"You look beautiful, [y/n]!"
"Oh stop, you're just saying that."
"Would I really joke about such a thing? Well, now that you mention it—"
"Hey!" Hues fixed upon the older woman in front of you, a tinge of annoyance finding its way into your tone. The anger had gone to your cheeks, evident with vibrant shades of crimson. No luck, since this only made her laugh harder.
Your mother had always teased you about these things, and you doubted she would ever stop. You could definitely go without the occasional 'you had to wear this color?' or 'are you sure about this whole outfit?' But despite how much you absolutely hated her judgment, you had to go through her to get to where you wanted to be. You couldn't exactly sneak out of the house now, could you? You didn't even have a driver's license. So, as a parental figure and your chauffeur for the night, your mother had to give you an all-around inspection before grabbing the car keys.
"But you look very pretty, dear." She offered a genuine smile, urging you to follow her as she wandered into the kitchen to find her purse. You nod as a thankful gesture, turning your head to catch the mirror on the wall. You had to admit, your fashion sense was spot on. Locks of hair cascaded against your complexion, the dress accenting your endowments rather nicely. Your heels were the essence of class, not too big, not too small. And it was completely acceptable for you to take pride in your makeup as well; mascara that made your eyes pop, and that tiny amount of lipstick that you fought over to get from your sister had done you well.
As nervous as you were, it was normal for someone to worry about their first date. The possibilities where you could make a wrong move were endless, but on the other hand, it could spark something completely new. Of course, logical reasoning was thrown out of the window for now as you made your way to the car. Shaking was a 'weak' thing to do in your mind, but no matter how much you forced your muscles to relax, they would twitch with anxiety now and then. The mere embarrassment that overcame you when your mother had to open the car door for you because of your trembling was enough for the night in itself.
"Hmm, so who's the lucky one? I bet he's tall and handsome," your mother mused, sliding the keys into the ignition. No matter how tense you may have felt at the time, you couldn't help but snort at the comment. Oh no, not tall at all. In fact, the 'lucky one' was only five foot, three inches. You could actually rest your shoulder on the boy, but it would probably be the worst decision you would ever make in your life. He possessed a very stoic personality, but nonetheless carried himself quite gracefully. You esteemed to be as elegant as him, but the back of your brain had always sent a rush of doubt throughout your body. No matter how hard you tried to work on your etiquette, you would never really compare to him.
Him, being Levi.
The rest of the car ride was generally silent, mostly out of you not being able to carry on a conversation with the lump in your throat. How maladroit could one be, forgetting your MP3 player so easily? Cursing inwardly, you visualized it on your bedroom dresser, not remembering to get it during the frantic rush to pick out your dress. Music would have calmed your nerves, but the beat of the wheels against the road had made a simple beat for you to tune in to. That was, until you felt the car shift into a left turn, the smooth road turning into the bumpiness of a parking lot. Lurching forward as your mother parked in an available space, the only sound you could hear now was your own heart beating.
"I'll be here again to pick you up later, just text me the time!" Careful fingers ran through part of your hair as a comforting attempt. "And sweetie, don't worry, you'll be fine. It all falls into place naturally from here."
She had gone on about other things, but you didn't bother to listen. It was all jabber about how 'your heart paves the way' and something else you could have sworn you heard in a cheesy romantic comedy. Ah well, at this moment in time, it was more like your heart had been paving its way into its grave. Each step up to the restaurant had been agonizing – you weren't sure if you were stepping on concrete or fire. You knew he was in there, waiting, since he had always shown up early to an event. Levi probably couldn't handle the reputation of being a whole three minutes late to a date.
The gust of air conditioning swept over you as the doors to the establishment opened, the atmosphere being completely opposite from the street outside. Dimly lit and decorated with the utmost of sophistication, the steakhouse seemed to be the hotspot of some of the town's more refined folk. Again, the twinge of anxiousness hit your heart as you scanned the room for a certain raven haired gentleman.
"[y/n]. You're seven minutes late." A familiar voice had accompanied a recognizable figure in your peripheral vision.
Taking in a quick breath before easing your way over to him, you hastily replied, "I'm sorry! It won't happen again, there was traffic and my mo—"
"Sh. You're here, that's what matters." Regardless of his usual cold character, you couldn't help but find sweetness in his words. It was unnecessary to focus on such little things, but admiring his mannerly prominence was all that seemed to be on your mind.
