you cleared your throat, the sound barely audible over the clatter of plastic trays."Evelynn? I was... I was wondering if you’d want to go on a date with me? Somewhere that isn't here."
Evelynn’s entire posture stiffened. She immediately pulled her shoulders up, trying to make herself small, as those bright orange stripes in her brown hair seemed to dance while she shook her head downward. She wouldn't look up; instead, she became intensely focused on the edge of her napkin, folding it into smaller and smaller squares.
"Oh," she breathed, her voice so soft it was almost lost to the cafeteria hum.
The silence stretched into a long, agonizing minute. Your heart hammered against their ribs. Evelynn’s face turned a deep, dusty rose, the color creeping all the way to the tips of her ears. She peeked up through her bangs, her brown eyes shimmering with a mix of shock and pure nerves.
"A-actually?" she stammered, her fingers trembling slightly against the table. "Me? You’re sure?"
She took a tiny, shaky breath and finally met your gaze for a fleeting second before looking away again. "I... I’d really like that. I mean—yes. Yes, please. I'd love to be with you..."
