As the meeting drew closer, so did Nircoel and I. However, those strange feelings I had for him drifted farther away. I was relieved to know that it was a passing phase. In fact, I was quite sure it was my body’s response to me having such a close friend, something…very new to me.

~.~

“Hey, did Khlo ever tell you what she wanted to see you for?” Nircoel asked, playing with my hair.

“No, she doesn’t usually.”

I had learned that Nircoel liked to touch, but in a platonic way. If he liked to be touched -- besides being carried and hugged -- I didn’t know. I didn’t know how to ask without it sounding weird either. Maybe it was the repetition of little physical gestures that had erased the strange feelings I was having, but I felt calm whenever he touched me. 

“Come on, we have to get ready,” I said, attempting to get out of the couch.

He threw his arms around my neck, placing me right back in the chair.

“Do we have to?” he whined. “I don’t wanna go anywhere.”

“Well,” I said, prying his arms off of me, “you don’t have to go.”

“I don't want you to leave me either!” he said, holding on tighter.

“Don’t you want to see what Khlo has for us?” I asked, trying to pique his interest.

His grip slightly loosened as he admitted, “I guess…but let’s come home quick.”

There seemed to be something he hated about leaving the house. I hadn’t noticed it before, but the reason he took so long to get ready may have been the fact that he didn’t like the idea of going outside. He told me that he liked walks, so I attributed it to the people rather than the outside itself.

“We’ll be walking to the cafe,” I told him, waiting for his reaction.

He froze, somewhat proving my theories, then asked hesitantly, “Walking? Don’t we have to drive?”

“There’s a special trail I take to the cafe that no one knows about. It’ll be fun.”

“So…” His arms dropped to lightly hold my side. “It’ll be a date?”

I knew he was teasing, but those words threatened to reignite the feelings I was so sure I was over.

“If it’ll get you out the house, Nir, it can be a date,” I said dryly.

“Yay!” he exclaimed, springing out the chair. 

He dashed to get ready, while I sat for a moment, gathering myself.

It’s just ‘cause he said it would be a date. No other reason behind it. I told myself, desperately wishing I could believe it.

~.~

“This trail really is beautiful, Esi,” Nircoel said, gazing at the flowers of the meadow we were walking through. The blue line indicating the ocean was visible from here, and so were its sandy beaches.

“Glad you like it,” I said, moving a little closer to him. Slowly, gently, I slipped my hand into his without a word.

He looked at me, his surprise quickly changing into a golden smile. I felt myself smile back at him, and we continued to head to the cafe.

~.~

I took my hand back from him when we stood in front of the cafe. He lightly bumped my hand with a closed fist, tossing me an irritated look.

“Just not in front of Khlo, okay? I don’t want her getting the wrong idea.”

He sighed. “Fine.”

Khlo’s voice greeted us as we walked in. “Hiii, darling. Nircoel baby. Welcome in!” 

Noticing something different about her, I asked, “Are you doing a different style with your hair?”

Her usually wild hair was now up in a bun. It looked good on her, but it was certainly not her style.

She laughed nervously, not meeting my eyes. “I wanted to…try something new!”

“...Mhm.” Getting back to the topic at hand, I asked, “What did you want to see us for?”

Eyes dancing with mischief, she teased, “I didn’t know asking for you meant Nircoel came too, darling.”

“I just didn’t want to stay home alone,” Nircoel chimed in with a laugh.

“Who does?” Khlo agreed. “Anyways, I have a new drink for you to try, darling. You’re welcome to try too, Nircoel baby.”

“What kind of drink?” I asked cautiously.

“Don’t worry, it has strawberries.”

The drink she presented was a sparkling strawberry lemonade -- simply bubbles, no hard seltzer. Of course, like any strawberry drink she concocted, this was another of Khlo’s hits with me.

“Ooh this is good!” Nircoel finished the last of his.

I preferred to slowly sip mine, enjoying the carbonated strawberry goodness.

“So what have you two been up to lately? Any tea?” Khlo asked, attempting to pry some sort of gossip out of us.

“Nothing much,” I answered, glancing at Nircoel to see if he would agree.

“Yeah, trying to focus on the case.”

“Hey there, kiddos,” Detective Willis called from behind us.

“What are you doing here, sir?” I asked.

“I saw you two through the window. I had to come say hello.”

Fortunately, Nircoel seemed more at ease around him and greeted him normally.

With a strange tone, Khlo asked, “Darling, would you come help me move a box in storage? It’s full of ingredients for the strawberry lemonade.” 

Confused, I agreed and followed her to the back room.

She hurriedly shut the door when I entered.

“Khlo? What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? That’s what I need to know! Who is that man out there? That gorgeous, stunning, hunk of a man?”

“...Do you mean Detective Willis?”

The dreamy look on her face as she said, “Ooh, he’s a detective.”

The way I stared at her was enough for her to come back to reality. 

“Sorry, darling. You know, I would have fallen in love with you…if you were fifteen years older.” She blew me a kiss.

Contrary to her youthful look and playful manner, Khlo was thirty.

But it didn’t explain the whole love-at-first-sight thing.

“Is he single?” Khlo asked excitedly.

“...I think so.” I’d never heard any rumors about Detective Willis being in a relationship.

“Cool. Come on, darling. I need to find out if I have a chance with him.”

Inwardly weeping and just wanting to go home, I followed her.

“Thank you for moving that box for me, darling,” Khlo said, resuming her position at the counter.

“Anytime, Khlo.” I sat back down, sipping my drink again.

My phone buzzed.

The text was from Detective Willis, who currently had his head buried in a menu.

“Is she your girlfriend?”

No.

After a moment, I decided to help Khlo out a little.

She’s actually single.

His eyes flicked toward me, showing signs of uncertainty…and maybe hope? He placed an order, afterward striking up a conversation with her.

Nircoel leaned in and whispered, “Hey, do you think they’re…”

“Mutually interested?” I whispered back, finishing his sentence. “Positive.”

“We should go.”

I nodded, and we sneaked away.

~.~

Holding hands again on the way home, Nircoel and I were simply enjoying the solitude and each other’s silent company. Suddenly, Nircoel stopped.

“Mutual interest, huh?” He looked at me with a smile that almost reached his eyes. “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

“One day it’ll come for both of us,” I told him, tugging his arm slightly so we could resume walking.

“I wish it would hurry.”