It’s not a date. There are people who are punctual–like me. I’m always conscious of time, a sticker for being on schedule. Then, there are people who are not so punctual–like Cade. He believes that punctuality is only warranted for things that ‘matter’ or are ‘important’. Does this fall under the category of ‘important’? It’s 5 minutes to 8PM, and I’ve switched out cardigans twice and rearranged the cushions on the couch four times. I’m not in denial. I’m very aware of how nervous this shouldn’t make me. I’m also very aware of how unnecessarily anxious I am, and if there were a way to cope by merely acknowledging my discomfort, I wouldn’t be pacing so much between re-doing chores that I had already done the moment that I got home. At Bubbles’ very audible sigh, I snap my eyes to meet his beautiful golden-brown ones. “You’re just tired of my shit, aren’t you?” I ask sarcastically. As if on cue, a knock echoes t

⊰ Cade ⊱The soft glow of Elysian’s apartment envelops us as we sit across from each other, the weight of our past hanging heavy in the air. I search her face, trying to reconcile the woman before me with the hazy memories that dance just out of reach.Now, sitting here, looking at her, really looking at her, she looks different than I remember. Her features are more refined, her eyes holding a depth of pain and wisdom that wasn’t there before.I can see it on her face, the desire to have a conversation but unsure of where to start. I clear my throat, searching her soft features. “Tell me something,” I say softly. “Besides how obviously beautiful and smart you are…what was it about you that made me fall in love with you?”I watch as a flush creeps up her neck, coloring her cheeks a delicate pink. She clears her throat, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her cardigan before s

The gym is my happy place, a place where I can lose myself in the familiar burn of exertion and the satisfying clink of metal plates. Thursday evenings are particularly my favorite, the gym is quieter than usual, relatively empty, and I can take my time without feeling rushed.As I work through my bench press sets, the sound of laughter echoes off the concrete walls, drawing my attention to the entrance. Amelia and Anna, the inseparable twins who have become my unlikely friends, saunter in, their gym bags slung over their shoulders and mischievous grins on their faces.The second their eyes land on me, they make their way over, all smiles. “Elys, hey!” Amelia says, overly excited. “We’ve been meaning to ask ya something.”I sit up on the bench, wiping the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand. “What’s up?”Anna leans against the rack, her eyes sparkling. “Our birthday is coming up in three weeks,

My eyes snap open at the phone blaring, jolting me out of my slumber.What the hell..?With my head still resting on Cade’s bare chest, I lay perfectly my hand slayed over his abs. Almost instantly, he shifts slightly beneath me, reaching for his cell phone and silencing it.The light from the sunrise creeps through the edges of the curtains, and knowing I can't lay here forever, I nearly panic trying to figure out what I should say.He spent the night…Memories of last night play over in my head, and I feel my cheeks burn with embarrassment at how I practically threw myself at him. I want to blame it on the pot, but truthfully, all the weed did was make me bold enough to say and do what I really wanted to.Oh, this is bad…this is SO bad.In the next moment, I hear a dial ring through his phone. “Good morning,” he speaks lowly, more than likely assuming I’m still asleep.