After drinking our milkshakes and paying for breakfast, Diane and I talked for several minutes ihe restaurant until we finally left, saying goodbye to Sam. “So, we go to the movies, mini-golf, bowling, my siblings love this pce the arcade—it's a store with dozens of maes to win prizes" slightly excited I listed. "What sounds more iing?” Notig a slightly amused expression on Diane's face, easing my excitement I asked as we walked to my car.

  “Could we just drive?, like before,” Diane asked softly as she got into the car and adjusted her seatbelt.

  “Of course,” I said, starting the car and smiling at the girl in the passenger seat.

  The rest of the day in general wasn’t great for the enviro, but after driving around most of Medford for a couple of hours with Diane, she began singing the songs, at first just murmuring, but after listening to them a couple of times she actually started singing them. Diane only o hear them oo memorize them pletely.

  “My legs hurt,” Diane said after singing through one of the albums, noarently her favorite, for the sed time.

  “Yeah, mioo,” I quickly replied, ughing. By then, my rear was already feeling pretty unfortable. “We should stretch s out.” We weren’t far from a park.

  “Stretch s out,” Diane said, mimig me with a huff.

  “What?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “It’s not always there, but sometimes you have a Texan at,” Diane said, c her smile with the side of her hand.

  “No, I don’t,” I quickly replied, feeling oddly self-scious about how I spoke.

  “Yes, not as thick as the one Hank tries to do, or like the Coopers, but now and then, after ughing or when you talk quickly, I hear it,” Diane expined, lightly biting her lip as she smiled.

  “Well, I’ve been living here long enough, and everyone has a thick Texan at. It’s not strange for some phrases to rub off on me,” I said quickly, feeling the o expin myself.

  “Oh it’s not a bad thing,” Diane quickly murmured with a small smile.

  “Well, your Boston at isn’t a bad thiher,” I decred mischievously, smiling as I saw Diane’s immediate rea of surprise.

  “I don’t have an at,” Diane said quickly, denying it. Admittedly, she didn’t really have an at—it was strange heariral English, almost like Sheldon, but less… robotic?.

  “Maybe not, but what about the English at? ‘Woh’uh,’” I added with an exaggerated English at, smiling.

  “I’ve never said the word ‘water’ in front of you—I remember,” Diariumphantly decred, pg her still incredibly cold hand on my arm. It was really strahat Diane’s body didn’t regute temperature in a typical way. “You 't lie to me when it es to remembering things,” Diane murmured, quickly removing her hand.

  “True,” I excimed with exaggerated defeat, l my head. “I fot about that part,” I admitted, smiling at Diane.

  “Well… I didn’t,” Diane decred, seemingly trying her hardest not to smile, tilting her head.

  “Oh, so now we’re being arrogant, huh?” I asked sarcastically.

  “No, I’m not,” Diane immediately said defensively, furrowing her brow.

  “Oh, I know. I was just joking,” I said quickly, worried because, like Sheldon, Diane sometimes struggled tnize sarcasm, trying to expin myself.

  With a pletely serious face, Diane remained silent for a couple of seds. Then, slowly, she began to smile, clearly amused.

  “You really got me there,” I said, impressed by Diane’s ability to hide a ‘lie’ to me, even a small o least for a sed then my smile disappeared—I’d heard my own at.

  “There!” Diane excimed excitedly, pointing at my face. “Told you.”

  A couple of mier, we arrived at the park, where I parked my car.

  At the park, we spent hours walking and chatting peacefully, really losing track of time. Diaalked excitedly about her job and Dr. Shanknd in math, while I gave her an overview of a couple of cases at the hospital and the article by Dr. Thomas.

  At some point—I wasn’t really sure how much time had passed—I noticed how much the number of people in the park had decreased. “Wow, look at that—it’s te,” I said, surprised as I checked my watch.

  “What?” Diane excimed, grabbing my arm tightly to check my watch. “We o hurry,” she said, pulling my arm and running along the park path toward my car.

