Skinny Love (completed)

My heart was pounding.

My heart was pounding. Tristan finished off the rest of the ice cream and I didn't want our night to end. He threw away the cup and spoons and I got up from my seat.

I wanted him to grab my hand again and he did after locking the shop back up.

My arm was behind his as we walked down the sidewalk back to the cinema parking lot.

The wind went right through me and I shuddered. It wasn't even a heavy breeze. I'm always so easily cold though.

"You cold?" Tristan asked. I nodded. He undid our hands and wrapped his arm around me. He pulled me close and I grew warm instantly just thinking about being so close to him as I was.

I decided to make a bold move. I reached up to his large hand that gripped my arm and held onto it, then I drew myself in closer to his side.

"I wanna keep holding your hand." I shyly admitted. I was just holding onto three fingers, but it was enough.

It was dark out on our way to the truck but I felt safe being with Tristan. Once we got there, he opened my door but I remained in his hold.

"I fear this night ending." I admitted. I squeezed his fingers and I knew that no matter how hard I squeezed, he wouldn't be affected in the slightest.

"Me neither." He added.

"Why ... why were you constantly shifting around in your seat during the movie? I was beginning to think you weren't comfortable with the movie and me." I looked up and Tristan wore his blank face that I couldn't read.

"I very much enjoyed the movie, Jasmine. And I enjoyed every second with you even more. The reason I was moving around so much is because I could barely control myself." I gave him a questioning look. He sighed. "Look, Jasmine, I've ... I've liked you for a long time," I squeezed his fingers while wearing wide eyes. "I ... I've been trying to gain up the courage to ask you out for months now."

"That's why you were always staring at me during lunch,"

"I'm sorry. I just ... I only know you from your backside. That's all you ever gave me to look at."

"Then ... why all of a sudden like me?"

"I was really down at the beginning of the basketball season. When track started, my brother always made me take him to the meets. So I did. When we went to one, I saw you sprint your one hundred and thought about how amazing and strong you looked. You made me ... happy. My brother's a year out of high school, and he knew you when I asked who you were. He was once on the track team. But then I watched you run your two hundred and your three hundred that I just ... I thought to myself, 'I need to get to know this amazing girl.' After that I started noticing you in my classes and at lunch. You began to pop up everywhere. I couldn't stop looking at you."

I blushed. "Th—thanks, I guess."

"I haven't been stalking you or anything. Just ... watching you from afar. My brother and I were super excited to see you race State ... I'm really sorry about that."

I shook my head, trying to put the pieces together.

I had convinced myself the other day that I wanted a guy who would go to my meets and cheer me on. A guy who would choose seeing Cinderella over the new Avengers. A guy who would hold my hand and kiss my cheek when I'm sad. A guy who would accept my body and me as a person.

Could that guy be Tristan? Tall, brooding Tristan? Maybe ... maybe it could be.

"Thank you, for tonight, Tristan. I really, really enjoyed it." I leaned into him not wanting to go away. "And ... you're a really nice guy ... I think I might be beginning to ... like you," I looked at him, his tall stature, and looked deep into his eyes. "Thanks for ... gaining the courage to ask me out,"