Jay

I was at university with a friend when she told me that a friend of hers was coming to pick us up. While smiling knowingly, she teased me, saying it was Jay, because I liked him. He arrived shortly after. I got a little nervous, and my friend insisted that I sit in the passenger seat and she sit in the back, since they would drop her off first because of the distance and then we would continue to my house.

During the drive, Jay did his best to keep the conversation going. He brought up random topics, smiled easily, and had that kind, gentlemanly, and friendly demeanor that made it very easy to feel comfortable around him.

When my friend got out, a moment of silence filled the car. Before we started driving again, we both stood there, unsure of what to say. He was the one who finally broke the ice, trying to keep the atmosphere from feeling awkward, while I, still a little nervous, did my best to keep the conversation going.

Suddenly it started to rain heavily. Jay decided to pull the car over to a safe place to wait for the rain to let up so he could drive more safely.

With the sound of rain in the background, the conversation shifted. We stopped talking about superficial things and started sharing more personal details. Amid laughter and confessions, I ended up admitting that I had a crush on him.

He let out a soft laugh, one of those unavoidable ones, and with a smile asked, "Since when?" I tried to explain, my nerves flailing, while he continued smiling, telling me he found it endearing. That only made me more nervous.