Love 101..'Hands On' Lab: The First Date!
There's a knock on the door, and I jump up.
"Sit, I'll get it", Vince pushes me back down. I can hear her come in and V greet her in the front hallway. I stand and walk in to meet her. She looks amazing. Actually, my words could never do her justice. Anything I could say, would be an understatement. She's wearing a black skirt that has a slanted hem, showing more of one leg than the other, and a simple black tank top, that's hugs every curve. Every thing is perfect, right down to her little strappy shoes Her hair is down and it's breathtaking to see her like this.
"You look beautiful", I remark stunned. She smiles big, one of those 'see all your teeth' smiles.
"Thank you, you look delicious yourself", she giggles softly, her eyes opening wider as she looks at my arms. I'm really glad I wore this shirt. We stand for a moment eyeing each other and Vince clears his throat, snapping or attention back to the moment.
"Have fun, be careful! "Vince slaps me on the back then winks at me, walking back into the living room.
"You ready?"
"Yeah, let's go..I'm starving", she turns and I walk in front to open the door for her. I let her out and grab my jacket. We get in the car and my nerves are put to rest as she turns the radio on. She begins singing to a song and laughs. I smile along. We begin to talk about the garage and before we know it we're at the restaurant. All is well so far. I was so worried about everything, about awkward silences, and uncomfortable moments, and she's totally at ease, making me at ease also. Our waiter sits us out on the deck, with an awesome view of the Pacific. We glance at our menus, and decide before the waiter comes back. We both end up ordering a surf and turf entrée, Letty with crab legs, and me with lobster tail.
"You gonna be able to handle all that food?", she jokes.
"Are you?", I counter playfully.
"Oh, you know I can eat", she laughs. I nod, remembering that eating contest she won at the pizzeria, a while back. It came down to her and Jesse, two of the skinniest people I know, for irony. He forced down one bite of his 15th piece, and watched her gobble down her 16th with no struggle. He gave up, and went to the bathroom, as Letty went on to finish a record 20 pieces that night.
"You do look really nice tonight", she flips the subject. Not only did she flip it, she directed it right at me. This is turning out to be better than I thought.
"Thank you, so do you..it's kinda weird to see you like this..I mean, you're beautiful, but it's just different, you know....but it's really nice", I ramble again. That's another mental bitchslap. She smiles.
"My uneasiness amuses you, doesn't it?", I ask her with narrowed, smiling eyes.
"Actually it does", she giggles.
"It's so much fun to see your mind tense up.and the way you crack your knuckles when your mad...it's really quite cute actually", she says the last in a matter-of-factly tone. I blush and look down.
"I just don't understand why you don't have a girlfriend by now....look at you..you're adorable", she extends her hands.
"Yeah, you and me both", I mumble under my breath, fiddling with my napkin.
"Seriously, I know your shy, but you don't give yourself enough credit..you're hot, man", she takes a sip of her water, smirking. I bashfully look away.
"Speaking of..how did you're date go the other night?", she sits her drink down. It sucked, cause it wasn't you.
"It was boring and uneventful", I tell her frankly, soliciting a smile. She looks at me for a moment and sighs. I look at her and her eyes hold an unreadable emotion. Some mix of, maybe, empathy and envy..but why? She finally speaks.
"You know..you are gonna make someone extremely happy one day. I know..that I would kill to meet someone, that respected and cared for me as much as I'm sure you would...", she looks off caught up in her thoughts.
"Most guys just want..well, you know..then when you won't give it to them, you're a bitch, a prude, you're stuck-up, a tease", she frowns still looking into the ocean. I just listen, because her entire mood, her body language has taken on this dismal, melancholy position. I've really never seen her like this.
"I wonder sometimes, if there are even guys out there that want an actual relationship..", she trails off. She turns back to me and the mood just disappears.
"I wish I could meet someone like you", she says. My heart stumbles over itself. Even the evil little bitchslapping voice in my head is stunned. I can't believe she just said that. My one and only unrequited love, wishes she could meet someone like me. So, what's wrong with....just me? Her eyes glaze over and immediately my instinct is to comfort her in some way. I reach out and touch her hand lying on the table, and she cries on tear. She almost looks embarrassed as she just stares out our hands. What's going on? I'm totally clueless.
