prompt: write a dialogue between two characters that like each other but don’t know it.

“Would you want to go on an adventure with me?” Ava texted, wondering if it was too straightforward or weird; speaking, she hadn’t talked much to Ethan and was now texting him suddenly. It was only a few minutes, but it felt like a lifetime.

“Sure, where to?” Ethan asked. Ava stopped when reading his message. She knew he was a go-with-the-flow type of person, so she couldn’t tell if it was his personality or if he really wanted to go. She sat on the couch and stared at her phone. She could answer in two ways: interested or nonchalant.

“Just to Hobby Lobby. I need to get some supplies,” she said. Worried that it was too relaxed of a reply, she sighed to slow her heart rate, jumping up to get dressed. It was a mix between the ‘rare jeans and a hoodie combo’ or ‘the standard sweatpants and a hoodie,’ a decision she sat on a little too long. Then, as she tied her last bow in her semi-clean purple Converse, she tucked her phone in her jeans and headed toward the car.

This was her day, Ava’s time to finally get to know Ethan. There have been attempts of communication while working, like the time he asked where she was from. She wasn’t sure about him then, though, so she answered with, “Tennessee,” cutting the conversation short, if you could even call it that. Still, the day they met danced around her mind constantly, a thought she grapples with daily. The way he walked in the room, through the open doors of the mechanics bay, with that vast and wonderous smile of his–a smile she imagined was for her. It felt like one of those slow-motion moments in romance movies. She would’ve admired him longer, but worried coworkers would make fun of her. Her daydreaming was interrupted when a text from Noah lit up her phone.

“Do you want to hang out?” It said.

Ava didn’t want to but felt it wasn’t fair for Noah to ditch him, and it was hard for her ever to say no. Ethan lives 10 minutes away; Noah lives down the road, she thought, then replied, “Sure, I’m going to Hobby Lobby.” After a simple text exchange, she ended up at Noah’s apartment. As he entered the car, his eyes instantly gazed at her tight jeans.

“You look nice,” Noah said, but before Ava could thank him, he continued, “Who did you dress up for?” This kind of question would usually irritate her, but she felt herself immediately start to sweat.

“I just wanted to look nice today,” Ava replied. She knew Noah didn’t believe her and felt the need to reassure him, “Maybe I’m tired of wearing sweatpants all the time.” She knew she had to tell him about Ethan but feared the unwanted comments and possible argument that would immediately ensue. The feeling nagged at her for four silent minutes until Noah spoke up.

“Where are we going?” Noah asked, uncertain and noticeably nervous as he focused only on the road.

“You’ll see.”

They ended up at another apartment complex. “This is-” Noah started to say, Ava not listening. From the shadows behind a bush, Ethan appeared. Though expected, Noah said nothing. She never looked at him, only Ethan–a man wearing jeans and a hoodie.

The drive to Hobby Lobby was more awkward than Ava anticipated. Everyone’s dignity died then and there. Her music played in the background, but it might as well have been jazz playing in an elevator of two. Or a mom taking her teenage daughter and her boyfriend on a date for the first time. She tried making small talk, but Noah would chime in with comments that alluded to their relationship. The visit wasn’t any better. She walked around while the guys followed inaudibly behind her. The air around her was thick and tense as she walked down the paint aisle, though there was always this heavy atmosphere, similar to a hospital with its beaming white ceiling lights. This time, however, it had a looming aura of jealousy. No word was said, and yet it was so loud.

“We should go bowling,” Ava piped in after buying the needed supplies. She didn’t want the time with Ethan to end, or rather, she wanted it to finally start, just not with Noah. She had hoped this would loosen him up and make things less awkward between everyone.

“I’m down,” Noah said.

“Me too,” Ethan agreed.

At the bowling alley, Ava felt it was a bust. The whole time, she had to stop Noah from touching her shoulder and gawking at her with that unappealing smirk and down-tilt eyes, feeling the need to wrap her hoodie around her waist. Most of the time, Ethan sat on the couch as she desperately tried to show him pictures on her phone to get him to talk, but still, he didn’t budge. He would give polite chuckles, but ultimately, she felt she had ruined her chances. He didn’t say much; he just watched. But just when she lost hope, as they finished their last game, Ethan asked, “Is there a skating rink around here?”

Without hesitation, Ava answered, “The closest one is an hour away,” sneakily eyeing him as she searched on her phone. “You want to go?” Noah and Ethan peered at each other.

“Let’s do it,” said Ethan.

“Yeah,” said Noah.

In the disco-esque ambience of the children abundant skating rink, the three had trouble sticking together to the point one person getting left behind–Noah. On the other hand, Ethan was much more talkative, telling Ava stories and asking her questions. He told her about the craziest date he was on that ended in being punched by her. Ava would laugh, and everyone else seemed to melt away around them. His smile was like Spring was greeting her after the last frost. When Ava and Ethan finally noticed Noah’s disappearance, he was stuck within the crowd of younger skaters, leaning against the wall for support. As the two caught up to him, they decided to hold hands, Ava in the middle.

“You left me behind,” Noah complained, Ava and Ethan suppressing their snickers.

“Sorry,” Ava said, unconcerned, Noah wrestling with his skates to remain steady but flopping like a dehydrated cat.

“I need a break,” Noah grunted, skating to the rinkless, arguably more crowded, carpet. Ethan led Ava off the rink, still gripping her hand. She stared down at it. Her body tingled as his thumb rubbed the back of her hand; her face felt like she hadn’t drunk water in a week.

“You’re still holding my hand,” Ava said, refusing to look up. Ethan glanced down and then straight into her eyes.

“Do you want me to let go?” Ethan asked. The tingle crept down her spine as he spoke. He sounded so confident.

“No,” She smiled, gripping his hand tighter.

“Me either.”