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Kristie checked her makeup in her compact mirror one last time. It wasn’t her best work, but it would have to do. She just hoped her date wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Kristie sat alone in the building’s lobby for a few moments, busying herself by checking various social media. She didn’t want to show up early and catch her date off guard. Plus the fact, she didn’t want to come across as desperate (even though she kind of was).
Once she had gotten her fill of Instagram and Twitter, she checked the clock on her phone. It was time. She was relatively nervous, if she was being honest. After all, she was finally going out with the girl of her dreams. She never thought in a million years that this would be happening.
She stepped into the elevator and rode it to the fourth floor, where apartment 403 resided. She halted outside the all too intimidating entrance to the flat. “C’mon, Kristie,” she thought to herself. “It’s only a door. Get it together.”
She glanced at her phone once more, not for the time, but to see her background. It was a photo of her entire team, all squeezed together in a group hug, if you could really call it that. It was more of a dog pile, really. But it made Kristie sure of herself, and in that moment it was what she needed.
She took a deep breath rang the apartment’s doorbell. She tapped her foot impatiently. Did it always take this long to answer the door? She couldn’t seem to recall. Suddenly the door opened and there stood Rachel Daly, dressed in casual wear that only she could make look amazing. Kristie watched nervously as Rachel skimmed her over, expression unreadable. Was she too overdressed? Or maybe her makeup was smudged? Was her hair sticking out in weird places?
“I suddenly feel very underdressed,” the girl finally spoke.
Kristie shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal about the dress code. “It’s only dinner, no reason to get all fancy, really.”
Rachel briefly traced her bottom lip with her tongue. “So why’d you decide to get all dressed up and render me speechless?”
Kristie felt her cheeks heat up. “I mean I wouldn’t say I’m that pretty.”
“Trust me, you are,” Rachel shook her head.
“Well you’re not too bad yourself,” Kristie retorted. The sudden surge of confidence surprised her.
Rachel looked down, presumably observing her own outfit. “Okay, Mewis, okay.”
“I’m serious!” Kristie exclaimed. “You’re really cute, even in your Friday casual.” Kristie hoped Rachel hadn’t taken her comment the wrong way. She didn’t mean to discredit her outfit.
“You’re just saying that.”
Kristie made direct eye contact with the girl in front of her. “I never lie.” As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she realized how threatening her tone might have been.
Luckily, Rachel just raised her hands in the air. “Alright, Mewis, alright! I believe you.”
“Good,” Kristie smiled despite her anxiety. “Now, are we gonna get going or what? I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not miss our dinner reservation.”
“That would not be a good start to this date,” Rachel led Kristie out of the apartment and locked the door behind them. Kristie caught the girl analyzing her wide grin. “What’s that face for?”
“We’re on a date,” Kristie answered simply.
“I thought that was established.”
“Yeah, but hearing you say that,” she sighed happily, worries beginning to melt away. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”
“I’m not that great, you know.”
“Don’t play yourself down, Daly,” she protested. “You have a tendency to do that.”
Rachel Daly was something else, and it was common knowledge. The girl was good at everything; whether that be soccer, flirting, or simply looking gorgeous. That was part of the reason Kristie had a hard time believing she was really on a date with her. The only person who couldn’t see everything Rachel Daly is and could be is Rachel Daly herself. Rachel’s modesty helped kept Kristie grounded. Any time Kristie’s ego got to her, she just reminded herself that if her teammate managed to stay humble, so could she. Reason number one why Kristie was quickly falling for Rachel Daly.
“Oh really?” Rachel questioned her statement as they walked down the hall. “How’s that?”
“Need I remind you of your underdressed statement?”
“Well, that was warranted. You are absolutely stunning.”
Kristie waved her off, blushing furiously. “And you aren’t? Give yourself more credit.”
“Okay, that was one comment. That doesn’t count.” Upon entering the parking garage, Rachel guided Kristie to her car, opening the passenger door for her once they reached it.
“And she’s chivalrous. What can’t the great Rachel Daly do?” Kristie joked with her date as she slid into the empty seat. She was already loosening up. This was a good sign.
Rachel rolled her eyes in response. “You flatter me.”
“I speak nothing but the truth,” Kristie crossed her arms.
“Uh huh,” Rachel sat in the driver’s seat and started the car.
Kristie propped her elbow up on the side of the car, resting her chin in her open palm. She stared out the window and watched the blur of towering buildings against the bright sunset as they sped down the highway. She kept silent, finding solace in the stunning backdrop. The scenery really couldn’t compete with the girl by her side, though. Her beauty was incomparable to anything Kristie had ever seen.
“Appreciating the sunset?” Rachel interrupted Kristie’s thoughts.
“Yeah,” Kristie tore herself away from the window to the girl whose eyes wandered from the road for a moment. “They’re so much more impressive here than they were in Boston.”
“If there’s one thing I love about Texas, it’s the colors the sky seems to effortlessly create.”
“What else do you like?” Kristie asked, genuinely wondering how her English-born date had adjusted to everything Houston offered.
