｡𖦹°‧ 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧' 𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐫𝐥 ⭑°‧꩜ .ᐟ

( 012. 'the date' )

ARIELLA stood in front of her mirror, running her fingers through her hair, separating her curls. tonight was the night—her first official date with walker. after weeks of texting, facetiming, and spending time together with the group, tonight would be different. it would be just the two of them, no distractions, no group hangouts. ariella was batshit nervous, she looked at herself in the mirror again, making sure everything was just right. 

blake leaned casually against the doorframe, her arms crossed, eyeing ariella with an amused smile. "you're gonna be late if you keep staring at yourself in the mirror, you know."

ariella shot her sister a side eye. "i'm not staring, i'm just... making sure i look okay."

blake raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in her eyes. "you look more than okay, trust me. you've been on facetime with walker in hoodies in sweats for weeks, im sure hes gonna think you look beautiful. 

ariella blushed, trying to act casual as she adjusted the strap of her dress. it was a simple black dress—elegant, but not too fancy, plus it made her body tea asf. "i'm just nervous, blake. i don't know what's going to happen."

meanwhile, walker was nervously waiting outside ariella's house. he had a bouquet of flowers in his hand, carefully picked out just for her—it was her favorite, light pink roses with pink lillies and tulips. he checked his watch. it was almost time. he took a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach.

ariella had made him feel things he hadn't expected. things that were different. he liked her. a lot. but he wasn't sure if she felt the same. tonight was their chance to find out.

when Ariella opened the door, walker was already standing there, flowers in hand, dressed in a smart but casual button-up shirt and jeans. he looked fine as shittt, ariella had to catch her breath before saying anything.

"you look amazing," walker said as she stepped out, his voice full of awe.

ariella blushed, looking down at her dress. "thanks... you look really good too," she said, trying not to sound to thirsty.

walker handed her the bouquet, smiling as she took it. ariella felt a rush of warmth in her chest as she took the flowers. "thank you walkie" she said, feeling the slight nervousness bubble up. the two got into walkers car (idk if they can drive but for this they cann) and drove to the restaurant, talking the whole time on the way.

the restaurant was intimate—small tables, candlelight, and the soft noise of conversations in the background. they sat across from each other, the conversation flowing easily. walker had been worried about if it was going to be akward and quiet, but it was like everything clicked. they laughed about everything, talked about their favorite movies, and shared the kind of conversation that made it feel like they'd known each other forever.

at one point, Ariella looked down at her plate, trying to hide her smile. "you know, i didn't think i was going to have so much fun tonight. i thought i was going to be a nervous wreck."

walker smiled, his eyes softening. "i'm glad you're having fun. honestly, i think we both were a little nervous, well, i know i was"

ariella nodded, her gaze meeting his. "yeah, i guess so. but this is nice. i like it when things are simple."

walker reached across the table, his fingers brushing against hers. the simple gesture made ariella's heart race, and she could feel the connection between them strengthening. "i do, too." he said quietly, his thumb lightly grazing the back of her hand. ariella's breath caught, but she smiled, not wanting to make it weird. 

after dinner, they decided to take a walk in a nearby park. the cool night air was refreshing, and the streets were quiet. the only sound was the soft rustle of the leaves above and the distant hum of the city. walker and ariella strolled side by side, their arms brushing occasionally. every touch sent buterflies through walker, but he kept it cool.

they stopped by a small pond, the moonlight reflecting off the water. ariella looked out over the water, "this feels... peaceful," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

walker nodded, feeling the same way. "yeah. it's nice to just be with you, no distractions. just... us."

he took a slow step closer to her, wanting to feel the moment without rushing. ariella glanced at him, her lips curling into a small smile. there was something in the air, a quiet tension, but it didn't feel uncomfortable. it felt right.

"ariella..." walker's voice was low, hesitant, but his gaze was steady. "can i kiss you?"

ariella's heart skipped. she felt the rush of emotions that had been building between them over the past few weeks—anticipation, excitement, and maybe even a little fear. but all of it was drowned out by the way he was looking at her, with those blue eyesss. 

"yes," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

and then, with one swift motion, walker leaned in and kissed her.

the kiss was slow at first, like they were both testing the waters. but soon, it deepened, and walker's hand gently cupped the side of her face, pulling her closer. ariella responded instantly, her hands finding their way to his chest. it was gentle, but it was clear to both of them that there was so much more behind it.

when they finally pulled apart, ariella stepped back slightly, her breath shallow. she looked up at him, her heart still pounding in her chest.

"i—" she started, but her voice went quiet. she couldn't find the right words. "fuck it" she whispered, before leaning in again, this time with more urgency. walker kissed her again, this time more confidently, as though he couldn't hold back any longer.

when they finally pulled away, they were both breathless, standing in the quiet park holding hands.

"ariella, i really like you" walker whispered, his voice soft but certain.

ariella's heart fluttered, but she took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his words. "i really like you, too."

after the kiss, neither of them were ready to leave just yet. as they walked back to the car, hands still intertwined, neither of them knew exactly where this was going, but it didn't matter. they were figuring it out together. and that was enough. the car ride back to ariella's house was quiet, but comfortable. both of them were lost in their thoughts, replaying the night.

when they reached her house, walker parked in front, but neither of them got out the car.

"so," Walker said, his voice low, "what happens now?"

ariella turned to him, her eyes searching his. she liked him—she liked him a lot—but she wasn't sure what this meant. they'd crossed a line tonight, and things were different now. she didn't want to rush anything, but she also didn't want to push him away.

"i don't know," she admitted softly. "but i think... i think we just need to take it slow, see where this goes."

walker nodded, understanding the hesitation in her voice. "yeah, i get that. But i like you, ariella. i like you a lot."

ariella smiled softly, "i like you too, walker. i really do."

they both sat in the car for a moment, just taking in the weight of the conversation. ariella finally smiled and reached for the door handle. giving walker a kiss on the cheek on her way out the car "i'll see you soon?"

walker grinned. "definitely."

as she stepped out of the car, they shared a long look before she closed the door. ariella walked inside her house, closed the door, and let out the loudest but silent scream ever, smiling all the way untill she flopped on her bed. 

NIYA SPEAKS

chat why i felt like a real author writing this oneee, i wanted to do something like like a different writhing style more like formal but idk if i like it

also this was like my 5 time writing and rewriting this scene, how yall feel about it??????