“G-ginny, you d-did s-so well,” Nigel was stammering, “You are so amazing, a-and, and…”
He noticed a few of her hair strands got stuck to her chin. He reached to fix that, his hand caressing her cheek. And then he saw it – the way she looked at him, the way her lips were open…
He didn’t even realize what he was doing before he felt his lips pressing onto hers. Their first kiss, and it was so awkward – since neither of them had the experience, but were so willing to try nonetheless…
They both pressed hard into each other, recoiled at the sensation of their teeth colliding, giggled, and then tried again, more carefully. Lips joined, tongues dancing with one other. Nigel grabbed Ginny by the waist pulling her closer, and Ginny hugged his shoulders, leaning and pressing her bust into him. His hand slipped underneath her sweater, and slid up, along the curve of her spine. Then, still kissing, ever so carefully his hand began circling along her ribs towards the front, waiting for resistance, even though there was none. His palm was so close, he could almost touch the outline of her bra now, when…
“Daughter, I’m home!” a voice called. They both jumped in horror.
A door to Ginny’s room opened, revealing Nigel mashing buttons on a controller, even though a game was paused, and Ginny scrolling on the phone, even though it was Nigel’s, and it was locked.
“Hey darling… oh, hey Nigel!”
“Hi, Daddy!”
“Hello, mister Mason!” The two of them were too afraid to face Ginny’s dad directly.
“Ginny, Mom stays double shift due to issues with the air filter, but she texted that…”
“The soup’s on the stove, and the prepack’s in the freezer!”
“Great, love you! Hey, kids, why don’t you go out more sometimes, and… well, breathe the same air just in larger halls?”
“Daddy, wasn’t there a ping-pong tournament that you’d be missing?” Ginny half turned to glance at her father.
“Alright, alright,” Mister Mason laughed, “Expelled by my own daughter! Just make sure the two of you don’t stay too late, alright? You still have school tomorrow!”
The door closed. Ginny and Nigel looked at one another with some very straight faces while the sound of footsteps died in the distance. Then, Ginny grabbed a pillow and pressed it on her face, while Nigel rolled on the floor, pressing his arm on his mouth, both trying to muffle their relieved laughter.
“Had he found out what we were doing here – he’d thrown you out the airlock!” Ginny awed. Nigel just nodded in agreement, his shoulders still shaking.
“So?” asked Ginny, a glee spark returning in her eyes.
“Ahem…” agreed Nigel, “Ginny, would you like to go with me on a date this… erm, Saturday? Or, perhaps, Sunday if you prefer…”
“Oh, I don’t know if I want to…” Ginny enjoyed the sight of panic on Nigel’s face for a moment before adding, “Kidding, ‘course I do. Saturday, and Sunday!”
“Uhm? Oh, great!”
“Just – please – make sure to buy yourself some nice suit, please! And, I dunno, let’s go someplace nice?”
“You got it!”
After slipping away behind Mister Mason’s back from Ginny’s apartments, Nigel paused in a corridor. The door to their family’s apartments was just a few steps away, but he wanted to chill for a bit. He pressed his forehead on a porthole and looked at the majestic abyss of hyperspace, clouded by a radiating force field outside the hull.
No one still studying in their school could remember Mother Earth, since their parents boarded the Fifth Colonial Ship (and by far – the largest one yet) when they were too little. There still were a few light years away from exiting the wormhole at the uncharted sector of space, where, as per scientists, should’ve been a cluster of habitable systems. All they’ve known for life was this ship, which they’ve studied in and out yet, so thinking of a “some nice place” was a challenge.
But hey – Ginny always agreed with him that it’s a blessing to be on a starboard side overlooking space, not the adjacent military frigate. The main thing those two geeks had in common was – neither of them took the space for granted – unlike their schoolfellows.
So, an astronomical hub? Or a table at the hydroponics plant cafe? A visit to a livestock cloning zoo? Maybe take a shuttle to the frigate and reserve a slot at their shooting range?
He’ll think of something they both would like, he was sure of it. The clothes, however… Nigel made a face. But well, what wouldn’t you do for your best friend, especially when it seems like the start of something they both are yet to explore?
With that thought, Nigel turned and went towards his apartment.
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