If someone asked Linda what she and Danny were, she couldn't say. They had only been on one date, so they weren't dating, but they were together all the time. They usually sat together at lunch, they sat beside each other in their shared classes, and she always talked to him in the halls or after school when he was waiting for his siblings.

She'd definitely say they were friends. But he had kissed her, and she had kissed him right back. That was a few weeks ago, but the kiss still burned her lips. She wanted another one, and another, and another. She smiled to herself; if she thought hard enough, it was like he really was kissing her.

"Hey!"

She jumped slightly, looking for whoever pulled her out of her fantasy world. "Danny,"she wore a sincere smile.

Danny greeted her as he walked up to her between classes. "Jamie's got a meeting with my parents and his teacher-"

"That sounds ominous."

"Nah, not for him. Anyway, me and the sibs have to stick around for a bit. Wanna just stick around with me?"

She grinned, "sure! I'd like that."

Danny and Linda were sitting on the stairs at the back of the school while they waited for Jamie to be done.

"How much homework you have?" Danny peered into his backpack, trying to decided if he wanted to get started on the homework for his harder courses.

"Oh I finished most of it in study hall."

"You use study hall for what it's meant for?"

She laughed, "doesn't everyone?"

"No one that I know."

She shrugged, "I've got a book I want to sink my teeth into at home. That's why I tried to finish it."

"You're a lot more efficient than I am." He shrugged out of his jacket, much to Linda's surprise.

"You're hot?"

"Thank you," he grinned at her and she tried to hide her blush.

Playing it off, she rolled her eyes. "Not what I meant, Reagan." It was quiet for a few moments before Linda gasped.

"What?"

"You have freckles on your arms, too?!"

He looked at her, very confused. He was even more confused when her hands grabbed the bottom of her sweater, and she proceeded to yank it off her.

He must have a dirty mind, because he was convinced she was only wearing (or not wearing, he didn't know if she did that) a bra underneath. But instead his eyes were met with a soft pink tank top with lacy detailing. It was strange, because that somehow seemed more intimate than actual underwear.

"Look! We match!" She pointed to the freckles in her upper arm, then to Danny's. She moved her arm directly next to his, to show him what she was talking about.

She was weird; she was incredibly weird and far too peppy and smiley for him. He smirked at her, "I guess so."

She giggled before pulling her sweater back over her head, making her long blonde hair frizzy.

Why did he want to laugh? He didn't know, but he heard himself laughing.

She tilted her head in an adorable way, "what's funny?"

"You." He was still smiling, but she wasn't.

"You think I'm funny?" She had messed up again, hadn't she? The last boy who had told her she was funny laughed right in her face and stuck her with the ice cream bill.

She couldn't even remember what she had said. Maybe it was something about that boyband she liked, or maybe it was something that had happened which she found funny. She wasn't sure.

The boy- Calvin- laughed at her. She laughed too, because it was a funny thing, right? But then he continued laughing, and she was getting a sinking feeling in her gut.

"I didn't think it was that funny," she mumbled, picking a strawberry out of her sundae.

"Oh it's not."

"Then what's so funny?"

"You."

"Me?"

"You're funny, and way too weird."

"Weird? What-"

"You understand I can't be seen with a weirdo."

"What?"

He stood up and started to leave. He stopped to laugh at her once more before walking out of her life forever.

She had had way too much ice cream that day

"But in a good way," Danny tried to clarify. "My grandma always said she knew he was the one because he could make her laugh."

"Oh," Linda's smile was forced. She was being stupid- again.

But wait a minute... did that mean he liked her? They were always laughing together, and he had just said his grandma said laughter was good... so was she more of a friend to him or not?

"Did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head, "no. No, sorry, It's just that... The last time someone told me I was funny, they meant it in a harmful way."

"Oh... Well... I didn't mean it that way. I meant it the good way.

"You're pathetic," her older brother told her as they cleaned the kitchen.

"Excuse me?"

"He likes you."

"Who likes me?"

"Danny. Duh," Jimmy rolled his eyes as he handed Linda the plate to put away.

"How can you tell?"

"It's obvious. And you like him too, so just screw already."

She tensed, "you know I can't do that, Jimmy."

"He's got the hots for you, you've got them for him. What's the problem?"

"I don't want to screw." She didn't know why she was blushing.

"Why not? It's not that big of a deal."

"It is to me! Just leave it, okay, Jimmy? I can handle this."

He laughed at her, "you're funny."

She frowned, "how come?"

"Because you're making a big deal out of nothin'!"

"A big deal?" She was utterly confused. What business did Jimmy have telling her how to run her life? She didn't want sex, and that was that. (If she was being honest with herself, she maybe did want it, with someone very specific, but she wasn't going to act upon that).

"Yes. It's like I said: just do it!"

"No."

"Stop being such a prude," he scoffed. The tension in the room was high.

"I am not a prude!" She almost stamped her foot on the ground. She felt tears in her eyes, and she wasn't sure why.

"Yes, you are. You get offended anytime someone shows the slightest bit of sexual interest in you. You never go farther than kissing, and you never invite boys to your room. You're content with holding hands and getting ice cream. Wake up and smell the roses, Linda! It's not the 1910s anymore."

"I can do... what I want." Her voice was strained with unshed tears.

"But not who you want."

"Shut up, Jimmy!"

Before he could retort, she heard her father's angry, drunken voice. "Don't make me come in there, Linda!"

"Y-yes sir!" She stammered, turning back to the dishes.

She had just plaited her hair so it wouldn't tangle while she slept, when her phone rang. She was quick to pick it up so her parents wouldn't yell at her to go to sleep.

"Hello?"

"Linda? Hey, it's Danny."

"Hi!" She cringed at her loud volume. "Hi. Shh, I'm supposed to be sleeping."

"Oh, sorry," he whispered back, even though he had no reason to. "Listen, Linda, I wanna take you someplace. Where you wanna go?"

Without a second thought, she answered, "ice skating!"

"Ice skating?"

"The rink just opened. It might be a little too warm to skate, but I've been waiting all year!"

"Okay. How about next Friday?"

She smiled widely, "sure!"

Danny laughed after he swallowed the chocolate she was so passionate about. "You're funny."

And instead of getting angry, or defending herself, she threw her arms around him and kissed him soundly.