"Let's get out of here", I stand and take my jacket off, placing it around her naked shoulders. She nods and stands with me. Forgetting the food, and the restaurant, we leave. The drive home, she was frighteningly silent, only staring out the window. I even think she may still be crying. What do I say? I don't even know what's wrong. God, this is killing me. I want to make it better. Doesn't she know that I'd do anything to keep her from ever feeling an ounce of pain? With my mind racing and my emotions screaming at me, I barely even hear her when she finally speaks again.
"Don't take me home...I don't want to be alone.", the last part comes as broken sobs breaking free. I reach over and lay my hand on hers, and she turns it over and holds it in return. We pull into my driveway, and sit momentarily in silence as I contemplate saying something, but, taking one look at her aching face, I just get out. I walk over to her door, open it and offer my hand. She takes it and we walk to the door. Inside she begins sobbing again. I can't stress enough how horrible it feels to not be able to help her. At a complete lose for words and out of ideas, I just hug her tightly as she sobs into my shoulder. She grabs me tighter as her cries become more violent. I pick her up and begin to climb the stairs as her head stays buried in the crook of my neck. Not wanting to wake Mia, and sensing that Letty didn't either, I take her into my room. I set her on my bed as the sobs begin to ebb. I grab the blanket laying at the end of my bed and pull it up over her. Feeling helpless against her pain, I just kiss the top of her head and turn to go downstairs.
"Stay", her frail voice breaks softly. I stop and turn to look at her as if asking 'are you sure?'.
"Please", she says almost in audible. I slip off my shoes and walk over to the other side of the bed. I lay down facing her and she places the softest kiss on my lips. She then nestles her head into my neck, letting her body meet the contour of mine. I lay stunned for the millionth time today, as she slips into sleep. I lay awake, long after she's gone to sleep, just thinking about her, until my eyelids outweigh my will to drink in the moments near her. I fall into slumber, still thinking of her.
There's a knock on the door, and I jump up.
"Sit, I'll get it", Vince pushes me back down. I can hear her come in and V greet her in the front hallway. I stand and walk in to meet her. She looks amazing. Actually, my words could never do her justice. Anything I could say, would be an understatement. She's wearing a black skirt that has a slanted hem, showing more of one leg than the other, and a simple black tank top, that's hugs every curve. Every thing is perfect, right down to her little strappy shoes Her hair is down and it's breathtaking to see her like this.
"You look beautiful", I remark stunned. She smiles big, one of those 'see all your teeth' smiles.
"Thank you, you look delicious yourself", she giggles softly, her eyes opening wider as she looks at my arms. I'm really glad I wore this shirt. We stand for a moment eyeing each other and Vince clears his throat, snapping or attention back to the moment.
"Have fun, be careful! "Vince slaps me on the back then winks at me, walking back into the living room.
"You ready?"
"Yeah, let's go..I'm starving", she turns and I walk in front to open the door for her. I let her out and grab my jacket. We get in the car and my nerves are put to rest as she turns the radio on. She begins singing to a song and laughs. I smile along. We begin to talk about the garage and before we know it we're at the restaurant. All is well so far. I was so worried about everything, about awkward silences, and uncomfortable moments, and she's totally at ease, making me at ease also. Our waiter sits us out on the deck, with an awesome view of the Pacific. We glance at our menus, and decide before the waiter comes back. We both end up ordering a surf and turf entrée, Letty with crab legs, and me with lobster tail.
"You gonna be able to handle all that food?", she jokes.
"Are you?", I counter playfully.
"Oh, you know I can eat", she laughs. I nod, remembering that eating contest she won at the pizzeria, a while back. It came down to her and Jesse, two of the skinniest people I know, for irony. He forced down one bite of his 15th piece, and watched her gobble down her 16th with no struggle. He gave up, and went to the bathroom, as Letty went on to finish a record 20 pieces that night.
