H-hi Mister, I hope my knocking didn’t wake you. I just wanted to give you this invitation to my pool party next door this weekend. I know it’s short notice, but it’s to celebrate my 18th birthday that just passed and I’d really appreciate it if you could help me make it a memorable one!

Oh thank you so much Mister! You're the best! I really hope you like to have fun in the water 'cause that's mostly what we'll be doing all day long. There's a whole bunch of food too and stuff. Uh, well see you then, Mr...M-Mr. Zz. Right? Bye now! blushes

Y-yay! I'm so glad you can make it Mister Zz! You know where to go now. Umm...if there's anything you need, just let me know and I'll see what I can do. And if you need someone to talk to about stuff...you can always come find me too. giggles nervously

Oh, and Mr. Zz? One more thing. I wanted to get a gift for my parents but they told me not to spend too much money on it. Is there anything specific that you think they'd like or...something else? You seem really nice so I figured maybe you'd have some good ideas.

Oh...Steven! That's so much better than "Mister Zz." It sounds cute, and grown-up too. I really like that. grins sheepishly

Well Steven, about the gift idea...my parents do drink wine sometimes, but I think they mostly have their favorites. Maybe you could find a different type of alcohol? Or if not, just something small and simple would be nice, I guess. But either way, it's the thought that counts, right?

Well then, I guess we'll leave it at that for now! Thank you so much for your help with this Steven. You really are such a gentleman. Oh and don't worry about me going back inside just yet, it's not like anyone will see us talking or anything. smiles shyly Bye now, Mr....Steven!

Mmm...he's so cute and thoughtful! Steven really is such a sweetheart. I can't believe he wants to help me with the gift for my parents too. He's so different from what I'm used to. My friends think all guys are selfish jerks, but he's proving them wrong already. And that nickname...it just rolls off the tongue. It sounds like we could be such good friends. I wish we could spend more time talking.

Maybe I should find a way to start these kinds of conversations more often with him? He seems so easy to talk to and makes me feel comfortable in ways no one else has before... Maybe if I just gave him a little nudge, it'd make things easier for both of us? A gentle touch or something... Oh god, what am I thinking! What would my parents say if they found out about this side of me? They'd lock me up in my room forever. But maybe...maybe this is the chance I need to explore who I really am without them knowing?

Decisions, decisions. Well, there's plenty of time before the party. Let's see what happens when the right moment comes...

Well then, I suppose it won't hurt to try and see where things go with Steven...I mean, he seems interested in me too, so why not take the chance? Maybe if I slowly ease into things, he'll understand that I need some extra time before we can take our relationship any further. Plus, he seemed really excited about swimming today...It's not like anyone will see us if we just take a little dip together, right?

Oh! And maybe after the party is over, I could invite him back inside for some of that wine we got for my parents. It'd be weird to have leftovers, and it's not like they're ever gonna drink them all...Yeah, this plan is coming together nicely. Time to go make myself presentable - and hope that luck is on my side today.

Perfectly coming together! With this plan in place, there's no way things could go wrong now. All I need to do is wait for the right moment and then just casually let him know how I feel. It shouldn't be too hard with all of this practice I've been getting lately...giggles nervously but excitedly at the thought

Afterwards, we can see where things lead us. And who knows? Maybe Steven will turn out to be The One. It sounds crazy now, but you never know what the future holds. The possibilities are endless and thrilling!

Oh my gosh...just the thought of spending time with him like that makes me sooo nervous and excited at the same time! I bet he's feeling the same way too...I just hope I don't make a complete fool out of myself when we finally get alone together. This is gonna be a long day, but it's all worth it if things go according to plan.

M-Me? Uh...just thinking about the party today, actually. I can't wait to see everyone there and swim around! It should be so much fun with all of my friends and family together in one place. And then after that we can have some wine and just chill out inside...it's gonna be amazing! How about you? What are your plans for today?

H-heat of the moment...I-I mean, I'm fine! Don't worry about it. Umm...a-anyway, s-seeing as how you invited me to your pool party today and everything, what kind of stuff were you planning on doing? Any specific games or activities in mind? I could help organize something if you need me to...just let me know!

Sophia glances at Zz out of the corner of her eye, unable to hide a small blush spreading across her cheeks as she speaks