EARLY MORNING SEX was good, but early morning sex in the shower was the best. As she toweled off, her legs still trembling with the lingering pleasure, a content hum escaped her lips. Meanwhile, Nathan was busy preparing for school, gearing up for his last paper of the semester. A twinge of guilt gnawed at her for not allowing him to study the night before, but he reassured her that he had everything under control.

If his friends had caught wind of their escapades, they certainly didn't let on when she saw them earlier, and that put a big smile on her face. As Nathan dropped her off at her place on his way to school, she felt a wave of relief wash over her, grateful that their night together hadn't caused any awkwardness among his friends.

Approaching her door, she attempted to unlock it with her keys, only to find it stubbornly refusing to budge. To her surprise, the door was yanked open from the inside, and there stood Bims, arms crossed and clearly unimpressed. "Welcome back, Madam," she said, blocking her path. "Not before you tell me where you've been. I've been calling and texting you!"

A pang of guilt shot through her as she closed her eyes briefly, remembering how she had deliberately ignored Bims' calls the night before while she was busy rolling in the hay with a certain hot guy. The flashbacks caused her to bite her bottom lip in embarrassment.

"Let her in, Bims. We knew she was at Nate's," Mir called out from inside. With an eye roll, Bims stepped aside, allowing her to enter. As soon as she crossed the threshold, Mir wasted no time bombarding her with questions.

Nora hesitated, glancing back at Bims, who was watching her expectantly. "Okay, okay, just give me a moment to breathe!" she finally exclaimed, raising her hands in mock surrender as she tried to gather her thoughts.

Bims raised an eyebrow, and Mir leaned in closer, eager to hear every detail. "You have to spill the tea! Did he kiss you? Did you...?" "Seriously, are you going to tell us what happened or just leave us hanging?" Mir added, waggling her eyebrows playfully.

"Alright! One question at a time," she said, holding up a finger to stall them. "Yes, I spent the night with Nathan, we had ice cream and watched a movie. That's all!"

"Yeah, right! Ice cream doesn't leave hickeys," Bims shot back, laughter filling the room.

Nora shrugged, suppressing a smile, "Okay, fine! Yes, he kissed me... a lot." A grin broke across her face as she recalled their passionate moments together, being careful to omit certain details, they couldn't help but tease her about the undeniable "glow" on her face.

"It was amazing, but can we please keep it down? I don't want the whole building to know about my escapades."

"Fine, fine, we'll keep it down. But you have to promise to give us all the juicy deets later," Mir said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Deal," Nora replied, feeling a sense of camaraderie wash over her as she settled into her friends' banter. "Alright, enough with the teasing for now," she finally said, stifling a yawn. "I need a nap."

As the laughter continued around her, she gratefully succumbed to a much-needed slumber, her dreams filled with memories of Nathan's kisses and the warmth of his embrace. In that moment, she felt safe, cherished, and undeniably happy, knowing that whatever came next in their relationship would be worth every moment spent together.

• • •

Nora finished her final exam, feeling a mix of relief and anticipation for the results. It had been challenging, but thanks to her diligent study efforts, she felt confident about how she had performed. Temi was nowhere to be seen during the exam, but afterward, she spotted her chatting with some classmates.

"Hey Julius, Dami," she greeted them as she approached Temi.

"What's up, Nora? How did it go?" Julius inquired.

"Nora aced it, as usual," Dami remarked with a smirk. Nora couldn't quite gauge if they were being serious or just teasing her, but she appreciated the vote of confidence, especially since she didn't see herself as intelligent as they did.

"I'll talk to you later, guys, bye." Temi dismissed the boys, and after bidding them farewell, she immediately pulled Nora aside, her excitement palpable. "Girl, I know what you've been up to, you sneaky minx."

Nora was taken aback. She thought she had concealed the hickey adorning her neck pretty well, so how could Temi have possibly known? "How on earth did you figure it out?"

"It's written all over your face! You're practically glowing," Temi exclaimed. "And that hickey? Not exactly discreet, babe."

Nora couldn't help but roll her eyes at the teasing. "Fine, you caught me. But can we please not make a big deal out of it?"

Temi chuckled. "No promises there, Nora. Now spill the beans. What's the deal with you and Nate? Last I heard, you were giving him the cold shoulder."

Nora nodded, biting her lip. "Well, he apologized..."

"Aha, so he's back in your good graces, huh?"

Nora's legs trembled in response; they were still sore from her night with Nate. "Let's just say we're taking things one step at a time."

"While I was burning a candle like the good student that I am, you were getting real busy! You're such a little slut!" she joked, and Nora was used to her colorful nicknames, so she wasn't bothered by them. "So, are you guys, you know, boyfriend and girlfriend now?"

Nora sighed inwardly; it wasn't what she wanted to discuss with Temi or anyone. Nate and she hadn't really defined their status, and she didn't want to pressure him into anything he wasn't ready for. Plus, they hadn't had a chance to have a serious conversation about it since their last meeting.

Just as Nora pondered how to navigate Temi's question, her phone rang, and Nate's name flashed on the screen. "Speak of the devil," she muttered to herself, relieved for the distraction. More like saved by the bell. "Hello?" she answered.

