Miriam hadn't changed since Ade saw her in the library. It's not that she hadn't looked great in her form-fitting leggings and tight jumper, she had, but Ade hoped dinner required a little more effort than athleisure even if it was in a Nando's. He'd swapped his own jumper for the promised white t-shirt and changed into a clean pair of black jeans, but here she was, same as ever.

"Sorry I'm late," she said while slipping into the seat across from his. He'd wanted a booth, it would've been more intimate, but they seemed reserved for larger groups.

"Did book club overrun?" he asked.

"No, I uh fell asleep actually."

Asleep? So she could've changed.

"Sorry," she said again, leaning across the table to briefly pat Ade's hand. "Book club was a lot. I planned to nap for like thirty minutes, but I slept through my alarm."

He threaded his fingers through hers and squeezed. "It's okay," he said, smiling for good measure. "It happens."

"Anyway." She slipped her hand out from under his. "Have you decided what you're ordering?"

The flippancy with which she shifted aside, opened her menu, and turned her attention to the items listed inside left Ade cold. What was there to check? If you've been to one Nando's, you've been to them all. But somehow ordering was more important than this moment between them. Somehow, Ade felt, everything was more important. Which was why he had to show her, prove to her, that he was the most important.

"What are you having?" Miriam asked, finally glancing up from the menu. Her big brown eyes locked with Ade's, and he felt a flicker of warmth curl in his stomach.

"Half chicken," he said.

"And?"

"Chips and garlic bread."

With a firm nod, Miriam jumped up and dashed towards the till before Ade could stop her. He watched her, eyes zeroing in on her arse which was plump and pert, a fact only accentuated by her leggings. Smiling softly to himself, she turned and caught his gaze which only served to make his smile widen into a full blown beam. She laughed, rolled her eyes, then ordered before returning to the table.

"So cheesy," she said while sitting down.

"Only with you," Ade grinned.

"Am I supposed to be flattered?"

"Oh, definitely. Cheese is reserved for the people I like best."

"Oh, so you like me?"

He cleared his throat, face twitching, and itched his forehead. He wasn't one to admit to feelings, then again it had been so long since he'd had them that maybe there was no harm in telling the truth. So, with a shake of the head, he said, "You got me."

"Now, now." Miriam's smile was dynamite. "You've got to actually say it. I mean, how else am I supposed to believe you? You could say this to every girl."

"Trust me," Ade snorted. "I definitely do not." He then grabbed the two glasses Miriam placed in the centre of the table. "What do you want to drink?" he asked.

"Coke," she said. "But don't think I'm letting this go."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Ade headed to the drinks station and joined the short queue for the ice machine. Both glasses half-filled with crushed ice, he dispensed Coke into hers and Fanta into his before grabbing cutlery, ketchup and a bottle of hot sauce. Upon his return to the table, he expected Miriam to pick up their conversation and was startled when she asked if he was a big reader.

Laughing, Ade placed her drink in front of her and shook his head. "Not really," he admitted. "I kind of like non-fiction sometimes, but I have to be in the right head space to be told how to live my life."

Miriam made a face. Even disgusted Ade thought she looked cute.

"What's wrong with non-fiction," he laughed.

"It's so dry. I mean who wants to hear about the real world when you could be transported into a fake one?"

"As compelling as that sounds, I feel like non-fiction can be really insightful."

"Oh yeah?" Miriam raised a mocking brow. "What's the best non-fiction book you've read."

Shit, Ade thought. The last time he'd read for pleasure was almost a year and a half ago, but with no other alternatives he spluttered out the title.

"Atomic Habits," Miriam scoffed. "That's like the Timothée Chalamet of non-fiction."

It was Ade's turn to raise an eyebrow. "What's the supposed to mean?" he asked.

Miriam gave a full-bodied shrug. "I don't know," she said. "Like ubiquitous, I guess. Everywhere. It's not a bad thing, but like everyone has fucking read it."

"Have you?"

She shook her head. "Of course not. I'm a proud member of the non-fiction hating brigade."

"Okay." Ade raised his hands. "But if you had to pick a non-fiction book you enjoyed, what would it be?"

