"GOOGLE IT" - GOOGLEWARD CHALLENGE ENTRY

Title: First Date(s)

Pen Name(s): adverb

Summary: Edward, an engineering major at the top of his class, is about to face a challenge that no college course could have prepared him for – the dreaded first date. Will the night be a success or just another bust? AH. ExB

Word Count: 3,463

To enter visit: http://www (dot) fanfiction (dot) net/~googlewardchallenge


Before the evening had even begun, I knew this night was the most important night of my young adulthood. It could have either been the start of something great or it could have been a total disaster. My goal was the former, but my life experience had prepared me for the latter. It would be my struggle, or in terms I was more comfortable with – my epic Jedi battle. If I wanted to save the planet and win the girl, I'd have to learn how to master the powers of the force to claim victory over the evil emperor – or what others simply know as "not messing up the first date."

I sat outside the restaurant in my parked car while the air conditioner blasted my face. I was sweating uncontrollably, and the cool air was the only thing keeping me sane. The fact that I was wearing a long-sleeved, button-down shirt and a tie probably didn't help either. I looked carefully in my rearview mirror to ensure there was no trace of facial hair.

I arrived thirty minutes before we were supposed to meet, but I looked at it as an opportunity to prepare and study. Some may have said I was overanalyzing, but I was sure they'd have felt differently if they knew my track record with girls. I'd had a handful of first dates, but not a single second date. I had never known the exact reason, but I was sure it was due in part to one or more of my many women-repelling traits: my awkwardness, my clumsiness, or my obscure references to science-fiction television shows that no one else watched.

I was ashamed to admit that I'd never even kissed a girl, let alone advanced any further. There I was, about to graduate at the top of my class with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, and I'd barely even dated. While some of my other friends were already well on their way to starting a family, I was stuck in singles-ville. But I'd decided that night, all of that was going to change.

I really had no one but myself to blame for my lack of a girlfriend. I fondly remembered all those nights that I spent studying and working hard on projects. I'd turned down numerous college parties and social gatherings because I was sure I was on the proper path. The truth was, as I saw couples holding hands, I still felt a pinch of bitterness. Their GPAs and résumés may not have been as impressive as mine, but at least they had each other.

I knew I needed to start making more of an effort to meet girls. If I wasn't going to do it via the traditional party route, I'd have to go through the medium that I know the best – the Internet. I searched Google with the query "how to meet girls" and pulled up seemingly hundreds of dating sites. The concept of "online dating" always seemed preposterous to me, and I had ridiculed it often in the past. Little did I know that I would eventually be one of those losers who used it as a last resort to meet women.

I spent a few days exploring many of the sites, and eventually settled on a few I liked. It was hard to find a balance. I didn't want to be that guy, with my profile ubiquitously placed on every site possible, but I wanted to make myself available so as not to miss the potential girl of my dreams. After a few months of relatively minimal activity, I received a message from WHeights4Eva saying that she had thought I was cute. It was nice to have someone other than my mother give me a positive compliment about the way I had looked. We'd traded a few e-mails and decided to have our first date at Bella Italia, my favorite Italian restaurant.

The e-mails were short, but I'd studied them well. In fact, I brought them along with me and read them over a few more times. I made sure to highlight any important points that would serve as conversational material if the well were to run dry. We knew very little about each other, but that was what first dates were all about, right?

I had an idea of what she looked like. During our e-mail exchange, she sent me a picture of herself, modestly assuring me that she "wasn't very photogenic." I thought the picture was absolutely gorgeous and had spent more hours than I would like to admit studying it. I'd looked at it so long that I could close my eyes and still see the picture clearly in my mind. Her medium-length brown hair complemented her hazel eyes quite nicely. All I had to show in return was a picture my roommate spontaneously took of me sitting at the computer. My hair was a mess, my thick-rimmed glasses were almost falling over my face, and I had the goofiest smile. I was surprised she'd even agreed to the date after seeing that picture.

