Finding Ourselves Together (READ REVAMP VERSION - IN WAVES)

What's a nice, idyllic way to wake up in the morning? Sleepily fluttering your eyelids open, lazily stretching your bunched-up muscles, drinking a fresh cup of rich coffee...sounds good, doesn't it? Well, unfortunately we all can't be so lucky.

"Why are you in my bed?!"

The first thing I saw when I woke up was Rachel's moon-like eyes staring at me eagerly, we were almost nose-to-nose. She had somehow snuck into my room and bed without me hearing her, and then proceeded to watch me until I woke up.

"I couldn't wait to hear about your date!" She squeaked excitedly. Her smile looked like it was superglued to her face.

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and moved back to create some space. "God, it feels like my stomach just fell out of my butt." The dramatic drumming in my chest was gradually coming down from its spike of shock.

"Beautiful imagery." Rachel giggled and sat up on her elbow, resting her chin on her palm and looking down at me.

My vision was still coming into focus as I was waking up, and when it did, I noticed that she was wearing a cute, summery dress and her auburn hair was flowing perfectly over her shoulders. Unlike me who could have been mistaken for a zombie – the result of bad sleep and a wasted Rob waking me up in the middle of the night.

"What time is it?" I yawned out.

"7am, and we're gonna go and get breakfast!"

"It's 7?! There's no way I'm getting out of bed so early on a Sunday." I protested sternly.

"Pleeeeaaaaseeee." Rachel whined and batted her eyelashes sweetly.

I pulled the soft blanket over my head and turned onto my other side so that my back was to her. "Nope."

The toasty warmth under the covers was already making me sleepy again, and just as my eyes drifted closed, I felt Rachel's hand slowly lower the blanket slightly and let the cool air in. Strands of my hair tickled against my face and I knew she must have been close enough to be breathing on me.

"Plleeaasseeee."

"Ugh, fine." I pushed the covers off and sat up. "But you have to buy me coffee."

* * *

After showering and throwing on a pair of denim shorts and tank top, Rachel and I made our way to a little café about five minutes away from my house. I hadn't told her anything about the date yet, my brain and body were still drained after last night.

The café was already packed with chattery morning people, as was to be expected for Sunday breakfast. As a result, the waitstaff seemed to be immensely overwhelmed, which I could fully relate to by being a waitress myself. But it just made sitting there with all those delicious smells floating around the place feel like torture. When it was finally time to order, I chose an omelet with a cappuccino while Rachel chose the fruit parfait with a latte.

"Hmm, your order sounds good." Rachel said just as our waiter had left the table. "Maybe I should change mine."

"You always do that, Rach." I laughed.

"What?"

"Change your order last second."

"I do not." Rachel said warily, seeming to slowly realize that she actually did.

"You do, and then you just end up regretting it anyway." I leaned back in my seat while she tapped her fingers on the table.

"You know me too well." She chuckled. "And I know you well enough to say this without coming off as being mean..."