"So, uh," Lenny mumbled, fidgeting with his hoodie drawstring, "do you wanna… come in?"
Cassie raised an eyebrow. "Lenny. I've already taken my shoes off. You literally invited me in ten minutes ago. You made popcorn."
"R-right. Yes. I'm calm."
They were sitting on his bed, knees almost touching, the bowl of popcorn suspiciously untouched between them like a peace treaty neither dared to break.
Cassie tilted her head. "You okay?"
Lenny gave a tight-lipped smile. "Just... nervous. I mean, this is the part where I—where we—uh, if you want, we could—"
Cassie held up a finger. "Pause."
She reached into her backpack, pulled out two juice boxes, and handed him one.
"This feels like a juice box moment."
He blinked. "I—yeah. Yeah, it really does."
They sipped in silence. Cassie looked around his room—posters of old anime, LED lights that tried too hard, a suspiciously polished gaming chair. She smirked.
"You've cleaned."
"Painstakingly."
"You sprayed your pillow with deodorant again?"
"…Yes."
"You're adorable."
Cassie leaned in, kissed his cheek, then whispered, "Now shut up and kiss me properly."
And so he did. Gently. Awkwardly. His glasses got in the way. She bumped her nose. He made a squeaking noise like a kettle left on too long. But it worked. And it got better. Fingers tangled. Hands explored. Someone's elbow landed in the popcorn.
When shirts started flying, Lenny pulled back.
"I, uh… I know I said this before, but just so we're—y'know—clear, I'm not… uh… well endowed."
Cassie snorted. "Lenny, I am literally undressing you. Do you think I care? You could have a USB stick down there and I'd still be into you."
"Technically, that's kind of accurate," he muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Her fingers reached for his belt, and—click.
Nothing.
The button refused.
She tried again.
"Your jeans are judging me."
"They do that."
Click. Tug. Snap.
Victory.
Cassie froze. Looked. Blinked.
Then looked up at him and said, "Awwww."
He flushed crimson. "You don't have to say 'aww.' That makes it worse."
She cupped his cheeks. "No, I mean aww, like you're cute, not aww, like that's it? It's adorable. I didn't even know it could be that shape."
"I'm dying," Lenny muttered.
"You're thriving, babe."
And somehow, in the laughter and the fumbling, in the tangled limbs and the nervous giggles and the whispered, "Wait, where's the—oh, there," everything felt… magical.
It wasn't perfect. It wasn't fireworks and slow-mo movie music. It was real. A little sweaty. A lot weird. At one point, Cassie shouted, "I'M A GLORIOUS DOLPHIN!" for no reason and they both had to stop to laugh.
But by the end of it, when they lay side by side, breathless, hearts thudding, Lenny turned to her and said, "I feel like I've levelled up."
Cassie grinned. "Welcome to Level 2, baby. Achievement unlocked: Confidence in the Pants."
He chuckled. "You're the best."
She poked his nose. "You're my favourite weirdo."
And that night, for the first time in ages, Lenny didn't think about Year Ten or swimming pools or cruel nicknames. He only thought about her.
And maybe—just a little—about dolphins.