  “Why? What’s happening?” I asked amused by the pace at which Diane was ‘running', I was simply walking at the same speed as Diane 'ran'.

  “I was supposed to be back ten minutes ago for a long distance call with Dr. Shanknd,” Diane expined.

  “The’s move. I don’t think your mom likes me very much, and if you’re te now, I don’t wao hate me,” I joked, helping Diane pick up the pace by taking her hand.

  “Oh, she definitely doesn’t like you,” Diane decred shamelessly, her voice breathless from the physical effort.

  “No way, really?” I asked ironically.

  “Stop talking—you o be faster,” Diane said anxiously, almost out of breath after a few more seds.

  “I’m not even trying,” I said, amused at Diane’s flushed face. Clearly, she wasn’t used to physical exertion, but I kept pulling her hand even though I was only walking 'quickly'.

  “Well, you really should try,” Diane said irritated raising her voice as she stopped to catch her breath, having barely moved a yard or so.

  Seeing Diane genuinely upset was something new and quite iing.

  “I’m sorry, Diane, but if I really tried, I’d probably have time to take a nap in the car before you arrive,” I said sarcastically, curious to see more of Diane’s new rea.

  “There’s o be rude,” Diane said, letting go of my hand, reminding me we were still holding them, she frowned.

  I may have taken it too far. It was ohing for her to be upset generally, but it was ahing she being upset specifically with me.

  “I don't know, do you wao carry you?” without really anything to do I asked, joking lightly as Diane recovered her breath with both hands on her knees.

  “Oh, yeah, that would really work,” Diane said excitedly, raising her head and opening her eyes wide. “Obviously, you’re physically superior to me. I weigh about 150 pounds, or 68 kilos— you carry that weight?” she asked, lookiraight in the eyes.

  I was only joking, but how could I say no now?

  “Yeah, of course I ,” I quickly nodded, stepping forward and bending my knees. “Hop on,” I said, exaggerating a Texan at as I prepared to lift Diane.

  The day was like any other mid-April day in Texas. The temperature was warm aremely pleasant, but despite that, Diane, eari another sweater almost identical to the one she'd worn the day before, had her legs and hands pletely cold.

  "Ready?" I asked, trying to ignore Diane's still-bored breathio my ear, als to calm my accelerated pulse.

  "Yes," Diane murmured into my ear, her voice barely audible and obviously embarrassed.

  With Diane on my back, I started to jog, pig up the pace I was sure I had a good grip on the lightweight girl.

  "Am I too heavy?" Diane asked as I jogged at a det speed.

  "No, not at all I'd say about a hundred and fifty pounds, or sixty-eight kilos, so I barely notice you're there," I replied. And holy, it was true. I retty sure the pung bag we used at the gym to practice ground and pound was heavier than her, and I could easily use that bag as weight for squats.

  Even though we had walked for a long time in the park, we hadn't actually covered much dista least not by my usual running standards—so ihan a third of an hour, I arrived slightly winded, with a light sheen of sweat, at my car.

  "e on," Diane said, perfectly posed as she walked quickly to the passenger side.

  Taking a deep breath, I exhaled loudly and hurried to unlock the car.

  "Please, hurry," Diane pleaded nervously once we were both in the car with our seat belts fastened, her eyes fixed on mine.

  Without saying anything, I started the car and drove quickly out of the park. For the first time since I had gotten "Debbie," I broke the speed limit—by a lot.

  Fortunately, for our safety and that of others, the road to the ranch Diane's family was renting ractically deserted, and before long, we arrived at the beautiful vil.

  Dr. Adler, with a look of disapproval on her face, stood on the porch with her arms crossed, watg us ily as roached.

  "I really don't think your mom likes me," I murmured to Diane, feeling Dr. Adler's pierg gaze fixed on me.

  "Oh, definitely," Diane responded immediately, unbug her seatbelt without missing a beat. "She didn't like you before, so there's no problem."