Levi had already booked a table, and with a little finesse maneuvering through other crowds and tables, the two of you found a booth placed in front of the window with a more attractive view than those dirty highways.
Oh no, now it was small-talk time; the moment you absolutely dreaded. Okay [y/n], time to think back to all of those times you practiced bringing up topics in front of the mirror, but scratch out the memories of you screwing up. Which were a lot. But that's beside the point.
"So…you look nice!" Refraining from cringing at your own remark, you studied the boy before you in hopes to get some insight on what he was thinking. You should probably get up from this table and leave the restaurant and get in your car and drive far away and drive off a cli—
"Was that a poor attempt at starting a conversation?" He hummed, his pupils situated on yours. Before your heart could drop, it was immediately given a pair of wings to fly into the sky when he continued. "But thanks. You dressed pleasantly, to standards."
"Thank you," a goofy smile plastered across your features before hindsight kicked in and forced it into nothing more than a small grin.
"Tell me, [y/n], have you ever been on a date? You don't look like it."
"Sure I have, I've been on plenty!" That was a tad more enthusiastically said than imagined.
"Liar." A chuckle escaped his lips, the hair on the back of your neck standing up at the low sound. "I see you quivering."
"What? It's just a little chilly in here. You feel it too, right?"
"Mm. Not really." His blank expression didn't help you ease up any. A period of deafening taciturnity rested upon you two until it was time to order, the waiter coming around just in time for things to start moving away from the awkward stage.
"I'll have the six ounce sirloin, medium-rare please, with some water." The waiter beamed, an amiable radiance coming from him as he sketched out your order.
"Twelve ounce prime rib. I'll have water as well." Gee, for such a small fry, the boy could eat a lot. The thought forced a laugh to want to break free from your lips, but it was stopped abruptly.
"What the hell is so funny?" The statement sparked concerned countenances amongst others around you, and you were a bit alarmed yourself.
"Oh! Nothing, someone spilled their glass over there," you let out the pocket of air in your cheeks rather humorously. The declaration was only rewarded with a 'hmph' from the other, and your conscience settled.
"So easy to entertain," Levi muttered, an eyebrow arching over defined eyes. "Say, what were you trying to accomplish by making plans to go here?"
"I, ah.." Well, that answer wasn't formulating into English too well, was it? "..was hoping we could just talk."
"Because…?" You averted your sight from his gaze; was he doing that just to intimidate you?
"Because I like talking to you at school!"
"And why do you find it so likeable to talk to me at school?"
"You're just a thousand questions this evening, aren't you?" Boy, was it getting hotter in here, or was it just you?
"No. It's a simple question. Answer."
Damn, there was no other way to put it. You were practically cornered, but all that was left was the truth, and you figured it would start building a wall between you and Levi if you kept fibbing.
"Because I like you, Levi."
"Like me how?" Torture! This was the most evil form of torture to ever be given. With your blood pressure rising, you continued whilst clutching the napkin in your lap.
"I like you more than other people, and that's why we're here."
"I assumed that. But define 'like' for me."
"I can't," tints of pink blotched your face, your mind feeling blank, but at the same time, overwhelmed.
"Of course you can. Just say it." Clearly, the boy was getting impatient. You honestly felt like you were being interrogated by the police.
"Admiration," you close your eyes, terrified to open them. "I admire you. I know we've only talked for a little while here and there, but I've practiced my manners for tonight over and over, hoping that you'd notice. I always take note of how proper you are, and it makes me strive to be like you, but it doesn't come so easily to me, so I try hard. As much as I want to be like you, I also want to be with you, just like this right now."
"Not bad," he smiled, cocking his head to the side, looking at a defeated you.
That was all he said, but it repeated in your mind over and over again. It was the only thing you could register at the moment after your heartfelt confession, your brain a blank slate that craved so badly to shut down and forget everything you spilled out. When the food finally came out, you were almost too mentally and physically exhausted to eat.
"Oh, and [y/n]," Levi interjected your train of thought after the meal, the two of you still seated at the booth. "We'll have to do this again. Because I 'like' you." His mocking tone only made you simper softly, a small sense of accomplishment met within the confines of your mind.
Levi 'liked' you.