*Can I just say how much I absolutely love Sheldon? Please make sure to leave detailed reviews! They are life!
*Chapter 2*
Peny couldn't believe she agreed to this. Here she was, freshly showered, and searching in her closet for the perfect thing to wear on her date with Sheldon. Sheldon! Her lovable and infuriating wackadoodle. He looked so happy when she finally said yes.
"Okay, Sheldon, I'll agree to this..." She held up a hand as soon as he opened his mouth to speak "BUT, there are conditions." she ticked off the counts on her fingers "One, it has to be a real date, no comic book store or Cheesecake Factory allowed. Two, you give me enough warning in advance so I have time to get ready. And finally, number three, and this one is the most important, you will dress accordingly for the date. That means if we are going someplace nice, you have to dress the part. No comic character t-shirts."
"I agree to those terms." Sheldon nodded "I would like to clarify a few points however."
"Okay, shoot."
"What do you consider to be a fair time frame of warning for our date?"
"I need at least two hours, that way I can shower, get dressed, and do hair and makeup."
Sheldon nodded "That is reasonable. How do I know what to wear for a date based off of the type of date it is?" Sheldon had never really studied dating, so he wasn't sure of the proper dress etiquette.
Penny thought for a moment. "Okay, we'll do a star rating, like with online shopping and stuff. One-star is your more casual date, think like going to play mini golf, or going to the arcade. You can dress similar to your every day for a one-star date. Two-stars is like going to the movies, or out to a casual dinner. You might consider one of your favorite shirts, or one without graphics on it. Three-stars you need to dress a bit nicer. Maybe for a date like at a nicer restaurant, or going to see a concert. Wear a nice button up shirt. Four-stars would be like going to a fancy dinner, or the opera or something. Black tie event type stuff. Then five-star is the equivalent of you getting a major award, like the Nobel Prize. Tux. Definitely a Tux."
"Thank you, Penny, that was well thought out, and extremely helpful. This is new to me, so I appreciate you helping to ensure our first date goes well." Sheldon smiled. "Since you have declared that you need a two-hour notice, I propose that I head back to my apartment, and you prepare for a four-star date. I will pick you up in two hours. Please be punctual." He nodded and quickly left before Penny could stop him.
She had quickly reheated her soup and scarfed half of it down before hopping in the shower. If she had to wait another couple of hours to eat, she needed to make sure she didn't pass out. While she could have chased him down and informed him that tonight was not a good night, it was better to get it over with. Plus, he had said four-star date. She was curious to see what he thought he could pull together in two hours. She continued to look through her closet and discard various outfits until her hands reached for a dress she hadn't seen in a very long time. It was a dress she had bought near the end of her disastrous relationship with Kurt. She was supposed to wear it for an event he promised to take her to. It was gorgeous, and she never got to wear it. She pulled it out, smiled, and ran into the bathroom to continue getting ready.
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Sheldon sat down at his desk, careful not to wrinkle his suit pants. He had already taken a shower (Even though it was not time according to his usual schedule, but he wanted to be at his best for Penny.) and he took the time to brush and floss his teeth, and to freshen up. He'd taken his time with his preparations, and now he was biding his time. He logged into his Facebook account, and spent a few minutes seeing if anything interesting had happened, and as usual, not much was going on. He checked his notifications, and sure enough, there was a message from Missy. She checked in with him every few days, or anytime she had something to say.
Missy: Hey, Shelly! Just wanted to check in and make sure y'all are doing okay there in Pasadena. Mama said last time she spoke to you, you sounded upset, and she figured I could try to wrangle it outta ya.
Sheldon sighed audibly, Missy was online, so she would know he saw the message. If he didn't take the time to reply, she would start calling and pestering him until he answered. He had some time still, so he began typing.
Sheldon: Hello, Missy. Mama must be referring to how irritated I was with Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler. She was pressuring me to change the dynamics of our friendship paradigm, and since I had no interest in altering our relationship, I found it frustrating when she tried to twist logic to fit her narrative. I told mama not to worry and that I wasn't going to do anything outrageous. I hope you are in good health.
Missy: Wait, so there is a girl, a smart girl, that wants to date you? And you turned her down?
Sheldon: Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler is indeed intelligent, that is why she has a PHD. In addition to that, yes, she is a female, and yes, I suppose you could say she wanted to "date" me. I was not attracted to her, so I said no.
Missy: Shelly, I promise not to say a word to mama, but are you sure you're not gay?
Sheldon: Missy, I haven't done or said anything to indicate that I am a homosexual. As a matter of fact, I am going on a date in exactly twenty-four minutes. With a female.
Missy: Are you shittin' me, Shelly?
Sheldon: I'm assuming you are asking if this is one of my famous pranks, and the answer is no.
Missy: I want details! Who is this girl? Do I know her? Where are you going on the date?
Sheldon: Yes, you have met her. I am taking Penny out to dinner and to the theatre.
Missy: I'm callin' you right now. You BETTER answer!
Sheldon sighed and got out his phone just as it started ringing. "Hello, Missy."
