Research On You

Chapter 9 : The Dinner That Was 100% A Date

"It’s not a date," I said to my mirror.

"Yes it is," Sera said from my bed.

"It’s dinner," I corrected. "After research."

"After beach research," Sera said. "That ended 3 days ago."

"This is different research," I said. "Restaurant research."

"Restaurant research," Sera repeated. "At 7 PM. On a Saturday. With Theodore wearing that shirt."

I looked at the shirt hanging on my door. Blue. The one he said looked good on him.

"I’m not wearing that," I said.

"You are," Sera said. "And you’re wearing lip gloss."

"I’m not—"

"You are," she said. "I can see it."

I was.

6:55 PM. Knock on the door.

Theodore.

Jeans. That blue shirt. Hair actually styled. Holding a small bouquet of white flowers.

Not roses. White daisies.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," I said.

"You look... nice," he said.

"You too," I said. "For research."

"For research," he agreed, but he was smiling.

Sera waved from the bed. "Have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do."

"Which is everything," Theodore said.

"Exactly," Sera said.

---

The restaurant was small. Warm lights. Not fancy, but nice.

"For research," Theodore said as we sat down.

"For research," I repeated.

The waiter gave us menus.

"So," Theodore said. "What are we researching tonight?"

"Food," I said. "Coping mechanism: eating."

"Good one," he said. "I’ll have the pasta. What about you?"

"Same," I said.

We ordered.

Then it was quiet.

Not awkward quiet. Just... quiet.

"So," he said. "How was your week?"

"Busy," I said. "Thesis. Work. You?"

"Same," he said. "Thesis. Classes. Thinking about you."

I looked up. "What?"

"Thinking about the thesis," he corrected quickly. "About our data."

"Right," I said. "The data."

He smiled. "The data."

Food came. We ate.

It was good. Really good.

"Can I ask you something?" he said.

"Sure."

"Why did you say yes to tonight?"

I put my fork down. "Because you asked."

"And?"

"And because I wanted to," I admitted.

He looked happy. "Me too."

We talked for an hour. About nothing important. About everything important.

About favorite classes. About worst professors. About what we wanted after graduation.

"I want to help people," I said. "In hospitals. Or clinics."

"That’s good," he said. "You’d be good at that."

"What about you?" I asked.

"I don’t know yet," he said. "But maybe something with you."

My heart stopped. "What?"

"I mean," he said, "research. More research. Together."

"Oh," I said. "Right. Research."

---

After dinner, we walked.

The campus was quiet. Streetlights on.

"This is nice," I said.

"It is," he said. "You’re nice."

I bumped his shoulder. "Stop."

"Can’t," he said. "It’s a problem."

We stopped at the fountain. Same place as the beach trip.

"Remember this?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"Me too," he said. "I think about it a lot."

"Think about what?"

"The beach," he said. "And you. And the shell."

I touched my pocket. I still had it.

"Can I tell you something?" he asked.

"What?"

"I like you," he said. "A lot. Not just as a research partner."

My breath caught.

"I like you too," I said quietly. "Not just as a research partner."

He smiled. "Good. Because I was really nervous."

"You? Nervous?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said. "You make me nervous. In a good way."

He took a step closer.

"Can I—" he started.

My phone buzzed.

Sera: UPDATE???

Sera: DID HE KISS YOU

Sera: ANSWER ME

I laughed. "It’s Sera."

"I figured," he said, laughing too.

The moment passed. But it was okay.

"Come on," he said. "I’ll walk you home."

---

At the gate, he stopped.

"Thanks," he said. "For tonight."

"Thanks," I said. "For the flowers."

"They’re daisies," he said. "Because you’re bright. And a little stubborn."

"I’m not stubborn."

"You are," he said. "And I like it."

He leaned in.

And kissed my cheek.

Soft. Quick.

"Good night, Reyes," he said.

"Good night, Theo," I said.

He walked away.

I touched my cheek.

---

Back in my room, Sera tackled me.

"DETAILS"

"He kissed my cheek," I said.

Sera screamed.

"It’s not—" I started.

"It is," Sera said. "It’s a date. It’s a kiss. It’s everything."

"It was one kiss," I said. "On the cheek."

"Start," Sera said. "It’s a start."

---

My phone buzzed.

Theo: Home?

Me: Home.

Theo: Good.

Theo: I had fun.

Me: Me too.

Theo: Can we do it again?

Me: Research dinner?

Theo: Date.

Me: Yes.

Theo: Good night.

Me: Good night.

I put the daisies in water.

---

Monday. Class.

Professor Celes looked at us. "You both seem... lighter."

"Research is going well, ma'am," Theodore said.

"Research," Professor Celes repeated. "Right."

After, Theodore handed me coffee.

"For research," he said.

"For research," I said.

And this time, when our hands touched, neither of us let go first.

END OF CHAPTER 9