Tinfur

Ms. Ash 7/12

My heart raced as I decided to extend the invitation to Ms. Ash. "Um, Ash," I stammered, "Would you like to, uh, stay at my apartment for tonight? It's just, you know, for safety reasons, and, well, it's not far from here."

Her crimson eyes met mine, and a mischievous glint appeared. "Oh? Are you sure you can handle a 9-foot wolf in your living space, YN?"

I chuckled nervously, attempting to match her playful tone. "Well, I do have a spacious living room, and, um, I can offer you a comfortable blanket, or bed."

Her grin widened, and she teased, "A bed, huh? Tempting offer. Alright, YN, lead the way. Let's see if your place can handle a little sleepover."

As we headed to my apartment, I couldn't shake the mix of excitement and nerves, wondering how the night would unfold with this unexpected guest in my cozy living space.

Opening the door to my apartment, I hoped I had tidied up enough for an unexpected visitor. Ash stepped inside, her presence dominating the space. She glanced around, her eyes taking in the modest surroundings.

"Cozy place you've got here," she remarked, her voice a playful purr. "Are you tired? Thirsty?" I asked, thinking about what she might need before we settled in for the night.

Ms. Ash looked around, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "Not tired, but a drink would be nice," she replied, her tail swaying casually behind her. I nodded, heading to the kitchen to fetch a couple of glasses. As I poured some water, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and curiosity about the night ahead.

Returning to the living room, I handed her a glass. "Here you go. Anything else you need?" She took the glass with a nod of thanks. "So, about your networking, you said your strand is IT, right? Mind if I see it?" she asked, her eyes filled with genuine interest.

I smiled, feeling a sudden surge of pride in my chosen field. "Sure, Ash. Let me show you a bit of what I've been working on." Leading her to my small home office setup, I gestured toward the computer. I showed her the intricacies of networking that my college professor had taught me. As I explained, Ms. Ash's keen eyes focused on the screen.

"Some of my assignments on packet tracing need work," I admitted there's a hint of self-consciousness in my tone. Without a second thought, Ash leaned in, her eyes analyzing the data on the screen. Her insights flowed effortlessly, and she offered suggestions and corrections with a mix of authority and playfulness.

"You see, when it comes to putting in the network address, you should grab the main one," she pointed to the network address, "192.168.43.0," she said. "Now, you'll use binary here to get the address for the subnetting," she explained, diving into the intricacies with a natural ease.

As she broke down the process, the complexities of subnetting started to make more sense. "Binary might seem daunting at first, but think of it like decoding a secret message. Once you grasp the pattern, it becomes second nature," she added, a twinkle of encouragement in her eyes.

With that mindset, Ash continued to guide me through the intricacies of binary and subnetting. Her teachings unfolded like a well-crafted tutorial, making what seemed complex remarkably simple.

As she explained, I could feel the pieces falling into place in my understanding. The once-challenging assignment now seemed manageable, thanks to her clear and practical guidance. In no time, with her expertise seamlessly blended with my newfound comprehension, the assignment that had felt like a hurdle was completed effortlessly.

 As I glanced at the finished work on the screen, gratitude filled me for this unexpected collaboration with Ash, I had taken notes and everything so I'll know what to look for in the future of my college adventure.

I nervously offered her my bedroom, and she chuckled, accepting it with a gracious nod. "Thanks, YN. Let's make this a night to remember, shall we?"

"What do you mean by that?" I ask.

Ms. Ash grinned, her eyes holding a glint of mischief. She made an okay hand gesture and opened her mouth sticking her tongue out while moving her hand in a jerking motion,  This made me realize that this first date was not just a normal date.

Decision:

Yes

Yes

Seggs