He doesn’t get to respond as we pull up to my house, and my mom is already waiting outside. She immediately walks up to the side of the truck, and I open the door.

  “Hey, Mom.” I say with a smile.

  Tyler gets out and walks around to stand by my mom. “Hi, Emmy.” She responds, before turning to my friend. “You must be Tyler.”

  “Hi,” He says, and then pauses.

  “Evelyn.” My mom says. “Thank you for driving my daughter home.”

  “Of course.” He says with a smile. “Want me to help you to your bed, Emmy?”

  They both look at me, and I consider saying no. What the heck, I deserve this. “Yes, please.”

  Tyler gets in close, and I wrap my arms around his neck. He picks me up with ease, one arm on my back, the other under my legs. My mom gives me a smile as he carefully pulls me out and turns around.

  “Lead the way.” He says.

  We follow my mom up the steps and to the door. My mom opens it, and then closes it behind us, before leading him to my bedroom. We walk inside, and I speak up. “Hey, Calypso, turn on the fairy lights.”

  The device pings, and my room is bathed in pinks and purples. Tyler stops for a moment, admiring my room, before gently setting me on my bed. I release my grip on his neck, and take off my remaining boot before ying back against my pillow.

  “Let me go grab your stuff.” He says, and turns for the door. “Be right back.”

  “Thank you!” I call out after him.

  Once he’s gone, my mom gives me a smile. “So, he drives you home, then carries you inside?”

  “He carried me the entire way back from the spot too…” I say sheepishly. “Like forty-five minutes.”

  “That’s so cute.” My mom says. “He seems really sweet.”

  “He is.” I reply. “Can I um… Can I ask him to hang out for a bit?”

  “Sure!” My mom says happily, and then falls silent as the front door opens.

  Tyler walks back in, and sets my stuff down against the wall, boot included. “That’s everything.” He says with a smile.

  My mom gives me a wink from behind his back, and leaves my room. “Thanks.” I say. “A lot…”

  He smiles at me. “Of course.”

  I blush fiercely and look away from his gaze. “Would you want to maybe stay for a bit?”

  “Sure.” He says. “If your mom is okay with it.”

  “She is.” I reply. “I may have already asked…”

  “I see.” He says with a smile. “Then yeah, I’d love to.”

  “Cool.” I say, and pat my bed. “What do you want to do?”

  “Can you show me some of your music?” He asks.

  “Sure.” I say. “Go turn on my pc for me?”

  He nods, and walks over to the exposed pc. I pull out my phone, and turn on my TV remotely. Once the computer is booted, I connect to it, and cast to my TV. Tyler returns, and I scoot over on the bed so that he can sit next to me. After taking off his boots and climbing onto my bed, I lean against him.

  “Whoa.” He says, as the music app opens.

  “I made this song most recently.” I say, as I press py on the song.

  He seems excited, and I happily just y there against him. Once the song is over, I turn my head to him. “So, what did you think?”

  “That was really good!” He says animatedly. “I can’t believe I’m in the presence of a genius.”

  “I’m not a genius.” I ugh. “Making music is just my passion.”

  “Can I listen to another?” He asks.

  I queue up the next one, turn off the main lyric track, and sing it myself.

  “Woke up in a neon dream, pixels shining bright. Glitter screens and fshing lights, everything’s alright. Floating through the cyber waves, lost in the code. Electric hearts and holograms on this endless road.”

  Tyler looks over at me with a grin, and I keep singing. “Lost in digital space, where the colors race. Electric beats and a virtual embrace. Dancing with the data in a cybernetic haze, lost in digital space in this techno maze.”

  I sit up, and pce my hand on Tyler’s shoulder as I sing the next verse. “Binary stars and virtual moons light up the sky. Holographic fantasies as the circuits fly. Glitching through the matrix in a world so surreal, in this digital utopia, everythings ideal.”

  I sing the chorus again, before flowing into the bridge. “Electric dreams and pixel streams, in this neon glow. Electric hearts and digital art, where the rhythms flow. Lost in the algorithm in a world so diving, in this digital wondernd, I’m forever online.”

  I giggle slightly, as I remember how bad this song actually was. It was one of the first I wrote, after all. I sing the final chorus, and then the outro. “In this electric dream, where the pixels gleam, I’m lost in digital space forever, it seems. With electric love and neon grace, I’ll keep dancing here in this digital pce.”

  The song ends, and Tyler nudges my arm. “That was really good.”

  “No it wasn’t.” I reply. “I kept using the same words, over and over again.”

  “Better than anything I’ve written, which is nothing.” He jokes.

  “Fair, but it’s not up to par with my newer stuff. Not by a long shot.”

