"I don't know.. I can't exactly place it.. I just, get this vibe from you." Ivette attempts to explain while slurping her chocolate milkshake.

"Hmm..that's a good thing?" I raise my eyebrows. Maybe I don't really need to know the answer to that one..

Ivette rolls her eyes,"Of course, silly! If it was bad I wouldn't be here with you right now."

"Cool." I remove the plastic cover from my cup and nervously play with the straw. Because at the same time, I want her to like me – but I don't. I want to be here with her – and I don't. This must be the most awkward of moments, talking over milkshakes at the local Dairy Queen.

Ivette looks around the room. I can tell she's probably thinking of what to say next. Or waiting for me to speak..

"Yeah..so.." I say, quickly realizing that I have nothing to say. So now I look even more stupid.

"Dustin, are you shy?" Ivette randomly asks.

"Uh.. I can be...you aren't though..that's obvious." I take notice of Ivette's shirt for the 20th time tonight...and it's kinda see through.

"Yeah, I'm not... I'm such a girl though." Ivette says.

"Wow..well I hope so!" I laugh, struggling to sip my strawberry milkshake from the straw. Damn this is a thick milkshake!

Ivette lightly nudges my foot with hers, "You know what I mean!" She laughs.

"Alright, so what is this whole 'vibe' thingy all about?" I say feeling a little more comfortable.

Ivette smiles and a slight blush rushes to her cheeks, "It's like, oh..it's hard to explain...like I've known you forever. Like you always kinda been there..and I just never knew..ya know?"

"There? You mean at Storm Chargers? Yeah, I've always been there! I'm surprised you never knew me!" I nod.

Ivette starts to laugh. What? What did I say? Oh well...

"Dustin..you are something else!"

"Am I? Ok..now you're confusing me! What else is there?" I don't know what this girl is talking about... but I do know she looks hot in a white tank top. Her laugh calms to a sigh as she stares softly at me. A deep soft stare. I find myself warmly smiling at her, while we lock eyes.

"You are..just..wow..you are so.." Ivette stutters.

"Hey, Ivette.." I interrupt.

"Yeah.."

"I hate to be a pooper but, would it be ok if I dropped you home after this? I'm just ssoooo tired. Don't think for a second that I'm trying to get rid of you." I say, yawning, "I just worked all day.."

"Hey, no explanation needed.. I understand." She smiles.

"Awesome." I smile back.

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"Here I am, that house right there." Ivette points to a fairly big house. From what I can make out, in the dark, it looks pink.. maybe. I stop the car, abruptly. Our bodies jerk forward.

"Sorry." I can't help but giggle at myself. I'm such a winner.

"Ha! That's ok..stop apologizing!" She playfully makes a fist at me. At least I hope she's just playing. I get beat up by chicks a whole lot.

Now this is the part that gives me those flutters in the pit of my stomach. The silence...the uncomfortable smile, laugh, nod...You know, that end of the night goodbye, where you're shitting in your pants 'cuz you don't know whether to walk her to the door, just wave her off, lean in for a kiss...man...I am so wishing this night would end already..and not because of Ivette..but because while I'm with her, I'm thinking about someone else...

"I had fun." I say, both hands on the steering wheel.

"Me too." She speaks those words like she truly means them.

"So..tomorrow, um.... I'll call you when I get off of work.. or.. sometime between then and when I'm about to pick you up." I say, looking over at her, trying to keep my hands clenched around the wheel.

"Sounds great. Ok..so then I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Ivette nods, nervously, it seems. I can't tell for sure, but I feel that she's just as uncomfortable as I am, or she's waiting for me to make a move. Dammit, Dustin!!

"Yup." One word answer..what am I doing? I sigh. I turn to Ivette and I think I'm hurting her feelings.

"Ok..bye Dustin." She doesn't even look at me as she turns away and opens the car door. As she attempts to climb out, I grab her arm.

"Wait, wait!" I startle her a bit.

"Yeah?" Her eyes, like puppy dog eyes. So innocent and eager to hear what I have to say. Well not that her eyes can actually hear, but, you know...

"I really did have a great time with you." I say. What am I doing? Oh, what am I doing?

Ivette's face lights up, "Dustin... I know we just met, but.." She takes a breath.

Oh no.. don't say it...

"I really like you...you give me butterflies. I haven't had this feeling in a while." She says, her face and voice turning way serious.

No.. don't like me... don't like me...

"Why?? I'm such a goof... I'm such a loser." I say, feeling like a moron.

Ivette gently touches my face. For some reason, it does something to me. I swallow hard catching her eyes.

"Don't you ever say that. You're amazing." Still touching my face, Ivette glances at my lips and slightly licks hers. I feel our faces getting closer and closer... I know what's coming next. And I can't do anything about it.... The next thing I know, our lips are touching, sharing the softest, sweetest kiss. God, her lips are so soft and perfect. And she tastes like strawberries..

Before I know it, Ivette's tongue is in my mouth. She grabs the back of my head and we start to heavily make out. She, without moving her lips from mine at all, climbs onto my lap, hitting the horn with her butt. Oh man... it's been so long..so long...and it's hard to think when you've got a beautiful girl on top of you.

"Woah.....we can go on all night.." I say between kisses, "But.."

Ivette grabs me and tongues me down, showing no mercy to the fact that at some point, we will both need to breathe.

"I....really...gotta...go.." I force out my words.

Ivette pulls away, studying my face. She's breathes heavily, "You do have to go.. I'm sorry.." She says, with that cute little voice.

"It's cool." I sigh, with a huge smile on my face.

Ivette climbs off of me and back into the passenger seat, the door still open. "Ok.. I'm really going this time." She giggles.

"I'll call you." I say as she climbs out and closes the door. She leans over the open window.

"You better." She laughs. We share a smile, both of us blushing. Then Ivette turns away and heads for her door, occasionally looking back at me with a quick smile. I wait until she's inside her house before I drive off.

"What are you doing?" I say to myself, hitting the steering wheel. "Oh, man.... I'm gonna break her heart.." I sigh. I hope its not true.. I hope its not...and it wouldn't be.. if Tori didn't have my heart in the palm of her hand, slowly squeezing and torturing it...