So today is the day we meet Eryn’s friend. I still can’t remember her name and Sam even said it multiple times yesterday when he was re-explaining Eryn’s plan that I somehow helped with the idea…

            Sam, Leo, Jeff, and I wait outside the café we were at yesterday for Eryn’s text to come in because we’re pretending to randomly bump into her like it’s not planned… I stand silently as we wait while everyone else has a conversation.

           A few minutes pass before Sam’s phone lights up with a notification. “It’s Eryn. Let’s go inside,” he announces.

            Everyone starts filing into the café, seeming excited to meet someone new for a change. Meeting new people is fine when you’re not quiet and shy…

            We all order something and now the ‘plan’ is in motion. “Eryn?” Sam speaks and she turns to look at us with a smile. “Babe!” Sam speaks again.

            “Sam!” she stands and greets him with a kiss.

            “Please don’t continue that here,” Leo pleads. “We don’t want to see that,” he laughs.

            “Hey guys,” she smiles. “This is my friend Madi. Madi, this is my boyfriend Sam. These are his friends Leo, Jeff, and that’s Dylan.”

            Hearing my name catches my attention and I’m no longer looking down at my feet.

           “So this is Madi,” Jeff whispers.

            “Hi,” the girl speaks quietly with a slight wave of her hand.

            “Nice to meet you,” Sam smiles at her.

            “You too,” she speaks again.

            I look away from my friends and at Madi across a table. Her hair is shorter than Eryn’s but still kind of longer; she’s blonde with pale skin and light eyes. She nervously combs through her hair with her hands, almost playing with it.

            “Madi,” Eryn turns to her friend, “Would you mind if the boys join us for the day?” she asks.

            She pauses for a moment, literally not doing anything, before she shrugs, “Sure.”

            Eryn cheers and sits next to her friend once again while the rest of us pull up a few extra chairs to the table. Why didn’t we just move to a bigger table?

            “Excuse me,” Madi speaks up, “I don’t want to sound rude or anything but why didn’t we just move to a bigger table?” I hear her giggle quietly. I was just thinking that! Great minds think alike…

            “Why didn’t I think of that?” Eryn chuckles. Without saying anything, everyone picks up their belongings and we move to a bigger table.

            “Because I’m smarter than you,” her friend teases. “Kidding,” she adds with a giggle. Her laugh is cute…

            “Hey, Eryn,” Madi speaks again. “Can you watch my stuff for a second?”

            “Sure,” Eryn smiles. Madi smiles and bows her head slightly before walking away.

            The rest of us sit down at the new table and chat while we wait for Madi to come back.

            She returns a few minutes later and sits down in silence. She says nothing for the next hour. Just listening to everyone else have their conversation.

            Eryn, Sam, Jeff, and Leo all talk amongst themselves while I sit here, next to Madi, occasionally stealing a glance here and there.

            I look at her again, this time I notice that her cheeks have turned a bright pink and she plays with her sweater sleeves. Who wears a sweater at the beginning of summer?

            I lean towards her to speak with her quietly. “Are you okay?” I ask. She seems like she could pass out if she’s overheating…

            “Yeah, I’m fine,” she speaks quietly.

            “You don’t look fine,” I tell her honestly. “It’s fairly windy outside… Do you want to step outside for a moment and see if it helps?” I, out of instinct, bring my hand up to her face to see if she might have some sort of temperature. Wow, her face is definitely warm. “I know you don’t know me and this is weird but I think you should step outside to cool off… It’s quite warm in here and the breeze outside should help some,” I tell her.

            She sighs and I can see her shaking some. “I’m fine,” she repeats.

            Because I’m slightly worried and somewhat stubborn, I take her hand in mine and start towards the exit. No one even notices us get up. As soon as we make it outside, the wind picks up and I hear Madi quietly sigh.

            “Thanks,” she speaks after a few minutes of silence.

            “No problem,” I smile shyly. “Feeling any better now?” I ask, noticing her cheeks are still pink.

            “Yeah, I’m good now,” she looks away shyly. Cute. “Uhhh, Dylan?”

            “Yeah?”

            “You can let go of my hand now,” she giggles, slightly awkward.

            I look down at my hand, stilling holding hers. “Oh, sorry,” I apologize, dropping my hand away from hers.

            “It’s fine,” she shifts her weight from foot to foot.

            “So, you’re shy too?” I ask, trying to break the ice a little bit.

            “Yeah, sorry.”

            “Why are you apologizing?” I ask. Where did my sudden boldness come from?

            “I just met you and your friends and I’ve said, maybe, two words. I probably seem rude,” she sighs as she lowers her head.

            “No, you don’t seem rude at all,” I smile reassuringly at her. “I understand that you’re shy. I’m the same,” I shrug.

            “You don’t seem shy,” she giggles.

            “Yeah, I don’t know where my sudden confidence to talk to you came from,” I tell her honestly. “I never talk to anyone really, except my friends.”

            “I’m the same.” Madi uses her hands to fan herself.

            “Why don’t you just take off the sweater if you’re overheating in it?” I ask.

            Her cheeks become more pink. “I don’t have another shirt to wear…” her voice trails off.

            “I have an extra t-shirt in my backpack inside if you want to borrow it for today,” I suggest.

            “No, that’s okay. You-”

            “I insist,” I interrupt. I don’t want her to suffer in a sweater all day. It’s no big deal.

            “Are you sure?” she asks.

            I nod. “Let’s go back inside and I’ll get the shirt and you can change into it in the washroom.” I smile at her.

            She smiles back at me with a nod. She has such a pretty smile. Wait, what? Dylan, stop.

            “Shall we?” I open the door for her and gesture for her to walk in first.

            “Madi, where’d you go?” I hear Eryn ask as I approach the table unnoticed. I quickly search my backpack for my extra shirt and hand it to Madi under the table. I know if my friends see what I’m doing, they’ll tease me, and possibly even Madi, all day.

            “I stepped outside for a moment… I’ll be right back,” she announces before walking away.

            She returns a minute later, now wearing my shirt and her sweater tied around her waist. I can honestly say she looks cute wearing my t-shirt…

            “Nice shirt,” Sam says to Madi.

            “Thanks, it’s-” she looks at me and I shake my head. “Thanks,” she corrects herself. She sits down next to me as everyone resumes their conversation once again. “Why didn’t you want me saying it’s your shirt that you let me borrow?”

            “Everyone will tease probably both of us for the rest of the day so it’s best not to say it’s mine,” I explain.

            “Ahhh, well, thanks again,” she whispers.

            “No problem.” I take a pen out of my backpack and write my phone number on a napkin and give it to Madi. “Text or call me whenever, if you want.”

            “Thanks Dylan,” she smiles again. Yeah, I like seeing her smile.