"Sheldon Lee Cooper, if I find out you are messing with me, I will fly out there and kick your scrawny backside all the way back to Texas."
"Missy, I am not 'messing with you'. I asked Penny out on a date, and after some discussion to prove that I was serious, she said yes. I really don't understand why you are making such a big deal out of this." He huffed.
"Well I'll be damned. Shelly goin' out with a girl, and a pretty one at that! So, where are ya takin' her?"
"Missy, I already told you, dinner and the theatre."
"No, I mean exactly where? Is it nice?"
"I am taking Penny on what is considered a four-star date. Somewhere nice enough to where I am obliged to wear a suit and tie. We will go out for a nice dinner, then I am taking her to see a live performance at the Pantages Theatre. I happen to be a season ticket holder, and there happens to be a show tonight."
"Damn, Shelly, you are gonna sweep that girl right off her feet. You better be on your best behavior, and you better not mess this up. I like that girl, and I wouldn't mind seeing her come Christmas time."
Sheldon started to panic "Missy, you can't go tellin' mama. She'll be up here buying hats and makin' plans. Promise me you won't say a word!" whenever he got angry, or anxious, he tended to slip back into his Texas accent.
"Calm down, I won't say anything yet. You better call me when you get home, I want to know everything. Got it?"
Sheldon sighed with relief. "I promise. Thank you, Missy. I'll talk to you later."
"Okay, and Shelly? Good luck tonight. I love you!"
"I love you too. Goodbye."
He hung up the phone and stared at the computer screen that still held his profile on the screen. He debated for a moment, then changed his status to "It's complicated." Just as he clicked the button, he heard a commotion outside of the door. Leonard, Howard, and Raj were back. They walked in the door and Leonard stopped and stared as the other two bumped into his back.
"Hey man! What the heck?" Howard stumbled past Leonard.
"Yeah dude, why did you stop?" Raj, stepped around the other side, carefully cradling the take out bag.
All three stopped speaking as Sheldon slowly stood up and grabbed his suit coat off the back of the chair. He smoothly slipped it on and picked up his phone and placed it in his pocket. "Good evening, gentlemen. I'm assuming you plan on spending the evening eating and playing video games? I regret to inform you that I will be unable to participate this evening, as I have arranged other plans. Leonard, I'm not sure how late I will return, but I have my key. Please leave the kitchen light on so I don't stumble when I return."
Raj was the first to gather his wits. "Dude! You clean up nice! Where are you going?"
"Thank you, Raj, I have a date this evening. Penny has agreed to accompany me for a night out on the town as they say."
That last bit sputtered Leonard into action. "Wait, what? You asked Penny out on a date? You can't be serious."
Sheldon scoffed. "Leonard, why would I dress up and lie about that? I assure you that I took all the proper steps. I asked Penny for a date, she said yes, I made the preparations, dressed myself according to social dating standards, and now I'm headed over to pick her up. I fail to see why this surprises you so much."
"But...but, you can't just go out with her! Penny is mine! I saw her first!"
Sheldon could tell he struck a nerve. Leonard was stuttering, wringing his hands, and adjusting his glasses. All tell signs. Hearing Leonard claim Penny as a possession always irritated him, but tonight it went far beyond that, he was downright angry. He walked over and got really close, close enough so Leonard's eyes widened and he almost took a step back. He lowered the tenor of his voice to make sure he was understood. "Penny belongs only to herself. She is a person in her own right, and it is unseemly the way you continue to pursue her in this fashion. If I didn't have a better control over myself, I would call you out for your comments. Rest assured that if it happens again, I will not hold myself back." He stood back to his full height and straightened his jacket. He nodded to Raj and Howard "Gentlemen, enjoy yourselves tonight." Then he walked out the door and shut it behind him. He took a deep cleansing breath and smiled. It felt good to tell Leonard exactly how he felt. He was done tip-toing around Leonard's fragile ego.
"What just happened?" Leonard squeaked as he began wringing his hands again.
"I think Sheldon has a deal." Raj replied in astonishment.
"Yeah, a deal for hot blonds." Howard said while waggling his eyebrows.
Leonard straightened. "That's it, I'm going after him."
Howard stepped in front of the door quickly "Are you mad? Did you not hear Sheldon? I have never seen him act like that before, he looked really pissed. I think you need to wait it out, you know he'll do something to mess it up. It's just a date. Sit back, relax, and watch the crazy train unfold."
Leonard thought about that for a moment. Sheldon was all sorts of crazy, isn't that why Penny always called him wackadoodle? "You're right. There is no way Penny would actually go for him. She's probably just being nice to him. Yeah, it's fine. Let's eat." Leonard grabbed the food from Raj, walked over to the couch, and sat down.
Raj looked at Howard and spoke quietly. "Did you see that? I've never seen Sheldon go to so much effort for anyone. I think he might be for real."
"Yeah, but we can't tell him that." He nodded his head nervously to indicate Leonard who was quickly unpacking their dinner.
