I glanced down at my shoes, then took the flowers before looking over my shoulder back into the house.

“Mom! I’m going out!” I called.

“Ok, dear, call me if you and Max plan to stay out too-” She abruptly cut off when she walked into the room, and saw Jake. Her eyes widened.

“Well…have…fun. You kids have fun. Don’t stay out too late. Your father will be coming home from his trip in a few hours, and he’ll probably be jet lagged, so we’re going to bed early. So don’t stay out too late.”

She was babbling a bit. Surprise, I assumed. So I nodded in response, and turned back towards Jake, who was standing there a bit awkwardly.

“Well, let’s go then,” he said, finding himself. Then he put a hand on my elbow and half-lead me out the door. My cheeks were tingling horribly.

“So, I was thinking we could go see that new movie that’s out, that suspense flick? Then we could drop by the pizza place. Sound good?”

I shrugged, still not quite able to believe it.

I was on my first date. With Jake.