"Oh, hey Gracie." She shifts her weight between each foot, she seems as nervous as I am.

"Uh, I'll see you later Taylor." Jude shoots me a look before closing his door.

"So, how are you?" I try not to act like an awkward fool.

"I'm good, you?"

"I'm good too." I search my whole body for an ounce of courage. "So, the other night." She smiles at me.

"Yeah, I'm sorry if that was a bit-"

"No, I liked it." I smile back.

"Me too." For a moment, her focus is solely on my eyes. Then slowly, she leans over and kisses me again. "Wow."

"Wow's right. Listen, since that night I haven't known what to say or do, but I know now. Do you want to go out?" It wasn't as difficult as I imagined, it felt good. "Like on a date, with me."

"Yeah, I would love that. I wanted to ask you but I'm not that good with words when I'm nervous." She blushes a little.

"It's okay, I wanted to ask you since the second you kissed me." We smile at each other.

"Well, I gotta get home so, text me?"

"Sure, I'll walk you out." I put my hand on the small of her back as we head down the stairs. I look back and see Jude and Mariana smiling like idiots at me. I shoo them away and open the front door for Taylor, we go on to the porch. I don't want Stef to see, because then she'll lecture me about how she was right about the whole sleepover thing.

"I guess I'll see you on our date then."

"Yeah." I take the lead this time and kiss her, it lasts a little longer this time. "See you."

"Bye." As she walks away, I can tell she's smiling, she looks back at me when she's a little further down the street. I turn back to the house and see all the others standing in the window watching me, as soon as I notice them, they all pretend not to be looking. Mariana comes to the front door, she's giddy with excitement for me.

"That was so cute!" She jumps up and down.

"Whatever, come with me." I grab her and bring her back upstairs into my room. "Now what do I do?"

"Why are you freaking out? She said yes, and she kissed you, twice!"

"The thought of being on an actual date... of course I'm freaking out!"

"You went on a date with Jason, you know you can do this."

"But with Jason it was different, he's the guy so he does like the guy stuff you know? With a girl it's different, I have the pressure of making sure she has a good time." Jude comes in.

"What's up?"

"I need advice." I pull him to sit down next to me on the bed.

"She's having girl trouble." Mariana pokes fun at me.

"So, you're asking a gay guy because...?"

"Stop joking around guys, I need help. I want this date to be perfect."

"Well, if you want you two could come out with me and Noah. We're getting ice cream and then going to this show that one of his friend's playing."

"A double date? I don't know, shouldn't it just be the two of us?"

"We can split up, but maybe if we start as a group you won't be too nervous."

"You should do it; double dates are great," Mariana adds. "Now, text her and tell her the plan and I'll help you pick an outfit."

"Oh God, my outfit! I am not prepared for this." I face-plant my bed.

After hours of searching through both mine, Mariana and Callie's clothes, I finally pick out an outfit. I'm going to wear Mariana's black high waisted jeans with a rip in the knee, and my purple long sleeve crop top, it doesn't get too cold at night here, so I don't need a jacket. Callie agreed to let me borrow her black boots. Now all I have to do is talk moms into letting me go.

On top of all of the date stress, Stef talked to Lena about the vacation and they said I can go. So, I have to tell Sophia, but I haven't got around to it. The truth is, I don't want to go.

"Callie?" I roll over to see her sat awake on her laptop. "How come you're still awake?"

"I don't want to spend the entire summer in school, I'm trying to get as much done as possible. Are you okay?"

"Not really, I'm kind of torn. Sophia wants me to go to Spain."

"You should come. I'm going just after my birthday, it would be great if you came too. I wish everyone could come."

"Yeah me too. I don't know, when I was still in the system and before I got here, it was just a fantasy. Then things started to get better, it became a reality and I was excited about it. I wanted to go to get away from everything, but now-"

"You don't want to leave everything?"

"Exactly, I love it here so much. I know it's only a week, but I couldn't imagine being away from you guys for that long."

"So just talk to her about it, I'm sure she'll understand." I know she's trying to help, but I honestly don't think Sophia would understand. I've had no time for her lately, this was supposed to be a trip all about us. I haven't even told her about Taylor. I haven't told her anything that's going on, all she ever texts me about is the vacation.

"Do you think we're as close as we used to be?" I ask my sister.

"Just because you don't see each other as much as you used to, doesn't mean you're not close anymore, I have friends that I hardly ever see but when I do see them, nothing's changed."

"But I've changed, so has she. What if that means we don't have the same friendship we used to?"

"I don't think you have to worry, try to get some sleep."

As I try to fall asleep, my wonders to the date. What if she doesn't like the kind of music Noah's friend plays? What if she doesn't like ice cream? What if once we're out, she realizes she doesn't like me? Then my mind floats back to Sophia, what if she is really mad that I don't want to go? What if I lie and say Stef and Lena won't let me? What if she finds out I was lying? What if she and Taylor don't get along. There are so many things that could go wrong.

It's useless going back and forth like this, but I can't help it. I've never been one to just 'relax' or 'figure it out in time', I can't rest until I've solved the problem. So, I stay awake. At around 3 AM, my phone buzzes. It's a text from Taylor.

"Are you up?" She writes.

"Yep, can't sleep."

"Me neither, but I guess it doesn't matter if I sleep in, you have to get up for school."

"I have free periods in the morning, I don't have to go in until after lunch."

"Would you maybe want to hang out tomorrow when you finish school?" Would that be a date? Because our date is the day after tomorrow, do I really want to meet up with her alone? She sends another text. "Jude, Noah, and Daria are coming over, my parents are gonna be out. A few other kids are coming too."

"Is it a party?" The last time I went to a party I threw up and passed out in the back of a car and came home thinking I was straight.

"Kind of, more of a gathering."

"Yeah sure, that would be great. I'll see you tomorrow then."