If it weren't for a cheap pair of shoes, I never would've met him. Sometimes I wonder if that would've been better. My life certainly would be a lot easier. But then, I would never feel that fire. The one he ignited. Where do I even start with him? With Jasper? For simplicity's sake, I'll start from the beginning.
Tonight, I have a blind date with a guy named Mike Newton. I never go on blind dates. But Jessica insisted and honestly, this was the best way to shut her up. Jessica assured me over and over again that he was attractive. I was starting to worry if that was his most redeeming quality. To Jessica, it probably was. Not that Jessica was shallow, but she did have moments. Nonetheless, her fingers felt nice as she gelled my short, black hair into spikes.
"You have such pretty hair," Jessica sighed enviously. I shifted, trying to think of how to respond. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate compliments; I just didn't know what to do with them.
"Erm, thanks, I grew it myself," I said stupidly. Jessica snorted. Then deciding she wasn't pleased with one of the peaks. She combed her fingers through the spike, and regelled it into a more aesthetically pleasing arrangement.
Music flowed in from the iHome. Vanilla sugar candles were lit and placed haphazardly around the room. Jessica chattered senselessly until it eventually became a relaxing white noise. I really could fall asleep…
"Alice!" Jessica exclaimed. All I saw was darkness. Or perhaps my eyes were simply closed. I lazily opened one eye to discover a petite chatterbox with brown curly hair staring disapprovingly at her. "Are you even listening?" Jessica held her comb like a weapon.
"Of course I was!" I scoffed, indignant. "I was closing my eyes, because I was visualizing your words," Jessica wasn't buying it.
"Paint me a picture of what I just said then," Jessica challenged.
"So what's he like?" I asked, changing the topic. I also wanted to know more than the fact that his eyes catch specks of light in them when he looks up. Jessica didn't seem to mind the change in topic. She just seemed happy that I was willing to talk about my blind date.
"Hmmm," Jessica pondered that for a moment while she switched weapons- I mean hair styling tools-. She now held a turquoise paddlebrush with a rubber handle. She worked a tangle out with her paddlebrush. And by worked out I mean pulled on it until the tangle painfully tore off into the hairbrush. She wrinkled her nose in disgust before tossing the clump of hair into the trash. "He's a sweetheart," Jessica smiled the way you smile when you see a sibling you're fond of, or when you see a teenager helping an elderly person cross the street. The genuine smile calmed me down a little bit. Not that much! Just a little bit.
She held earrings up next to my ear, trying to decide which pair she liked best.
"I don't like this," I murmured, as she hummed happily, choosing a dangly pair. It was the pair I would've chosen. She nodded solemnly, but I could see she was trying hard to keep a smile off her face. I sighed. Then she swiveled me around to do my makeup. I zoned in and out. Although I was perfectly capable of doing my own makeup,hair, etc. it seemed cruel to deny Jessica the pleasure.
She didn't seem to notice my indifference. When she was done, she held up a hand mirror. I was surprisingly pleased. She didn't cake it on like I half-expected. Soft whites and golds were dusted on my eyelids and highlighted the angles of my face. And absolutely no glitter. She gave my face a bright, healthy glow. Jessica disappeared to the wardrobe and after I rejected the first couple revealing outfits, we agreed on a simple but pretty red dress with three-quarter sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. She did, however, make me wear fishnet thigh-highs underneath and a pair of stylish red heels. Maybe 'make me' is a bit misleading. I kinda wanted to wear the fishnets. But I refuse to show that okay maybe I was a tiny bit excited about the date. I haven't been on a date in a while.
Not because I haven't been asked out, but because none of the guys that had asked me out were the one. I do believe in fate and, it may be ridiculous, but I was also convinced I had a subtle sense of precognition. I can look at a person, and based on their personality, make a vague prediction of what they may do next. I just know that I'll know that he's the one when I see him. I'm not going to waste time on guys I know I won't be interested in next week It's girly and silly, but it just rings true and my heart. And I knew, tonight, would be a crucial turning point in my life.
I just make sure to never tell Jessica that, because then I could never live it down.
