When I get home from my first day of school, I walk straight into the kitchen to grab a snack. A note on the counter catches my eye. It's from Mom:

Cassidy,

I'm going to be home late tonight, probably after you go to bed. I have a tour of headquarters, then a meeting with the CEO and his panel. Sorry I couldn't be there with you to talk about your first day with you. :( To make it up to you, I put a surprise in the freezer along with some popcorn shrimp for dinner. I had the tech guy come in before I left for work to set up the TV for you. Please finish your homework before dinner or at least until you watch TV. See you in the morning. I love you.

Love ya bunches, Momma

I set the note down and practically run to the freezer. Opening it, a gust of cold air pours out. Two boxes sit on the freezer shelf, one is wrapped and the other is the popcorn shrimp. I take out the wrapped box, utterly confused. Tearing the wrapping paper off, a box of my favorite ice cream cake sits in front of me. I smile. Moms always know best.

***

I sit at the kitchen counter. School papers are spread out, practically hiding the counter. I sort through the course descriptions of my classes and organize my binders for each subject. Clicking the 3-ringed science binder, my phone buzzes in my back pocket of my jeans. Pulling it out, Theo's name lights up on the screen. I smile to myself and view the message: hey, new girl. I write back with: Hey, school jock. Our conversation pretty much goes like this:

Theo: Hahaha. You're funny, Reed.

Me: Well, it comes naturally. :) Ya gonna start calling my by my last name like those sappy romance books?

Theo: Yeah, well, it's my thing... and it comes naturally. :) Sappy romance books? Like the ones you were looking at in the library?

Me: Funny. :(

Theo: haha :)

Theo: what r u doing this wkend?

Me: nm. Y?

Theo: wanted to c if I could give u a tour of the town.

Me: u'd do that?

Theo: of course. It's no prob. Would u like 2?

Me: ya!

Theo: yeah?

Me: ya.

***

Theo comes to pick me up at 11:30 A.M. on Saturday morning.

"Bye, Mom!" I call as I slip into my jacket.

I wait for a response, but I don't hear anything but the heavy sound of Mom's feet stampeding to the front door. "Ohhh! Have fun and stay out of trouble," Mom reminds me. I kiss her cheek, throw on my pink scarf, and step outside.

If I'm being honest, I didn't think my first outing after just moving in would be with a guy. If anything, I thought it would be with Kristina. I mean, I just met this guy on Tuesday, and I'm already 'going out' with him?

Walking up to the black Jeep, Theo leans against the car, waiting for me. His hands are placed on his thighs with his thumbs tucked into the front pockets of his jeans. The close I get, the more I feel overdressed. Are black skinny jeans, a deep purple tank, a thickish black cardigan, and a really light pink scarf too much?

"Damn, Reed. You house is huge!" Theo gawks as I approach the car. When I finally reach him, he turns his head away from the house and pushes himself off the car. He takes a moment to look at me, which sends immediate color to my cheeks. "What's up? You actually showed!"

"Couldn't miss it for the world!" I say as Theo opens the car door for me. I get it and smirk at him thought the car's window. He winks and walks around the driver's side.

We drive for thirty minutes before reaching town. Theo parallel parks into an empty spot along the sidewalk. It's chilly outside, and I'm only wearing a sweater and a thin, pink scarf. The November air swirls around us, leaves blowing off trees. The light blue morning sky hangs above us, the sun shining bright as we walk along the sidewalk.

After Theo tours me around the city for an hour, we come across a Starbucks. "Coffee?" Theo offers. I smile and nod into my hands of my scarf. Theo opens the door to Starbucks and we walk inside. The smell of coffee fills the room.

"What can I getcha'?" the cashier asks. The cashier, named Lola, looks young, maybe in her early twenties. Her long, caramel-colored, fish-tail braided hair is pulled to the side, hanging over her left shoulder.

"Yeah, can I get a grande vanilla latte made with whole milk?" Lola nods as I order. I turn to Theo, "What do you want?"

"I'm paying separately," he says to me, then looking at Lola to make sure she heard. "It's too expensive."

"I can pay, it's totally fine," I reply. Theo looks at me for a second. "Please? It's the least I can do."

"You're really stubborn you know that?" he says. I raise an eyebrow and give him a sly Yeah-I-Know-Don't-Mess-With-Me smile.

"I'll get a tall nonfat latte," Theo says.

"Can you make that a grande, please?" I ask. Lola nods, ringing up our order.

"So one grande vanilla latte made with whole milk and one grande nonfat latte?" Lola repeats. I nod. "That'll be seven-thirty."

I hand her a ten dollar bill.

As Lola hands me the change, she says something that shocks me. "You too are the cutest couple I've ever seen."

Theo and I exchange glances. I interject, "Oh, haha." I laugh nervously, "That's very nice, but we're not together."

"What are you talking about? Of course we're together," Theo says. I glare at him, but he isn't looking at me, he's looking at Lola with a serious look plastered on his face. I start to walk away to the pickup counter. "Wait up, babe! She gets upset when our relationship is talked about," I hear Theo call out as he tries to catch up to me.

"Babe?" I question. He grins wickedly. I take a sip of my coffee and we stare at each other for a moment. Removing my lips from my cup, I smile while rolling my eyes.

"Thanks for the coffee," Theo replies, holding the door for me as we head out. I duck under his arm and step back out into the cold breeze.

"No problem. It's the least I can do since you toured me around the city in freezing weather," I say, waving him off. "You can be my private and personal tour guide."

As we turn left at the corner, more wind blows in our faces. I walk with my head down, my hair flapping behind me. The sky is still blue and the sun is high in the sky. Theo huffs and shivers from the chills. Keeping my head down, I shift my eyes to look at him. I study his perfected face, his flawless hair. Light red colors his cheeks and nose.

I stop suddenly and I can see Theo is confused. I turn to him and step closer. Our bodies are only inches apart and I can smell the cologne. Without thinking, I pull my scarf from my neck. The cold wind rushes around my neck, sending violent shivers throughout my body. Scarf in hand, I reach out to him. I wrap my pink scarf around his neck. My fingers touch Theo's warm neck and I avoid making eye contact. I step back, but Theo grabs my arm. He pulls me close to him, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, holding me tight. My body goes numb and my pulse starts to race. I can feel myself stiffen. I try to act nonchalant, but I can't, every attempt fails.

"So, what do you think of San Francisco so far?"