"Well since we're dating now, should we set a bunch of ground rules? Just to make sure we don't end up screwing with each other.

"I don't like you just to get inside your pants, they're too big for me to fit in," clearly annoyed. She only got upset he was missing the point.

"I'm serious, sometimes you make it hard to tell. Just let me know if you're hanging out with other girls. I don't wanna feel like I have to second guess everything you're doing. Like with sex and stuff~"

"After all this time, do you really think I would ever get bored of you? If I wanted to get horny, I'd just go to the zoo."

"You'd go all the way to the zoo to hook up with someone else other than me?"

He titled his head, his eyes twitched, and slapped his hand onto his forehand.

"Rhinos."

The tension dropped as she sighed, annoyed at herself.

"I'll never get used to your bad excuse for jokes."

He chuckled. "Good, then I'll keep making them."

"Wait, are there rhinos at the zoo?"

"I...actually I don't know."

Both of them decided to look it up, finding conflicting information and comparing the prices of the Prospect Park Zoo to the Bronx Zoo, which also claimed to have one available.

"It was closed? Why?"

"Oh it got damaged thanks to all the rain from the storm last year."

Then their eyes dropped upon seeing the cost.

"Ten dollars vs thirty....yeah I know which one we're going to," picking the Brooklyn one. A lightbulb turned into his head.

"How about we go there for our first date?"

"That's not a bad idea....wait, it says we need a chaperone if we're under eighteen."

"Don't worry about that," having an idea and making a text. "I have a few ideas," smirking.

"Is this the part where you tell me?"

Before he could, the voicemail sound resorted to him texting and calling the same number multiple times until a voice answered. After giving some cliff notes, he handed her his phone.

"You're?"

"His god-cousin. He's never talked about me? "I see how it is!"

"I just never gave you her name."

"Yeah, my girlfriend and I are old enough so we'll take you guys with us. I'll send you my contact info and you can delete it afterwards. Yo, Donnie, you free Saturday? Okay, great. Yup. Sound good?"

"Almost too good to be true. You'd go that far for us?"

"He's like my little brother. But lately he kept bringing up someone he met this year that was special. Thanks for looking out for him, can't wait to meet you."

"Sure, likewise," handing the phone back to an impatient Silas.

"Don't forget or just go radio silent, got it? You better. Of course I'll treat her right, I don't accidentally ignore people for weeks, jerk! Alright, next time.

Sorry, I just really want- I mean she is-I will- yeah," giving a tender smile.

"Love you too, bye."

"That's really nice of him. Didn't think we'd we end up on a double date for our first."

"Hope he didn't overthink it."

He had on a light silver vest above a blue t-shirt, black cargo pants, and a light bookbag and a cap.

"You look great! Do I look too basic?"

"You look good," insisting on not worrying.

"Good, did you tell your parents?"

"Of course I did. I know you said your mom's strict, but you didn't tell her at all?"

"Of course not. Do you know who my parent is? Especially when it comes to women?"

"She can't be that bad."

He cleared up his throat to change his inflection to sound nasally.

"Don't date an asian girl or they'll send you to North Korea."

"Don't date a black girl from the ghetto unless she goes to Church."

"Don't date a spanish girl cuz their families are violent," watching her natural reaction.

"Okay, fair point."

"Then again," daydreaming about her in a martial arts gi punching, kicking, and smashing Arden alongside stone bricks, "maybe I'd be okay with that stereotype for the right person."

"Tch, wish I brought my sketchpad to draw down," watching him pull one out to her shock.

"Why did you look so surprised, the zoo's the perfect place for you to break your art block. Didn't you say I should get one of my own?"

He came prepared, spotting eye drops in his hands he put in his pocket.

"Did you stay up all night thinking about our date today?"

He shuddered. "What no...I went to bed....eventually," earning her skeptical gaze. "I went to bed at twelve, promise."

"You think I'm stupid, don't you?"

"No, you're smarter than me."

"At what? Besides Spanish.'

"Cosmetics, social situations, street smarts, aesthetician skills, coding, music, painting, photography, filmmaking, self-awareness, faking reasons to skip gym class, dating, perception, body language, cuteness, and spotting red flags," crossing his arms. "Am I wrong?"

She blinked at the sheer amount. "Well, no. Hey, I participated in Gym!"

"Eventually," chuckling.

"Jerk. Though, "you're wrong about the red flags."

"Even a fox is good at hiding their true intentions. But you and these animals have two things in common," pointing to the sea lion exhibit when she looked annoyed.

There one aquatic creature was thrown food called the other over, bowing down to allow them to feed together.

"Awnh, how sweet."

"They use their voices, actions, and develop their brains to find love. And like you they're emotionally intelligent. It takes them time, but even they notice red flags."

"What was the other thing?"

"You and the lions are more respectful than your ex will ever be."

"Wooow," thinking about it for a second. They still had to wait to enter when his cousin came over, but it inspired her just enough to take the sketchpad and start designing, asking him to stand still for about ten minutes until she finished.

"Ready, set, and turn."