I was snapped out of my reverie when Jessica grabbed me by my thin wrists and dragged me to her door mirror. When she finally let me see myself in her full body mirror, I had a shallow moment myself. I looked good. I somehow looked girlishly innocent, and mischeviously alluring at the same time. In addition to my outfit I wore a necklace composed of a single silver coin with a silver chain threaded through it and rings on the middle three fingers of my left hand. The rings on my forefinger and ring finger were simple silver bands while my middle finger was adorned with a delicate bird ring.
By the time Jessica wished me good luck and walked me out of her apartment to my car, I realized I was a tad bit early. That's fine, I thought. I'll just take the scenic route. Although I haven't been to the specific restaurant Mike mentioned, I knew it was in the local open air mall, so luckily, I knew the way. I hated fiddling with a GPS, something I had to do often, since I didn't exactly have a great sense of direction. My friends say it's probably because I'm up in my own little world sometimes. I'm there too much to really notice my surroundings.
The date started pretty good. Just as I expected. I just knew the night would turn into something magical.
I arrived at the restaurant and Mike was kind and chivalrous. Disappointingly, I didn't really feel any chemistry or electricity, but was convinced that I would once conversation picked up. As an added perk, he was as handsome as Jessica described him. He dressed well and wore a cologne that was pleasant but not overpowering. Classic blonde hair, blue-eyed gentleman. He opened the door for me and pulled out my chair as I sat down.
So why was I brainstorming an excuse to leave like, right now?
He was irrevocably, not-so-subtly, obsessed with Jessica.
"She said I was attractive?" He asked casually, but his eyes betrayed his desperate interest. I counted the question in my mental tally. It was the third time he asked.
"Mmmhmm," I speared a piece of my shrimp fettuccini.
"Like, what were her exact words?" He asked. I chewed my food very slowly and swallowed before I answered. I could feel his annoyance for the seconds I was making him wait.
"'Mike is handsome, and he is such a sweetheart,'" I quoted, even biting my lip the way Jessica does a lot for emphasis. I also emphasized such, since she always seems to emphasize at least one word in every sentence that she speaks.
"That's nice. Jessica's like that, isn't she?" He sighed dreamily. I was starting to get tired of hearing how great Jessica was.
"Why don't you just ask her out?" I wondered aloud, irritated with myself for thinking that this date could've been anything but disastrous. I didn't have precognition. I was probably just that desperate to fall in love. Stupid, stupid Alice. He turned three different shades of red.
"Oh! No, I was just-! You know. She's-. No way-, I-," He stammered.
"Are you always this articulate?" I gestured the waiter over to get the check. This was just too ridiculous. And not even in the funny way. I glanced over at Mike, and wondered how Jessica didn't know about his gigantic crush.
"You're not going to tell her, are you? I mean, she already rejected me once-," Mick started to say, but I was too shocked by what he just said to listen to the rest of his rambling.
"She what?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing right now. Jessica did know about his gigantic crush. She knew quite well. Which is why she tried to set him up with me. To get rid of him. I was seriously going to kill her. Stung by her betrayal, I stood up to leave.
"I'm sorry, Mike. I'm sure you're a really nice guy, but this isn't going to work out," I said. And I meant it, too. Despite his annoying obsession, he was very courteous and kind. Actually, that was probably the reason Jessica didn't return his affections. She was always the type to want what she didn't have.
"You sound just like her," Mike groaned. This boy was hopeless. My pity only extended so far.
The waiter came by with a small leather booklet. I reached for my purse. Mike looked up extended his hand to stop me.
"I should pay. It's the least I could do," Mike said. I would've let him pay. If it he didn't say should. Mike looked like the kind of guy who did things because he should, not because he wanted to. He should go on this blind date if he wanted to make Jessica happy. He should pay for the meal of a girl he had no interest in.
"No, it's fine. You've done enough," I reached for my purse again. And then realizing that might've sounded rude, I turned back to face him, but he was already walking away. On the table was money.
"Wait," I called after him. He turned to face me. He looked like he was afraid that I was going to reprimand him for covering the check.
