Date Night
When I woke up, Jesse was standing over me. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty."
I held in a scream. He had completely surprised me. "Jesse! Why are you here?"
"You'd better get ready for our date tonight. It's already three in the afternoon. I'm picking you up at five."
"Are you actually making me go through with this?" I asked.
"Yeah, actually I am. Now get up, Shasha."
"Whatever you want your majesty. Can I at least have some privacy to change?"
Jesse headed for the window. "You. Me. Five 'o clock."
"Right. And use the front door!" Jesse was halfway out the window, but I knew he heard me because he laughed.
I took a shower and got dressed in the teal sundress and some leggings under it because it only went to just above my knees. Instead of the sandals, I wore my black converse. I ignored the sunglasses, but I did wear the hoops.
I put my hair in a ponytail because that's how it looks best. It looked sleek and clean. I brushed on my makeup and stepped out of the bathroom. I felt amazing.
By that time, it was four forty five. I sat and read until five. As soon as the clock turned, the doorbell rang. I answered it, but not too soon. I was acting like I was so not desperate.
Jesse was wearing jeans and a plaid button down shirt. He had the top two buttons undone. "You look nice," he said.
"Thanks. So do you," I replied.
Jesse laughed and took my arm. "I'm a guy, I don't care how I look."
"Are you sure? I looks like you spent a lot of time on your appearance."
Jesse rolled his eyes and walked me out of the house. A red convertible was sitting in the driveway. "Don't be sarcastic."
"Wow, is that your car?"
"Yeah, it is. You like it?"
"Yeah, I do. How come I never see it around school?"
Jesse shrugged. He was acting normal, but I could tell I his eyes that he was panicking. "It's um, in the shop a lot."
I got in he passenger seat and he hopped behind the wheel and started the car. I looked at him. He looked not at all nervous, like he had done this before. "Are you hiding something from me, Jess?"
He glanced at me, then looked back at the road. "What do you mean?" I could tell he was up to something, because his voice cracked on the last word.
"You seem mysterious. Too mysterious."
Jesse laughed nervously. "I'm not, I'm really not."
"Jess, you can tell me anything."
"You don't understand, Shasha! I really can't. It would put both of our lives at stake. You're already in too much danger."
"I'm not in danger, Jess!"
"You are, Sasha!"
I crossed my arms. "And what danger is that, exactly?"
"I can't tell you," Jesse mumbled.
We rode the rest of the way in silence. When we got to the restaurant, a fancy French place, Jesse got out first and opened the car door for me. He then opened the restaurant door for me.
We were seated and we ordered. Jesse had the steak, which he ate like a pig. I had baked potato that I just picked at. We talked about school and movies and stuff, but I didn't feel like I had really connected with him any more than we already were.
We had a lot of extra time, so we went to the movie theater to watch a movie. Jesse put his arm around me for the whole time, and he also kissed me at the romantic parts. I was really close to him and we had the armrest up.
Jesse dropped me off at home at about 9:00. I went upstairs and changed, then washed my face. I found my dad sitting in the living room, reading a book. He looked up when I walked in.
"Hi honey. How was your date?" he asked.
"Good. Where's Mom?"
"She said she was getting groceries, but I think she's going to the bookstore."
I walked into the attached kitchen and fixed myself a plate of Oreos and a glass of milk. Then I went and sat down on the couch. "What book is that?"
"It's a wonderful love story about a girl named Sarah who falls in love with a boy named John, who turns out to be a monster, but she still loves him more than anything else in the world."
"Dad, are you trying to tell me something?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Sarah sounds like Sasha. John and Jesse, too. John's a monster? Dad, do you think Jesse's a monster?"
My dad laughed. "I actually didn't notice that until this minute. You're very observant, Sarah. I mean, Sasha."
And with that, he turned back to his book, and I knew that the conversation was over.