  "You're pletely right," I said sarcastically to no one, as Diaepped out of the car. A sed ter, I followed her out.

  "I'm sorry, Mom," Diane said softly, walking slowly toward the beautiful vil and lightly biting her lip.

  "You o apologize to Shanknd, not me," Mrs. Adler said sternly, momentarily shifting her annoyed gaze from me to Diane.

  "Dr. Adler, this isn't Diane's fault. I lost track of time," I said, walking alongside Diaoward the house, trying to keep her out of trouble.

  "Yes, I know," Dr. Adler replied instantly, turning her deeply furrowed brow back toward me.

  All right, that was really easy…?

  "Go inside, Diane," Dr. Adler anded as she turoward the house, clearly unwilling to speak to me further.

  "Yes, Mom," Diane said seriously, nodding with her head down.

  Dr. Adler shook her head slightly as she stepped inside, shutting the door firmly behind her.

  "'Woh'uh,'" I said, mimig Dr. Adler’s at loud enough for Diao hear, trying to stifle a ugh. Diane immediately turoward me, her eyes ically wide behind her gsses.

  "She could hear you," Diane said, her cold hand once again gripping my arm with a tone of as she gnervously at the closed door. Despite her worried voice, I could see her fighting back a small smile.

  "I don't think she could hate me much more than she already does," I joked. "Although... this is Texas, so I'm pretty sure there's at least one gun ihat house," I muttered, causing Diao widen her eyes nervously and press my arm harder.

  "I'm kidding," I assured her halfway, holding her hand. I was almost certain there was a gun ihat house, but I doubted Dr. Adler would shoot me.

  Diane nodded, gazing at me ily, her grip on my arm ge firm. Once again, as when I first met her in Sheldon’s room, she seemed to glow in the light that illuminated her face, brightening her eyes and highlighting her blonde hair.

  Diane and I stood in fortable silence for what felt like a while until, "Diane, look what I found!" a boy no older than twelve suddenly excimed from the side of the house, walking toward us excitedly. In his hands, he calmly held the skull of peared to be a calf, judging by its size. "So coht?"

  "Don’t touch that, Frank. It's dirty," Diane said, stepping away from her brother—and sequently, from me—clearly surprised.

  "It’s just bone," Frank said mischievously, grinning.

  "It’s not just a bo’s several bones ected by immovable joints," Diane quickly corrected. "Please put that down," she added a moment ter.

  Shrugging slightly, the boy dropped the skull to the ground. "Who are you?" he asked me casually after discarding the skull, entirely unfazed.

  "I’m PJ. What’s up, bud?" I said, smiling as I introduced myself.

  "Oh," Frank murmured, smiling mischievously at his sister before tinuing. "I’m Frank. Is that your car?" he asked, pletely informal.

  "Yeah, you like it?" I asked, nodding toward him.

  "Yeah, it’s cool," Frank replied, nodding. "Does Mom know you’re here? She retty mad," he asked Diane, seamlessly shifting topice again.

  "Oh, I got to go," Diane said quickly, prompted by Frank’s reminder, and began walking toward the house. After a couple of steps, she turned back to where only Frank and I remained. "Thanks for today, PJ," she said sweetly, a small smile on her face.

  "Don’t mention it," I replied, returning her smile. "See you tomorrow?" I asked, slightly ed her mht ground her or something simir.

  "Yes," Diane answered immediately, visibly smiling without hesitation. After a brief moment of fortable silence, she turned and walked quickly into the house.

  Watg the closed door a little too ily and in silence Diane was inside, I was startled when Frank asked, pletely unbothered, "Are you my sister’s boyfriend?"

  "We're friends," I answered after a moment, caught off guard by the boy’s direct question.

  "Ok," Frank murmured, frowning in an attempt to look as intimidating as a twelve-year-old could. "Don’t make her cry, or I’ll hurt you," he warned, holding his 'intimidating' gaze.

