“There’s no way you made this.” I remove the telescope from my face and inspect it, turning it over in my hands but Zach doesn’t say anything. He simply raises the scope back up to my eyes and repositions my hands in place. "And how do you know so much about stars and telescopes?" I ask, but he doesn't answer.
“This next setting is my favorite because you get to see a very specific constellation that not many people have the privilege of being able to see with the naked eye.”
“Is that so?” I ask as I ready myself to click the dial over. I squint my eye and focus my other eye over the sky through the telescope.
“You ready?” Zach asks and I nod my head.
I twist the dial, and it takes me a minute. I’m not too sure what I’m looking at, but I focus.
“Let me know when you see it.”
“I don’t know…” I squint my eye, trying my best to make out whatever it is that he’s talking about and after a few moments, I almost give up.
But then my eye catches on something.
“Wait, I think I see something,” I say out loud as I trace the stars with my eyesight. The pattern seems to be spelling out a word of some sort but it’s hard for me to keep track of the letters all at once.
“Do you need help?” Zach asks, likely sensing my struggle and as much pride as I have when it comes to figuring things out on my own, I accept.
“Turn the dial one more time.”
I twist it and when the image clears, the words are easily visible in the shape of a constellation against the sky.
Will you be my . . . homecoming queen?
My breath hitches when I read the whole thing. There’s no way this is real.
“Did you find it?” Zach asks and I lower the telescope, my heart thundering in my chest.
I look over at him and I can see how impatient he is, but I'm speechless.
I hold the telescope up one more time and read the words again. Right there, buried into the mess of stars . . .Will you be my homecoming queen?
Yes,” I whisper, dropping the scope and turning to him. “Yes,” I say louder as my eyes beam with happiness.
“Yeah?” Zach looks at me and smiles.
“Yes, Zach, I wanna go with you.”
He leans in and wraps me up, pressing his lips to mine and I savor this kiss for only a second before I push away with my palms against his chest and I lean back to look into his eyes.
“I want to hear you ask me.”
His dimples appear as he looks at me. I can't help but feel so overflowing with emotion as I watch him carefully, lowering his mouth back down to mine as he whispers, "Will you go to homecoming with me, Cadence?”
I press my lips to his and smile back. “Yes.”
Zach lifts me up and places me over his lap as he leans back into the side of the car. I straddle him, letting the blanket fall from my shoulders as I wrap my arms around his neck and close the space between us.
His hands travel up my back and into my hair, then back down again and I can’t help but let my body move on its own accord, gently rocking against him as I feel the pressure grow between my legs.
I let out a little moan against his lips and he fingers dig into my sides and the heat between us ignites. But then it simmers.
“Cadie,” Zach breathes out as he breaks our kiss. “We need to slow down.”
I lean my head against his, panting as he too attempts to catch his breath. He’s right. That was becoming too much too fast and I’m glad he has the right mind to stop it. I’ve thought about it though. Losing my virginity to him. I know it’s what I want but I’m not sure when the right time would be. Ryen told me I’d know when the right time was because my body would feel different and it would feel right with the right person.
I’m not sure what any of that means but I don’t really have a choice but to just trust her.