“The places. The people. Our team. You,” she responded without hesitation.
Kristie felt her cheeks turn bright red. No one ever said Rachel was bad at flirting, that’s for sure. “I’m surprised you agreed to go out with me.”
“Why do you say that?”
Kristie shrugged, immediately regretting saying a word. “I don’t know. I guess I just feel like you could do better than me.”
“Now who’s putting themselves down?” Kristie looked down at her feet, embarrassed by Rachel’s use of her own words. “Listen, Kris,” Rachel paused, tilting Kristie’s chin up to meet her gaze. “I like you. I really like you. It’s as simple as that.”
“But why?” Kristie asked, eyes pleading.
“How could I not? There are so many amazing things about you. Hell, I could spend ages talking about it but,” Rachel stopped suddenly, sparking Kristie’s curiosity. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear it.”
“Oh, but I do,” Kristie smirked, regaining some of her confidence.
Rachel shook her head, diverting her attention back to the road. “Maybe another time.”
“But I want to hear them,” Kristie pouted.
“I don’t hear you paying me any compliments.”
Kristie giggled lightly, feeling relieved that their conversation settled into one more comfortable. “I don’t need to fuel your ego any more. If it gets too big you might explode,” Kristie joked.
“You better start being nice to me. I’m the driver here and I could turn this car around and drop you right back at your apartment.”
Kristie narrowed her eyes, not buying Rachel’s threat. “You wouldn’t.”
“I would.”
“You like me too much to do that,” Kristie grinned. Rachel’s previous words had definitely restored her usual charm.
Rachel gritted her teeth. “I should never have said a word.”
“Oh, come on,” Kristie lightly punched her arm. “Lighten up, Rach.”
“And here I thought you were nervous.”
“Well,” Kristie paused for a moment, trying to come up with how to explain her thoughts to the girl. “I think I was really just worried that you didn’t like me, ‘cause I really like you. I didn’t want to be let down by the only girl I’ve ever had feelings for.”
Rachel looked shocked. “Am I really the first girl you’ve ever liked?”
Kristie looked away, flustered. “No need to act so surprised.”
“I’m sorry. I guess I just assumed you’ve always been...” she trailed off.
“You can say gay. After all, aren’t you?” Kristie snapped.
“Yeah,” Rachel ignored her remark. “What about you?”
Kristie sighed. She hadn’t expected to explain her entire life story to her date. “I don’t know. Like I said, you’re the only girl I’ve ever liked. I don’t plan on being with anyone else anytime soon, so who knows.”
“So I’m stuck with you, huh?” Rachel smirked.
“You make that sound like it’s a bad thing.”
“Depending on how tonight goes, it could be,” Rachel said, filling Kristie with worry.
“You don’t mean that,” Kristie’s voice wavered. She couldn’t have, could she? She didn’t think Rachel was that harsh, but maybe she was wrong.
“Shh,” Kristie felt a soft touch and looked down to find Rachel’s hand over hers. “Of course not. It’d take a lot for me to let you go. You’re pretty neat.” Rachel smiled reassuringly and placed her hand back on the wheel.
Kristie felt a faint burn arise where Rachel had touched her, slowly spreading across her whole body, eventually reaching her heart with a jolt. No one had ever made Kristie feel the way that Rachel did. No one comforted her, complimented her, made her feel like the only girl in the world like Rachel did. The lopsided smiles and fleeting touches electrified Kristie’s nerves in ways no one else’s could have. Reason number two why Kristie was quickly falling for Rachel Daly.
Instead of making a complete fool of herself, Kristie simply responded with, “Neat? Sounds like someone’s catching on to American lingo.”
Rachel rolled her eyes, but still opened Kristie’s door for her upon parking the car and took her hand to help her climb out. Kristie had half a thought about making another joke about chivalry, but Rachel’s hand in hers distracted her. Kristie followed Rachel as they entered the restaurant and were led to their table. She appreciated the secluded location as her date ordered a bottle of wine, though quickly shook her head when she heard the kind of drink Rachel had requested.
“What?” Rachel questioned. “Not a fan of red?”
“Quite the opposite, actually,” Kristie chuckled. “How’d you know that brand was my favorite?”
Rachel grinned. “Believe it or not, it’s my favorite too.”
“Great minds think alike,” Kristie tapped the side of her head with a finger.
“Great minds plus Kristie’s,” Rachel teased.
This time, though, Kristie wasn’t upset or worried, just purely happy. “Rude.”
“Keep in mind who’s paying for tonight,” Rachel pointed to herself.
“You’ve got me there,” Kristie swirled her wine around in the glass, hoping to look somewhat put together.
She looked up as their waiter approached to take their orders.
“I’ll have the grilled chicken breast and she’ll have...” Rachel trailed off and gestured to Kristie.
“The filet, please. Medium rare,” she filled in with a smile.
The waiter nodded politely before presumably rushing back to the kitchen. Kristie noticed Rachel raising an eyebrow at her.