  “Why show it to me then?” He asks. “If you’re not proud of it.”

  “It’s a part of my journey.” I expin. “If you don’t see where I started, you can’t appreciate where I’m at now.”

  “I disagree.” He says with a smile. “Not that your journey isn’t important, far from it, but that knowing about the journey isn’t necessary to appreciate the results of it.”

  “I guess that makes sense.” I say with a smile. “What do you want to do now?”

  “I’m not sure.” He responds. “I can’t stay for too long. Maybe another hour.”“We can just watch TV together, if you want.” I say. “You can show me a show you like, or something.”

  “Sounds good.” He says.

  I open up Voodoo, and hand him my phone. “Py whatever you want.”

  He throws on a cute animated show about two sisters exploring an enchanted forest, and we just y there together. The show is very interesting, and I very much enjoy the dynamic between the sisters. He’s so warm, and comfortable…

  “Emmy.” Tyler says softly. “Emmy, wake up.”

  “Huh…?” I groan and lift my head. “Crap, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep!” I shout in arm and concern.

  “Don’t worry about it.” He says with a smile. “I was happy just to y together.”

  “Still…” I say softly. “You only had an hour and I slept it away…”

  “It’s fine, Emmy.” He responds. “You know, you talk in your sleep?”

  “I do?!” I shout. Oh god, please tell me he didn’t hear me talk in my bad voice.

  “It’s really cute.” He says. “Your voice is all soft and breathy, and you were just mumbling about nothing.”

  I let out a sigh of relief. At least he doesn’t know… Although I’ll have to tell him eventually, if I want this to go any further. Do I want that? Not now… But at some point, maybe. I ruminate on this point for a moment. I doubt Holly will be taking me back… Would I say yes if she asked? Then there’s Paige… She likes me too, and I know I like her, at least as much as Tyler…

  “Earth to Emmy.” He says, accidentally reminding me of when Holly said that on our date. “Whoa… are you okay?”

  “Huh…?” I ask, and feel his rough hand touch my cheek.

  “You’re crying…”

  “Sorry.” I say, and pull back slightly. “I um… On my st date with Holly, she said that same thing to me… I don’t know why I remembered it just now but…”

  “But it still hurts.” He finishes for me.

  “Yeah…” I say softly. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize for that.” He says. “You just broke up, it’s a lot. You need time to heal.”

  “Yeah…” I say again.

  “Look, Emmy.” He says. “I want to be your friend, okay?” I nod. “Just friends. No expectations to date ter or anything.”

  “Thank you.” I say softly.

  “You’re welcome.” He says. “Now, I’ve really got to get home. We’ll hang out soon though, yeah?”

  “Yeah.” I say. “Um, on your way out, can you ask my mom to come here?”

  “Of course.” He says.

  I lean up and wrap my arms around his neck. “Thank you for being so nice to me.”

  “You’re my friend.” He reiterates. “It’s just how I am.”

  “Have a good night.” I say.

  He looks back at me from my doorway. “You too.”

  I y back into bed, and close my eyes. Today was a lot… but it was really nice. Then tomorrow I’m meeting with Paige for coffee… I am excited for it. Paige is really cute. I hope her personality is as good as her looks.

  “Emmy?” My mom asks as she enters my room.

  “Hey, Mom.” I say with a smile. “Can you help me get to the bathroom? I want to take a bath.”

  “Let me go run it for you,” She says. “Then I’ll help bring you in.”

  “Thank you.” I say happily, and pull out my phone while I wait.

  There are a few missed texts from Paige that I read through quickly.

  ‘Hey, I hope your day is going well.’

  ‘What were you up to again?’

  ‘Whatever it is, I hope it was fun.’

  ‘I’m stressing so hard trying to pick an outfit for tomorrow.’

  ‘Wait, that was meant for my friend, sorry.’

  ‘Ignore that.’

  ‘Still on for 9, right?’

  I sigh a bit at this. I don’t dislike the attention, but it's definitely a lot… It’s clear she likes me. I just hope she’ll be my friend, if that’s all I can give right now.

  ‘My day was great. I pyed airsoft with my brother and some of his friends. I ended up twisting my ankle, so my friend Tyler had to carry me through a 45 minute hike back to his truck. I hung out with him for a bit after he brought me home, showed off my embarrassing older music. Ended up falling asleep though. I’m excited for tomorrow, and I’m sure whatever you wear is going to look beautiful.’

  Paige doesn’t respond immediately, so I set my phone down, and wait for my mom. She returns in a few minutes, a hidden smile on her face.

  “Come on, let’s get you in there.” I rotate on the bed and sit fully up, and my mom stops in her tracks. “Oh, Emmy…”

  “What?” I ask, confused.

