The "Hate" part is based on Hououza's "In a perfect world Revised"; excellent story, BTW.

Right now, she hates the clock on the wall. It's right in front of her, and she feels it's mocking her.

Her rational mind, the one that scored a 133 on the I.Q. test, the genius at work, the gifted student (just don't ask about the Kanji) tells her it's simply an inanimate object; man-made to mark the passage of time. It's telling her to stop feeling threatened by it.

And another minute goes by.

But it's not her mind, it's her feelings; one is telling her to stop being such a baby (and she can almost hear her mama's voice there). To stop feeling left out; she has known the idiot for so long her fears are absolutely unfounded and childish.

But it's the other small voice the one that worries her; the unspoken, unwilling voice that wakes her at night after seeing him in her dreams, that make her breath come short whenever he comes into view.

The one that tell her that, regardless of what happens after his date, everything will change.

And then the chimes of the front door mix with the chimes of the clock, and she turns around with a smile forcing itself to be a smile.

He's finally here.

----- -----

She loves ice cream.

It's cool and refreshing and sweet and friendly. It can be bitten, or turned into a shake to be drink, it can be something to share between friends.

And it's a perfect first date treat.

She loves the fact that it's also the perfect way to playfully flirt with him; he'll ask for vanilla (he's a vanilla kind of guy) and she'll ask for the strawberry one (because it's sweet and tangy and red) and then she'll steal a lick or two from his, twirling her tongue and drawing lazy circles and doing that moan in the back of her throat she knows he likes so (and she loves it that he loves it so).

And he'll watch with rapture and fascination, and she'll blink innocently and ask him what wrong. And then she'll accuse him of being a hentai and he'll frown and look away and she'll smile to herself and think of a way to make it up to him without being too obvious.

And then, at the end of the day she'll remember his look and smile to herself.

Ice cream really is the best.