(This thread takes place on October 25, 2011)

The nightlife of New York City was certainly quite beautiful to behold. The towering buildings, the riots of light and color, the sounds of the living heartbeat of the metropolis, even the scent of the life force that surged through it was enough to make anyone want to shed a tear. Despite all the problems, the danger, the issues that the city has claim to, there really was a sense of joy and purity if you went out and looked for it.

Jasmine Honey Blossom knew where to look…and Agnes Nicholas was only too happy to follow.

Shyly the runaway sat at her side of the taxi cab, looking out over the passing city. She was still fiercely nervous and try as she might she really could not bring herself to look at Jasmine for long. When they left the room Jasmine and Agnes had walked in a small, awkward silence as they made their way out towards the front of the building. There was a taxi waiting for them, apparently driven by one of Jasmine’s cousins who was only too happy to take her out to the city with her new friend.

That was how Agnes now found herself in the backseat of this cab, casting a shy glance over to Jasmine who was doing the same. Their heads turned slowly, they glanced to one another, but the second they locked eyes, they adverted their gazes, unable to look at one another for long. It was not that they were embarrassed to be out with one another, it was just so hard to find a good way to start the date. After all, blind dates were hard enough, but considering the fact that they had met before, and with interesting results, it just made the whole situation a lot more awkward and a lot more confusing.

Agnes still tried to figure out why was it that Jasmine ran away from her that day? If there had been a spark, like she had felt, then why did she just leave?

The questions plagued her mind to the point that she did not realize that Jasmine was actually talking to her.

Blinking she turned to face her date, finally looking at her longer than a fraction of a second.

“I-I’m sorry?” she asked with a meek smile.

Jasmine smirked, causing a little crinkle at the corner of her eyes. “I…I was just asking if dinner sounds okay first?”

“Oh, ugh, sure,” Agnes beamed back. She took a steadying breath as she glanced over and saw Jasmine shyly look away. Agnes sighed. “Um, Jasmine…?”

“Hmm?”

“I…I’m sorry. I don’t mean to…you know…be…awkward…” she sighed. This was not going well at all…

Jasmine smirked as a mirthful smiled appeared on her face. She only shook her head as she reached over and very gently, very carefully, patted Agnes’ hand. As she did so, she never let her eyes leave hers and she hoped that she could convey exactly what she was feeling at the moment: an understanding of the nervousness and fear that Agnes herself was feeling…

“Agnes, it’s okay, really,” she said with a warm nod. “I understand…”

Agnes smiled back appreciatively and sighed. “I know. I just, I don’t want you to think, you know, that I don’t want to be out with you. I’m just…”

“Nervous?” Jasmine offered to finish.

Agnes nodded.

She knew that it was a silly thing. Really, what was there to be jealous about? She felt something when the two of them had first met, she could tell by the look in the other girl’s eyes that Jasmine did as well. But that was months ago! And Jasmine had been looking to be put on a blind date not expecting that she would run into her again. Maybe she had really thought nothing of that time the two of them had in the garden. Maybe Jasmine was expecting something completely different and instead she got saddled with her.

Agnes sighed at this thought. So much for her not letting the bad thoughts invade.

But just as she was musing she felt something soft and extremely tender brush across her knuckles. She blinked the thoughts away and casually looked down to see that Jasmine had placed her hand on top of Agnes’ and was gently trying to coax her back.

During her gaze back to Jasmine she looked into those warm eyes.

“Hey, come back to me, okay?” she giggled. “Don’t over think this. Let’s just have a good night.”

Agnes cracked a smile. The girl definitely understood her too well already. Meekly she nodded her head.

“Okay.”

The rest of the drive, Agnes was far more relaxed. She did not feel as terrified of Jasmine as she did when she first saw her at her front door and now that their conversation was beginning to pick up, it felt as if she were talking to a friend rather than a complete stranger. Though this was a blind date so maybe Agnes did not view her 100% as a friend? She was still not sure yet. Instead she only decided to let the evening take them where it would take them. She laughed, she smiled and she enjoyed the taxi ride until finally they came to a stop in a parking lot.

