When Izzy got home, the first thing she did was text Frank. She had been thinking about him all day, and the excitement of their new relationship buzzed in her chest. Her phone sat still for a few minutes before a notification lit up the screen. Frank had taken a bit to respond, and when his text finally came through, it read, “Sorry, I was finishing up some homework!” Izzy smiled and typed back quickly, letting him know she completely understood.
Soon enough, their conversation turned lighthearted. They began exchanging memes, laughing at inside jokes that seemed to form instantly between them. As the evening wore on, they decided to call, and what started as a normal chat quickly turned into an amazing conversation. They talked about weird animals, like the platypus, which had them both in stitches. Frank mentioned how strange it was that the platypus was part mammal yet laid eggs, and Izzy couldn’t stop laughing at how animated he became over something so random.
The conversation shifted to anime, where Izzy made a confession she had been holding onto for a while. “So, I’ve only watched small clips of *One Piece*, just so I could talk to you about it,” she admitted, feeling a little embarrassed. Frank paused, then laughed, his voice warm through the phone. “You did that for me?” he asked, surprised. “That’s adorable! No one’s ever done something like that before.” Izzy felt her cheeks flush, but she was happy Frank appreciated the effort.
“I don’t really get *One Piece* though,” Izzy admitted with a teasing tone. “My favorite anime is *Demon Slayer*.” Frank jokingly scoffed, acting offended. “*One Piece* is a masterpiece, and you don’t get it? We’ll have to fix that.” They both laughed, the easy banter making the time fly by. Before they knew it, it was 9 PM, and they had been on the phone for over an hour. It felt effortless, as if they could talk forever without running out of things to say.
Izzy eventually told Frank she needed to shower and get ready for bed. They said their goodbyes, but just as she was about to lay down, her phone buzzed again. She opened the message from Frank, feeling a flutter of excitement. “Hey, Izzy, do you think it’s okay if I hold your hand tomorrow?” The question was sweet, unexpected, and made her smile. She responded, “Of course,” feeling a surge of warmth wash over her.
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That night, Izzy fell asleep with a sense of happiness she hadn’t felt in a long time. However, when she woke up the next morning, something felt off. A strange sadness lingered in her chest, and she couldn’t figure out why. As she got ready for school, she realized tears were brimming in her eyes, and she didn’t know where they had come from. It was confusing, but she pushed through it, determined to meet Frank at their usual spot by the gym.
When she walked into the gym area, Frank immediately noticed something was wrong. His usual smile faltered as he looked at her, concern etched on his face. For the first time, he hesitated before asking softly, “Is it okay if I hug you?” Izzy nodded, unable to find her voice. The next thing she knew, Frank was wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. The moment their bodies touched, Izzy felt a wave of comfort wash over her, and in that hug, everything felt right. It was as if Frank’s arms were the safest place she could be.
For a few moments, they stayed like that, and in his embrace, Izzy found a sense of peace. She didn’t need to explain the tears or the sadness; Frank’s hug made it all seem okay. When they finally pulled apart, Frank gave her a soft smile, and she felt a little more like herself again. They hung out for a bit before class, chatting and laughing like usual, and the sadness that had gripped her earlier slowly began to fade.
As Frank walked her to class, Izzy felt the curious stares of her friends. She could see the surprise in their faces—no one had expected her to date Frank, the goofy, nerdy guy who seemed so different from the boys she had liked in the past. But Izzy didn’t care. To her, Frank was exactly the person she wanted to be with. He cared for her in ways no one ever had, and that was all that mattered.
Her friends didn’t say much at first, but Izzy could feel their questions lingering just beneath the surface. Still, she brushed it off, focusing instead on how happy she felt whenever she was around Frank. For the first time, she was in a relationship where she felt truly seen and cared for, and that made all the difference.