If Stef and Lena let me stay with them, everything will be so much easier, I'll be able to see AJ, even more, I'll have more time to do homework and maybe I could get a part time job so I can get a small apartment, then I can be independent, plus I'll have a support system, who better than the fosters? They have a spare room now that the oldest boy has left. This is supposed to happen I just know it is, I was only supposed to be staying at Girls United for a month and then I was going to get a placement, but I've never stayed anywhere other than GU that wasn't physically or mentally abusive, sometimes both. I've made friends with all of them, I don't see the harm in becoming part of the family for a little while. As I walk out of Lena's office, I run into Jesus.
"Hey, you alright now?" He asks.
"Yeah, much better, I talked to your mom, she's awesome,"
"Yeah, I guess she's pretty cool. If you ever wanna talk though," He stops me in the hall, "I'm here,"
"Thanks, Jesus, it's great to have a friend here, I've never really had a friend before," I laugh at myself and lean against the lockers.
"Actually, that's the thing," He leans next to me, "There was something I wanted to ask you," I look up at him in a confused way, "I like you, Cressida, as more than a friend, would you wanna go out sometime?" I'm shocked, I had no clue he liked me that way, I've always been pretty oblivious to stuff like this.
"Like a date? You want to take me out on a date?"
"Yeah, you up for it?"
"Uh, yeah, that sounds great," I smile from ear to ear, and I suddenly see him a different light, I thought the kiss on the cheek earlier was just a friendly thing, I get it now, "Where would you take me?" I boldly reach down and take his hand, we walk together.
"Wherever you want, the movies, the beach, we could grab dinner, or lunch, or breakfast,"
"I like the beach, we could bring a few snacks?"
"And I'll make a little fire,"
"Could we have smores?"
"Obviously," We go back and forth planning everything out until the lunch bell rings and everyone starts pouring out of their classrooms, we go and have lunch with Mariana and her friend.
"This is Emma, we're on the robotics team together," Mariana introduces us, she seems kind of cold.
"Hi," She says bluntly.
"Hi," I smile back, I don't really know why she's being strange with me, but I don't care, I'm having a great time with Jesus.
Callie, AJ, and Jude join us as well. I feel like I have a group of friends and a potential boyfriend on the horizon.
After Rita takes me home, I beg her to let me go out with Jesus for just an hour, and she finally gives in, but she sends Callie to spy on us, and she brings AJ. But they both trust me so I know they won't be too intrusive, Callie and I meet AJ and Jesus at the beach near school and Jesus and I walk off together, holding hands again. Callie and AJ wait a little while before following us.
"Sorry about the chaperones, it's the only way I was able to come," We sit down on one of the blankets he brought with him and he opens up the picnic basket, "This is amazing!" He hands me a plastic wine glass and pours lemonade in it, then he serves me some lemon cheesecake on a paper plate.
"I know how to treat a lady," He clinks his plastic glass against mine. I look back and see Callie and AJ sitting up on the dunes watching the sea, I take this as my chance to kiss Jesus, I've been desperate to since I found out he liked me, I just wanted to see what it would be like. As our lips come apart he smiles at me, "What was that for?"
"For treating me well, and because you're really cute and you make me nervous and boys don't tend to make me nervous so I thought if I just kissed you I would be fearless, I also tend to babble when I'm nervous so feel free to tell me to shut me-" He interrupts me with another kiss, "Up," I laugh. Then we dig into our cake and drink our lemonade. And then we just talk, he tells me about his birth parents, and how got put in foster care, and how he found Stef and Lena, his story has a happy ending, mine doesn't, mines not even over yet. I tell him everything I can, I can't tell him what I did because he'd never ever like in a million years.
It feels so good getting to know someone like this, especially Jesus, he's incredible, he's funny and smart, not like book smart, more like life smart. He just knows what's up. And every time I tell him something a little sad and I get upset, he knows exactly what to say to cheer me up. We keep checking to see when Callie and AJ aren't watching so we can kiss more, but eventually they walk down the dunes and tell us it's time to go back, Callie comes back to GU because she's staying the night again, and AJ drives Jesus home. I hope he's not the kind of brother to be awkward about this kind of thing.
"Soooo, how was it?" Kiara begs for gossip as Callie and I get ready for bed.
"Amazing, he's amazing," I say, then I look at Callie, "Sorry is this weird for you?" I ask her.
"No go ahead, I'll just zone out,"
"Okay, so he brought a really romantic picnic and he built a little fire and we talked about like everything and we kissed a lot,"
"Ugh," Callie says quietly, causing Kiara and me to laugh.
"He's just so sweet and incredible, I can't wait to see him tomorrow."