  “You’re covered in dirt!” She says loudly. “Take that shirt off now, and those pants. Ugh, I’m going to have to change your sheets while you’re in there too.”

  “Sorry…” I say softly.

  “I’m not upset with you.” She says quickly. “Sorry it came out that way.”

  “It’s fine.” I say, and pull off my shirt.

  After undoing my belt, and pulling off my pants, my mom hooks her arm under mine, and helps me hobble out into the hallway. I open the door to the bathroom, and see it dimly lit with multiple candles, and the tub full of bubbly water.

  “Mom?” I ask.

  “I figured you could use a nice rexing bath.” She expins. “And you’ve never had a girly bath before, so I figured I’d make you one.”

  “Thank you..” I say softly as I set my phone down and put my hands on the counter. “I think I can take it from here.”

  “Holler if you need me.” She responds, and closes the door behind her.

  I sit down on the closed toilet, and pull my bra off, before carefully standing back up and pulling my underwear off. My phone goes on the toilet, and I gingerly climb into the hot water. A groan of pleasure escapes my lips as I submerge myself. Oh this is wonderful…

  I just y there with my eyes closed for a while, before my phone starts vibrating. I reach over and tilt the screen up. ‘Paige’ I click answer, and then put it on speaker.

  “Hey hon.” I say as I set it back down.

  “Hey, Emmy.” Paige responds. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m great.” I say nguidly. “Just taking a bath. There’s candles and bubbles and it’s just wonderful.”

  “That’s really cute.” She responds.

  After a few moments I speak up. ‘So, what’s up?”

  “I kinda just wanted to hear your voice.” She says, and then lets out a squeak. “I mean, sorry, I… I just wanted to chat before our date tomorrow.”

  “Date?” I ask.

  “Sorry I-” She says, and then cuts herself off. “I just assumed, I’m sorry.”

  I let out a soft, hopefully inaudible sigh. Why can’t she be more like Tyler. “Paige…”

  “I know you said you need more time.” She says quickly. “I’m sorry. We don’t have to hangout tomorrow, it’s fine. I’ll just stop. Don’t wo-”

  “Paige!” I say louder.

  “Sorry.” She squeaks.

  “Take a breath for me.” I say. “A deep one.”

  I hear her inhale, and then exhale. “Okay.”

  “Okay.” I say simply. “I have some questions.”

  “Anything.” She responds.

  “Why did you call it a date?” I ask. “I’m not accusing, or saying it’s bad, I just want to know.”

  She sighs. “It was an accident…” She says pitifully. “I just really wanted it to be one…”

  “Why?” I ask.

  “I like you…” She says softly.

  “What do you like about me?” I ask.

  “You’re beautiful,” She says. “And amazing, and wonderful.”

  I sigh. “Okay, what about me is amazing and wonderful?”

  “You, um…” She stammers, and then falls silent.

  “I’m not trying to be mean.” I say. “I’m just trying to get you to think about it. You don’t know me, Paige. I don’t know you either.”

  “I’m sorry.” She responds, a slight sniffle in her voice.

  “It’s not a bad thing.” I reply. “There’s nothing wrong with getting to know each other. I just…” I sigh, trying to figure out how to word this. “A date has a certain context behind it, a depth that we don’t have yet.”

  “I get it…” She says timidly.

  “I’m not saying I don’t want that with you.” I say, and smile as she squeaks again. “Just that we’re not there yet. I’m not there yet.”

  “Okay.” She replies, a bit of life back in her voice.

  “There’s so much about you I don’t know.” I say. “So much about myself I don’t know… but I want to learn.”

  “I do too.” She says happily.

  “So let’s go out tomorrow. Get coffee, go to your house, or mine, or wherever you want, and learn about each other. Let’s just be friends, and do what feels good. No bels or expectations. Figure it out as we go.”

  “I’d like that.” She says, and I can hear the smile in her voice.

  “And if one of us ends up finding someone we want to date, we’re still friends. I promise.”

  “I do too.” She says. “Friends, no matter what.”

  “Thank you.” I reply.

  “So, about tomorrow…” She says softly. “Coffee, then my house?”

  “I’d like that.” I respond.

  “Cool.” She says happily. “I can drive you.”

  “Please.” I say. “I’d like to give my mom a break from being my chauffeur.” She giggles at that. “I can’t wait until I get my driver’s license.”

  “It’s nice.” She says. “I like driving to school.”

  “Hon,” I say. “I’m gonna focus on my bath, okay?”

  “Okay!” She responds happily. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “See you tomorrow.” I respond.

  I wait for the call to disconnect, before sinking down into the water. What have I gotten myself into…?