--biana vacker--

I am sweaty and gross and disgusting and I hate myself so very much.

Sophie closed the door with a soft click, sealing our doom.

"What should we do?" I asked, slapping myself for answering such a stupid question. Talk, of course. What else would we do? But talking seemed impossible when the tension felt like it was clawing my throat open.

"What do you want me to say? Coloring pages?" Sophie asked, trying to fight off the awkwardness in the room. I gave in and laughed, and somehow the glass door to the balcony shimmered a little brighter.

"I could go for a round of Color By Number." I snickered at myself.

"Sudoku's always a blast," Sophie admitted. I snorted.

"I'll pass. Math sucks." We are sitting down on her bed now, our fingers almost touching, even though I don't remember walking there in the first place, don't remember anything but right now and right now her fingers are brushing against mine and-

"It's fun!" Sophie said, grinning. "I like doing puzzles. Although I didn't bring any with me..."

"I could give you a puzzle myself," I offered. Sophie laughs, and I feel the last of the tension wash away.

"Biana, are you seriously offering to quiz me right now?" Sophie teased. "I know I'm a nerd, you don't have to cater so much."

I only shrugged. "I'm a caterer at heart. What's the capital of Zimbabwe?"

Sophie only has to think for a bit over one second before her eyes light up. "Harare."

"Photographic memory really comes in handy."

Sophie grinned. "More of a bragging tool than anything else. Also handy for tests. I would be a failing prodigy if I didn't have it."

"Oh, come on. I think you ought to give yourself more credit." I'm leaning in now, and I can feel her hot breath on my cheek, and our conversation slowly fades out of my head and her soft, pink lips are the only thing on my mind, and I start to count the times her breath hits my face until she pulls away.

"You flatter me too much." One.

"No, not enough." Two.

On three, I lean in and gently press her lips against mine.

A tidal wave of excitement shot through my veins. Her hands embraced my cheeks as she pulled herself closer, onto my lap. I hooked my fingers around her neck and felt her silky hair drape over my hands like a curtain of gold. She was the only thing that mattered right now, even though it's probably been twenty minutes already and our friends are wondering where we are. I don't want to stop, but she pulls away with a golden smile and I let out a whine at the loss of her lips moving against mine. Then the rational side of my brain (albeit a small part) takes over and I realize it would be smart to talk about this before our tongues get stuck in each other's throats.

Sophie sits on the bed, hands folded seriously on her lap. "So, I don't know how I feel about you, about...this yet..." Sophie gestures to me with one hand. "But I do know I would like to be with you. Like, romantically." She shifts on the bed and I realize it's my turn to talk.

"Oh! Yes, I also want to be with you. Romantically." Sophie giggles and I can't help but smile. "Can we date?"

"I think we can," Sophie says, and it takes me a moment to realize she said that flirtatiously. Her flirty smile disappears and her gaze drifts to my lips. "So, now that that's over..."

This time, I don't hesitate to kiss her.