I woke up to my obnoxiously loud alarm set for 8:30. I slammed the button with extra force just to let my phone know I was irritated and currently on very little sleep. I sat up, scratching at the bundle of frizz currently sitting on my head, letting out a loud yawn.

I stretched for a moment before walking to my kitchen to make a coffee, but I couldn't get my conversation with Marcus out of my head from last night.

All that time of hearing Marcus through our paper thin walls and I had no idea what feelings he was trying to move past. I couldn't really condone the way he attempted to move past it, but I couldn't understand what he was going through. I couldn't imagine it.

It made me feel so guilty for irritating him with my minuscule problem. At that thought, I pulled out my phone with a gasp, realizing I had never texted Jackson back. I hope that didn't make me lose brownie points. I needed all the luck I could find.

The message popped up on my screen.

Jackson: Hey, you've been on my mind a lot lately. Want to grab dinner Saturday night?

I squealed loudly, changing his emojis before typing the first thing that came to mind.

Mabel: I'd love to grab dinner and I also love that I'm on your mind. Now you know how it feels

Cool it, Mabel. Reign it in. You don't want to scare him away. I deleted the message.

Mabel: Sure, I guess. I could swing that

Did that sound like I was being forced to go out with him? I deleted it quickly.

Mabel: I'd love to!

I squeezed my eyes shut before pressing send. I peaked one eye open and felt dread fill me. I had no clue what to wear or what to say or how to act. I was literally useless when it came it to dating. Or general conversational skills for that matter.

But, Marcus still nagged at the back of my mind. I pulled out my phone and my finger lingered between Amanda and Connie's names. Both were my best friends, it was true. But, they were so different that it made sense sometimes to talk to them for different things. Amanda would ask me why I was obsessing over Marcus or to just talk when I asked her what I should say to Jackson. She'd give me a lecture about how I shouldn't second guess myself and that was all great, but did absolutely nothing to help me in my current predicament.

Connie would tell me I was too caring with Marcus and anything I'd say would impress Jackson.

I'd choose Connie today. Connie picked up on the second ring.

"Hey!" Connie's enthusiastic voice sounded through the phone. I pressed the volume down a few notches.

"Hey, Con. How's it going?"

"Pretty good. I have my cousins over today and they're ow! Very rambunctious," She explained. "What are you up to?"

"I kind of need help. Jackson texted me-"

Connie cut me off with a screech, "Ahh! No way! Mabel!"

"I know, I know," I smiled.

"This is a dream!" Connie continued.

"It is. But I feel nervous. It's tomorrow and I don't know where to start or what to wear or how to act or-"

"Mabel. Relax. Anything that you talk about or wear will knock him off his feet." Connie gushed, "You're amazing! He'll see that within five minutes."

I smiled because no one did a pep talk like Connie.

"Thanks, Connie." I hesitated, unsure of how to proceed onto my Marcus problem.

"Is there something else bothering you?"

I grimaced. She was too observant for her own good. "Marcus has been pretty down for a couple days is all."

"Marcus your neighbour? Did you make him a lasagna?"

"I did. But this is bigger than a lasagna problem."

"Multiple lasagnas?" Connie asked.

I laughed, "I'll figure it out."

"You always do," Connie remarked. "Amanda and I can come over tomorrow to help you get ready if  you'd like?"

"Yes, please! How's your internship going?" Connie was doing yet another teaching internship in hopes that it would get her into the best grad school.

"Josh, do not open that pack of pasta! Not the floor!" Connie shouted. "I gotta go, Mabel. See you tomorrow!"

I tossed my phone on the counter and made my coffee moving to sit on my couch, thinking of what I could possibly do to help Marcus. I know seeing Ethan really brought back a lot of memories and I didn't want him to simmer in those crappy feelings. I pulled out a pen and a notepad and began to jot down potential things that would make him feel better.

- An extra load of laundry? (I can use laundry softener this time)
- A personalized license plate (hot firefighter with a personalized license plate is like any girl's dream)
- A new fireman outfit (did they buy those themselves?) or maybe a new fireman hat that I could decorate (same question applies - note to self: research firefighter outfit protocols)
- The gift of my company? (Ha. As if)

My phone buzzed and I stared down at possibly the most terrifying thing I'd ever seen in my life. I leapt onto my knees, holding my phone in two hands as my mouth gaped at the message on it.

Jackson 🏈🏋️‍♂️👩‍❤️‍👨: Great! Do you like Italian? I'll pick you up at 6:30

It was so much more real now. It was really happening. My dreams were manifesting into reality. I just knew if you believed something would happen enough, it would. I would prove to everyone that dreams could come true. And on our wedding, when I made a toast (because obviously I'd have to), I'd talk about just that.

I sighed tossing my phone to the side. What Marcus needed most was support, I thought. So I picked up my pen and notepad again and began to write without really knowing what I was saying and before I knew it, my entire notepad was covered with pages and pages of words. All from my heart.