Tessa collapsed on her bed. She registered that Sophie had started talking to her as soon as she came in, but was too far into her own little world to hear her. Tessa wasn't sure if she'd ever smiled this much. She rolled over, grabbing a pillow and hugging it to her chest as if the pressure would do something to help the feeling in her chest. She was so happy it hurt. She would have stayed like that for a good long while, but Sophie jumped on her, rolling her into a hug on the bed which really wasn't big enough for the two of them.

"Agh! Get off!" Tessa laughed, a grin lighting up her entire face.

Sophie pointed an accusing finger.

"You have not been answering my texts. I want a full report. I need DETAILS."

Sophie leaned back against the concrete wall of the dorm, tucking her hair behind her ear and grabbing a pillow as if settling in for story time. Tessa was smiling so widely that her face heart, and she just looked at her friend for a minute.

"I… We… It was good." Tessa managed to say.

"Good?" Sophie said, raising her eyebrows. "Honey, I don't think I've ever seen you smile this much. Seriously, I'm a little bit concerned for your facial muscles."

"Okay it was better than good. It was… wonderful." Tessa shoved her face down into the pillow she was holding, her blush creeping up to her ears. Eventually, she peeked at Sophie, who gestured at her to go on.

"Well, um," Tessa gulped for air. "We met in the library, which Jem totally set up, by the way. And he was just there and I thought I was shocked but when he saw me he choked on his tea. And then I tried to read and that's when I texted you but I didn't think I could ever go over to him and I was freaking out big time because he's smart and funny and was reading Oscar Wilde."

"Nerd," Sophie interjected affectionately.

"And I just… I tried to sit there and ignore him which I knew was never going to work and all of a sudden he was beside me and he asked me to have tea with him so I did. We walked to this café and he asked about my major and about you and about books and about a whole bunch of other things and we just talked and talked. God, I've never been that nervous or self-conscious in my life but at the same time it was just so… comfortable. It felt good talking to him; like I could say something and he would understand." The hyper rambling began to die down, and Tessa continued more calmly.

"He was nice. And he's gorgeous, which may be a plus or a minus I can't really say because on one hand I can't look at him and form a coherent sentence but on the other… Sophie I don't know if I've ever had a crush like this before." Tessa blushed, grinned, and buried her face back in her pillow.

Sophie ran her hand comfortingly over her friend's back, shaking with laughter.
"I'm glad he makes you happy." She paused for a moment.

"What happens now?"

"He's asked me to dinner," came a mumble from the pillow.

"When?" Sophie asked.

"Tomorrow," Tessa said, a little more clearly.

"Eeeeeee yay! This is going to be so much fun! I'm totally helping you get ready."

Sophie kept talking excitedly for a little while, but Tessa was gone again, reliving her perfect afternoon.

Will shut the door to his dorm room behind him, sliding down it slowly until he was sitting of the floor with his head just below the doorknob. He wasn't smiling widely like Tessa was, but rather a small smile as he leaned his head back against the door, his eyes closed. He wasn't showing it like Tessa had, not yet anyway, but instead he just sat there and radiated pure happiness. James turned from where he had been practicing his violin at the window.

He appraised his friend, and a smile spread across his face. Will still had his eyes closed.

"So," Jem asked innocently. "How was the library? Read anything good?"

"Since you asked, the library was awesome, thanks." Will's smile spread a little. He opened one eye to look at his friend, and the dissolved completely into a grin.

Jem laughed, his eyes shining. He was done being mischievous for the moment, and settled for being absolutely thrilled for his friend. "Did you have a good time?" he said with a laugh.

"I didn't want to come home! I could have sat there for hours more listening to her talk. I want to know more about her brother and her friends and the cat she wants to get when she has her own apartment. I want to talk to her about books; every book she's ever read and everything she thought about it. I would like to partake in several other activities with her, many of which cannot take place in public without leading to our arrest."

At that, Jem really laughed. He knew his friend well enough to know that he wouldn't touch Tessa; not like that, not yet. He would seek intimacy in other ways before he sought it physically. Not that a good make out session wouldn't do him good, Jem thought.

"You like her. I've never seen you get this way about anyone. I've done my part; now what are you going to do about it?"

"I asked her to dinner. Tomorrow," Will said with a gulp. Suddenly, he was as nervous as he had been when he had approached Tessa in the library.

"Good start," Jem said. "You two will have fun."

"Where do I take her? I don't know what kind of food she likes. We could get Italian. But what if she hates Italian. But who could hate Italian?"

"Will, you're rambling."

"Sorry."

"Would you like me to find out what kind of food she likes?"

"What?! No! You can't ask her! She'll know you're asking for me and then I'll look ridiculous!"

"Calm down; I'm not going to ask her. I'm going to ask an old friend of mine."

Jem pulled out his phone.

Soph, what kind of food does Tessa like?

He waited a few moments before his phone buzzed in response.

She likes Japanese, Thai, Italian and Middle Eastern. She hates Greek. She likes Mexican, but only when there's no cilantro. She absolutely DESTESTS cilantro.

Jem looked up from his phone. "You're safe with Italian, but she also likes Japanese, Thai and Middle Eastern."

"Who's this friend of yours who knows her that well?"

"Sorry," Jem said with a grin. "That's confidential."

"So which do I pick?"

"Why not stick with Italian? You've already scoped out all the good restaurants in the area. Wow her with your deep knowledge of pastas."

Will chucked a pillow at him, and the boys dissolved into a dramatic pillow fight.