'That's a date then.' It just burst out of her. Or maybe she should have thought more about her words when she told Louis could stop looking for a woman. Of course he thought it was a joke and somehow that made her a little angry. She would never joke about that kind of thing that easily. After all, they were best friends and you should let some things go through your head.

The molehog probably didn't take her that seriously because they had dates as friends beforehand. At least that's what some animals called it when they went out with someone without any ulterior motives. Her cheeks got strangely warm with things like that. It was definitely too early for embarrassment of any kind, because the first real date was only on the plan.

It's been two weeks since Valentine's Day, but unfortunately the two of them couldn't see each other again. Something always came up. Either work, family or even the weather. Of course, she could also spend time with Louis normally, as they always have in recent years. But then he would never realize that she meant it for real.

It really wasn't supposed to be a joke and that's why she really went to great lengths for the upcoming date. Peaches even went shopping again because she didn't like any outfit from her closet. Her friend already knew most of them from her. Also, a little something nagged her when she went shopping. Because Louis liked women in things that came across as very feminine.

Every girl she saw with the prickly one dressed like, well, cute. And Peaches didn't get along with dresses and skirts. Probably because she did a lot of sport when she was at school, where that wasn't needed. Just thinking about how many times she had slipped through the mud while playing soccer made her sigh. Also all the injuries from other sports or simply because she had to climb up somewhere to help others. For most of the moments, Louis was next to her. How should he ever recognize her feminine and charming side?

She tried to smile when she finally got the flowery dress on and looked at herself in her mirror. None of the men she went out with knew much about her school days. She was still doing sports now, but somehow she was only doing it to keep fit. And maybe a little to impress the opposite sex. But there were also male mammoths who didn't like women like her. Independent and strong. Her parents were of course proud that she got along well on her own. Still, she longed for someone here and there so that sometimes she didn't have to be alone. As a teenager, she thought that her prince had to be a strong and cool mammoth like Ethan. Fortunately, the stupid idea quickly vanished into thin air. Since then she has also vowed never to abandon her friends again for a cute guy. Even if the two of them stopped talking about it, she knew that she hurt Louis very much at the time.

Suddenly she felt foolish for insisting on a real date. What if the little one just liked her as a friend and just said yes so he didn't have to hurt her feelings? After all, that would suit his character. She should probably find out herself that she was babbling stupid things in this cafe that day. Maybe the heat got to her head. Then why was she still so sure of what she was doing? She could put on her shorts, throw on one of her favorite shirts, and then pretend it was really just a joke. They both could still have a nice day. As always when they did something together.

She used to hear that this friendship wouldn't last long because they were so different. Even her father mentioned it a few times. The molehog proved often enough that he really was a good friend. He even puts his own life at risk for her. Somehow she had pushed the incident with this gang of pirates aside. Hopefully they're all still stewing behind bars. Still, she got nightmares about it here and there, but except for the prickly one, she really didn't talk about it to anyone. She doesn't want to worry her family and Louis was just a good listener and his advice wasn't always the worst either. Would things change between them if the two of them really became a couple? Your best friend becomes your boyfriend too. It didn't sound too bad. Just unfamiliar.

But Peaches knew that if she didn't take the initiative now, the thoughts would eventually find their way back into her head. This question. What happened if? What if there was more between them than friendship? Could she even have a real love life with Louis?

Her heart was beating a little faster with nervousness, and that meant she was more than curious. Curious. The wrong word for this thing. Peaches couldn't destroy her long-standing friendship with the molehog simply because she felt curiosity. No, she felt something else. It just wasn't that easy to describe.

When she looked at the clock, she knew that she had no more time to think about it. So she stayed in this outfit and pulled a cardigan over it. The hair down because it went better with the whole thing. Maybe some more jewelry for the ears and neck. She didn't recognize the woman she saw in the mirror. But if Louis can see how seriously she meant it, then it was definitely worth the effort. In the worst case, he would laugh at her. But she hoped not to make a fool of herself with this outfit.