First Date Jitters

The old oak tree at the edge of Miller’s Pond was our spot, the one Noah and I had claimed as ‘ours’ long before anything real started brewing between us. Tonight, it felt different. Tonight, it was *our* spot for a date. My stomach did a nervous flutter, a feeling amplified by the sheer weight of the secret I was carrying. My virginity. It felt like a neon sign flashing above my head, and I was convinced Noah, with his easy confidence and knowing eyes, could see it plain as day.

He was already there, leaning against the rough bark, a smile playing on his lips as he watched me approach. The setting sun cast a warm, golden glow over him, making his dark hair shine and highlighting the gentle curve of his jaw. My heart did a little skip. “Hey,” I managed, my voice a little breathier than I intended.

“Hey yourself,” he said, pushing off the tree. He was wearing a simple, dark blue shirt that brought out the colour in his eyes. “Glad you could make it. I was starting to think maybe you’d gotten lost in the woods.”