With five minutes left until our agreed-upon time, I decided to step out of the car, shoving the picture and highlighted e-mails into my pocket. I found a bench near the entrance to sit and wait as I watched numerous couples, young and old, walk into the restaurant. For once, I wasn't envious – I was hopeful.

Then, in an instant, I saw her face emerge from the crowd, and I saw that familiar brown hair fall around her shoulders. She was just as beautiful as her picture – even more so. I stood in awe, almost unable to speak. Her eyes met mine, and it took every ounce of strength within me to stand to my feet to greet her. Within moments, she stood next to me with an outstretched hand.

"Hey," she said. "Are you Edward?" I frantically rushed to grab her hand, almost tripping over my feet. I hoped she wouldn't notice.

"I – I am," I responded nervously. "I take it you're Bella."

"That's me," she said. She paused for a second, gave me a quick glance up and down, and then remarked, "I didn't realize formal attire was required."

I gave her a confused look, but in an instant, I realized what she was talking about. Her simple T-shirt and jeans stood in direct contrast to my business casual outfit and I was sure I had made her feel awkward. I couldn't believe that in all the preparations I'd made in trying to make every detail of the date perfect, I had completely forgotten to address the issue of what we should wear. I felt like such a jerk.

"I apologize," I said.

"No worries," she replied with a smile. She seemed to be coping with the mishap far better than I was.

"Well, shall we head inside?" I asked, opening the main door for her.

"Sure," she said as we both walked in.

The restaurant's hostess greeted us, asking the name and party size. I smiled coyly, knowing this was one aspect of the date I had made appropriate preparations for.

"We have a reservation," I said confidently. "The name is under Masen. Edward Masen."

"Ah," she said, scanning the list of names. "Here it is. Your wait time is about 30 minutes. We'll call you when we're ready."

I stood there, stunned. What were reservations for if we were still going to be waitlisted? I was sure Bella would be bummed, but as I turned to her, she still had a smile on her face. We went outside, took a seat, and watched as the sun faded and the moon crept into the sky.

"It's such a nice day out," she said.

"I'm sorry about the reservation," I muttered, completely ignoring her comment.

"It's no big deal," she assured me. "We get to sit outside with this perfect weather and gorgeous sunset. Who can argue with that?"

She seemed like she was okay with it, but I was sure deep inside she was disappointed. I certainly was. I had this whole perfect date planned out in my mind, but it was already starting to unravel. I just wanted to make the perfect first impression, but I was sure she thought I was an over-dressed dork who had no sense of planning. Honestly, I was pretty angry at that moment, and didn't feel much like talking. We sat in silence for a few moments, and she seemed perfectly content just watching the sunset.

After a few minutes of not talking, I felt like it was my responsibility to get the conversation going. I really wanted to say something to break the ice – something that would keep us talking for hours on end. Something perfect!

"I like your hair," I said to her.

"Thanks," she said, smiling as she flipped it over her shoulder.

And then, just like before, we sat in silence. Commenting on her hair was the best that I could come up with? No wonder I had no luck with women. What was I really expecting to follow with that comment, anyway? Was I hoping to trade shampoo tips?

After what seemed like forever, I heard "Edward – party of two," over the loudspeaker, and I was glad to finally go inside. Maybe a change in scenery would help spark things up and get the conversation going again. The hostess saw us to our table, and before long the waiter brought us two glasses of water and two menus.

"I've never been here before," Bella said as she eyed the menu's contents. "What do you like?"

"I'm an old-fashioned spaghetti-and-meatballs kind of guy," I replied. "But if you're feeling daring, there's also the mushroom ravioli."

Bella's eyes wandered around the menu. "Hmm... I don't see that anywhere."

"Here, let me show you," I said, as I leaned over the table. I really should have been more careful, but everything happened so fast. As I reached my hand across the table, it knocked over her water, spilling it on the table and all over her lap. She scrambled for her napkin, trying to dry herself off. I sat there, completely mortified.

"I am … so sorry," I said to her, almost on the verge of tears.