“What now?” Kristie asked, pretending to be annoyed.
“You ordered a steak,” Rachel responded simply.
“Last time I checked, that wasn’t a crime,” Kristie crossed her arms.
Rachel snickered. “I just don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat something that wasn’t a salad or quinoa bowl.”
“Guess you don’t know me as well as you thought, Daly,” she shrugged.
Rachel smacked a hand across her heart. “This is truly a travesty.”
“One to go down in the history books,” Kristie played along, pleased with the facetious banter.
“They’ll be teaching this in schools for years.”
The two made eye contact for a few moments before bursting out in laughter, drawing a few nasty looks from other customers. Kristie didn’t care, though. She was having too much fun with her date to notice anybody else beside her. After all, why would she want to pay attention to the people around her if the most beautiful girl was sitting just across from her?
The rest of dinner flowed smoothly and passed by faster than Kristie had expected. It was as if they had known each other for years, when in reality it had only been a few months. Those kinds of people were the ones you wanted to keep, in Kristie’s opinion. She was severely disappointed when they reached Rachel’s car. She didn’t want the night to end.
“I don’t know about you, but I don’t really feel like going home,” Kriste mentioned, hoping that Rachel would take her hint.
“Neither do I,” she agreed, much to Kristie’s delight. “But we have practice earlier tomorrow. I don’t want to keep you out late.”
Kristie waved her off. “Rach, I’d sacrifice any good practice for more time with you.” She had no idea where her newfound confidence came from, but she wasn’t complaining.
Rachel smiled mischievously. “I have a place we can go.”
Kristie’s heart soared. “Then what are we waiting for?”
Kristie had always had a craving for adventure. She loved trying new things, going to new places, meeting new people. She was a journeyer at heart, and it seemed like Rachel was too. Not just anybody would be up for late night drives to unexpected places at the drop of a hat. It takes someone truly flexible for that, and that’s what Rachel was. A down to earth, unpredictable in the best way, daring girl. Kristie was just glad to have someone who could match her taste for adventure. Reason number three why Kristie was quickly falling for Rachel Daly.
The car radio played softly as they drove across the highway, the occasional honking of horns accompanying. Kristie stared out the window, captivated by the twinkling lights that illuminated the city. Sure, Boston was a decent sized area, but it seemed like everything was bigger and brighter in Houston.
Rachel eventually parked the car on a bare hill overlooking the downtown skyline. She then took out a blanket from the trunk and laid it out on the grass and plopped down, patting the spot next to her. Kristie sat beside her, shoulder touching as they admired the stars and the city in silence.
“You know, this view might be beautiful, but it’s nothing compared to you,” Rachel broke the spell, prompting Kristie to blush furiously and thank whatever forces were out there for the darkness surrounding them.
“You flatter me.”
“I speak only the truth,” Rachel responded with an oh-so-familiar phrase.
“That’s my line!” Kristie cried indignantly.
“I stole it,” Rachel said smugly.
“That’s two things you’ve stolen now,” Kristie laid down to gaze at the sky, almost immediately regretting her words.
Rachel copied her so that she was by her side, arms brushing. “What’s the other thing?”
“My heart,” Kristie replied with a tone she hoped was flirty, but in a slightly joking way of course.
“Smooth, Mewis, smooth.”
“What can I say? I’ve had a crush on you for a long time,” she confessed.
“You make it sound like we’re twelve years old,” Rachel scoffed.
“We practically are,” Kristie said, lacing her fingers through Rachel’s with a sudden boldness.
Kristie heard Rachel’s breath hitch, alerting Kristie that her actions had the desired effect. “I don’t think twelve year olds would be brave enough to do that.”
“Perhaps not,” Kristie turned on her side to face Rachel. “But maybe I’m an outlier.”
Rachel mirrored Kristie, turning so that their faces were inches away. Kristie felt Rachel’s warm breath on her cheeks, filling her stomach with butterflies. “Maybe so,” she whispered.
“I had a really nice time tonight.”
“So did I.”
“Thanks for being so awesome,” Kristie spoke lamely.
“I try.”
In a rush of emotion and carelessness, Kristie planted a quick kiss on Rachel’s cheek. Her mind was filled with dread immediately after she pulled away as Rachel stayed silent and unresponsive. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so bold. What if she had just ruined their entire date?
Seconds passed (though to Kristie it seemed like ages) before Rachel lifted her hand to softly stroke Kristie’s cheek. Suddenly, she pulled Kristie into a deeper kiss, one filled with purpose and passion. Kristie’s lips burned with the contact in the most amazing way possible. Rachel had sparked something inside Kristie, and her heart was abruptly set ablaze. A raging fire spread throughout her being, from her blood to her very bones. She knew in that moment that she could never let Rachel go.
Kristie breathed heavily once they had broken apart, the intensity still coursing through her veins. “You have no idea how long I had waited for that moment.”
“Did I live up to your expectations?”
“You exceeded them.”
Reason number one why Kristie had fallen for Rachel Daly: she was really something special.