wanted to meet . I wanted to be surprised that someone would reply to me that quickly, as the lack of matches and other recent events had left me a little unsure of myself, but this, this put a little pep back into my step, so to speak.
There was a small chain restaurant nearby, a regional one, where I said we could meet . It was only a ten-minute walk from my apartment, and I wouldn’t have to take a bus or taxi, like I did on my date with Chase. This way I didn’t look dumb should I need to end the date early and then end up waiting with him at the bus stop or outside the restaurant for a taxi. It was perfect.
He messaged back two minutes later, saying he liked that place and it was a great choice. We agreed on meeting at seven, and before I knew it, I had another date just as easily as I’d gotten the first one. As a girl who never really went on many dates in the past, I was pretty damn proud of myself.
•••
I didn’t go all out that night like I had for my date with Chase. I was wearing something nice, a blouse with flowers on it, but just dark wash jeans and some flats instead of a body-hugging dress whose only purpose was to show off my curves, or lack thereof, depending on who you talked to. This wasn’t really the type of guy you got all dressed up for, and besides, we were going to some chain restaurant, not a five-star one like I had with he who should not be named.
I walked to the restaurant, seeing a bunch of other students out tonight, as my area was filled with mostly young families and college students who wanted somewhat cheap rent (and I use that term loosely in Los Angeles) in a place that was close enough to school and had a lot of things to do nearby. It was better than living in a dorm, anyway.
I pulled out my app to look at his picture again, my memory a little vague from earlier, his face not really sticking in my head. I still hadn’t gotten any other messages or matches, lucky me, so he was literally my only option. I was just hoping that at least he’d be fun to talk to, if nothing else. God knows I could use a fun night out.
I walked into the restaurant, peeping my head up, before I saw him waving from a booth in the middle of the room. I pointed at him to the hostess and walked over, weaving in and out of the servers and a few high chairs in the aisle.
“Hey!” he said as he slid out of the booth to greet me.
“Hey, it’s nice to meet you,” I said.
Before I could stick out my hand to shake, he grabbed me, hugging me, which took me off guard, though I must admit that it was a little nice. I wasn’t hugged all that often, as I usually shooed people away from getting close to me, so it was nice.
We sat down, a smile across his face, his cheeks turning a light shade of red, before he pushed up his glasses and slid over a menu.
“Do you come here often?” he asked.
“I’ve been here a few times, but I wouldn’t say often. Don’t make enough money to eat out a ton,” I said.
“Hey there, can I get you two something to drink?” a waitress asked, interrupting our conversation.
“I’ll have a diet soda,” I said.
“I’ll have a regular soda, if you have it,” he said.
If they ha d it? Of course they had regular soda. This was a restaurant in Los Angeles, not a stand on the side of the road in Kabul.
“Coming right up,” the waitress said, smiling, before walking away.
“Everything looks so good,” I said, as I scanned over the menu.
“I know, right ? I’ve been looking at the chicken entrees for fifteen minutes now,” he said.
“Oh, have you been waiting long?” I asked.
“No, no, you’re fine! I just like getting to places early. Besides, I thought I’d get us a table so we didn’t have to wait.”
I didn’t reply, instead looking over the menu, an overpowering woods y scent pushing my senses down to their knees. He was wearing cologne, a very pungent one that tingled the little hairs inside my nose and almost felt like it was singeing
There was a small chain restaurant nearby, a regional one, where I said we could meet . It was only a ten-minute walk from my apartment, and I wouldn’t have to take a bus or taxi, like I did on my date with Chase. This way I didn’t look dumb should I need to end the date early and then end up waiting with him at the bus stop or outside the restaurant for a taxi. It was perfect.
He messaged back two minutes later, saying he liked that place and it was a great choice. We agreed on meeting at seven, and before I knew it, I had another date just as easily as I’d gotten the first one. As a girl who never really went on many dates in the past, I was pretty damn proud of myself.
•••
I didn’t go all out that night like I had for my date with Chase. I was wearing something nice, a blouse with flowers on it, but just dark wash jeans and some flats instead of a body-hugging dress whose only purpose was to show off my curves, or lack thereof, depending on who you talked to. This wasn’t really the type of guy you got all dressed up for, and besides, we were going to some chain restaurant, not a five-star one like I had with he who should not be named.
I walked to the restaurant, seeing a bunch of other students out tonight, as my area was filled with mostly young families and college students who wanted somewhat cheap rent (and I use that term loosely in Los Angeles) in a place that was close enough to school and had a lot of things to do nearby. It was better than living in a dorm, anyway.
I pulled out my app to look at his picture again, my memory a little vague from earlier, his face not really sticking in my head. I still hadn’t gotten any other messages or matches, lucky me, so he was literally my only option. I was just hoping that at least he’d be fun to talk to, if nothing else. God knows I could use a fun night out.
I walked into the restaurant, peeping my head up, before I saw him waving from a booth in the middle of the room. I pointed at him to the hostess and walked over, weaving in and out of the servers and a few high chairs in the aisle.
“Hey!” he said as he slid out of the booth to greet me.
“Hey, it’s nice to meet you,” I said.
Before I could stick out my hand to shake, he grabbed me, hugging me, which took me off guard, though I must admit that it was a little nice. I wasn’t hugged all that often, as I usually shooed people away from getting close to me, so it was nice.
We sat down, a smile across his face, his cheeks turning a light shade of red, before he pushed up his glasses and slid over a menu.
“Do you come here often?” he asked.
“I’ve been here a few times, but I wouldn’t say often. Don’t make enough money to eat out a ton,” I said.
“Hey there, can I get you two something to drink?” a waitress asked, interrupting our conversation.
“I’ll have a diet soda,” I said.
“I’ll have a regular soda, if you have it,” he said.
If they ha d it? Of course they had regular soda. This was a restaurant in Los Angeles, not a stand on the side of the road in Kabul.
“Coming right up,” the waitress said, smiling, before walking away.
“Everything looks so good,” I said, as I scanned over the menu.
“I know, right ? I’ve been looking at the chicken entrees for fifteen minutes now,” he said.
“Oh, have you been waiting long?” I asked.
“No, no, you’re fine! I just like getting to places early. Besides, I thought I’d get us a table so we didn’t have to wait.”
I didn’t reply, instead looking over the menu, an overpowering woods y scent pushing my senses down to their knees. He was wearing cologne, a very pungent one that tingled the little hairs inside my nose and almost felt like it was singeing
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