"It's okay," she said, obviously annoyed. "It's only water."

By then, I felt horrible. It was definitely not how I had planned the evening. Everything was ruined and we hadn't even ordered our food yet. Who was I kidding to think I could really pull this off? We'd barely spoken, and I showed her my affection by spilling water on her. I was surprised she didn't just get up and walk out.

The night seemed to be shaping up as scientific proof that dating wasn't for me. The reason I hadn't had a girlfriend was because I consistently messed up all the opportunities I had to be successful with women. I was sure another guy with better social skills would have been talking up a storm with her by that point. Maybe he would be so bold as to be holding hands with her, too. That would not be my fate, though. Instead, we just sat there in awkward silence as I was forced to listen to people at the tables around me chatter away.

I was doomed to go home alone, without the promise of a second date. I would be forced to go back to the numerous dating websites I frequented. Would I have to wait another few months for another girl to find me interesting? What if there was no other woman and this was my only chance? The date felt like a complete disaster, and there was no way I could make things right again. I didn't even know why either of us bothered to stay.

The waiter came by to take our order, and we both ordered the mushroom ravioli. I was flattered she chose the same meal as me, but I didn't know quite how to put it into words. As we sat there in silence, I struggled again to find the perfect conversation starter. I desperately wanted to reach into my pocket and pull out the highlighted e-mails, but I didn't want her to know how much I had over-prepared for the date. I was sure she thought I was pathetic enough; there was no need to draw more attention to it.

"So," she said, catching me off guard, "what are you thinking about right now?"

That certainly was a tricky question that I wasn't sure if I should give an honest answer to. I was really thinking about how much of a total screw-up I was and how I had no chance with women. But, if I said that, I was sure it would have been the end of the date right there. Then again, I didn't want to lie to her, either, as I was sure my dishonesty would have clearly shown on my face. I'd always been a truthful guy.

"I'm thinking..." I said, pausing for one final moment before finishing my thought, "that this date isn't going as well as I had hoped."

As soon as I said that, her brow wrinkled, and I instantly regretted answering the way that I had. I should have just made something up and saved us both the trouble.

"Is it something I did?" she asked nervously.

"No!" I said, almost a little too forcefully, "It's me. I..."

I thought a bit before I finished the sentence. The thoughts that ran through my head seemed simple enough, but forming them into words seemed to be another problem entirely. It was then that I decided to be as honest as possible. Even if the date turned out to be a complete bust, at least I would sleep well knowing I had been true to myself.

"I just wanted everything on this date to be perfect," I said. "I have to admit, I really don't have much experience in this area. You're obviously a very pretty girl and I like to think that I'm a cool guy ... sometimes. I just wanted to impress you, but it's obvious I'm doing everything but that. First it was the mismatched outfits, then the long wait for dinner, and now it's the spilled water."

I was surprised at how honest I was being, and as I spoke it felt like a weight was lifting off of my shoulders. Throughout the night, there was so much pressure on me, but as I put everything out into the open, I felt relieved. I waited anxiously to hear what Bella was going to say in response.

"Well," she began, "it's like they say – there's no use crying over spilled water."

I cracked a smile, appreciating her attempt to bring humor into the situation.

"But seriously," she continued, "I don't think this date is going badly at all. I don't care about the water or the reservations or the outfit. The night doesn't have to be perfect. Wanna know something funny? The whole time I was thinking it was me who was completely boring."

How could she have thought she was boring? It never occurred to me that she could be having the exact same fears that I was. She appeared so cool and confident.

"I have an idea," Bella said, her body suddenly perking up. "Let's start this date over."

"Um... can we do that?"

"I don't know," Bella said as she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't have much dating experience either, but I don't see why not."

Bella paused for a moment, got out of her seat, and then immediately sat back down. I had absolutely no idea what was going on.

"Hi," she said, extending her hand out to me. "I'm Bella."

"N-nice to meet you," I said with a bit of a stutter. "I'm Edward."

