I smooth my red flannel down with my hands. I originally found it to be an appropriate fall outfit, though now I realize it just makes me look like a stereotypical lesbian. All that's left is throw some shoes on and comb a brush through my hair, even if it all it ever does is lie flat against my shoulders.

I hear the doorbell ring downstairs and let out a squeal as I look around for my mini black backpack that I've come to use as my purse these days. I can already hear the chatter beginning downstairs, and I quickly descend the steps, wondering why Aurora didn't just text me she was here so I could come outside and escape with her without having to make awkward small talk.

Aurora is chatting with my parents at the door with a smile on her face. Her outfit is much more impressive than mine, but I expected nothing different. She wears a green sweater and black leggings with a pale beanie comfortably wrapped around her head. She looks beautiful, but I have to hold back how much I want to compliment her in front of my parents.

"S-Sorry, I was just finishing getting ready," I stammer.

"That's okay. We were just chatting about college," Aurora assures me.

"I didn't know Aurora was an English major," my mother states. "She can help you on your college apps, Callie."

"I'd be happy to!" Aurora agrees.

"Mom, I don't need help. I can write them myself," I grumble.

My parents continue to throw a few more questions at her, like where she plans to transfer and what her career goals are until I'm tapping my foot impatiently because Aurora's hand is right there, but I don't want to grab it in front of my parents.

"Well, treat our Callie well tonight," my father states.

"S-Stop!" I complain.

"You should join us for dinner sometime," my mother offers.

"Yeah, that would be great," Aurora says before I grab onto her wrist and start pulling her out of my house. I wave good-bye to my parents and shut the door behind me before I grab her hand and walk with her out to her car.

"Sorry that they were nagging you. I guess I didn't expect them to be supportive enough to be interviewing you like that," I say.

"Your parents were nice though. I'm glad to see them happy for you," Aurora says.

The sun is starting its slow descent, casting long shadows out over the neighborhood. I take a seat in Aurora's car, curling back in surprise as she leans forward to plant a kiss on my cheek.

"Wh-what was that for?"

"Just 'cause," she says. She smiles, and soon we are on our way, driving down the streets under vibrant autumn colors, watching the way the golden sun gives the sky an orange hue.

"I like your outfit," I say. "It's really cute. I wanted to tell you earlier, but my parents were around and..."

"You don't think it's sexy?" she teases.

"It can be cute and sexy!"

Aurora laughs. "Did you wear the flannel to be a stereotypical lesbian?"

"Well, not originally, but it kind of seems that way now," I say.

We arrive at the pumpkin patch after about a fifteen minute drive, and I suddenly feel nervous. Before, when we weren't publicly dating, we were always able to share our more intimate moments privately. This is the first time we'll be acting as a couple out in public, and the thought is strange to me. I am begging with every fiber of my being that an old woman doesn't come up to us with a sour look.

Thankfully, though, no one seems to care as Aurora grabs ahold of my hand, and I calm down some. We meander over to the petting zoo, and though I disagree about going in, Aurora forces me to anyway, and I groan in disgust as a white goat licks food pellets off my hand.

"They're so adorable. How can you not like them?" she asks as she runs her hand over the back of a small gray goat.

"Why do their eyes have to look like that?" I lament, nearly shrieking as another approaches me for some food.

Aurora laughs at me once more, and when we do finally free ourselves from the horde of goats that I feared would eat me for a meal if I ran out of food, we purchase a caramel apple to share. Except we realize, as we grab ahold of the apple, that we didn't plan this through, because it's hard for both of us to take a bite at the same time without bumping noses or hitting foreheads.

"This is harder than kissing," Aurora says. "Guess we'll just have to take turns," she says. She takes a bit, then hands the stick to me. We take turns eating it until only an apple core remains and our stomachs are full.

"You have some caramel on the side of your lip," Aurora points out to me.

"Oh, shoot, did you grab an extra napkin?" I ask. I never find out the answer, because she quickly leans her head in to kiss me. Her tongue just lightly finds the corner of my mouth where the caramel was, and she pulls away, looking quite satisfied with herself.

"There. Got it," she says triumphantly.

"T-Thanks," I stammer. I never expected the Aurora I knew a few months ago to act this bold now.

We finally do make our way over to the pumpkin patch and peruse at our leisure since we don't plan to buy much of anything on our own. Still, Aurora finds small white and orange striped pumpkins that she figures she has to buy. She holds her phone out as we sit on a haystack and asks me to hold a pumpkin.

"Let's take a selfie," she suggests.

I grab ahold of the pumpkin and smile as best as I can.

"One more," she says, kissing my cheek right as she snaps the picture. "Let's see how that one turned out."

