"What's on the plate for tonight?" Kenny asks me.

I glance at him and just smile, shrugging my shoulders. He knows I'm indecisive.

We're sitting on the sofa in my basement. There is some mindless comedy playing on the television, but we're not really paying much attention, to be honest.

"Hm…" Kenny muses, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me towards him. He kisses me on the cheek and then says, "Wanna stay in or go out?"

"In," I tell him.

"You never really feel like going out," he notes. "It doesn't bug me, it's just something I've noticed."

"I don't like crowds or loud places or anything like that," I admit. "I just enjoy myself more when I'm with one or two people… and it's been a pretty busy week. I want to spend some time with you."

"Aw," Kenny coos, grinning at me.

Exams are over now. I didn't study, but I did okay. It's summer now and my face is healed.

We'll be heading into grade twelve soon enough. After that, I don't know what I'll be doing. I'm not going to university, though. Fuck that. When I'm done with school, I'm not going back. High school has been hell so far… but I climbed my way out. I'm doing okay now. A lot has changed for the better.

People stopped bothering me. When Kenny and I started dating we did it the right way. Everyone already knew they couldn't bother him and it transferred onto me pretty quickly. We also didn't give them much material to run with. We started holding hands in the hallway and walking home together after school.

We mostly spend our afternoons at my house—Kenny hasn't invited my back to his place since that very first time. I don't know if he's insecure or if he just likes my parents more. They certainly like him. My dad is oblivious as always but my mom always sends him home with leftovers after dinner.

"Let's watch a movie," he suggests.

"Okay," I agree, and hunker down into his lap.

Since we've been dating, Kenny's started hanging out with my friends more—even Clyde. Sometimes they step on each other's toes, but usually they get along well. I think Kenny is the type of guy who can get along with pretty much anyone.

The worst is over. I can say that confidently and I've learned from the things that have happened to me.

All it took was time. Soon enough, things between me and Clyde returned to normal. I think we'll always remember that I once had his dick in my mouth… but we've moved past it. Thank God. So, I got my best friend back and I got a boyfriend – a really sincere, nice one.

Plus, he's good in bed. I learned that a mere month into the relationship. I didn't think sex could be that good… but damn, it was good.

Yeah, I was scared at first. There was this little voice in my head that told me it'd be bad just because my first experience was bad… but I dealt with my shit. We all did, for the most part… though I still deal with things like anxiety. That's an ongoing battle.

Kenny is popular—really popular. I get nervous that he'll leave me for a girl just because he could and it'd be easy. He's good at reassuring me though. He doesn't flirt with other people at parties and on the off chance that I do start to feel jealous, he never calls me high-maintenance.

I think Clyde can see how good we are for each other. We haven't talked a lot about it, but that's because we haven't needed to. Kenny is good enough at communicating that there hasn't been much need for venting.

All in all, I can tell that's he's actually, genuinely into me, which is something I've never had before. I like it. Everything I have with Kenny is what I was missing with Clyde and, yeah, I still love him… but not the way I used to.

Kenny puts Netflix on and we surf for a good movie to watch before settling on some lame action flick Kenny has been wanting to see. We have pretty different tastes in movies and most other things, but I don't mind.

We watch and he plays with my hair as I lie on his lap. Halfway through, we pause and make popcorn and grab sodas from upstairs. My parents are in the living room. Mom gives me a sly little smile when she sees us together. I roll my eyes, but I can't stop a smile from spreading across my lips.

I'm actually happy. It's a weird, unfamiliar feeling… and it's not all thanks to Kenny. I'm happy because I'm content with myself and where I am at this point in my life. I think that's what matters.

"No funny business," my dad jokes.

I drag Kenny back downstairs before he says anything that could get him into trouble.

He snickers at me, reading my mind. "Aw, I wasn't gonna say nothin'."

I just nudge him and we sit back down on the sofa, playing the movie. We sit close, munching on the popcorn. Kenny is pretty expressive when he watches movies. He gasps a lot and pretty much gives you a play by play of all his highly reactive thoughts.

But, again, I don't mind.

I glance to the side, watching him as he watches the television screen. After a few seconds, our blue eyes connect and he catches me staring. He gives me a lopsided grin and it gives me that fluttery feeling in my stomach.

He supports me – even when I'm acting like a crazy fuck – and I want to support him, too. I think we're good together and I want to show him how much he means to me.

"Hey," he starts suddenly. "I'm happy you picked me, too."

Half the time it's like he reads my damn mind.

I just smile. It's something I've been doing a lot lately. I cry less. It's like all the bad shit is in the past, where it belongs.

When the movie is over, we set the popcorn bowl and nearly-empty soda cans on the coffee table in the center of the room.

"Are you staying here tonight?" I ask.

"If you want me to," Kenny says.

"I want you to," I tell him. "I always want you to."

"Aw," he coos at me some more, reaching a hand forward and rubbing my cheek. "Then I'll stay!"

He always does.

It's quiet. It's comfortable. There are never any tense silences. We can laugh, cry, whatever else. He's so… real. He is so different than anyone I've experienced or gotten to know. It's refreshing. Even if we don't last forever, I hope we'll part as friends… because I do care about him, so much. Even though Clyde was my first of many things, Kenny is the one I did it all right with.

Fin.