The last bell had rung 5 minutes ago and Tessa was standing before her locker, gathering all her things for the day with both Valerie and Natalie standing beside her, urging her to answer their questions.

"So..." Valerie trailed beside the petite girl. "You like him?"

"I don't like Xavier," Tessa slammed her locker door, looking at her with wide eyes and flushing cheeks.

"I never said Xavier," Valerie grinned as the other girl chuckled.

"You know there is no harm in the girl asking the guy out," Natalie settled with her chuckling fit.

"Xavier and I are just friends,"

"Friends don't look at each other like you two do," The dark skinned girl rolled her eyes.

"That's how Bruce and I started," Nat nodded in confirmation.

"When are you asking her out?" Clint leaned beside Xavier's locker as the boy flushed in embarrassment.

"Tessa and I are just friends,"

"Keep telling yourself that," Jeremy scoffed. "Be the first to ask her out and prove that you're a man!"

"Hey, there is nothing wrong with girls asking the guy out," Bruce shrugged.

"Is that how you and Nat got together?"

"No," He scoffed. "I asked her out,"

"See," Clint gestured to Bruce as they cornered Xavier, the lanky boy slowly backing away from them.

"Stop denying it, Tess!" Valerie sighed, both her and Natalie moving forward as she stepped back. "You like him!"

Both Tessa and Xavier gasped as they bumped into each other, whirling around and catching sight of the other.

"Oh! I'm so sorry," Tessa apologized with flushed cheeks.

"No, no, it's my fault," Xavier shook his head, pawing at his hair, both of them looking back at the expectant look on their friend's faces. "Uh...ready to go home?"

"Yeah! Sure, let's go," Tessa nodded eagerly and rushed towards the door, both Xavier and Jeremy behind her.

Jeremy ended up sitting beside Tessa but got off two stops before them, allowing Xavier to move to sit beside her as they both talked about various things, deliberately avoiding the topic of their friends trying to set them up. Eventually, they both ended up laughing at a joke he was telling before they both got off the bus and walked down the sidewalk. Xavier following her into her apartment building and up the flight of stairs to her apartment.

"You know, you didn't have to follow me up to my apartment," Tessa chuckled at him as she stopped outside the door.

"I live in the building right next to yours, so it's alright," He shrugged. "And besides I wanted to ensure that you got home safe, god knows what lurks behind the stair corners,"

"My neighbors, Xavier," She laughed at him.

"You never know what sort of neighbors you have, they could be serial killers, you know."

"Okay," She shook her head at him with a laugh. "Go home, Xavier, thank you for seeing me safely to my apartment,"

Nodding to her words he began to make his way down the hallway as Tessa fished out her apartment keys, the boy suddenly stopping short.

"Hey, let me know when you get in safe," He turned around and called out to her, the girl standing with her hand on the handle and looking up at him in amusement. He watched her push open the door and step inside before peeking her head out to look at him.

"Got in safe," She waved at him before closing the door, pressing her back to the wooden panel and letting out a deep exhale, a goofy smile on her lips as she shook her head at his antics.

Taking a shower, Tessa made herself something to eat before settling down to finish her homework. She had assumed that she would get done much later, but instead, she sat bored and done with work at 4, leaving her 6 more hours before Daniel came home. Heaving a sigh she decided to bake some brownies.

Gathering all the ingredients, she realized with dismay that she didn't have enough sugar. Grabbing her house keys, she walked out of the apartment and locked it behind her, making her way out the complex and to the one next door. Taking the elevator to the sixth floor, she knocked on the door and stood patiently waited. A minute later she heard the locks click before the door was pulled open, showing Xavier standing in green plaid boxers with a Pikachu hood, his dark hair and unruly mess and staring at her with wide eyes.

"Hello, Pikachu," Tessa tried her hardest to hide her laughter. "I was wondering if you have any sugar," She held up the cup in her hand as the boy flushed in embarrassment.

"I-uh..." He trailed. "Sure, come on in," He moved away and rushed towards the kitchen, Tessa slowly walking inside and admiring the cosines and organization of everything, smiling at a couple of Xavier's baby pictures she could see.

"Xavi poo!" A feminine voice called from down the hall, Tessa looking towards the sound.

"Here!" Xavier hissed and tossed the sugar pot in Tessa's hand, turning her around and began shoving her out the door. "You need to leave!"

"Oh, who's this, Xavier?" Another woman's voice called out as the boy froze, Tessa pulling away from his hold to look back at the two women before her. One of them had fiery red hair with bright hazel eyes, smiling at Tessa while the other had black hair and small narrow dark brown eyes, smiling at Xavier's rush. "I keep telling you to wear proper clothes, Xavier," The one with the black hair shook her head.

