The girl next door

Chapter 14 - Heather

Without really having planned it, Ava and I spend the rest of the day together. After we have sipped our milk shakes in the café, Ava persuades me to show me shops in the city where there are nice but not too expensive clothes. I get involved and don't regret it for a second. After all, as a student I don't have so much money at my disposal. Although my job in the boutique is well paid, I have to pay quite a lot of it, so there won't be hundreds of dollars left for clothes. But Ava shows me good business where I really like most things.

Then we go to Central Park together due to the wonderful summer weather. We stroll along a wide path and eventually sink onto a bench. For a moment I watch the joggers and the children romping on the climbing frames with their parents. I should go jogging here, too. Because although I don't really like sports, it has to be if I want to eat sweets in the evening and still keep my figure. If I were jogging, I could at least save the cost of the gym. And maybe someone can be persuaded to join in.

"You almost seem like you haven't been here yet," Ava suddenly notices and I turn back to her. In fact, I didn't take the time for that before. During the week I concentrated on work and university and today is my first real weekend day. But at some point I would have certainly taken the time to do so. At the latest when it would get too warm to learn inside.

"Is that so obvious?" I ask with a slightly contrite look. I know for myself that it is a must to walk this park. After all, it is certainly one of the most famous places in the whole city. "Yes", she shrugs her shoulders laughing: "But I didn't come here on my first day either". "Really?", I look at her a little happy about it. Then I'm probably not the only one who has missed the landmark tour that all tourists usually do when they come to town. "Yes, I first looked for a library near my apartment," she admits, lowering her gaze: "Typical literary student." "And did you find a good one?", I grin on. "Of course, if I'm looking for something, I'll find it too," she says and sounds a little proud.

I can't resist a laugh: "That reminds me somehow of a girl I used to go to school with. She was always asked by other girls to find some guys on i********: who saw her on the streets for a short time this time." Ava raises an eyebrow asking, "And that worked?" "She is said to have been surprisingly good, I admit. Personally, I never used her services because I had a boyfriend, but my best friend always said that the girl was a first class stalker.

Now Ava is laughing and her eyes are shining a little. I sigh and enjoy the sun a little while she rumbles around in her pocket and pulls out a green apple after a few seconds: "Do you want one, too? Without thinking long and hard, I nodded: "Love to love." In fact, apples are my favourite fruit and I was so addicted to them in kindergarten that my mother didn't give them to me afterwards.

She also hands me one of the bright green, round fruits and then bites into her own. I do it the same way and feel the delicious juice running into my mouth. For a short time silence reigns between us. But not this embarrassment where you feel compelled to say something quickly, but a pleasant one.

When I have finished with the apple, I throw the stem away and look out of the corner of my eye at Ava. I'd like to ask her a question, but I'm not sure how she'll react. But I can't get more than a 'no'.

"Can I ask you a question?', I ask with a light heartbeat. "Since you've been there for a long time, I'll just say yes," she replies with a grin and throws her handle into the grass next to my own: "Well, what's going on?" "Maybe that's a funny question now, because we've only known each other since yesterday," I start, but don't lower my gaze, but look at her to get her reaction right: "But I wanted to ask you if you'd like to come to my place tonight and maybe watch a film?

For a moment she looks at me with a total poker face and I bite my lip a little nervously. Is the question going too far? After all, we haven't known each other for long. But then she grins and I know that she only let me stew: "Of course, just write me later where you live. Afterwards I still have something to do seriously, but I like to do it afterwards".

I notice how I immediately begin to grin broadly and quite stupidly and curse myself for it. However, I express my joy that she has really agreed to come to me tonight. So maybe I can finally make other acquaintances than Sebastian and Aiden. With Ava I get along really well and I would be incredibly happy if we would become more than just acquaintances, who believe themselves once in a bar about the way. "Great", I say full of anticipation for the evening together. Can we really build a real friendship?