Esper awoke with a start, jumping up in her bed, disheveled and delirious. What time was it? She slept a little too well for it to be the morning. Fumbling to find her phone, she found it stuffed underneath her pillows. She turned it on, reading the dreaded time of 2:15 PM. Goodness, she was late! Taking a tumble over clothes, Esper rushed out of bed. The bathroom was a flood of sunlight thanks to the curtain she left open the night before, but she didn't have time to recoil from the sun. As she brushed her teeth, she thought about what she would say to Daniel.
When she came out of the bathroom, she found that she was still in her nightgown from the night before, so she cleaned up a bit and put her hair up in a ponytail. Or may she should just let it loose? What hairstyle did Daniel prefer her hair in? Well, he wasn't around to ask.
Next came outfits, the most anxiety-ridden part of her routine. Often, Esper relied on her collection of incredibly baggy hoodies and jeans—years ago Daniel told her that fitting clothes made her look like a boy, and she took that to heart—but she needed clothing that was a bit more formal than that. Something that didn't compromise her usual style, but accentuated the more feminine features of her goblin physique. Her t-shirts and jeans were laid in a row in front of her. She grimaced at the sight of them, brought to her attention by the more colorful and vibrant colors and patterns they possessed. Girly clothes wouldn't be a bad thing, would it? Why was she so damned indecisive? There was no time, so she just grabbed a red t-shirt that matched her eyes and apple-bottom jeans. Hopefully, Daniel wouldn't laugh at her uncharacteristic fashion choice.
Running her hands through her hair and pinning it back, she headed out into the living room. She remembered a stray thought from the night before, about wearing heels to compliment her more feminine clothes this time around. Yeah, that wasn't happening. Grabbing her keys, and a denim jacket, she grabbed her trusty pair of converse shoes and headed out the door to the park.
Along the way, she mulled over her plan of attack regarding confessing her love to Daniel. He was rational and logical, though kind and understanding. The best course of action was to be upfront, yet Esper knew herself well. Being direct was something that took an extraordinary amount of effort for her. It wasn't just that she was a bit shy (though that had to play a role in it), but she took her time to think about everything. It was what made her so dependable on herself.
So, yeah, being direct could make a difficult situation turn awkward.
***
The park was buzzing with activity. People were coming and going, talking and laughing. At that moment, Esper wanted to be one of those people. But no, she just had to be the diminutive goblin about to spill her guts to her best friend. Speaking of best friend, where was he?
"Hey, Esper!" Daniel's voice rang out from across the park. Clapping his hands, he sat on a rusty park bench, the engraving obscured by his muscular form.
"D-Daniel!" She sprinted across the grass to greet him. After a few more awkward steps, she plopped down next to him on the bench, her feet swinging in the air. This was her attempt to act like a normal person. "S-Sorry I woke up so late..." Her green skin tinted a darker shade, her eyes shying away from his warm gaze.
His grin spread wider as he extended a hand and ruffled her black hair, giving her a look that made her heart do a disarming double backflip. It was the same look he had when he hugged her—platonically, of course. "So, what did you bring me out here for? You said it was something important." He had a crooked smile that made his eyes crinkle—the one thing she loved the most about him.
"I-It is." She held up a hand, pausing her speech. "Daniel, I need to... c-confess something."
His face lit up, becoming more golden by the second. "Really?" She nodded. "Okay, spit it out. I don't wanna have to start biting my nails in anticipation."
She grimaced, looking up to the sky, trying not to let the butterflies in her stomach get out of control.