While Nicol and Max were in the car, songs were playing on the radio, and everything was starting to feel unexpectedly good. Nicol felt truly happy for the first time in a long while. As they drove, there was a moment of silence, and then Max spoke:
"Nicol, we're here."
"Really?" she asked.
"Yes," Max replied with a smile.
Nicol tried to open the car door but couldn't. Max quickly got out and opened the door for her.
"Thank you," she said with a smile.
"Look," Max pointed, "we've even got a little garden here."
Nicol looked at the gray and white cottage with a beautiful garden.
"Come with me," Max said.
"Okay," she nodded.
"This is the cabin," he said as they passed a hedge fence and a small entryway with a tiny gazebo.
"It's really pretty," Nicol said, impressed.
Max unlocked the gate and then opened the cabin door.
"Would you mind if I use the bathroom real quick?" Nicol asked.
"Of course not," he replied.
She walked inside. The cabin was freezing cold. Max handed her a pair of slippers.
"Here, I'm not sure if these will fit."
Nicol picked the smaller ones. "I think these are fine. A little big, but they'll do," she laughed.
Max grabbed his backpack. "Have you ever tried vodka with an energy drink?"
"No, I haven't," she replied.
"You've got to try it. It's actually really good," he smiled and pulled out a bottle of vodka and a green energy drink.
"You planned all of this?" Nicol laughed.
"Maybe I did," Max grinned. "I even brought you pajamas, just in case you stayed over."
"If I could stay, I definitely would… But my grandma would freak out," Nicol replied.
"Totally understand," Max said.
Nicol sat down on the bed. Max handed her a laptop.
"You can pick the music. Open Spotify and play whatever you like."
"Alright," she said. "So… what do you usually listen to?"
"Check out the playlist—I've got all my favorite songs in there."
"Oh, so country music?" she teased with a smile.
"Exactly. Country," Max laughed.
While they chatted, Max made her a drink with vodka, green energy drink, lime, and even an original "Nicoláska" shot.
Nicol started the music and looked at Max. "Just don't go too heavy with the alcohol. You know I don't drink."
"Don't worry," Max said, "I only gave you half a shot."
"Okay," she smiled. "I'd hate to end up drunk right away."
"Oh come on, from half a shot?" Max grinned. "By the way, you reminded me of something."
He pulled out a bottle of prosecco from his jacket.
"Oh no, you really want to get me drunk, don't you?" Nicol laughed.
"No, don't worry. You can have that later if you want."
He handed her the vodka-energy drink. "Here, give it a try."
Nicol took a sip. "Actually, it's really good."
"Glad you like it," Max said, sitting on the bed across from her. "It's really cold in here, huh?"
"Yeah, it is," Nicol agreed.
"I've got a solution," Max said, turning on the heater on the nightstand. "That should help."
Nicol sat across from him cross-legged. They just looked at each other for a moment. Max took her hand, gently stroking it.
"Are you cold?" he asked.
"No, I'm okay," she smiled.
She thought to herself: He's really sweet and caring. She was starting to like him more and more.
Max leaned against the wall, and they started talking about all kinds of things.
"So, tell me something," Max said.
"I don't know what to say… What do you want to know?" she asked.
"Everything," he smiled.
While music played in the background, Max asked, "Why don't you sit next to me? It'll be warmer."
"Sure," Nicol said immediately and moved next to him.
They looked into each other's eyes. Max pulled a blanket over both of them.
Then Max started telling her about his tattoos.
"I want one too," Nicol said. "But I'm not sure what."
"Really? Like what?" Max asked.
"I was thinking of a Christian cross on my hand."
"Are you religious?" he asked.
"No, I just like how it looks," she smiled.
"I wouldn't do that," Max said gently. "You might regret it."
Nicol remembered something. "Did you know I almost got a tattoo when I was 15? On my shoulder."
"What kind?" he asked.
"You don't even wanna know," she laughed. "I'm glad my mom and grandma stopped me—I wanted to get a girl with the words 'crybaby' under it."
"What?!" Max burst out laughing.
It was around 5 p.m., and Nicol's friend Verča had promised to call her at exactly 5 to check if she was okay. And she did.
"Oh no, Verča's calling," Nicol said.
"Answer it," Max told her.
Nicol picked up.
"Niky, are you okay? Is he a creep?" Verča shouted.
Nicol laughed. "Oh my god, no! Want me to let you talk to him? You'll see he's not a creep."
"Where are you?" Verča asked.
"At a cabin," Nicol replied.
"Are you crazy?! You went to a cabin with a stranger?!"
"Relax, he's really nice, not a creep at all," Nicol giggled and ended the call.
She and Max laughed and started joking about him being a 'creep.'
