The Date. (part 1)

Hands clenched and unclenched, I rubbed my hands on my jeans, pacing around the store back and fro. I glanced at my watch, half an hour after two, tensions started building in, I gritted my teeth impatiently.

“Will you quite that and sit down already.” Aunt May suddenly chimed in.

“Teenagers, let ‘em be.” Aunt Isle commented, smirking.

“He’s late, he should be here hours ago, I hope he’s okay. Is traffic bad now?” I glanced another round of my watch, then stood at the store front, hoping to see his car turn in the corner, a fast glance upward. “Aunt May, it’s getting dark, do you think it’s goin’ to rain any time soon?”

“He’ll be here, just be patient okay.” Aunt May comforted. "By the way, of all the days I'd seen you, why on earth it is today you decided to wear and old T two size bigger, baggy jeans and a pair of old sneakers. What happened to your nice shirts, skinny jeans, skirts, flip flops and all that's nice and suitable to go on a date. Are you trying to leave him a bad impression on your first date?"

I checked myself at my reflection on the ten foot long aquarium, "Naa this is cool, I think, I'm comfortable wearing everything bigger, sneakers are cool too. Besides, I figured he might'd seen me worse than this when we're at your place Aunt May"

Just then my phone started singing the song ‘Team’ by a quirky teenage singer Lorde, making me jump on my feet, my heart pounded harder. I pulled my phone from my clutch registering the caller.

“It’s him!” I squeaked as I quickly hit the call button. I noticed Aunt May and Aunt Isle exchanging glances and smiled, “So refreshing to be young…” I heard Aunt Isle commented and her voice trailing off as my focus shifted back to the caller.

“Hey, hello? Where are you? Erm, are you here yet? Everything okay? Is it pouring there? You’re going to make it right?” I shot questions endlessly in a breath, my nervousness is taking over.

“Hey, I’m just around the corner, just parked. Yeap no sweat everything’s cool, drizzle, but I’ll be there” He managed to answer all my questions. “Are you waiting at the store?”

“Yeah. Hey, why don’t you drop for a lil’ while? Aunt May wanted to meet you, it’s been a long time since you met her right?”.

“Should I? You sure she’s okay? With us I mean, she knows we’re together, right?”

“I gave her the heads up weeks ago, and she’s cool, totally supportive.” I eyed Aunt May saying this and she responded with a smile, a proud-like smile.

“I don’t know.” He sounded tensed, I can imagine him scratching his head, embarrassed to make an entrance to come to my store, just to take me out on a quick date.

“Just come okay, I’ll wait here.” I said, no replies so I hung up. I turned to see smiling faces, teasing.

“He’s coming.” Aunt May repeated and I gave her my most likely a girl-going-on-a-date smile. She put a hand over her face, covering her eyes, "Oh stop, your happy glow, it's blinding." I laughed, it's nice to see her sincerely happy for me, for us.

“Oh goodie I can’t wait to see him in person, see if he’s good as May said.” Aunt Isle added. 

I mentally rolled my eyes, hope I didn’t did it like for real, ‘cause that will be so rude. In case you haven't noticed I’m not really fond of Aunt Isle, a little miss-know-it-all with a little miss-take-only-and-no-giving and a teeny weenie of miss-can’t-tell-when-to-stop-eating-people's-food kinda rubs you off in all the wrong places. But hey, I’m not alone, even Aunt May and my mom is in the club. Forgive me for I am not Saint like, I dislike people and I’m really bad at not showing them. So if I ever like never reply to you, say a question maybe, that pretty much tells you I dislike you and I’m keeping all the sarcasm and negative remarks to myself, you don’t want to go there. So instead of replying Aunt Isle with a sarcastic remark, I kept quiet, she’s still someone I should respect (no freaking duh).

Just then a tall figure with pale blonde hair walk right into the store in a hurried pace, the rain is pouring harder now. It took me seconds to realize who he was.

“Richard! It’s you, wha – when did you dyed your hair? Oh my God you’re wet, how far did you parked? Don’t you have an umbrella with you? You should’ve told me, I won’t make you come to the store, here wait I got a face towel here somewhere” Okay, guess you can catch on by now that I. Do. Not. Pause in my sentence when I’m nervous. (I secretly hate that, I can never be comfortable with him)

He gave a soft chuckle seeing me as I handed him the towel to dry himself, and gave a timid small smile at Aunt May when he noticed her. Right back at you pal. I was embarrassed now that he’s here in person, with me.

“You look great Richard, better than the last I’d seen you.” Aunt May gave a warm smile. Luckily Aunt Isle is quiet, eyeing my Richard, did I just say ‘my Richard’?, well I did, cause yeah he’s my boyfriend so yeah that makes him mine right? No? Naa just flow with it anyway.

“Well, Richard this is my aunt, mum’s cousin, Aunt Isle. Aunt Isle, Richard, in the flash.” I tried to hide the irritation in my tone,

Okay enough with empty talks, it’s already three so precious time are ticking, my so-called quick date would end by five, like you know I handle the store, store closes by five, plus giving my Aunt May the trouble for holding the store for me till then. So yeah, not a minute to lose people. What about Aunt Isle presence there you ask? Well it's because she works there, but not a really dependable employee if you ask me, so i can't leave her long.

I ushered Richard to the store front, trying to give the signal that I would want to spend some couple quality time with my Richard now, pretty please with sugar on top. Four months together, last met two years ago, and whoa it’s only today we've got the chance to meet. Bear with my eagerness people.

Aunt May seems to understand and gave a smile before dismissing us, or was it me dismissing us? Either way I’m glad, we made our way to his car, a dark Volvo.

“Yours?” I asked as I sat at the passenger seat, wiping myself dry from the rain.

“Naa I don’t have a car here, it’s my sis’s” He explained as I hand him the towel.

“Cool” was the only response I can come up with.

Crap now I feel so-o-o-o awkward, it’s just like the two of us, no teasing aunts no playful cousins around, we’ve known each other like since I was a kid, he was occasionally here for visits, that until he has a job overseas. Okay-y, my mind is practically spinning top fast trying to figure what to say. I hope he’s not as nervous as I am, I mean he’s twenty six, he shouldn’t be, right?

“Hungry?” I blurted, obviously not knowing what else to ask. “Yeah, have you eaten yet? Let’s grab some burgers, I know a place, and we can talk then.” I averted my gaze from him and stare dead in front.

“Sure, make sure it’s private though, not too many people” he said as he pulled in the gears and drove out from the parking lot. I noticed a smile on his face, was he happy to finally meet me? Or did he find it funny that I am obviously awkward to be alone with him, a tease smile maybe? I hate to admit but thinking about it makes me more paranoid. Secretly I prayed, Oh God Oh God puhhleaasee let me NOT make a fool of myself on my first date with him.

I gave him directions, and other than that. We didn’t talked. We. Did. Not. Talked! Like at all, silence, I could only hear the windshield wipers, moving back and fro, back and fro, the sound of heavy water droplets hitting our car. Man I seriously did not know what to say then, he looked so-o different from the last I met him. The hair obviously, but he looked cool with that pale blonde hair. Taller? Maybe, but I haven’t had the chance to eye him up to down yet, I emphasis the word ‘yet’ ‘cause I will, later, I hope. Oh please let us reach our burger place fast, I can-not stand the awkward silence.

Oops, guess the story ends here today folks, I'm kinda caught up with all the work and all the chores and all the other excuses you can help me think of. Story to be continued in my next entry.

P.s.: This date thing happened months ago, like March maybe? I'm just reliving it, in a more how you say it, a more narrative way.  So no silly ideas, it's all in the past, ima moving on. :)