Since Ashley was attacked, she felt Florence had become more protective. The brown-haired girl stared reluctantly when Bianca picked Ashley up from her house that morning. Ashley had to reassure Florence that she was okay and that they'd meet up at lunch as usual. Only then did Florence let the two of them go.
The drive to the university was quiet. Bianca, who usually turned on the radio, now drove in silence. Occasionally, the blonde-haired girl glanced at Ashley, making the girl with glasses feel awkward.
"I'm okay, Bianca," Ashley finally said after noticing Bianca watching her like a hawk.
"Sorry, I'm just…" Bianca tried to come up with an excuse but decided to be honest. "I'm worried. How are you holding up?"
The raven-haired girl frowned, her mind replaying the past few days. "I'm not sure. Sometimes, I wish this were all just a dream."
Bianca fidgeted with the wheel. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Maybe not now. I'm sorry." Ashley smiled sheepishly. "I'm just not in the mood."
Ashley wanted to talk about it, but she chose to stay silent. Bianca had been nothing but supportive, and Ashley didn't want to burden her friend with her problems.
"Okay, I understand. But if you ever want to talk, I'm here, alright?" The blonde-haired girl smiled warmly at Ashley.
"Thank you, Bianca."
"Anytime, Ashy."
Suddenly, Bianca's eyes widened as if she remembered something. "You know we get out early today, right?"
Ashley glanced at her friend, confused. "Yeah, what about it?"
"Want to go somewhere else? Just you and me?" Bianca asked softly.
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Just the two of us?"
Bianca nodded. "Yeah. I want to cheer you up, and I know the perfect place for it. So, are you in?"
The girl with glasses fidgeted in her seat. The idea of spending time alone with Bianca sounded appealing, but… was it a date?
Nervously, she glanced at Bianca. "Is this just a normal hangout or… like, a date?"
Bianca's smile widened. "Hmm, what an interesting question. My answer is whatever you want it to be, Ashy. So, tell me… are you in or not?"
Ashley blushed deeply at the teasing tone. "I mean… your question sounded like… I just…"
Bianca chuckled. "Sorry, I'm just teasing you. It's just a normal hangout, you and me."
Ashley's mind warned her it might be a bad idea, afraid she'd mess it up. But her heart urged her to say yes. "Okay."
"Great! You won't be disappointed, I promise!"
Despite some hesitation, after class, Bianca drove them onto the highway. Ashley watched as the big buildings slowly faded, replaced by trees—a sign they were leaving the city.
"Where are we going?" Ashley asked, noticing a large sign that confirmed they'd left F-town.
"Don't worry; I'm not kidnapping you, Ashy," the blonde beauty beside her chuckled, her blue eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Bianca, seriously." Ashley playfully glared at her friend.
"We're going to my favorite place. Don't worry, you'll like it." Ashley glanced at her friend skeptically. Where on earth could Bianca be taking her?
The blonde-haired girl parked in a secluded lot near a lake. She unbuckled her seatbelt and motioned for Ashley to get out. "Come on. The weather's nice today."
Ashley followed Bianca to the lake area. As Bianca had said, the weather was perfect, and there weren't many people around, likely because it was a weekday. The lake was a peaceful spot known to hikers and anyone seeking a break from the city. Together, they strolled along the shore until Bianca found the perfect spot, where she spread out a picnic blanket and gestured for Ashley to sit down.
The raven-haired girl's eyes widened as Bianca laid out snacks and ready-made meals. "When did you have time to prepare all this?"
Bianca grinned sheepishly. "Well, it's just some supermarket food. This was a spontaneous trip, so I didn't have time to cook anything."
There were sandwiches, bento boxes, snacks, and juice from the store, all spread out on the blanket. Ashley felt touched by the effort. "You didn't have to do all this. Taking me to the lake, setting up a picnic… it's a lot, Bianca."
"No worries. I enjoy spending time with you." Bianca's smile mirrored Ashley's.
As they spent time together, Ashley and Bianca talked while enjoying their meal. Mostly, it was Bianca who shared stories, and the black-haired girl listened attentively. Sometimes, Bianca told funny stories that made Ashley laugh out loud. The black-haired girl hadn't realized Bianca could be so funny.
"Well, I'm glad I managed to trick the professor that time so he didn't notice I was late!" the blonde-haired girl chuckled as she recounted her story.
"You sounded like a ninja sneaking into the classroom! Good thing he didn't notice you!" Ashley nudged Bianca playfully.
Bianca smiled smugly. "Well, I am a pro, after all."
"I can't believe an outstanding student like you has some foolish stories like that!"
Bianca rolled her eyes and nudged Ashley back. "Come on, I'm just an ordinary university student, anyway." She grinned at the girl in front of her.
Ashley's heart warmed whenever Bianca was close to her. Spending time like this with the blonde beauty made her forget about the recent incident. Bianca's presence made her feel comfortable and safe. All the effort Bianca put into cheering her up made her heart soar with gratitude. She wanted to savor this feeling.
Unknown to Ashley, Bianca was watching her intently. "Ashy, are you okay? Your face looks a bit red."
At that, the black-haired girl blushed. She quickly adjusted her glasses and looked away from Bianca. "Uh, I'm okay!" Ashley cursed herself for daydreaming in front of her friend.
Seeing that adorable reaction, Bianca smiled teasingly. "Come on, what are you thinking about? You're blushing, Ashy."
"Ugh, stop teasing me!" The blushing girl swatted at her friend in embarrassment, but Bianca just laughed.
"You're so cute, blushing like a teenager," the blonde-haired beauty whispered teasingly into her ear, making Ashley shiver.
"Bianca!" Ashley blushed even more, which only made Bianca chuckle as she pulled Ashley into a gentle hug.
"I'm sorry. I was just teasing you," she whispered softly, making Ashley flinch.
Ashley hid her face in Bianca's neck, letting Bianca hold her. "You're such a meanie."
They were so close, and Ashley's heart pounded in her chest. She wanted to pull away, but Bianca's arms held her securely.
"I know," Bianca grinned, chuckling at her own foolishness. She tightened her hold slightly when she noticed Ashley's quickened heartbeat.
After a while, Bianca pulled away, keeping Ashley at arm's length. "Feeling better now?"
Ashley's heart raced, her face flushed from their close moment. She looked away shyly. "Uh, yeah… I'm okay. Thank you, Bianca."
The blonde beauty frowned. "For what?"
Ashley blushed, looking down and playing with her fingers. "For arranging this trip. For preparing the food and comforting me. I really appreciate it. You've done so much for me, and it makes me happy."
Bianca gently tilted Ashley's chin so they were eye to eye. "I'm glad you're happy. I don't want to see you sad for too long."
The black-haired girl's face reddened under Bianca's warm gaze. Then she found herself pulled into Bianca's arms again, held softly. "Uh, Bianca?"
"Let me hold you for a while, okay?" Ashley was too stunned to respond, so she just nodded into Bianca's shoulder.
"You don't have to worry anymore, Ashy. Whatever happens, I will always be there for you," Bianca whispered again in Ashley's ear. This time, Ashley didn't flinch but nodded, wrapping her arms around Bianca's neck.
"Thank you, Bianca."
***