It's cute, because she took it before my expression could take on one of surprise and embarrassment. She tells me she'll send the images to me and that she expects them to be my new phone wallpaper. It's just her usual teasing, but I don't tell her that I was actually planning to do just that.

"Here," I say, handing the pumpkin back.

"You can have it. I bought it for you," she tells me.

"But that's not fair!"

"You can pay for my hayride ticket, then," she supposes.

The pumpkin patch is nearing its closing hours, so we have plenty of room to sit on the back of the truck. Still, Aurora scoots up close to me so that our shoulders are touching. My hands are wrapped around the tiny pumpkin, so they're not available to hold Aurora's hand, but I'm not sure how comfortable I would be with the idea, considering there are still other people on this ride. Yes, Aurora and I are both out and public about our relationship now, but I realize sadly in this moment we will never be able to act as romantic toward each other in public as we truly want, even in the case of just holding hands.

The sun has vanished behind the hills. We gaze around at the hay bales, apple orchards, and growing pumpkins as we sit in the back of the truck. Festive orange lights hang from the trees, and I stare up at them in contentment, finally finding Aurora's hand in the darkness. It's exactly how I wanted our first date to go, sitting like this, absent from reality, lost only in our feelings for each other.

When we depart the ride, we realize it is near time for our date to come to an end. The sky has grown dark, and the air has gotten cold. But neither of us are ready to leave just quite yet. So, for the time being, Aurora and I stand near a tree that is decorated with lights, watching the crowds pile in to the parking lots. We figure it's better to wait out the traffic.

As the cars start to gradually leave, and the parking lot gets more empty, I turn to Aurora.

"This was fun," I say. "I hope we can have another date again sometime."

"Me too."

"Well...um...should we be off, then?" I guess. There's not as much car congestion, and we have stayed here much longer than we intended to.

"I just want a minute," Aurora says. She turns toward me, and though I expect a kiss, she instead engulfs me with her arms. She's right. A hug is exactly what I needed in this moment. I bury my head against her warm sweater, wishing I were back in her bed, cuddling, like that night all those months ago.

"I want to cuddle with you again," I tell her when her arms start to slip away. The words slip out before I think about them, and at first, I am embarrassed. That is until Aurora replies.

"Me too," she breathes. She traces her fingers against my face, and I shiver, leaning my face toward hers as she presses her lips against mine. It's a soft kiss, a simple trace of her lips to mine, before Aurora breaks away and tells me that we should go. I feel slightly disappointed, but I agree.

She doesn't start kissing me for real until we get into her car. This kiss has far outlasted any of the others thus far. Her fingers are running through my hair, my hand is grasped tightly onto her sweater, and her lips are meeting mine so violently that I'm afraid it will almost cause bruises.

Sitting in this confined car, reaching over at each other, is difficult. We are at an uncomfortable angle and constrained. I think we both feel there's too much distance between us, but it's the best we have for right now. My throat is on fire, my breaths are far and few in between, but I find that the car's temperature grows almost too unbearable when I feel her tongue slip into my mouth. I am taken aback at first. The feeling is odd, and she opens her eyes when I don't meet her kisses with the same vivacity because of this, but I become used to the feeling and shut my eyes once more, meeting the licks of her tongue with my own. Finally, my eyes open as we break apart to catch our breath.

"Jesus, Aurora, a warning would be good next time," I grumble as I wipe saliva from my mouth. Whether it is hers or mine, I can't tell.

"Sorry. When I licked that caramel off your mouth earlier, I didn't realize how much I wanted to do that," she admits awkwardly.

"It's...fine. I kissed you back, didn't I?"

We both feel embarrassed the rest of the ride home, because out of all the times Aurora and I have kissed, nothing has ever made me feel like that, like there was such a strong sense of wanting that couldn't be fulfilled. I still feel that desire as I sit in the passenger seat, but I am too nervous to look over at Aurora and wonder if she feels the same.

Eventually, Aurora's car pulls up to my home.

"I had fun," I tell her happily.

"Me too," she replies. "Let's have another date soon."

"Agreed."

"I—" Aurora's voice cuts off before she gains the composure to speak again. "I-I like doing things in public, but I wouldn't mind hanging out privately again sometime too."

My cheeks are burning hot. "Y-Yeah. Same."

"Well, have a good weekend. I'll text you or call you or whatever," she says.

"Good night," I say, leaning over to kiss her.

"I love you," Aurora murmurs quietly when my lips break away from hers.

"I love you, too," I say in almost a whisper as I grab my things. I wave good-bye to her as she drives off and awkwardly make my way back up to the porch. I think I'll dream about this night for months to come.