Miriam pursed her lips, then bit them, then pursed them again, forcing Ade to lose his train of thought. In those short five seconds, all he saw was her. Her mouth to be more precise. Then, in the sixty that followed, all he could think of was kissing them. Sure, he'd done it once before, but it felt like a privilege. One he wasn't sure would be repeated. Then a waiter popped between them, placing two plates on the table, and Ade startled.

"Thanks man," he said. The waiter smiled then backed away from their table. "So?" Knife and fork to hand, Ade returned his attention to Miriam. "Favourite non-fiction book?"

"Probably White Tears/Brown Scars," Miriam said. "It's this incredible look at privilege and its historical basis. Honestly, it's been my favourite non-fic read of the year. Definitely deserves a lot more hype than it gets. Like you see booktok promoting the same intersectional narratives, and I'm here like look at this book."

This was the most animated Ade had ever seen Miriam. More so than when she was with Wes, and Ade had to admit, however begrudgingly, that up until this point, that was the most animated he'd ever seen her. But now he had this memory, this moment, this Miriam. Now he had another piece of her. Now he was another step closer to knowing what it felt like to have her in all the ways Wes never could. In all the ways he'd wanted since he spotted her at Sandy's.

"I take it you're a fan," he said.

She laughed, ducking almost into a nod. "Sorry," she said. "See, I am a dorky dork."

"The dorkiest dork," Ade agreed. "But it's cute. I like it."

Her smile curled mischievously. "Now all you have to do is admit that you like me."

Ade leaned in closer. "What do I get in return?" he asked.

Miriam tilted her head ever so slightly to the left and popped a spear of broccoli into her mouth. "That," she said with all the confidence in the world, "is for me to know and you to find out."

They finished their meal and the air fell stagnant. This was the moment Ade dreaded. The goodbye, for there was no way Miriam would stretch this into his bedroom. Then again, perhaps he could stretch it. Not home, true, but somewhere else. Somewhere chill and fun. Somewhere non-threatening. Somewhere like The Dessert Bar. He suggested it the moment they stepped out of the restaurant and was pleased to see Miriam nod.

"Why not," she said. "I could do with some cake."

"Is Wes not going to worry where you are?" Ade asked. He couldn't help it.

"I highly doubt that," Miriam said. "Anyway, are you a carrot cake or red velvet type of man?"

"Red velvet," Ade said, relieved by the way she brushed off the Wes of it all.

Miriam tutted and shook her head.

"What?" he asked. "Who doesn't like chocolate cake and cream cheese frosting?"

"This girl." Miriam pointed at herself. "I like walnuts instead."

"Is that the only kind of nut you like?" Ade regrated this in an instant, but there was no way to snatch it back, so he simply stood there while her nose scrunched up in a cute little ball and she wretched.

"That was bad," she said.

"Yeah," he laughed, "it was."

"You've definitely got to work on your innuendo game before our next date."

"There's going to be another?" Ade took two steps back and paused beneath a bright streetlamp.

"Obviously." Miriam turned and smiled. "You like me after all."

Ade could refuse to say this, as he had all evening, or he could embrace it, jump all in and tell her how he felt. How he really felt. The former was far more tempting, but there was something about the way she stood a few paces from him, hands on hips, brows raised competitively, that made him step forward and drag her into the light. Hands cradling both sides of her face, he leaned in. "I do like you," he whispered.

She smiled. "I knew i—"

Abi once said there was nothing more romantic than shutting a girl up with a kiss. Ade had rolled his eyes at the time and ignored her delusions. But now he knew that she was, as expected, wrong. There was in fact nothing sexier than shutting a girl up with a kiss. Especially when said girl melted in your arms, pressing herself close while wrapping her arms around your neck and stroking the back of your head. Especially when said girl was Miriam.

She ended the kiss first, lips swollen and slightly parted. Running a hand through her braids she shook her head and said, "I knew you'd come around."

A surprised burst of laughter shot out of Ade. "Confident are we?"

Miriam gestured to the lamppost. "I think you've shown why I should be."

Throwing an arm around her shoulder, he forced her to keep walking. "Yeah," he said. "I guess I have."

***

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