  "I don’t pn on making her cry, but yeah, I don’t want you to hurt me," I replied seriously, uanding where the boy's protectiveness came from.

  "All right," Frank said cheerfully, nodding before bending to pick up the skull he had dropped. He then walked off without another word.

  "See you ter, little buddy," I said, amused by his sudden mood ge, as I headed bay car.

  While driving home, with the music still at the same volume Diane and I had been listening to earlier, I couldn’t help but sing at the top of my lungs over the noise of the speakers.

  "Someone’s happy," Mom said with a suggestive smile as I walked into the house. She was sitting calmly on the couch, reading one of her magazines.

  "Well, I had fun today," I expined easily, taking a seat o her.

  "I’m gd," Mom said, reing against the couch bad smiling sweetly. "Where did you take Diane?" she asked curiously.

  "We went to breakfast at the Waffle House," I answered, making Mom scoff.

  "Of course you did. Did you drink yiant milkshake?" Mom asked, raising an eyebrow and obviously judging me.

  "Yes, but for your information, Diane ordered one just like it," I quickly defended myself, feeling the o ter her direct attack.

  "Really?" Mom asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "Iing…" she murmured, her smile now carrying mueaning.

  "After that, I gave her a car tour of Medford while listening to musid then we walked in the park," I narrated easily.

  "Good," Mom said seriously, nodding. "That girl deserves a normal life," she added, frowning deeply.

  Clearly, Mom had heard from Mrs. Cooper about the strict upbringing Dr. Adler had imposed on Diane since childhood, and it clearly didn’t sit well with her.

  "You should invite her to dinner one of these days," Mom decred excitedly, g her hands together.

  "Sure," I replied, smiling at her easily, though I wasirely sure Dr. Adler would let Diaay away from her for that long. "Where is everyone?" I asked a moment ter, notig the silen the rest of the house and ging the subject.

  "Your dad and your siblings went out to pick up some dinner. I think they’re bringing fried chi," Mom expined calmly, turnitention back to the TV.

  "Great, I’m famished," I said jokingly, exaggerating an English at.

  "What’s with the at?" Mom asked, ughing softly.

  The day at school, during lunch, as I sat with my friends, "You look really happy," Kat said, studying my face as she sat o me at our usual table in the cafeteria. "At least more than usual."

  "Oh, thanks. You look too…" I said, pretending to be at a loss for words and making exaggerated faces as if searg for something to say, teasing my friend.

  "Oh, shut up," Kat said, rolling her eyes as she lightly punched my arm in exasperation.

  "I’m kidding, I’m kidding," I said, ughing as I covered myself from her pyful hits.

  "He’s probably thinking about Diane Adler," Geie said, watg my iion with Kat with i and waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

  "Who?" Kat asked immediately, intrigued.

  "Diane Adler is a genius, like Sheldon but e and a girl," Geie quickly expined.

  "Yeah, we get that by ‘Diane,’" Kat muttered.

  "Yesterday PJ and she went on a date. I heard my mom talking to yours," Geie said, smiling mischievously and clearly enjoying the gossip more than he should, seemingly ign Kat’s sarcasm.

  "It wasn’t a date," I quickly expined, seeing the curious look Kat was giving me. "I just took her to see Medford. She studies all the time, and I thought it would be a nice ge in her routine," I added, watg Kat furrow her brow.

  "So it was a oime thing?" David, sittio Geie, asked, raising an eyebrow and clearly imagining the answer.

  Really, you too?

  "Maybe a couple more times," I answered, oddly feeling as though they had discovered some kind of secret, whily made David and Geie tease me more.

  "Ighem and do whatever you want, you goody two-shoes," Kat said sarcastically and dryly, fog entirely on her lunch.

  As it was already ary, after school, I drove Kat to her house. The ride in the car, aside from the music—picked by Kat—was pletely silent.

  “So, what’s *Diane* like?” Kat suddenly broke the unfortable silenot far from her house.

  Taken by surprise by her abrupt question, I took a few seds tanize my thoughts.