"Hello," The one with the red hair moved forward and struck her hand out. "We're Xavier's moms,"

"Pleasure meeting you ma'am, I'm Tessa,"

"Tessa?" Both women spoke up at the same time and looked towards the boy. "As in...Tessa Forbes?"

"Yes, that's me,"

"Oh!"

"I'm going over to Tessa's!" Xavier exclaimed before either of his moms could say anything and grabbed the pair of jeans hanging on the back of the sofa before dragged Tessa out with him, slamming the door behind him. "I'm so sorry about that," He blabbered and he pulled on his jeans, Tessa shaking her head with a chuckle.

"It's alright,"

"They're so embarrassing," He grumbled with burning ears.

"I think they're very nice," She shrugged and began walking towards the elevator at the end of the hall, Xavier following after her after buttoning his jeans into place.

"You like them?" He slid into the elevator behind her, surprised to hear that.

"Yeah,"

He looked at her in confusion, not having expected that before silently following after her as they walked over to her apartment. Stepping inside, Xavier looked around him, admiring the interior décor before walking over to the barstool and settling down as he watched her make the brownies, both of them talking about random things.

Soon he moved around the counter, helping her with the baking as they laughed about something. Putting the trey into the oven they both settled onto the couch, talking and laughing sharing a few funny stories before they finally pulled the brownies out when they were made, Tessa cutting them up and taking them towards the lounge and putting them onto the coffee table.

"We can have one right?" Xavier's mouth watered at the delicious smell wafting around him, looking expectantly at Tessa.

"Yeah, testers," She nodded handing him one before taking one herself, both of them moaning at the delicious taste of the gooey brownie before looking at each other and laughing.

They both ate and talked about things, moving on the sofa so that they could face each other with their arms on the back of the couch, their fingers nearly touching as silence settled between the two. But it wasn't awkward, it was rather comforting as Tessa closed her eyes, enjoying the silence and the feel of Xavier's presence. Her eyes opening when she felt him gently glide his fingers over the back of her palm.

"You have very soft hands," He marveled.

"I moisturize," She teased.

"I always love women's soft hands," He murmured and played with her fingers before pressing his palm against hers, smiling at how small it was compared to his. "You have such tiny hands,"

"I know,"

"It's cute,"

"You think so?" She looked up at him from below her lashes, feeling heat travel up her neck.

"Very adorable," He nodded and interlocked their fingers together, feeling the way her hand meshed into his, a heavy silence falling between the two as they looked at each other with their interwoven hands between them.

"Tessa,"

"Xavier," They spoke at the same time, looking up at each other with bright eyes. "Oh, uh....you first,"

"No, no, please, ladies first,"

"No, it's alright, I insist,"

"Okay, well..." Xavier trailed, gathering strength from her hand in his. "I like you....like...a lot," He exhaled, looking up at her with his lips pressed into a thin line and his eyes bright.

"I like you, too," She smiled shyly, gently squeezing his hand.

"Would you...would you like to go out on a date with me?"

"How does Saturday at the bowling alley sound?"

"Sounds great," Xavier grinned.

The two spent some time just sitting and smiling at each other before he finally got up to leave.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Tessa nodded, getting on her tiptoes and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "See you tomorrow,"

"I'm looking forward to Saturday," He grinned, lingering his hold on her hand.

"Me too," She smiled shyly before letting go of his hand and watching him walk away, pressing her back to the door before smiling and shaking her head.

Tessa had been sitting on the barstool with her chin rested on her folded arms when Daniel had stepped inside with a wide grin, a bouquet of daisies and pizza.

"Hey!" He greeted her, closing the door with his shoes. "How was school?"

"I got asked out on a date," She informed, looking up at him from below her lashes, noticing him freeze for a moment before he put everything down.

"Okay," Daniel responded slowly. "By whom?"

Tessa told him about how she had known Xavier for a month and liked him and he asked her out on a date today, wanting to meet on Saturday.

"Can I go?" She asked him hopefully. "Please,"

"Hey, I'm not your dad that I'd say no," Daniel shrugged. "You do what you want, just be careful,"

"I will be! I promise!" She exclaimed with a broad grin, noticing him pull the card off the bouquet. "Oh, who are the flowers for?"

"I got a secret admirer at work," Daniel chuckled, putting his foot down on the pedal as the lid opened. "So they sent me this bouquet," He threw the card inside, the words "For my special bambi" being drowned in darkness as the lid closed on its own.