him her honest decision. He smiled at the thought before wondering further if something he did had pushed her away. He shut his eyes, taking a deep breath before driving the twenty minutes home. Overthinking is a wrecking ball, and he didn't want to ruin anything by creating scenarios that didn't happen just to appease his uncertainty.

Mary Mae remained on the porch, feeling an odd sense of sadness as Gilbert left. She should've said yes, now she just elongated their wait to be together.

She turned her sadness into anger, directed at one person and one person only: Zachary.

•••

Zach
On my way

Mary Mae
K

It was getting late and she might've been overreacting, but she wanted to tell him. She wanted him to know that they're just friends and that she wants to be Gilbert's girlfriend and that he should respect her and be a supportive friend.

She rehearsed everything she was going to say countless times, but her mind grew foggy when Zach parked in her driveway. It was nearly midnight and her mom had left a few hours ago for work.