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(knock, knock, knock) "Penny"
(knock, knock, knock) "Penny"
(knock, knock, knock) "Penny"
The door opened and all he could do was stare dumbly at her. Over the years he had seen her dressed up for many a date, but he had never seen her looking as beautiful as this. He gave her a quick once over with his eyes. She was wearing a knee length dress of deep purple, that was held up over one shoulder. The skirt flared out at the hips, and was cut at a diagonal at the knee and it draped opposite of the shoulder strap, going down almost to her ankle. She was wearing a pair of matching strappy heels, and it made her legs look phenomenal. Her hair was curled and half of it was pulled back, with a few trendles hanging down along her face. His fingers itched to reach out and touch one. He cleared his throat. "Penny, I have never seen anyone look as beautiful as you do right now." He held an arm out for her "Are you ready to go?"
Penny smoothed out her dress one last time and grabbed her clutch off the table next to the door. She turned the lock before stepping out in the hallway, and allowing Sheldon to close the door behind her as she took his proffered arm. She had to remind herself to breathe, because standing next to her was Sheldon in a suit. It was the suit she had helped him pick out, but with a charcoal shirt and a black tie. She wondered where he got the shirt and tie from, she didn't remember seeing him purchase it while they were at the store. "Thank you, Sheldon, that is very sweet of you to say. I think you look very handsome as well. This suit looks very good on you. Where did the new shirt and tie come from?"
Sheldon placed his hand over hers on his arm while they walked down the stairs. He didn't want her to trip or fall in those heels. "Thank you, Penny. I went back to the store and bought shirts and ties in every color, that way I have a variety to choose from. I also bought five other suits; one navy, one gray, one burgundy, one in a color they call bottle green, and another one in black but with a slightly different cut. In addition, I bought six pairs of cufflinks."
"Wow, Sheldon, I never expected you to like it so much that you would buy more!"
"Well, Penny, I must admit that you were right. I made quite the impression, and I was pleased with how good I felt all dressed up. Not to mention that they will come in handy for the various ceremonies I will have to attend as I continue to receive awards for my work. They will also be beneficial when I'm forced to socialize at University events to solicit grants and donations for my department."
They had reached the lobby when she stopped him. "Do you have to go to those kinds of events often? I've heard you mention them before, but you always seemed to avoid them in the past."
"I do, I'm not always good with people, and I have little patience for small talk, but if I really want to win the Nobel Prize, I have to ensure my experiments are funded. Therefore, I plan to start attending those kinds of functions more often. I have always been allowed to invite a guest, and I'm hoping if you aren't busy, that you will be willing to attend them with me." Sheldon held open the door for her, and helped guide her outside.
Sheldon's hand on her lower back was doing all sorts of strange things to Penny's insides, but before she could say anything, her gaze was captured by the limo sitting there in the street. A man stood next to the back door and opened it for them. Her mind couldn't form a coherent thought so she blurted "You rented a limo for us?"
Sheldon glanced at the woman beside him. "More like I rented the driver. I don't enjoy driving, and this is our first date. I have a prior arrangement with this company. They have three drivers that I have approved of, and this particular limo is owned by me. This way I can be assured that it's always kept clean to my specifications. The limo company keeps it in storage for me, and when I call, they send whichever driver is available at the time. The majority of the time it's David. He is a single dad, and he likes to pick up the evening hours when he can. Come along and I'll introduce you." He steered her towards the vehicle. "David, I would like to introduce you to Penny. Penny, this is David, I'm sure you will be seeing much more of him in the future."
David tipped his hat to her "Ma'am."
"Hello, David. Sheldon tells me you have children? How many, and how old, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Not at all ma'am. I have two girls, fourteen and eight. They like to keep me on my toes."
Penny laughed "I think all parents say that. I know mine did."
"True enough, ma'am." He replied.
"David, how has Christina been feeling lately?"
"She is doing much better these days, thank you. That last round of treatments really made a difference. The doctor said she might be able to walk again in another six months to a year, as long as she keeps up the exercises."
Sheldon beamed "That is wonderful news! I knew if anyone could help, it would be Dr. Smith. She is the best in her field. Please give my regards to the girls, and tell Dr. Smith I will call her next week to confer."
"Thank you again for all of your help. I can't express my gratitude enough." David gestured for them to get seated so they could be on their way.
"Don't mention it. I was more than happy to help." Sheldon replied as he steered Penny to the open door. He took her hand and helped her into the limo. He climbed in next to her and smiled when he saw her face. She had just noticed the flowers.
Penny was knocked back again. The interior of the limo was littered with dozens of flowers, they were on every available surface, some were even on the other set of seats. They came in almost every color, and they reminded her of her 'Penny Blossoms'. "Sheldon! These are beautiful! What are they?"
Sheldon smiled at her exclamation. The joy on her face completely transformed her. "They are called 'Ranunculus asiaticus', or the 'Persian Buttercup'." He had to call eight different florists in order to fill the limo, but he didn't care, because her reaction was worth it. He quickly plucked a purple one, snipped off the majority of the stem with his fingernails, and gently tucked it into her hair. "A fresh 'Penny Blossom' for your hair."
Penny melted, who could have guessed that at heart Sheldon was a romantic? It seemed she had a lot to learn about her date. Luckily, she had plenty of time.