  “She grew up as a math genius,” I began slowly, keeping my eyes on the road. “Her mom made sure she had the best tutors and participated in the most advanced petitions in the try.”

  “Sounds like she’s *super* popur in high school,” Kat remarked ironically.

  “Well, that’s ahing. She never went to high school—or middle school, for that matter,” I said with a bit of pity in my voice, seeing Kat’s surprised expression. “At nine, she woional math olympiad. By eleven, she already had a master’s degree. Sihen, all she does is work on a single, incredibly difficult math problem,” I expined gravely.

  “What?” Kat asked incredulously.

  “Yeah. She works every day with a doctor from MIT, solviions. I don’t think she has friends. She doesn’t watch TV unless it’s for the news. She’s never been to the movies, doesn’t listen to music, doesn’t know how to swim or ride a bike. I doubt she’s ever been to a party with people her age,” I reted somberly, thinking ba Diane’s isoted life.

  “Wow, that’s really sad,” Kat said softly, her evident, as if she had a lump ihroat.

  “Exactly. But when you really get to know her, past that little barrier of social awkwardness, she’s fun. She knows tons of random facts, smiles a lot. For some reason, she’s always cold, and when she smiles, she gets embarrassed and tries to hide it by biting her lip or c it with the side of her hand,” I expined, recallierday’s moments with Diane.

  Sileurned, but this time it felt heavier.

  “So, you want to show her there’s more to life than just studying?” Kat finally broke it again, watg me with an incredibly sad, small smile.

  “Exactly. She’ll be here for a week, so I decided to show her everything she’s been missing out on,” I said firmly, shrugging as I pulled up in front of Kat’s house. I wouldn’t let Diane remain hidden from life.

  “You really are a goody two-shoes,” Kat murmured, shaking her head as she exhaled and opehe car door.

  Rolling my eyes, I sighed. “I’m not a goo—” I started to say but was cut off as Kat surprised me by kissing my cheek.

  “I’d like to meet her before she leaves,” Kat murmured with a smile before quickly stepping out of the car.

  The ued kiss left me so stuhat I couldn’t respond as my friend closed the door from outside.

  “See you tomorrow, goody two-shoes,” Kat said mischievously, leaning down to look at me through the open passenger window.

  “I’m not a goody two-shoes!” I yelled, pretending to be offended, leaning across the car. Kat, already walking toward her house, simply waved goodbye without looking back.

  After dropping off Kat, I once again drove the route I’d taken the day before. It didn’t take long to reach the ranch. This time, before I could even step out of the car, Diane, now wearing a new sweater, opehe front door of the house, smiling brightly.

  “You didn’t have any trouble yesterday?” I asked Diaer greeting her, now seated in the car.

  “Oh no, surprisingly, Dr. Shanknd was quite happy that I went out,” Diane replied with a small smile, nodding slowly.

  “And your mom?” I raised an eyebrow, already guessing the answer.

  “She was mostly upset with you. She thinks you’re a bad influene,” Diane admitted with slight embarrassment, pressing her lips together. “But with Hank’s help, we vinced her you weren’t, so she let me go out again,” she added quickly, as if trying to reassure me.

  “She’s probably right,” I said seriously, tilting my head. “I’m not a goody two-shoes,” I decred, starting the car and revving the engine lightly.

  “Goody two-shoes?” Diane asked, puzzled.

  “A very good person,” I expined casually.

  “But you *are* a very good person,” Diane said, frowning in fusion.

  g my jaw, I slowly nodded. “Yes, I am,” I admitted after a moment. For some reason, when Diane said it, it didn’t feel like an odd insult.

  Si was Monday and the mall was usually quieter on weekdays, I decided to take Diahere to visit the shops and maybe grab some coffee.

  “I talked to my friends about you, and aside from Geie, who already knows you, they’re all really ied iing you. Also, my mom wants to invite you to dinner one of these days,” I said, gng at Diane as I drove toward the mall, turning down the music she had immediately turned on.