Later, they sat together looking at her phone, laughing at videos. They caught each other's gaze again. Nicol thought, Now's my chance to kiss him… but I'm scared.
She smiled at him, and he smiled back.
Still under the blanket, leaning against the wall, Max looked at her lips. Nicol did the same.
He leaned in and kissed her.
Nicol smiled and kissed him back.
She felt incredibly happy.
She rested her head on his shoulder, and Max wrapped her more tightly in the blanket, cuddling her and stroking her hair.
"Can I use your vape, Maxík?" she asked.
"You can… after another kiss," he teased.
"Oh come on," she laughed.
He still didn't hand it to her.
"Fine," she said playfully and kissed him again.
With Max, she felt something she hadn't felt in a long time—kindness, warmth, real care. No one had ever treated her like that.
As they cuddled and looked for more music, they ended up sitting across from each other again.
Max suddenly asked, "Why are you wearing a bra under that T-shirt?"
"Should I take it off?" she looked straight into his eyes.
"Yes," he said.
Nicol sat on top of him, kissing him, and started taking off her shirt. While they kissed, Max unclasped her bra, looked at her, and kissed her again.
He took off his shirt too.
He kissed her shoulders, then lower, while she ran her hands through his hair.
They lay down next to each other, both shirtless, cuddling and kissing. Max began unbuttoning her jeans and slowly slid them off. He moved over her and kissed every part of her body. He removed her underwear, kissed her neck, and whispered in her ear:
"Do you want this?"
Nicol just nodded.
Max stood up, unbuttoned his pants, took them off, and reached for protection. He came back to her, kissed her again for a long time, and said:
"Don't look," he chuckled.
"Okay," she laughed nervously.
And then it happened.
Nicol was incredibly nervous—she couldn't believe she had shown her entire body to someone on the first date. She hated her body. But with Max, she felt like he liked her just the way she was.
Afterwards, she felt really shy. She covered herself with the blanket and started getting dressed quickly.
Max found it strange.
"What time is it?" she asked.
"7:23 p.m.," he answered.
"Oh god, my bus is leaving soon," she said.
"I'll walk you to the station," Max offered.
"Okay," she smiled.
"You got dressed like you're running away and never want to see me again," he joked.
"No! It was amazing," she said quickly, feeling bad that it might've looked that way. But she had only done it because she was ashamed of her body.
They both got dressed and cuddled again. Max asked, "Was it good?"
"Yes," Nicol smiled. "And for you?"
"It was amazing," Max replied.
He handed her the drink. "Your vodka with energy is still here."
"Oh right," she said.
"Want another sip?"
"Sure," she said and took a small drink.
Then Nicol checked the bus schedule. They got up, and Max handed her her coat and purse.
She was suddenly afraid—what if she never saw him again? What if this had only been about that one thing?
They left the cabin, Max locked the door and the gate, and they walked together to the bus stop, talking about life, their exes, and Nicol's fears.
He even showed her the apartment building where he grew up.
They walked quietly for a while, then arrived at the bus stop.
Nicol looked into his eyes. "Your pupils are huge," she laughed.
"Did you know pupils dilate when you're in love?" Max said.
"Really?" Nicol asked.
"Yeah."
"Do I have big pupils too?" she asked.
"Nope, yours are normal."
"Oh…" she replied.
Next to the stop was a big building with a swimming pool.
Max pointed at it. "I always wanted to go to that private heated pool… but never had anyone to go with. Maybe now I do. That is, if you still talk to me after today."
"What do you take me for?" Nicol asked.
The bus to Nicol's town arrived. She didn't want to let go of Max's embrace. She waited for a kiss—thinking if he doesn't kiss me now, I'll know he doesn't want me anymore.
But just before she got on, Max looked her in the eyes and kissed her. Then he smiled and said:
"Take care, and text me when you get home so I know you're okay."
"I will," she smiled.
She got on the bus, grinning, and texted her best friends right away.
Her best friend Majda asked, "So? Was it good?"
"Yeah," Nicol replied. "He's really sweet. I'm honestly happy for the first time in a while. And he's cute. He took me to the river where swans were swimming."
"Okay," Majda texted back. "I might be changing my mind. Maybe he is a good guy. As long as you're happy."
About 30 minutes later, Nicol arrived back in her town. She rang the doorbell to her apartment building.
Her grandma asked, "So how was it with your friends?"
"It was good, Grandma," Nicol smiled.
Her grandma didn't know Nicol had gone on a date—she had told her she was meeting up with girlfriends. If she had told her the truth, her grandma would've immediately asked who is he? and started grilling her. Nicol wasn't ready for that—not yet.
She went into her room, closed the door, changed into pajamas, picked up her phone and texted Max:
"I'm home."