You know you are seriously lonely when your mom says you need a boyfriend.
"What ever happened to that boy you were talking to? You know, the one obsessed with Star Wars or Star Trek..."
I gave her a rather rude look, rolling my eyes expertly.
"Do I even need to answer that question?" I asked, sighing.
My mom sighed as well, clearly annoyed by my impossible behavior.
"Look, I'm just saying that you have been pretty..." she was searching for the right adjective.
"Bitchy?" I offered.
"No," she said, "Depressed. You've been a bit depressed and I think you need-"
"A boy?"
"Something new," she corrected, "I think you just need someone new in your life. You know, spice things up!"
I groaned, "Ew, mom. Don't ever say 'spice things up' ever again in my presence, I beg you!"
Then the conversation ended. I went back to my room to watch YouTube video's, and my mom continued making dinner.
I didn't think the subject would be brought up again, at least not until I was eighty and still not married. But, the next morning when I went into the kitchen for breakfast, my dad was sitting at the kitchen island, sipping coffee.
"Hey! Good morning." he said, and I could tell he wanted to talk about something.
I eyed him curiously, "What's up, dad?" I asked cautiously.
My dad is very comfortable talking about awkward things. He doesn't let it get to him, so that means when he has anything on his mind, and I do mean anything he will bring it up. Today, it just so happened to be my love life...or lack of one.
"Well, I was wondering if you wanted me to set you up on a date with my friend Jerry's son."
I rolled my eyes, "Oh my god! No dad, just no." I told him, avoiding eye contact.
He looked surprised, "Why not? He's super hot and smart-"
"Please stop!" I started walking towards the door to leave for school.
"He writes poetry!" I heard my dad yell after me as I slammed the front door shut.
"Set me up on a date." I say as soon as I reach my best friend, Caleb, who is a girl by the way.
Caleb chokes on the water she is sipping, "What the hell?" she asks, still coughing.
"Set me up with a guy. Any guy. Just as long as he is clean and nice." I say without any emotion at all.
Caleb stares at me for a few long seconds, "Can I ask why you have a sudden interest in dating? You never even talk about guys."
I take a deep breath, "My parents think I'm depressed, and the first solution they could think of was me going out with somebody."
She thought over it for a moment, "Does it have to be a guy?" she asked casually.
I pondered the question, "Well no, my parents would be fine with me being a lesbian, but I would rather a guy."
Caleb nodded, and we started walking towards class when we heard the bell.
"Any particular reason you want to go out with a guy?" she asked curiously.
I tilted my head, eyes squinting, "I don't know. I guess I just like the idea of a guy. You know, with the hair, and the t-shirt that is a little too tight, so you can see his muscles.." I don't realize that I have wondered far off into the depths of my brain, until I hear Caleb's voice, then see her nodding.
"I know just the guy," we walked into the classroom, sitting down at our desks. She leans over, talking a bit quieter, "He just broke up with his girlfriend a few months ago, been looking a little sad lately. I'm sure you could cheer him up." she winked at me, and I rolled my eyes.
"Oh yes, I'm sure I am the one who can cheer him up," I toss my hair over my shoulder, "I am all sunshine and rainbows after all." I finish sarcastically.
Dinner with my parents that night is a little tense. They both want to talk about our earlier conversation's, but I keep my eyes on my plate, refusing to spark any kind of talk among us that could lead to the subject of dating.
Just as my mom takes a deep breath, getting ready to launch into her speech about how "depressed" I am, my phone rings loudly.
"Sorry, gotta take this!" I leap from the table, jogging into the living room.
"Hello?" I speak into the receiver.
"Guess who has a date!" Caleb's voice is loud and excited over the phone, and I have to pull the phone away from my ear a bit.
"Me?" I ask, not sounding very enthusiastic.
"Yes! I got you a date with Scott McCall!"
The idea of going out on a date never stressed me out much...until now.
Friday night, I shower and dry my hair, tying it into a loose side-braid. I stand in front of my closet, wearing only a bra and underwear. My eyes skim over my clothes, trying to decide what to wear. It's too cold for shorts, so I settle on black skinny jeans, and a soft pink sweater. I apply a bit of eyeliner and mascara, as well as shiny pink lip gloss.
It's only when I see myself standing in the mirror, completely ready to go on a date...with Scott McCall. I remember my phone call with Caleb from earlier this week;
"Are you shitting me right now? Scott McCall?" I ask, completely surprised.
A lot of girls at school want to date Scott. For so long he was dating a girl, Allison, I think. Then, when they broke up, he only talked to a few of his close friends. He would politely dismiss any girl who tried to flirt with him.
"Yes! I walked up to him in the library the other day, asking if he was busy Friday night. He said it was very nice of me to ask him out, but he wasn't up to it. But! When I mentioned your name, he was suddenly very into it!" Caleb told me happily, "I swear, If you guys got married, I wouldn't be surprised."
Now here I am, waiting for Scott Mcall to pick me up and take me to dinner. How crazy is that?
What am I going to talk about?
What if I annoy him?
What if I spill something? Or trip?
What if-
The doorbell rings, and I audibly gasp. I walk downstairs, seeing that my mother has let him inside.
Well shit, this is ruined.
My mother sees me coming down the stairs, "Sweetie, Scott is here!"
I stop myself from rolling my eyes and replying with some sarcastic comment, not wanting to sound like a bitch before we even meet.