  Hearing that, Diane froze pletely for a moment, obviously unfortable with the idea.

  I khat due to her upbringing, Diane had deeply ingrained social disfort, whietimes showed as excessive formality in odd moments, like yesterday at the Waffle House with Sam. But seeing her rea now, I could tell there was a little fear mixed in.

  “You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” I quickly reassured her, fog ba the road.

  “No, it’s not that I don’t want to. Just… maybe one of these days,” Diane responded calmly after a few seds, her posture rexing slightly.

  At least it wasn’t a definitive no.

  When we arrived at the mall, Diane—now surrounded by far more people—wore her mask of plete formality once again, walking beside me.

  “Medford only has one mall, unlike Boston. Last winter break, I’m pretty sure I visited every single mall there, and sadly, this one doesn’t pare to any of them,” I remarked as we strolled past the shops, recalling every single mall London had dragged me to.

  “I wouldn’t know; I’ve never been to a mall,” Diane said. Despite maintaining her serious mask, her eyes sparkled with curiosity. “But I do know there are approximately 43,000 malls across the Uates. With a popution of about 250 million people, that’s an average of 5,800 people per mall.”

  “When you put it that way, it makes much more sense why Boston has so many malls,” I said, amused, making Diane nod in agreement. “Wait, who buys your clothes, then?” I asked, remembering her earlier statement.

  “My mom buys them for me,” Diane replied easily, without a hint of embarrassment.

  Of course her mom chooses her clothes.

  “Well, I’m pretty sure there should be at least oore here that sells sweaters,” I decred, deg the first thing we’d do was let Diane pick out her own clothes, “even if you’re the only person in Medford who’s currently cold,” I added, joking.

  ving Diao shop for her own clothes turned out to be a bit of a challenge. She was slightly against the idea altogether.

  “I don’t find it effit at all to buy clothes on my own when I have my mom to do it,” Diane said, examining a pair of pants with a puzzled expression as we walked through the store. “Besides, I don’t uand the need for more clothes. I have all that I need,” she added, frowning as she shrugged.

  Yeah, I know that feeling.

  “Someone very wise oold me there’s a big differeween needing and wanting,” I said seriously, recalling London’s words.

  “Which is?” Diane asked, tilting her head in i.

  “I have no idea,” I admitted immediately. “But what I do know is that walking around stores with someone be a surprisingly fun experience,” I added, smiling at Diane.

  “Well, I suppose that makes sense,” Diane said slowly, her wide eyes visible behind her gsses.

  If shopping with London had taught me anything, it was that browsing stores while chatting with someone could be surprisingly enjoyable.

  Unlike every other woman I’d gone shopping with, Diane chose what she wanted with supreme ease—if there was even something she wa all. And though I offered to pay for some of her items as a gift, she easily pulled out several hundred-dolr bills from her wallet to pay for her own purchases.

  Beihy really had its perks.

  "And this is the music store," I decred, carrying half the bags from Diane's shopping spree and pointing to the store. "This is where all the CDs we listen to in my car e from."

  "There are so many," Diane said, astonished, as we walked into the store and she took in the shelves packed with boxes of discs.

  "Yeah, hundreds or thousands of hours of music at your fiips," I said seriously, nodding as I gazed at the rows of CDs. "e on," I added, motioning toward the back of the store.

  "How do you know whie you want to buy?" Diane asked curiously, walking behihrough the store.

  "By listening to them," I replied, turning my head with a smile. "Hey, Karl," I greeted the store clerk as we passed the main ter, dropping a five-dolr bill on the desk. The same ae-marked teenager who had helped Kat and me on our first visit here months ago barely looked up from the magazine he was reading.

  Sihat first visit, I’d e back several more times to expand my CD colle—now just for myself.

  "Hey," Karl said without taking his eyes off his reading material, zily pocketing the bill.

  "I'm going to check out a few CDs in the back," I said, pointing toward the listening stations with headphones.

