The following afternoon you find yourself slaving away in the school library, trying to make up for all the time you'd lost in the past couple of days. You're surprised by how much you're able to get done considering how difficult it is to focus.

Slouching over the table writing, you are just barely able to detect the motion of someone slipping into the seat across from you. You glance up and find Tom smiling at you.

"Surprise," he says quietly, revealing a single stem pink rose from behind his back.

Shocked, you slowly reach out to accept it as you peek from side to side, feeling eyes on you from all around the room.

"What are you doing here?" you whisper, quietly sniffing the flower.

"I stopped by your place and your roommate told me where I might find you. Lovely girl, by the way- very friendly. Anyway, I thought I might keep you company," he says cheerfully. "But if you're too busy, I can go. I don't want to distract you."

"No, stay," you encourage. "I'm almost done."

After about twenty minutes more, you pack up your stuff and you and Tom leave the library.

"You're very dedicated," he notes. "Studying on a Friday. That takes some serious willpower."

You laugh. "So what now?"

"Are you hungry?" he asks.

"Starving," you reply.

"Dinner it is."

The pair of you walk hand in hand back to Tom's car and he drives to nice restaurant on the beach after making a quick stop at your apartment. You enjoy a lovely dinner together and then head out on the sand to enjoy the last bit of light before sunset. It's still rather hot outside, so you're happy with your choice of wearing a sundress.

Sitting on the shoreline, listening to the sound of the crashing waves, Tom is the first to speak.

"It's not fair really."

"What isn't?"

"I'm willing to bet that you know a great deal more about me than I know about you."

"What would you like to know?"

Tom goes on to ask you about your hometown and your family, followed by the more trivial details of your taste preferences.

"How old are you?" he inquires as the two of you are watching the sunset.

You look at him, amused by the question. "How old do you think I am?"

"I may be wrong, but I think that guessing a woman's age is a bad idea."

You laugh at his manner and freely admit "I'm twenty-one."

"Hell of an age difference," he remarks passively.

"That's a matter of perspective," you retort gently.

"Well, I suppose it is you who's getting the short end of the stick."

You tilt your head to the side dramatically. "You must be kidding me."

"Alright, point taken. Forget I mentioned it," Tom says with a nervous chuckle, sensing the strength of your opinion. He folds his arms across his knees and watches as you lie down on the sand next to him. He doesn't attempt to hide his admiration of you. Ever so gently, he twists his upper body to lean over you and places a chaste kiss on your lips. His hand immediately settles on your waist and remains there.

"Do me a favor," he says.

"Hmm?"

"Next time we see one another, wear the most hideous outfit you can possibly find."

Your reaction is a mixture of laughter and confusion. "Why?" you wonder aloud.

"Because if you don't, I may not be able to keep my hands off you."

Up till now, you'd been resistant in your attachment to Tom, thinking it could only ever lead to your heart being crushed in some extraordinary fantasy. But in this moment, you decided to let yourself go and take a chance in giving your heart to the gentleman sitting next to you.

To be continued...