I look Scott up and down quickly. He is wearing a black button-up shirt and dark jeans, as well as a coat. He looks incredibly handsome, and I feel my face redden a bit.
I reach the bottom of the stairs, stretching my hand out awkwardly for him to shake, "I don't think we've actually met before. I'm Lani." he shakes my hand, smiling in a way that makes it hard for me to focus.
"Nice to finally meet you." he says politely.
My dad suddenly walks into the room, reaching his hand out to Scott.
"I'm Chris, Lani's father. You must be Scott!" my dad seems very excited, and I think that confuses Scott for a second.
"Um...yes. Yes sir, I'm Scott," he answers nervously, still not quite sure why my dad is so happy. I'm sure most dads try to act very intimidating to boys who go out with their daughter.
After a few silent, awkward seconds of all of us standing around, my parents staring happily between Scott and I, I speak up, "Well, I think it's probably time we get going." prompting Scott to walk towards the door.
"Oh right, well it was nice to meet you guys." he smiles as we walk through the door.
As soon as the door shuts, I breath out heavily.
"Sorry, that was one of the most awkward experiences in my entire life." I say as we walk toward his car.
Scott laughs, "That's okay. I've endured worse awkward moments with other people's parents."
I chuckle, "Well then, that makes me feel much better."
He smiles, opening the passenger door for me.
"This place is beautiful!" I say as we are seated at our table.
The restaurant really is beautiful. The lighting is low, and there are twinkling lights hung on the ceiling, making it look like the night sky. The tables are round and covered in a cloth, with a small flower arrangement and a candle in the middle.
"I'm glad you like it." Scott says, smiling.
"So what's good here?" I ask, looking at the small menu.
"Actually I've never been here, so I guess we will find out together." this makes me smile. It oddly makes me feel better knowing that Scott never brought Allison here.
The waiter takes our order, and we sit quietly, pretending to be interested in random things around the room, when really, we just don't know what to say.
I finally pluck up the courage to ask a question, "So, what have you been up to lately?"
Scott's face seems to go through several emotions, and he seems lost for an answer. Which is weird, since it isn't that difficult to tell someone what you've been up to lately.
He clears his throat, "Just um, you know...the usual." he doesn't quite make eye contact, and I decide to mess with him a bit.
"No, I'm afraid I don't know." I lean back in my chair, smirking. He can tell I'm messing with him, I know because he smiles and laughs a bit.
"Bowling." he blurts out, "We have been doing quite a lot of...bowling, lately."
I tilt my head, "We?"
His eyes widen for a second, "Y-yeah. Stiles and I, and a few other people. We bowl...a lot."
I look at him for a few seconds, nodding my head slowly, "You're lying, aren't you?" I ask playfully.
He smiles, then nods, "Yeah. I can't bowl for shit." we both laugh, and I feel heat rush to my cheeks as I watch Scott. His laugh is so genuine and happy, it makes me feel happy just watching.
Our food comes, and we keep talking about random things; Books, movies, a little bit about lacrosse, and school.
"This is probably a stupid question," he starts, "But do you enjoy school?"
I chuckle, shaking my head, "No, I hate it."
"Why?" he asks curiously.
"I just can't focus, or remember what the teachers talked about when I get home. I never really pay attention during class." every time I tell someone this, they automatically think I'm stupid or something, but he seems to get it.
"I understand," he nodded, "What do you enjoy doing, then?"
I stare at him thoughtfully for a moment, this is the question that always gets me'
"Honestly, I have no fucking clue." I laugh a bit, and he just stares at me with that same smile that makes it hard to focus. "What?" I ask, a bit worried.
"You're really cool, Lani."
I immediately blush, a small smile appearing on my face.
"You're really cool too, Scott."
"I must say, that has to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen! And I watched all four Alien Vs. Zombies movies with Stiles." Scott said as he walked me back to my front door.
I laugh, nodding my head.
"I only made it through the first two." I tell him.
"Well we should watch them together soon." he says, smiling and fidgeting nervously with his coat zipper.
I smile back at him, "Yeah, text me and let me know when."
He grins even wider, "Definitely."
I glance at the door, "Well, I should probably get back inside."
He seems to get the message, "Right. Um, I guess we'll talk later."
I nod, "Absolutely. I had a lot of fun tonight."
He smiles, "Yeah, me too."
Scott leans forward and kisses my cheek, "Good night, Lani."
After a lot of difficulty, I find my voice, "Good night, Scott."
"How did it go?" my mom asks as soon as I walk in the house.
"Did he take you to a nice restaurant?" my dad's head poked out from behind the wall separating the entryway and living room.
"Was he a gentleman?" mom again.
"Are you gonna go out again?" now dad.
I hold out my hands to silence them, "It went great," I say tentatively, hoping they don't bombard me with more questions, "The restaurant was beautiful, he was very nice, and yes...we are gonna go out again." I'm smiling by the end of my speech.
My mom and dad looked thrilled, but they let me go up to my room without anymore questions.
I change into pajamas, sighing as I fall backwards onto my bed, picturing Scott's face as he laughs, and when he smiles. And remembering the feel of his lips against my cheek.
A/N In case any of you are wondering, I kinda wrote Lani's dad a lot like Phil Dunphy from Modern Family...oops. Review and let me know what you think!
- Maria