  "Knock yourself out," Karl mumbled disiedly, waving a hand without looking up.

  "Did you just bribe that worker?" Diane whispered nervously as she walked closer to me between the aisles.

  "Yes," I admitted shamelessly.

  After my sed visit, Karl had grown increasingly annoyed with my presence, pig out CDs for hours. To avoid his sarcastients and unpleasant stares, I had decided to pay him five dolrs each time to leave me—and Kat, when she came along—in peace.

  "Leave your stuff there and pick out at least three CDs that look iing," I said, pointihe listening stations and feeling slightly excited.

  "How I choose 'iing CDs' without having listeo them first?" Diane asked, squinting her eyes in genuine curiosity.

  "Well, there's a raear the entrah the top-selling CDs of the month. You could start there, or what I like to do is pick based on the cover art," I expined quickly, pointing toward the entrance.

  "I see," Diane said slowly, nodding with narrowed eyes. "Are you going to pick CDs too?" she asked, looking me in the eye with i.

  "I think for now it’s better if you pick the CDs," I said seriously, wantio tinue expl her autonomy.

  "All right," Diane responded after a moment, nodding a couple of times with slight hesitation before starting her search around the store.

  As she walked through the aisles, Diane frequently gnced baake sure I was still there. Occasionally, she held up strange CD covers to show me while gathering the ohat caught her eye.

  After a few minutes, she returned with a small stack of CDs in her hands.

  "Oh, Kat told me about this band—Green Day," I said, pig up the first CD from the ones Diane had chosen aing ready to py it. I handed a pair of headphoo Diane. "What’s wrong?" I asked, notig the slight grima her face as I turo her.

  "Nothing," Diane said quickly, lying as she carefully pced the headphones over her ears with slow, deliberate movements.

  Deg to let it slide, I put on my own headphones and started the album.

  At first, Diane simply listened, pletely still. But as time went on, she began tapping her feet lightly to the rhythm of each song. Seeing her loosen up more and more, I remembered how much fun I’d had that time Kat had forced me to dan the shop. I took one of Diane’s hands, surprising her, and started doing the same.

  Ign the awkwardness, I tinued dang slowly, making Diane smile faintly despite her embarrassment.

  With some effort—a lot, to be ho—I mao get Diao join in, moving with far less enthusiasm tha still dang and enjoying the music.

  As I watched Diane delicately dah her eyes closed, more fident after several minutes, I slowly stopped, happy to see her smiling.

  "What?" Diane asked as the song we were listening to ended, opening her eyes to see me staring at her.

  "Nothing," I said, realizing it would be strao admit I’d been staring at her for at least a minute. I picked up the CDs we had listeo. "It’s time to go," I added, cheg my watch with slight disappoi.

  "Already?" Diane asked, gently pulling my wrist toward her to check my watch herself. "Oh, you’re right," she said, biting her lip lightly and nodding.

  "Okay, I think I’ll buy this one," I said, pig the st CD we had listeo, recalling the image of Diane dang.

  "I will too, but I want one of each," Diane quickly said, walking back to where she had picked the same CD I was holding, presumably to grab another copy.

  "Ready?" I asked when Diaurned, grabbing the bags we had left on the floor.

  "Just..." Diane said softly, taking the CD from my hand and sing it for the copy she had picked. "Ready," she added with a small smile.

  "Okay..." I replied, puzzled by the exge, as we headed to the ter.

  After paying for the CDs, we left the store and walked back through the mall.

  "That was really fun. I didn’t know dang could be so cathartic," Diane said, smiling as she spoke, apparently fetting to put ba her mask of formality.

  "Yeah, I remember the first time Kat brought me to the store—we danced for hours," I said, amused at the memory.

  After a few steps, I noticed the silehat followed my ent and gnced sideways at Diane, whose expression had suddenly bee strangely stoic.

  "So… I think tomorrow we could go to the movies. There’s an iing film pying," I said quickly, trying to ighe disfort.