“Alright, you two,” Jasmine’s cousin, Ash, said and turned back to them.”Be safe and call me when you’re ready for pick-up, okay?”

“Yes, Ash,” Jasmine said with a smirk as she opened her car door. “We’ll be safe. Thanks again!”

“Thank you,” Agnes said with a warm smile as she climbed out of the far and stepped onto the sidewalk.

Gently she closed the door behind her and looked ahead at the place that they had stopped in front of. It was building that had a wall that jutted out into the sidewalk, painted red and with several glass panels in order for customers to sit by and watch the New York life walk by as they enjoyed a meal. The smell of pasta, sauces, and finely cooked meals wafted out from the front door whenever it opened and Agnes had to admit that she was indeed feeling hungry.

Looking up at the large sign in front of the door, Agnes spied that this place was called Romano’s Macaroni Grill. She’d never really heard of it because but judging just from the smells that she caught as they stood outside, she had to admit that it sounded like a damn good place.

“Wow…” Agnes said as she glanced to Jasmine. “This place smells…so…”

“I know, right?” Jasmine grinned as she walked over and, nobly, offered her arm for Agnes to slip hers into. “Shall we?”

Agnes blushed, fiercely. She had never really been treated like this so she could only barely try to hide her smile as she nodded. It sounded like a good plan to her. She slipped her arm through Jasmine’s and held her breath.

It was time to dive into this feet first…

The smells of cooking food assaulted Agnes’ nose the second that she and Jasmine as entered the establishment. But as disorienting as that experience was, Agnes could not help the small squeak of surprise that fell from her lips as she looked on. The interior of the restaurant really was very pretty. Strings of lights hung down from the wooden rafters while all around there were neatly placed out tables, each with a candle that flickered gently in the dim light. On the far left side of the room she could see a roaring fire from the fireplace that game off a warm and cozy atmosphere and Agnes could not help but fall in love with.

Best of all was that the place didn’t look too fancy or like some cheap spot either. It was just right and Agnes had to admit that she was impressed by the choice.

“Place is so pretty,” she said with a small awe-inspired look as she clutched her small purse closer to her.

Jasmine nodded as she stood for a second, also admired the scents and then gently nudged Agnes on.

Together they walked down to the bottom of a small ramp where there was a pedestal, behind which was a young, spritely looking woman wearing a black vest, white shirt, and black pants. She smiled wide at the pair of ladies.

“Evening, ladies, how may I help you?”

“Uh, reservation for Blossom,” Jasmine said with a beaming smile.

Agnes had to smirk as she listened to the pair of the women converse. Jasmine really did look pretty tonight and each time she smiled it made Agnes’ heart skip a tiny bit. But quickly she pulled her mind out of this admiration, especially because she heard “Follow me, please” issue out from the hostess’ mouth.

Returning to reality, Agnes strolled along with Jasmine as they were led towards the back of the room and to an empty booth that had been set aside just for them. Agnes smiled and offered her thanks to the hostess as she slid into the seat across from the one that Jasmine had slid into. Once they were situated, Agnes accepted her menu and continued to look about the restaurant. The atmosphere of it was simply gorgeous and she didn’t want to let a second inch of it escape her vision.

Jasmine smirked slightly from across the table.

“You never been here?” She asked with a slightly amused smile.

Agnes blinked and turned back to her. She blushed and shook her head.

“N-No,” she replied. “I…never really got to go out much.”

“Well, I’m glad I get to expose you to it.” There was a look of honesty on Jasmine’s face. She really meant that.

Agnes beamed back.

“Me too.” She watched Jasmine’s eyes for a second before she turned back down to the menu. “What’s good here?”

“No you didn’t!” Agnes said with a hearty laugh, covering her mouth with her napkin and trying not to chuckle too loud.

“I did!” Jasmine giggled in response as she stopped twirling her spaghetti with her fork. She was resting back against the booth, trying to keep her sides from cramping. Once she got a breath in, she shook her head as she looked over to Agnes. “I swear, the next time I saw him and he opened his mouth and shoved an organically grown chili pepper in his mouth!”

Agnes laughed as she shook her head, finally managing to calm herself down as she too took a more relaxed posture and leaned back against the booth. She could only sigh as she tried to wrap her arms around her stomach muscles to keep from over working them. With a deep breath, she reached over, plucked up her glass of Italian soda and took a sip. As the soothing, coolness ran down her throat she had to breath in relief.

She could have sworn for a second there she wasn’t going to breathe again.

Her lips curled into a smirk as she looked across the table at Jasmine. “Well, he did grab your butt so he deserved that much.”

Jasmine laughed. “Yeah, he was jerk. That’s why I hated Freshmen P.E. Make you wear those stupid sweatpants and guys are just stupid to begin with. Bad combination. At least it was only a week’s suspension.”

Agnes could only continue to run the scenario in the back of her mind. She remembered when she took P.E. that she had some of the same experiences. Only she never got back at them the way that Jasmine did. She didn’t have that much bravado. At most her parents would make her pray for their souls.

“What about you?” Jasmine asked mirthfully. “Any funny stories from school?”

Agnes paused. She gulped as she remembered the last time she was in high school…and everyone around her died…

Agnes tried to keep from hyperventilating. She was having such a good time but it seemed like the second that Jasmine mentioned about her school, her mind immediately flashed to high school. That day still gave her nightmares, one that she never wanted to remember. Too many of her fellow students died, too many of them had screamed in pain towards the end as they became overtaken by their sudden, newfound abilities. Agnes had been lucky, apparently she was already a mutant so she was not affected by whatever it was that happened to her classmates.

But still, that incident left a lasting scar on her mind, one that rivaled in pain the ones that her own parents had given her. She shuddered at the thought and tried to take another sip of her Italian soda. She was not going to let this night be ruined by her own issues. Instead she tried to shift the conversation away from her high school years.

The mansion, that was technically a school, right? She could talk about that.

She smiled back to Jasmine as she nodded her head. One instance came to mind that she thought was rather humorous.

“Yeah, I was joking around one day that there was this guy I was totally head-over-heels over, which I wasn’t,” she assured. “Unfortunately this kind wandered by that has this ability to see whatever people say, or something. Anyways, he began to spread the rumor that I wanted this guy and he confronted me with that…stupid grin of his…” God how she wanted to smack Gawain every time she so much as thought about that smile.

Jasmine laughed and took a bite from her spaghetti-wound fork. She dabbed the corner of her lips with a napkin and just smirked. “Woooow, whatcha do?”

Agnes shook her head as he picked up a breadstick and took a bite. “Anyways he confronts me in the kitchen and I get so mad that I just…I HAVE to hit him so I grab the nearest thing and beat him down with it,” She started the crack and smirk the more that she thought about that incident.

Jasmine just grinned. “Oh my god, what did you do? Kill him?”

“Not entirely,” Agnes said as she started to giggle. “I just hit him over and over again with a bag of marshmallows…”

Laughter filled the restaurant as both Jasmine and Agnes laughed about their incidents in the school, their follies in life so far, jokes and the general irritations about their days. Agnes tried to steer any conversation away about her parents since that was a topic was bound to bring her tears and so not up for discussion on a first date. Instead she just tried to keep the conversation lively and joyous. With Jasmine that was an easy feat. Her nature alone was too much to let Agnes be taken down.

So their laughter continued through dinner, giggling and smirking, sharing a brush of hands as they reached for napkins. Then of course their evening came to a small, but funny halt as they argued over the check.

“Agnes, I’m taking you out on this date, remember?”

“But I can help,”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

“So what, I can only contribute if you demand it?”

Their small “discussion” turned them both over into a fit of small laughter between the pair of them finally decided to just split the bill in half. After all, it was not an argument as serious as all that. First dates, well, they always require getting the kinks out. And despite their initial shyness, both Jasmine and Agnes had begun to relax.

Agnes just smirked as she took back her change that the waiter brought, and Jasmine took hers, and stuffed it into her wallet in her small purse at her side. She snorted again as she took a sip from her water and sighed, looking across the table to Jasmine. As she looked though, she had to blink slightly because Jasmine was always watching her, silently, with shy eyes.

“Something wrong?” Agnes asked innocently.

Jasmine blinked and then cleared her throat. She shook her head as a small blush appeared on her cheeks which she quickly managed to dissipate. Agnes needed to learn to do that.

“Nothing,” Jasmine finally said with a smile. “Um, ready to go?”

“Sure,” Agnes replied with a confused nod.

For a second she thought that maybe she might have done something wrong. Obviously it had to be her fault because she doubted that Jasmine was staring at her for absolutely no reason. The truth was that Agnes didn’t know what was up and as much as she wanted to know what was up, she also knew that she couldn’t waste time trying to figure it out. She had to stop over analyzing every little thing that Jasmine did while they were out together. It was hard, but she had to manage.

Slipping out of the booth, Agnes pulled on her sweater as Jasmine also stepped out and smiled at Agnes as she waited for her to finish. When both girls had finished, they shared another shy look as they began to make their way towards the exit of the restaurant.

Agnes didn’t know what it was that she expected. Being out with Jasmine she had an irrational fear that either of them would be targeted by close-minded jerks. After all, there were two teenage girls out on an official date. On top of that, Agnes just wasn’t sure how to act: should she be affectionate? Should she try to appear nonchalant? Gina told her to just be herself but Agnes was scared that just being herself would make Jasmine think that she didn’t like her. Truth was, Agnes did like her…but she didn’t know how Jasmine wanted to play this out in public.

So she continued on in silence. Hands clasped behind her back she strolled across the restaurant until they finally reached the exit, smiling gratefully to the hostess and waiter that had helped them out. Agnes wished that she knew the perfect thing to say right now. They had a perfect dinner and conversation was flowing fine but she just absolutely didn’t know what else to say now that they were heading out of the restaurant.

All Agnes could do was now pray, silently, that things would work out…

The doors opened and Agnes felt that burst of fresh air brush across the features of her face. She sighed gratefully as the night air rushed across her skin and sent her hair briefly waving in the breeze. Though the restaurant was beautiful and the food was amazing, she was thankful to be out in the open air again. It felt like it was getting stuffy in there, or maybe it was just the embarrassing of being out with this young lady who was proving to be far more than just understanding with her. She was sure that anyone else would have taken her silence and meekness as an insult by now and simply left her there.

But Jasmine was proving to be far more of a kindred spirit than she ever could have imagined. She hoped that her notions about her would last.

Once outside, she sighed as the chill of the night air began to settle in across her skin. She pulled her tiny sweater a little closer to her frame and sighed as she turned to look at Jasmine. Her date had stepped up to her to side, took in a breath of fresh air and adjusted her own jacket before she turned and looked at Agnes.

“How you doing?” she asked sincerely.

Agnes smiled as she nodded. “Good.”

“Still nerves?”

“Just a little. But, they’re getting better,” she replied.

“Good!” Jasmine said with her usually perky attitude. “Cause, the night’s still young.” She began to lead the way, paused and looked back at Agnes. She then chuckled as she waved her over. “Come on, I’m not gunna bite.”

Agnes smirked and then just started to giggle. So far it seemed as if Jasmine was still not tired of her, which was definitely a good thing. With a grin she nodded and walked up to Jasmine’s side. The two glanced at each other before Jasmine then suddenly offered Agnes her arm. The runaway looked at her curiously for a moment before she really realized what she was doing. A small smile played across her lips as she curled her arm into Jasmine’s and nodded.

“Lead the way…”

A fair in Central Park…why didn’t Agnes know about this beforehand? After dinner, Agnes and Jasmine decided to walk the rest of the way to their next destination. Agnes had tried to get from Jasmine where their next location was going to be, but the young, cryptic Asian girl just laughed off Agnes’s question or pretended they she didn’t hear it. It was a little frustrating, but not in an irritating way, just a way that made the young runaway want to fall into a fit of giggles. Jasmine was really trying to make this date special and Agnes could only feel her heart soaring at the prospect.

It has been a long time since someone took this much care to try and just impress her. Lord knows her parents never had done that. And as much as she had cared about Rhythm that relationship didn’t have the sweet and tenderness that this one did. It was almost as if she and Jasmine were on a completely different plane of comparison.

She shook the thoughts away. She didn’t want to think about her parents or Rhythm. She wanted to just focus on tonight.

It was when she made that statement that she looked up and was surprised by the riot of lights and colors and seemed to magically appear before her. The fair was an absolutely beauty to behold, especially at night. All the colors of the ferris wheel, or the stands, of the various other rides, all came to light in an excitement of color that Agnes simply couldn’t not fully comprehend at first. She had always heard of fairs like this in Central Park, but her parents would have never brought her. And when she was homeless she never tried to come either.

Instead they were spectacles for her to always hear about and never experience. Agnes still couldn’t believe it as she sighed and flashed Jasmine a beaming smile.

“It’s gorgeous,” she whispered as she looked around in awe.

Jasmine smiled as she watched Agnes look at this place as if it were an entirely different world. For a second the teenager began to wonder about that, but she didn’t say anything out loud. Instead she simply let Agnes stare in awe before, shyly, she stepped forward and gently nudged her.

Agnes blinked, shaken from her thoughts. “Huh?”

“Care to take a stroll,” Jasmine whispered with a smile.

The two girls took their time as they walked through the fair, still engaging one another in conversation until the point that it started to get smoother. The awkward pauses of silence were starting to grow fewer and farther in-between as the evening pushed on. Both Agnes and Jasmine seemed to find a nitch in talking to each other. They grew more comfortable, shared more laughs, and truly just enjoyed themselves on this date and Agnes only hours ago was so terrified of. It was to the point that Agnes could not believe that she had actually been acting like that.

She was glad she found the courage to come. She was glad that Gina talked her into it.

Sitting next to Jasmine on a bench, Agnes grinned as she broke off another piece of tantalizing funnel cake and popped it into her mouth. She actually mumbled in pleasure at the taste of the sweet treat and chuckled as Jasmine bit into her own.

“You can’t seriously mean that,” Jasmine said in-between bites.

“It’s true,” Agnes replied with a smirk.

“But…it’s…it’s funnel cake! How could you have not had funnel cake before?” Jasmine truly seemed astonished.

“My pare—“ she paused. He broke her own rule about not talking about her parents. She could have kicked herself for that mistake but instead she tried to redirect it. “My…parents…were a little strict about what I could eat,” her shoulders shrugged as she eyed Jasmine out of the corner. “Pretty much everything was homemade.”

“Wow, that…does sound pretty strict,” Jasmine said with a nod. “Heh, reminds me of last year when my mom was on a health food kick and she made us take wheatgrass shots every day.”

Agnes’ face twisted in disgust. “UGH! That green, ground up grass juice?!” She smirked at the thought before she nudged her partner. “Give you a nice, green smile?” she beamed.

“Shut up!” Jasmine laughed as she nudged her. She sighed as she took another bite of funnel cake and then eyed the one that Agnes had. “I should have gotten the jam one. It looks good.”

Agnes smirked as he licked strawberry jam off her thumb and offered Jasmine a piece. “Have some.”

The runaway grew silent as she sat back and watched as Jasmine reached over and tore off a piece of the her funnel cake. As she did, the runaway could not help but take a close look at her. Jasmine really did have a beauty about her that Agnes had a tough time ignoring. Her long, black hair framed her face gorgeously while she smirked. Whenever she smiled, Agnes noticed that there was a tiny crinkle at the corners of Jasmine’s eyes that made her just appear all the cuter. But the most alluring of all were her eyes. Agnes could not get away from looking at them. Dark but sweet, it was almost as if she had eyes of that were just made for entrapping another person’s gaze.

Agnes sighed as she shook off the lost sensation that wanted to take over her mind.

“Wow, that is good,” Jasmine smirked as she sighed.

“Yup,” Agnes said with a nod. “And the rest is all mine!”

“Hey!” Jasmine shouted with mock-offense. “Whatever, don’t need your silly funnel cake.”

Agnes only giggled as she offered her another piece to take.

Gratefully, Jasmine smirked as she tore off another piece and popped it into her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully as she watched Agnes for a second before talking again. “Um, can I ask you something?”

Agnes tilted her head curiously. “Sure.”

Jasmine took a breath and balled up her courage. “Um…a-are you having fun?”

Agnes blinked, but small sympathetic smile appeared on her face as she nodded. “I’m having a great time. Really! I-I’m sorry if…you know, I don’t appear that way,” Agnes said, suddenly growing self-conscious.

“Oh, no no no,” Jasmine quickly said as she reached out and placed her hand over Agnes’. “I-It’s not that at all. It’s just…I’m…well…I’m not really the best at this. I mean…I dated before but...first dates are never easy. I just…I wanted to make sure I’m doing things right.”

The smile on Agnes’ face slowly widened. She didn’t know why but it kind of felt good that to know that Jasmine was nearly as scared as she was when she first decided to go on this date. She couldn’t believe that someone as sure-seeming and strong as Jasmine was actually scared about tonight. Just knowing that she wasn’t alone n her feelings made a world of difference. Assuredly she nodded as she carefully, shyly, took Jasmine’s hand in her own. She gave her fingers a small squeeze and beamed.

“Jasmine, I…haven’t been on many dates,” she said honestly. “But I think you’re doing a hell of a good job.”

Jasmine smiled, and smiled wide, as if she had seen the happiest thing on Earth. Nodding, she squeezed Agnes’ hand back as she rest back against the bench. Both girl then enjoyed the rest of their funnel cakes…

Fun times continued for Agnes as she and Jasmine continued their date. Once they had vacated the bench where they had experienced the joys of funnel cake, the pair moved on, strolling from booth to booth, smiling and laughing as they shared more about each other. It seemed that they both had rather interesting stories to tell, stories that allowed them both get to know each other a little deeper now that they were getting more comfortable to talk.

But there was a question, one that nagged at Agnes the whole night. She didn’t want to ask for fear of ruining their evening but she really just could not ignore it any more.

Strolling past a booth where a man cheered that he could guess their weight, Agnes finally sighed as she gazed at Jasmine out of the corner of her eye. The teen smiled as she eyed the various sights and colors, oblivious to Agnes’ watching.

Once they were clear of another throng of people, the runaway cleared her throat.

The noise managed to snag her attention.

Jasmine turned, a curious smile on her face. “You okay?”

Agnes nodded but her face took on a slightly more serious expression. She sighed as she willed herself to continue. She knew that it was just better to outright ask her instead of beating around the bush.

“W-Why…did you run away?”

Jasmine paused as she tilted her head. Her dark eyes scanned Agnes closely before she finally just responded the to the question…

“Excuse me?” she asked, honestly perplexed.

Agnes stopped as they managed to find a pocket in the fair that was not overly crowded.

“When we met before,” she started, “at the mansion. When…when we found your soccer ball, after we left the garden you…you just ran away. Why?”

Jasmine visibly blushed at the thought. When they stopped, she had slipped her hands into her jkean pockets and casually began to shift from side to side. As she stood there, she raised her gaze to meet Agnes’.

“I…I was scared…”

“Of…what, honey?”

Jasmine sighed. “In the garden, um, when you were helping me down…”

The memory flooded back through Agnes’ mind. She still had not forgotten that incident nor did she think she ever could. The feeling of holding the smaller girl up, of gently bringing her down and out of the tree. The way their skin momentarily brushed and the look in their eyes as they caught one another’s looks. Agnes had said she felt a spark that night, but she never wanted to admit it to herself. Maybe now…it was finally time for her to really admit it…

Jasmine took a breath before she continued…