"You do look really nice tonight", she flips the subject. Not only did she flip it, she directed it right at me. This is turning out to be better than I thought.
"Thank you, so do you..it's kinda weird to see you like this..I mean, you're beautiful, but it's just different, you know....but it's really nice", I ramble again. That's another mental bitchslap. She smiles.
"My uneasiness amuses you, doesn't it?", I ask her with narrowed, smiling eyes.
"Actually it does", she giggles.
"It's so much fun to see your mind tense up.and the way you crack your knuckles when your mad...it's really quite cute actually", she says the last in a matter-of-factly tone. I blush and look down.
"I just don't understand why you don't have a girlfriend by now....look at you..you're adorable", she extends her hands.
"Yeah, you and me both", I mumble under my breath, fiddling with my napkin.
"Seriously, I know your shy, but you don't give yourself enough credit..you're hot, man", she takes a sip of her water, smirking. I bashfully look away.
"Speaking of..how did you're date go the other night?", she sits her drink down. It sucked, cause it wasn't you.
"It was boring and uneventful", I tell her frankly, soliciting a smile. She looks at me for a moment and sighs. I look at her and her eyes hold an unreadable emotion. Some mix of, maybe, empathy and envy..but why? She finally speaks.
"You know..you are gonna make someone extremely happy one day. I know..that I would kill to meet someone, that respected and cared for me as much as I'm sure you would...", she looks off caught up in her thoughts.
"Most guys just want..well, you know..then when you won't give it to them, you're a bitch, a prude, you're stuck-up, a tease", she frowns still looking into the ocean. I just listen, because her entire mood, her body language has taken on this dismal, melancholy position. I've really never seen her like this.
"I wonder sometimes, if there are even guys out there that want an actual relationship..", she trails off. She turns back to me and the mood just disappears.
"I wish I could meet someone like you", she says. My heart stumbles over itself. Even the evil little bitchslapping voice in my head is stunned. I can't believe she just said that. My one and only unrequited love, wishes she could meet someone like me. So, what's wrong with....just me? Her eyes glaze over and immediately my instinct is to comfort her in some way. I reach out and touch her hand lying on the table, and she cries on tear. She almost looks embarrassed as she just stares out our hands. What's going on? I'm totally clueless.
"Let's get out of here", I stand and take my jacket off, placing it around her naked shoulders. She nods and stands with me. Forgetting the food, and the restaurant, we leave. The drive home, she was frighteningly silent, only staring out the window. I even think she may still be crying. What do I say? I don't even know what's wrong. God, this is killing me. I want to make it better. Doesn't she know that I'd do anything to keep her from ever feeling an ounce of pain? With my mind racing and my emotions screaming at me, I barely even hear her when she finally speaks again.
"Don't take me home...I don't want to be alone.", the last part comes as broken sobs breaking free. I reach over and lay my hand on hers, and she turns it over and holds it in return. We pull into my driveway, and sit momentarily in silence as I contemplate saying something, but, taking one look at her aching face, I just get out. I walk over to her door, open it and offer my hand. She takes it and we walk to the door. Inside she begins sobbing again. I can't stress enough how horrible it feels to not be able to help her. At a complete lose for words and out of ideas, I just hug her tightly as she sobs into my shoulder. She grabs me tighter as her cries become more violent. I pick her up and begin to climb the stairs as her head stays buried in the crook of my neck. Not wanting to wake Mia, and sensing that Letty didn't either, I take her into my room. I set her on my bed as the sobs begin to ebb. I grab the blanket laying at the end of my bed and pull it up over her. Feeling helpless against her pain, I just kiss the top of her head and turn to go downstairs.
"Stay", her frail voice breaks softly. I stop and turn to look at her as if asking 'are you sure?'.
"Please", she says almost in audible. I slip off my shoes and walk over to the other side of the bed. I lay down facing her and she places the softest kiss on my lips. She then nestles her head into my neck, letting her body meet the contour of mine. I lay stunned for the millionth time today, as she slips into sleep. I lay awake, long after she's gone to sleep, just thinking about her, until my eyelids outweigh my will to drink in the moments near her. I fall into slumber, still thinking of her.