"If you really like her…you should play hard to get. Pretend to like another girl or something," I didn't know why I told him that. But it seemed like at least one of us should leave the restaurant happy tonight. He offered a small tentative smile and nodded his thanks. After telling me to have a good night, he left.
I looked back at the money he left on the table and counted it. Sure enough, there was enough to pay for his meal and my meal. I threw in a five dollar bill for tip.
I left the restaurant, then the mall itself, disgruntled at a) how that went, b) Jessica for putting me in that situation, and c) allowing myself to fall for it. And to top the icing on the cake, it looked like it was my Honda Civic hooked onto that tow truck over there. I ran over to the big burly guy walking back to the front of the truck.
"No, no, no, no, please!" I pleaded when I finally got to him sitting in the front seat of the truck. He gave me an onceover in my fishnets and heels. His bored-looking eyes lit up with interest.
"What can I do you for, sweetness?" He grinned and I noticed a missing tooth.
"That's my car, and I don't understand. I didn't park illegally, and I always make my payments," I pouted a little and batted my eyes, knowing that my actions were a tiny bit degrading to women but what the hell, I needed my car back.
"You're parked in a handicapped parking space," He informed me. I turned around, and noticed the pole on which the handicapped sign would be placed upon. The handicapped sign was lying on the ground next to it.
"But that's not fair! Some idiot knocked the sign off, and it's nighttime- of course I wouldn't see it," I argued. People were passing by, and I felt them staring. I made the mistake of glancing back at the crowd and noticed an irked-looking man in a wheelchair staring daggers at me. Great, now the whole parking lot thinks I'm an insensitive jerk who parks in the handicapped spaces.
"It'll cost you 115$ for me to unhook it now, or 250$ later for you to get it at the impound lot," He said. I sighed, and took out my wallet. Only 40$.
"I don't have enough," I said, talking mostly to myself than to him. He must've sensed my exasperation.
"I'm sure we could work sometin' out," He said gruffly. I looked up from my purse to find him staring rather shamelessly at my chest. "That's a purdy necklace you got there," He said, when he saw that I caught him staring. Sure, he was admiring my necklace. Did he not see the people passing by listening?
I grimaced in disgust. I didn't need my car that badly. "Did you see my bird ring?" I asked sweetly, holding up middle finger. The small crowd of bystanders laughed. I smirked, proud of my ability to turn things around. My smirk grew as I realized I just gave him 'the bird'. Ah word play, how I adore you. He shrugged.
"Still got your car," He said, as if I needed reminding. Then he shifted to drive and drove away. I stomped my foot and the crowd began to dissipate. "Stupid," I muttered as began to walk back to the mall. I'd call a cab, and shop while I waited. If I found a cute blouse or a screwdriver to give Jessica a lobotomy with then the night wouldn't have been a complete waste.
I made it into the mall and called the cab. I watched the smiling, lucky mall-goers filtering in and out of shops who had no expectations for today like I did. I tried window-shopping, but I wasn't really looking. Oh no, I was too wrapped up in my own self-pity for that.
I tried to ignore the lingering pain of disappointment I felt. I was so sure something would happen tonight. My predictions were never wrong. Seriously. Except for tonight. Tonight was just a bad event after another bad event. Why was it that bad things happened to you in groups, I wondered. Like nobody ever just forgets their wallet at home. They forget their wallet at home the day a cop pulls them over and needs to see their license. Or nobody's cell phone just dies and that's it. Their cellphone dies when they're a bad neighborhood full of gang members and their car won't start.
As I started to get lost in thought, my heel snapped off. My foot twisted rather painfully as the heel broke. I stared angrily at the broken heel, as I violently kicked off the other heel. As if I blamed it for breaking in such an inconvenient time. I mean, it's not as bad as having an awful date, backstabbing friend, or having your car towed away but it's bad. I rarely swear out loud, but this really was the last straw.
"Fuck me," I muttered under my breath as I examined the broken heel.
"Well, at least let me buy you dinner first,"
I hope you liked it! If you liked it or have some constructive criti