"Hey babe! How are you?" Nate's voice instantly sent a flutter of butterflies through her stomach.

"I'm fine, just finished my last paper," Nora replied, feeling a surge of happiness at hearing from him.

"Yeah, how was it?" Nate inquired.

Before she could respond, she saw him pull up in front of her. It was a pleasant surprise; she remembered mentioning when she'd be done with her exam during their phone call last night, but she didn't think he'd come.

"Hi, good afternoon," Temi greeted him as he arrived, and he returned the greeting, planting a soft kiss on Nora's lips as she climbed into the passenger seat. She said her goodbyes to Temi as Nate pulled away.

"Where are we headed?" she asked, glancing at her phone to reply to Mir's texts about the exam. Nate looked dashing in his corporate attire and his fresh haircut, making her heart skip a beat.

"It's a secret," he replied with a grin, squeezing her hand as they sang along to the music playing in the car. His smile was contagious, and she found herself lost in the moment.

Shortly after, they arrived at a boutique, where Nate surprised her with a gorgeous dress. It was a simple yet elegant black dress made of smooth fabric that hugged her curves nicely. The neckline had a V-shape, with pretty lace details adorning the top part. The dress flowed gracefully down to her feet, making her feel both graceful and classy. It had a subtle sparkle to it, with shiny beads and sequins that caught the light, perfectly complemented by a pair of strappy heels.

Then, they headed to a restaurant, and Nora recognized it immediately as a place her friends had always planned to go but which the plans never made it out of the group chat.

The restaurant was even more beautiful than she had seen in pictures, with soft music playing in the background and dim lighting creating a romantic atmosphere. They were escorted to their table, adorned with petals and a flickering candle, and Nora couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the gesture; she had never been on a romantic date before.

They started with wines and appetizers, engaging in lighthearted conversation and sharing jokes, their eyes locked in a silent understanding. After the main course, when it was time for dessert, a large plate was set in front of her, but it was not the crème brûlée that caught her attention; it was the words written in chocolate around it.

"Will You Be My Girlfriend? Oh, Nate!" she gasped, covering her mouth with her hands in surprise. Just moments ago, she had doubted if he was ready for a relationship.

"I remember the first time I saw you," he began, his voice filled with reminiscence. "My initial thought was, she's beautiful, innocent, confident. But then, the wind blew, and I thought, how clumsy." She winced as he revisited her most embarrassing moment, feeling a flush of embarrassment creep up her cheeks.

"I'm sorry that we laughed at you," he continued, his tone remorseful. "After that incident, I would see you at relish, shooting daggers at me with your eyes. You looked beautiful every time, whether you were all dressed up or not. Yeah, I heard you talk about me a few times, and none of it was nice."

Nora felt a pang of guilt knowing he had heard her speak about him, and none of it in a flattering light.

"But then I got to know you," he continued, his gaze capturing hers. "You're the nicest, funniest, sexiest, and most annoying girl I've ever known." Touched by his sincerity, she listened intently as he poured his heart out, recalling their journey from acquaintances to something more.

"I really like you, Nora," he confessed, his gaze unwavering as he held her hand tightly. "I can't go a minute without thinking of you. You make me want to be better, and I need you in my life."

Before she could respond, he added with a mischievous wink, "Plus, you give the best head." She playfully punched his arm, but his laughter eased the tension. "Ow!"

"You couldn't even be serious for five minutes," she remarked, shaking her head.

"But I am serious! Ow!" he said again as she hit him.

They both burst out laughing.

"I really want to say yes, but..." She hesitated, noticing his expression shift from joy to concern. "...I can't say no to you, I really like you, Nate. Yes, I'll be your girlfriend." A smile spread across her face as she savored the moment.

Despite his initial shock, Nate's eyes sparkled with joy. "Hey! That wasn't very nice, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I learned from the best," she teased, winking at him. They both laughed as he pretended to recover from a heart attack. "You should have seen your face."

"Don't ever do that to me again, Nora," he said, his tone playful yet sincere.

They spent the rest of the evening lost in laughter and conversation, their hearts overflowing with happiness. As they headed back to his house, Nora couldn't help but ask, "So, when did you start liking me?"

But Nate, ever the mystery, refused to give her a straight answer. "You know, I've always thought you were interesting," he replied, a playful smirk on his lips. "But it wasn't until recently that I realized just how much I liked you."

Nora raised an eyebrow, intrigued yet slightly frustrated by his evasiveness. "Recently? What does that mean?"

He chuckled, clearly enjoying her curiosity. "You'll just have to figure it out. It's part of the fun."

As they continued their journey home, Nora pondered over his words. Her mind raced with possibilities, and she felt a warm flutter of excitement in her stomach. Despite his teasing, she appreciated the way he kept her on her toes, each moment with him feeling like a delightful adventure.

The drive was filled with light banter and playful jabs, but beneath it all was a growing sense of connection that made Nora's heart swell. She was eager to explore this new chapter of their relationship, wondering just how deep their bond would grow.

***

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