NERVOUS! stick goldstein

CHAPTER TWELVE, love & adventure

Her mother smiles at seeing her daughter's dreamy expression. "That's wonderful, honey. I'm glad you had fun. It must have been really special if it's making you smile like that."

"It was." Winnie says, her heart fluttering. Her phone buzzed and her smile grew when she saw who it was. Stick was texting her a good morning text and how much he missed her. Winnie's heart swells, a giggle leaving her lips. Her parents raises their eyebrows at this and shares a knowing look. Her father shakes his head and chuckles. She was clearly head over heels. And her father and mother were happy for her. "I'm going to go sit on the porch for a bit and then come back in for breakfast." Winnie informs them, grabbing her mug of coffee on her way out. "Love you!"

"Love you too." Her parents said in unison, smiling at their daughter. Winnie grinned and stepped outside. It was a beautiful morning. The sky was a bright blue, the sun was shining, and the birds were singing. Winnie took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air and letting it out slowly. She sat down on the swing and sipped her coffee, enjoying the peace and quiet. It was a rare moment of solitude, and she was going to savor it. She knew it wouldn't last long. Her brother was going to drag her into helping him. So, she was going to enjoy this while she could. She couldn't believe he woke her up so early for this. She didn't like waking up early. It was always such a struggle.

A few minutes passed before her brother came out. "Hey." He greets her, plopping down next to her. "Sorry I woke you up. I know you don't like waking up early, but I was freaking out and I needed your help. And I'm still freaking out and need your help. So please, help me." He pleads, setting his mug of coffee down on a nearby table and looking at her with big, pleading eyes. "I'm desperate."

Winnie laughs softly. "Don't worry, Reese. I'll help you. Just try to calm down, okay? Freaking out isn't going to help." She takes another sip of her coffee, thinking about what she could say. "Okay, so let's start from the beginning. Tell me exactly what happened."

"Brooke asked me to go with her to this concert tonight, but this would be like our first date and I'm worried. I want it to be perfect." Reese explains, chewing on his thumb nail nervously. He had a habit of doing that when he was stressed. Winnie was used to it. "But what if I mess up or do something wrong? I really don't want to mess this up, Winnie. It's so important."

Winnie had to admit she was surprised. He was never this nervous about going out with a girl before. Maybe this time it was different because he actually cared. She hoped so. "Reese, you're not going to mess this up." Winnie reassures him. "Just be yourself. Brooke likes you for you, remember? Don't know why," She teases, playfully punching his arm. He chuckles a little, his lips curling up a bit.  "But she does. And that's all that matters. You'll be fine. You've been on plenty of dates before. Why is this any different?"

"Because I really like her, Winnie." He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I've never felt this way before. It's like I'm on cloud nine all the time. Every time I'm around her, I feel like I'm walking on air. Like I'm dreaming. It's like nothing else matters but her. I can't get her out of my head. All I can think about is her."

"Wow. You've got it bad, Reese." Winnie grinned, her eyes shining. Her brother's face was a mix of shock and horror at realizing he said all that out loud. His cheeks were red, and he buried his face in his hands, groaning.

"What is this girl doing to me? I never get this way over girls." Reese mumbles. He peeks through his fingers and lets out a sigh. "This is bad, Winnie. Really bad."

"Or maybe it's really good. Maybe it means you're falling in love, Reese." Winnie said softly, reaching over and patting his back.

Reese's eyes widen, his face turning more red. "L-Love? Winnie, are you crazy? I'm not in love. I mean, we haven't known each other that long. And I never been in love before. So, I couldn't be in love, right?"