"It's a pleasure, Edward. So, what do you like to do on a Saturday night?"

I was taken by surprise at the sudden turn of events, but decided to go with the flow and play along. I searched my brain for a cool response, but the only thing that came out was the truth.

"I'm not one for parties," I explained. "I usually catch up on my favorite TV show, Intergalactic Adventures."

"IA?" she asked inquisitively as her eyes widened. "I love that show! Although I must admit, I haven't been able to watch the last few episodes. What did I miss?"

I was impressed that she not only watched the show, but referred to it by its popular acronym. I tried to maintain my composure, but I was so surprised that we finally shared common ground that my "nerdiness," as my friends called it, just came pouring out.

"Well," I began, "The Quileute Clan declared war on the Cullen Empire and sent their legion of spaceships to fight."

"Wow!" she exclaimed. "But what about Queen Esme who signed the peace treaty?"

"She was captured by Jacob, one of the Quileute revolutionaries, as revenge on the Cullen empire. But in the last episode, she managed to escape."

"How?"

"With the anti-gravity teleportation device that King Carlisle had conveniently given her moments prior to her capture."

We continued discussing various plot points and characters within the show. We even continued talking even after the waiter brought us our meal. The TV show had never come up in any of our e-mail conversations, but here we were, bonding over a topic that I never would have expected. It gave me a bit of hope; maybe the night would not turn out to be a complete disaster after all!

We soon found other common interests: movies, music, vampires, and websites. I was amazed at how easily the conversation flowed. I barely had time to overanalyze what to say next or even process how the night had been going.

"Well," Bella said as she finished up the last of her ravioli, "I think Date 2.0 is going much better than the previous release."

"Definitely!" I agreed. "I never thought I would get a chance to go on two dates in one night. A month ago, I would have been glad to just go on a single date."

I was quite surprised at how my playful side was coming out. I felt very close to Bella in that moment. It was as though the stone barrier that was between us earlier had now broken.

"So, what are you thinking?" I asked, making a reference to her earlier question.

"I'm thinking…" Bella said as she paused once again before finishing, "…that the night turned out wonderfully."

Bella and I exchanged smiles, and we sat in silence once more. But, unlike earlier when things were awkward, this time we sat together admiring one another. Before I knew it, the waiter cleared the food, I paid the bill, and we were standing outside the restaurant saying our goodbyes.

"I had a really nice time tonight," she said.

"Me too," I agreed. "So, how do you feel about a second date... or is it a third date? Either way, you could come over to my place, we'll watch IA together, and I'll cook you dinner. I promise not to spill water on you this time."

"I'd love that," Bella said with a chuckle.

We both stood there for a moment, unsure of how to finalize our goodbyes. The butterflies in my stomach were working overtime. I'd watched enough teen romance movies to know the evening was supposed to end with a kiss, but I didn't think I was ready. I stood there, frozen, unsure what to do. Thankfully, Bella extended her arms and reached out to hug me. The hug was satisfying, and I knew that we were both too scared to kiss one another that night.

"Bye, Edward," Bella said as she walked off to her car. "I'll talk to you later in the week."

I continued to stand there, watching her climb in her car, drive off, and fade into the night. When I was sure she was gone, I slowly made my way back to my car. I was smiling uncontrollably; I just couldn't believe how well the night had turned out. I grabbed the highlighted e-mails from my pocket that I never got a chance to use. I took one final look before crumpling them up and tossing them into the trash. This night had certainly had its challenges and for a while I was certain there was no power, in this galaxy or any other, strong enough to keep me from disaster. But I'd survived – whether by sheer will or Jedi mind trick, I had won the girl. For now, at least.

A big thanks to my fabulous last-minute betas HEAR and Colleen. Thanks for helping me out in a pinch!

This was a lot of fun to write, as I have had a few dates with the inexperienced but lovable nerd. I was always on Bella's side, but I had fun trying to get into Edward's head to see how he would approach the situation.

Please feel free to leave me a review and let me know what you think. :)