  "Yeah, that sounds iing," Diane replied slowly, adjusting her gsses with her sweater sleeve and avoiding looking at me.

  "Is—" I started to ask if something was wrong.

  "This 'Kat'... is she one of the friends who wants to meet me?" Diaerrupted, looking at me seriously.

  "Yeah, she’s a very good friend of mine," I replied quickly.

  "All right," Diane said, nodding and tinuing to walk beside me, apparently with no iion of eborating further.

  We reached the car, where we once again listeo musid sang along, especially to the st CD we’d picked.

  Back at the ranch where Diane and her family were staying, I helped her carry a few shopping bags to the porch.

  "I had a lot of fun today, thank you," Diane said as we reached the porch steps, climbing up a couple.

  "I’m gd you had fun. I did too," I said, smiling as I handed her the bags, which weren’t very heavy.

  Now standing on higher ground, Diane—who was usually much shorter than me—was directly at eye level. Notig this, both of us fell into a pleasant silence. I felt like I could have stood there for hours.

  "I’ll head inside," Diane finally said, breaking the sileer several seds.

  "Sure," I replied, swallowing nervously. Diane nodded again and climbed the st step. "See you tomorrow," I added before she could open the door.

  "Yes, I ’t wait," Diane said with a cheerful smile before quickly stepping ihe house.

  My steps back to 'Debbie' felt strangely light, and before I k, I was driving back to the hospital, almost three hours 'te'.

  "I’m sorry. Looks like my watch is broken," House decred exaggeratedly when I walked into the diagnostics lounge. He was reading a magazine, and his ent made Chase ugh while Cameron rolled her eyes in exasperatioher that, or the celebrity here is three hours te," House added sarcastically, pointing at me.

  "I don’t have a schedule," I replied, exasperated, dragging a chair toward the table.

  "No, you don’t. But you’re usually punctual. You don’t show up te without a 'special' reason," House said slowly, narrowing his eyes as he leaned in slightly to scrutinize me.

  Knowing nothing I said would stop House from analyzing me, I decided to ignore him, hoping he wouldn’t figure anything out from my rea.

  "Obviously, he’s ing from a date," Cameron said suddenly, smirking, taking everyone—including me—by surprise before House could say anything.

  "It's no fun if I don't figure it out myself," House decred, frowning in fake annoyance. "But yeah, you're right, the stupid smile he had when he walked in was enough," he tinued, shaking his head, seemingly disappointed in himself.

  "I wasn't on a date. We just went to the mall," I quickly said, defending myself for some reason.

  "That's a date," Chase, who was reading a book, said calmly.

  "Yup," Cameron agreed, nodding with a smile as she looked at me.

  "So, another cheerleader?" House asked, leaning ba his chair and raising one eyebrow suggestively.

  Why did I e here in the first pce?

  ---

  Holy, I wasn’t expeg the reception this oryline is getting, as I said, it's literally a new world for me when writing (like everything else obviously, but romance is much more plicated).

  I read ead every one of your ents, and I appreciate them so much, I implore you, if you have any advi this matter, please give it. I don't promise to follow eae to the letter, but I do promise to always keep them in mind.

  Now, for those asking about other aspects iory—football and the time with House— first based on what I researched, high school football operates on a seasonal basis, which I didn’t know when I first wrote about it. Do I want to tinue expl that topic? Absolutely, but I’ll need some time to think it through (especially regarding Coach Cooper).

  I’m not sure how these chapters will be received after a few more, but obviously, Diane’s "arc" will st for a few more chapters until it settles properly into the story.

  For now, we expee or two more chapters fully focused oionship, followed by others that areirely tered on it.

  ---Author Thoughts:

  As always, I'm not Ameri, not a doctor, not a fighter and I'm not Magnus Carlsen.

  With that said,

  I think that's all. As always, if you find any errors, please let me know, and I'll correct them immediately.

  Thank you for reading! :D

  PS: PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW.