love without tragedy

Smoothies with Strangers. || New Tandice

Melissa smiled, catching on to his suggestion for them to miss school rather quickly, before giggling and nodded her head with him. “I think I am feeling kinda sick too. I told you that there was no point of buying sushi from the grocery store when there’s an authentic sushi bar on campus!” She said as she rolled to her other side so she could look at the adorable boy in all his glory. She loved being this close and intimate with him especially after being behind a screen for years and forced to use their imaginations. But now they both have the real thing and it was so much better than they could imagine. Melissa leaned forward and kissed Nathan softly before letting another smile adorn her face. “So, aside from just laying here and enjoying this, what else should we do? I mean, we can order food in a little bit and OH! We can actually watch a movie together now instead of simultaneously watching it over the internet and talking about it!

"I'm sorry I'm so dumb. Shoulda gotten better sushi." he laughed with her. "Food sounds good. I'd like to put on boxers and nothing else, if that works for you." he said cheesily. He then ran a hand through his hair, a sweet smile pulling at his face as he remembered watching movies and tv shows over the computer with Melissa, and to think she was right across campus this whole time. "I'd love to watch a movie with you. To get to hold you and talk about everything in person." his smile stayed as he held her close, thinking about the mere possibility of watching a movie with her in his arms. He couldn't wait to hear her laugh filling the room like an orchestra's symphony every time something funny or dumb happened in the movie. He just couldn't wait. 

Smoothies with Strangers. || New Tandice

Melissa felt herself swooning once more as their lips danced together once more, her body literally feeling as if it were on fire with each gentle soothing touch from him. She swore that she had the purest of intentions with tonight; the only thing she wanted from Nathan was time to actually be together rather than behind a computer screen, but that actual time had been something that she dreamed of since she met him and one thing had lead to another and now they were together in all ways, just like the both of them had craved for some time. As she slowly broke their kiss, she slowly crept her leg up his and pulled herself closer to him, burying her head in his chest. “I wish we could just stay like this all day. And not go to classes….”

"Well...." Nathan began, chuckling a bit. "I'm feeling rather ill today. My stomach hurts quite bad. Probably what we had for dinner last night! Does yours hurt?" he said, smirking at her even though she couldn't see him, but you could basically hear the smirk in his voice. He loved the warmth of her body against his. And honestly, he wouldn't mind skipping out on a day of class to lay with her. To lay with the girl of his dreams. He hoped she'd be down for a sick day because he wasn't sure he'd be able to let her leave the bed if she wanted to. Nathan had waited what seemed like decades to hold her in his arms and now that he had her he wasn't sure he'd actually ever be able to let go.

Smoothies with Strangers. || New Tandice

Melissa was wrapped in a seemingly perfect dream, she was wrapped up in the arms of the guy of her dreams after what Mel would call the best night of her life, making love with the most amazing man she had ever met. She woke up slowly, hearing the sweet nothings he was whispering to her and she couldn’t help the smile from coming back to her face. “Good morning, love.” She said softly, a smile on her face as her eyes met his, reveling in how truly amazing finally being together in every and all ways. “I like this, waking up with you.. I could really get used to it.” She said and moved to press her lips to his gently yet passionately.

"I could get used to this too, don't you worry about that." as she kissed him, he let his larger lips envelope around her slightly smaller ones, warmth spreading this his body as he felt fireworks go off from the touch of her lips. Sure, he'd sworn they wouldn't do anything-- he usually never did. But it wasn't like they just met, Nathan had been waiting nearly two or so years to be with her in any way possible, especially in intimate ways. Talking with her was amazing, but they're lips fit together like puzzle pieces and he'd never felt more amazing in his life then he had the night before.

Smoothies with Strangers. || New Tandice

Melissa smiled as she listened to him fumble and slightly rambled over his words. It was understandably a little nerve wrecking, the situation they were in and trying to make things as normal as possible but she was sure that they’d be able to make it work. Especially since they were so comfortable with one another online. They just needed some time to adjust. And probably a little push… “Okay then come on.” She said with a small laugh before extending her hand for him. “My room’s across the quad though.. So we have a little bit of a walk.”

Smoothies with Strangers. || New Tandice

"Lame." Melissa teased and playfully nudged his side as he picked up his smoothie and took her hand again, fingers intertwined, as they walked around campus. It seemed like it was only a few minutes but it somehow turned into hours and now they were in the company of the nights sky. This was exactly what happened during their internet conversations, losing track of time in one another and it felt magical to Melissa seeing that translate into their real lives. She smiled at him as they sat by the fountain, hearing the emotion in his voice express the total and complete happiness he was feeling, and she was as well. "It was really fun." She said but she couldn’t help but feel this twang of sadness inside. It felt like their night was ending and that was the last thing that Melissa wanted. "Do you want to….maybe come up to my dorm?" She asked, hoping that he would agree and they wouldn’t have to say goodbye yet. "We can watch movies. Or you can finally try in person to get me to like Churchill…" She had a hope full look on her face, hoping he would agree to her plan.

"I'd really like that yeah. My roommate has-- a girl over. So i'm not really allowed to go to my room. And I mean... yeah, I'd also really like to hang with you it's not just that-- i..." he cleared his throat, looking at his hands. He was usually never shy and never stumbled over his words, but he was so afraid of messing things up with this girl of his dreams that he could barely speak without saying something that he felt was wrong. But Melissa had always had a way of making things feel right from through a computer screen, and he was sure she could do it now.

Smoothies with Strangers. || New Tandice

"Not really. I’ve been getting it for about a year and a half now." She said with a small smile before turning her attention to the clerk, listening to Nathan putting in their orders, her smile widening just at the sound of his voice. Once he was finished and his attention was back on her, Melissa blushed slightly, returning his bumping of her shoulder with one of her own. She wasn’t used to all these eyes being on her so it was kinda weird. Melissa found herself somewhere in the middle of ECA’s social standings but preferred to fly under the radar most of the time but relationships were bigger than popularity so she should have realized that the second her and Nathan met in public and became a couple that everyone would talk about it because it was so out of the blue. After a few more minutes of waiting, their smoothies came and Melissa cheerfully took hers and sipped from her straw. "Heavenly." She said with a small satisfied moan. "Do you want to taste my ‘Adventurous’ smoothie?" She offered, waving her smoothie playfully in Nathan’s face.

Nathan grabbed his a chuckled at the girl standing with him. "I think I'll pass." As he drank from his he walked with her, hand in hand, and his other hand holding his smoothie. They talked and talked for what seemed like minutes, but it had been hours. They'd ended up at the fountain, the night sky lighting it up beautifully as Nathan sipped on his second smoothie, leaning back on his hands and looking over at Melissa happily, "Today was fun." he said, happiness prominent in his voice and smile. He already knew he'd like her, after all he had fallen in love with her over the internet, but it was better than he could've ever imagined. She made him happier than he though possible-- he only hoped she felt the same about how their day was going.

Smoothies with Strangers. || New Tandice

Melissa let out a small sigh as she thought over the choices. “Blueberry Pomegranate.” She said, her smile wide and bright as his. “We probably look really weird to everyone else with how smiley we are.” Melissa said before giving up a small shrug. She honestly didn’t care how they looked to everyone around them; they had waited years for this to happen; for them to meet and be together in person and she wasn’t going to let the people they go to school with wreck thing.

"Adventurous." he said slightly jokingly, his smile growing if possible. He then turned to the clerk to make sure she'd gotten their orders, and when her knew she had he turned back to Melissa. He also gave a small shrug and continued to speak, "Yeah well, they wish they could be this happy." he said, bumping his shoulder to hers softly as they waited for their smoothies, strange looks being shot at them from all directions. Nathan was in no way popular, but he wasn't unpopular, and the two had never been seen together-- and dating was a big topic at ECA. So everyone must've found it strange that the couple was so.... new. And so, so happy.

Smoothies with Strangers. || New Tandice

Melissa smiled hearing him laugh, finally happy to hear the ‘lol’s and ‘lmao’s that they typed in person. She sighed happily as their fingers intertwined, her thumb lightly rubbing over his knuckles, loving the warmth of their hands together. “Do you know what kind of smoothie you want? I don’t think we talked about smoothie flavors during your frequent attempts to get me to like Churchill.” She teased.

Nathan's smile only seemed to grow as she spoke, her soft hand holding his as she graced over his skin with her thumb. "I'm going to get a strawberry smoothie, and you?" he asked, his smile still bright and prominent. It was weird, almost, to think he'd been less than a mile away from the girl he was in love with this whole time. But he was glad that he was, so it was a-- a good weird.

Smoothies with Strangers. || New Tandice

Melissa sighed happily as Nathan kissed her back, her arms lacing around his neck as he pulled her closer to him. She felt his tongue brush against her lips and she let hers merge with his. Out of all the times she had imagined them meeting and their first encounter, this was by far way better than anything Melissa could of fathomed. Being here, wrapped in his arms just felt right. As she was losing herself in the kiss, she heard someone clearing their throat and felt someone lightly tapping the both of them to get their attention. “You two can’t just make out at my cart." She heard said as she reluctantly pulled away from the kiss. Choosing to ignore the person who was talking to them, she opened her eyes and looked into Nathan’s, her hands slowly moving over his shoulders. "Maybe we should order a smoothie or something, huh?" Melissa asked softly with a small smile on her face.

Nathan let out a small laugh, "Maybe." he responded. He pulled back from her, grabbing her hand into his and interlocking their fingers. He then softly pulled her towards the smoothie stand to purchase what they'd originally come for. Being with her, Being around her-- it felt amazing, it felt right. And it was better than he ever could've ever imagined.

Smoothies with Strangers. || New Tandice

Mel was just kinda frozen when he began what he was doing. It wasn’t until she felt his lips on hers was when she began reacting. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she proceeded to kiss him back with just as much fervor as he was kissing her. When he slowly pulled away, Melissa couldn’t help but be disappointed that it was over. “Don’t apologize.” She replied the instant he said he was sorry, rubbing her nose lightly and playfully against his. “I’ve wanted to do that for as long as I can remember.” She said, her eyes still shut as well but she moved forward so her lips were lightly kissing his face.

Nathan thought for a moment as she spoke, and as he felt his lips lightly against his, he pushed his back to hers. He kissed her again, more confidently and sure of himself this time. With one hand on her cheek and the other holding her close by pulling her in from around her waist, Nathan deepened the kiss, letting his tongue lightly swipe over her soft lips. He'd thought about kissing this faceless girl for as long as he'd known her, and to know he'd been so close to her this whole time killed him and made him want to just be around her that much more.

Smoothies with Strangers. || New Tandice

Mel grabbed one of her sweaters and headed out of her dorm, running her hands through her hair as the last conversation she had with nathofspades played over again in her head. How could she have not figured out that they had went to the same school, let alone be the one person she thought she couldn’t stand. But that wasn’t too important now. Now, she had a actual face and name to the boy that had been in her dreams this entire time; Mel had fallen hard for the boy and that’s what had her nervous. Would it be the same now that they were face to face? Or would this ruin things and leave them both devastated? It was a chance Mel was willing to take because despite wanting to turn around, she didn’t; instead she got to the smoothie stand and waited. She waited until she felt a tap on her shoulder and instantly turned around to see the boy of her dreams literally standing in front of her, echosmith shirt and all. Mel was at a lost for words with what to say so she went with the easiest thing that came to mind. “Hi.”

"Hi." he said, his smile growing as he looked down at the girl. Every conversation they ever had whirled through his mind, and in the heat of everything that was going on-- he leaned down, putting his hand on her cheek softly, pressing his lips to hers. After he shut his eyes and proceeded to kiss her, he then realized what he'd done and pulled back slowly. "I'm so sorry." he whispered, his forehead still on hers, their noses touching, his eyes still shut.