Amelia pulled me along the faculty in giggles right after I’d asked her for help. In record time, she pulled me into a classroom re-purposed into a photo studio, a white, seamless background illuminated by lights, a big camera pointing right at it. A single, wooden chair sat in the midst of the white frame. 

Introducing me to her good friend Dani, she explained that I wanted some pictures taken of me, and while she did so, she sounded super excited about it all.

“He wants some pictures for his portfolio!” she giggled. “Have you seen it, Dani? He’s all over the stores with that face cream! I saw it, and I couldn’t believe it at all! So cute~!” 

Dani looked me up and down, and when she studied my face, her grin grew into oblivion, and with her camera in tow, she bobbed up and down and squeaked. “Oh my god, yeah! I’ve seen it online! Wow! Since when do you model? That’s crazy, to think we’re going to school with someone whose face is all over these ads!” 

“Uh … that was my first time,” I admitted, awkwardly scratching the back of my head, and Dani gasped as if she couldn’t believe it at all. “So, I need some basic photos to apply with … I got invited for another casting.” 

“Okay!! Let’s get to it! I’ll make you look super fabulous, you’ll steal all the jobs! It’ll be the best sedcard ever.” 

A sedcard … that sounded way too professional for what I was doing, I thought. 

Honestly, at first I felt a bit shy and embarrassed when Dani took a bunch of photos of me, but the way she commented every time about how good I looked with every shot, I was able to open up a bit more, and in the end, we got quite a lot of nice photos for me to use on my portfolio. Some headshots, some profiles, or my full body; some black-and-white, some with color. 

It was amazing seeing myself in these kind of photos, and the longer it took, the more fun I had. 

Until Amelia allowed herself a peek at my phone laying on one of the chairs beside her, where she’d watched the entire time. My heart dropped, because I hoped it wasn’t Vince. Honestly, I prayed and prayed it wasn’t him; the fact that she peeked at my phone, otherwise, didn’t bother me that much. 

But then, butterflies fluttered through my stomach when Amelia giggled. “Oh? Felix! Who’s Tommy~? How cute!!!” 

“W-What?” Just hearing that name, all color drained from my face, and I chuckled rather awkwardly. To think he texted me so early throughout the day … it was barely noon, and Thomas had texted me out of his own accord? Whatever for, I wondered. 

Even Dani giggled, and she hopped over, squeaking as she read Thomas’ message, and for a few moments, I was the only one clueless about my own phone’s messages. “He’s asking if you’re free on Saturday…!” 

“He—He is?” I stuttered, a gulp slipping down my mouth, and it completely dried out my throat. My heart raced on and on, and I couldn’t help but think of our last conversation, where I’d so boldly asked him to show me more great feelings. 

And now?

Amelia hopped over to me with my phone, handed it over to me with an excited glitter on her face, so happy for me, and Tommy’s message totally forced a blush into me. 

[11:45: Tommy: Does Saturday work for you?] 

When it came to responding to his message, Amelia was polite enough to respect my privacy and instead, she rushed over to check out my photos together with Dani. 

[11:48: Felix: are you asking if I am free…?]

“Eek!” A call came in, and once more, I wondered why he didn’t just text me back, instead! With a racing heart, I accepted the call, my hands shivering as soon as I heard his handsome voice. It totally robbed me of all my senses. 

“I thought we could have dinner together,” Tommy explained with his usual, stoic voice. Dinner? You … want to have dinner with me? So suddenly? 

A dinner … just Thomas and I? Like a date, definitely, right? Vince had never bothered inviting me out to dinner, only ever had fast food at my place, or cafeteria food at school. 

“On Saturday … Y-Yes, I’m free.” 

Now, the smile did show up within Tommy’s voice. “Great. I’ll make us a reservation.” 

A reservation? I panicked completely. “W-Wait, um … But I … I don’t have any money for something like that…”

Silence followed. A silence so overbearing, I could hear the crickets on the other end, only for Thomas to let out a chuckle once I already wondered whether he’d hung up. “Let me worry about that, darling.” 

“B-But—“

“It seems I’ve got a lot to teach you, Felix. If I invite you, you just sit back and enjoy.”

“Is that really okay…?” 

Thomas completely ignored my worries. “What do you prefer to eat?” 

An embarrassed mumble, my voice became. “I like anything…” 

“Alright, then.” I wished to see his smile. Getting to see his handsome face would have immediately put me at ease, but also, would have made me all the more nervous at the same time. I was in complete disarray, overwhelmed with it all.

Are we really going on a date?

You want to have a meal with me, spend time with me? Even though he was so busy, he cleared his schedule just for me? For a whole evening with me, he planned days ahead, and even asked me if I wanted to?

I was amazed by the bare minimum, wasn’t I? To think Vince hadn’t even bothered giving me at least this little consideration, and here Thomas was, taking none of my time for granted, and making me feel so, so comfortable, even through the phone. 

At this rate, I would totally fall for him. It wasn’t fair, how charming Thomas was. When he talked to me, I forgot all sense, I forgot he was older than me, I forgot how different we were; I forgot everything all at once. 

And then, those little questions he asked me, as if he cared about me … “Have you had lunch yet?”

“N-Not yet,” I whispered. “I was doing some photos for my portfolio … I thought it would help for my casting.”

“Sounds fun,” Thomas mumbled with a genuine undertone in his voice. Did he like how eager I was about these castings? “Don’t forget to eat.” 

“Okay, I won’t…” 

“I have a busy week ahead, so I won’t be able to make it for a drink. Though I’d love to see you.” 

Blushing all over, I giddily shifted my weight between my legs, back and forth, back and forth. All the while, my fingers clenched into my shirt, and I tried so desperately to calm my heartbeat. “T-That’s okay.” 

“I’ll see you on Saturday, then.” 

After Tommy hung up, I clung to my phone and pressed my lips into another, too embarrassed to even speak. But then, Amelia and Dani squeaked and rushed towards me to hug me. “Someone has a date! I’m so jealous~!” 

“Tell us how it went after! We want to know everything!” Even though they seemed so curious, they didn’t ask much about who Thomas was; Amelia seemed patient enough to wait until I was ready to tell her, and in general, she was just glad we both finally peeled away from Vince for good. 

When they said it, and they were so happy for me, that was when it finally settled in.

I have a date …

None of my prior partners had ever asked me out on a date like this directly.

Is this … my first date ever?