Mary Anne fluffed her hair up and wiped a smudge of lip gloss from her teeth. She didn't know why she was so nervous about having coffee with Ian. She supposed it was because she hadn't been out with anyone besides Logan since she was thirteen. Well, it was high time she did. Seventeen years old and only dated one guy!
"Here goes nothing!" Mary Anne whispered under her breath as she got out of her Honda Accord. She walked into the coffee shop and tried to look for Ian without being feeling too conspicuous.
"Mary Anne!" Ian called out to her from across the room. He waved her over to a small leather sofa for two. Mary Anne met his smile and made her way across the room to him.
Ian leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. She could smell the heady scent of aftershave on him and tried not to sigh with pleasure. A waitress approached them and asked for their order. "We'll have two espressos," Ian ordered and smiled at Mary Anne.
Mary Anne tried not to gag. She hated espresso. "Actually, I'll have a hot chocolate, thanks." The waitress nodded and went off to get their order. "I've never been to a poetry reading," Mary Anne said conversationally. "Do you go to many?"
Ian just looked at her for a moment. "I just assumed you'd drink an espresso, sorry about that."
"Oh, that's no big deal," Mary Anne smiled. "I've always thought espressos kind of tasted sludgy. Besides, I think there's nothing cozier than a hot chocolate on a crisp fall evening."
"Hmm," Ian replied. "I just associate hot chocolates with being four and wearing footed pajamas."
Mary Anne was shocked at his comment but decided to let it slide as the waitress brought them their orders.
"Would you like some cookies to go with your cocoa?" Ian teased. Mary Anne forced a smile but could tell he was being sarcastic.
They chatted for a bit about school and extra curricular activities they had going on.
"I love Mrs. Stockinger's writing group," Mary Anne enthused. "She's such an inspiring teacher."
"Really?" Ian remarked. "I think she's kind of pathetic. What can some high school teacher with only a master's degree teach us about writing? And the writing skills exhibited in that group are so poor."
Mary Anne found his comment very pompous. "Then why are you in the club if you don't think it has anything to offer?"
He shrugged, "It's better than nothing. Besides, it gives me an opportunity to get my work shown. Being in Stoneybrook High's literary magazine or the school paper is good for my college applications."
Mary Anne couldn't help but roll her eyes. "I'm surprised you found my story up to your high standards."
Ian seemed surprised at her gutsy remark. He smiled at her endearingly. "Sorry to come off as a snob, Mary Anne, but it's true. You and I are one of the few intelligent minds in that school. Why else would I ask you out?"
Mary Anne knew he meant the comment to be a compliment, but it only had the reverse effect on her. Who wanted to be lumped together with this stuffy, conceited bore? She took a sip of her hot chocolate and hoped the poety reading would start soon.
The evening continued to drag on. Instead of the poetry reading being inspiring, Mary Anne found it tedious and full of people pretending to be deep and serious. The readers threw in a lot of big words she wasn't even sure they knew the meaning of. She tried to stifle a yawn during the intermission.
"Are you bored or something?" Ian asked.
"Oh no," Mary Anne replied. "Just a bit tired. I had a late babysitting job last night and then stayed up reading a great book."
"Babysitting, huh?" Ian smiled. "My sister babysits too. She's twelve." Mary Anne recoiled at his biting insult. "What book were you reading?"
"The Berenstain Bears," Mary Anne replied shortly.
Ian laughed. "Very droll, Mary Anne."
"No, really," Mary Anne replied shortly. "I curled up in my footed pajamas with a cup of cocoa and a Berenstain Bears book."
Ian just looked at her blankly.
"Listen, Ian. Thanks for the evening, but I'm going to head on home now."
"Don't be silly, Mary Anne. Don't take offense at my comments. Come on, don't leave," Ian pleaded.
"No, I really should get going," Mary Anne replied.
"I guess you aren't as deep and intelligent as I thought you were, Mary Anne. You seem to be a mental lightweight like all the other girls at school. Unable to take a few comments in jest?" Ian seemed truly angry at her rejection of him.
Mary Anne didn't really know how to respond so she just replied, "Night, Ian."
Picking up her coat and purse, she left the coffee house and took a deep breath of the cold night air to clear her head.
Was this what dating was going to be like?