"So how was everyone's Friday night?" Simon asked Saturday afternoon as we made our way into the change room. Jace, Simon and I had just finished playing a round of basketball, and not to brag or anything, but I totally wiped the floor with them.
"Oh it was pretty amazing," Jace said winking.
"You always creep me out when you do that," I said shuddering as I quickly opened my locker.
"The ladies seem to love it," Jace informed me, winking again just to annoy me.
"Enlighten us on your latest conquest since it seems you're just dying to," Simon said sitting on one of the benches.
"Well, she wasn't really one of the conquests-"
"A girl not succumbing to Jace's advances, I must meet her," I laughed tugging off my shirt.
"Oh shut up," Jace said rolling his eyes. "I didn't say she wasn't interested, she's just playing hard to get."
"He can't admit when he's been defeated," Simon stage whispered.
"She did end up giving me her number at the end of the night, so not all is lost."
"What's her name?" I asked, throwing on a new shirt and banging my locker closed.
"Clary-"
"Well at least he remembers her name, maybe it's really love," Simon joked.
"Oh whatever, how was your night Simon?" Jace asked grabbing his clothes.
"What, oh, it was…um, good," he said blushing.
"You're so hiding something, what happened?" I asked sitting down.
"I really don't think you want to know," he answered.
"And why would that be?" Jace asked.
"Well I mean, it does involve your sister," Simon said smirking a bit.
"Ugh gross, forget we asked anything," Jace insisted shuddering.
"I still don't get how you two even got together," I said, pretending to puzzle over the situation.
"Oh shut up," Simon said pushing me. "How was your night huh?"
"What, oh. I got some work done, finished a new manuscript," I told them, picking up the basketball to have something to fiddle with.
"Oh so sad, when was the last time you got laid anyway?"
"Oh you know…" I mumbled trying to brush it off.
"You need to get out there more," Jace insisted.
"You know, there's this guy at work that I think you might hit it off with," Simon suggested.
"Ugh, I don't know. I don't know him, I don't like blind dates."
"Come on, what can it hurt. He's hot, I mean I'm pretty sure he is, that's what all the girls keep saying anyway," Simon said, grabbing his phone to show me a picture. I had to admit, he wasn't bad looking.
"What's his name?"
"Nick, so what do you say?"
"Fine, what's the harm," I agreed sighing.
"Good, he'll pick you up at eight tonight."
"Wait what?!"
"I may have said yesterday that you'd go out with him tonight," Simon said. He winced as the ball I threw hit him in the shoulder. I really did hate blind dates.
I sighed for probably the hundredth time as I looked in the mirror, I could see Chase staring at me.
"So, what do you think?" I asked, he gave a little bark. "You're right, I should go with the red one." I smiled as he cocked his head to the side, as if saying You're really changing again?
"Don't judge, I'm nervous," I said unbuttoning my shirt and grabbing the red dress shirt from its hanger. Once it was on I looked in the mirror again, since I had no idea where Nick was taking me getting dressed proved hard. I had settled for dark-washed jeans and the new red shirt, leaving it a little unbuttoned at the top. I figured it was as best as I was going to get so I grabbed my wallet and left the bedroom, if I didn't I would end up changing at least two more times.
I made my way into the kitchen and grabbed the half filled wine glass that rested on the counter, a little something to calm my nerves. I hadn't realized how long its really been since I've had a date.
"I'm pretty pathetic aren't I?" Chase looked up from his bowl of food for a second, and then went back to eating. "Yeah I thought so." I gulped down the rest of my wine and started fiddling with my phone. I nearly jumped out of my skin when there was a knock at my door. This of course sent Chase barking and racing towards it.
"That's not for you," I said laughing as I quickly made my way towards it. Chase of course was harmless, but I didn't want him scaring Nick away just quite yet.
"Hey," I said once I got the door open.
"Hi," Nick said stepping inside. "Your dog it adorable," he said kneeling down to pet him.
"Thanks, his name's Chase."
"A beagle right?" I nodded. "How long have you had him."
"He just turned five a few weeks ago." Nick gave him a final pat and stood up, and I finally got a good look at him. He was extremely attractive, that picture Simon showed me didn't do him justice.
"Shall we go?"
"Yeah of course," I said grabbing my keys. "You be a good boy while I'm gone Chase." He gave a little bark, and then bounded off to do whatever it was he did when I'm not there.
"So Simon told me you like sushi," Nick said once we were in the elevator.
"Yeah I do, one of my favourite foods."
"That's good 'cause I was thinking we'd go to Sushi Seki, it's got the best selection around here I feel," Nick said.
"It does, I love that place," I said as we made our way out of my building.
"We can go somewhere different if you go there too often."
"No it's perfect actually, a familiar place would be less nerve racking," I confessed, hailing a taxi for us.
"You're nervous?" Nick asked smiling a little.
"Lets just say it's been some time since I've had a date," I said holding open the door for him. We told the address to the driver and leaned back in our seats.
"Yeah Simon told me that, he made you seem a little desperate actually," Nick said laughing.
"Remind me to kill him later," I said groaning.
"Don't worry, I didn't believe him."
"Good." We sat in silence for the ten minute drive, it wasn't awkward or anything which was surprising. And when we got to the restaurant Nick held the door open, and even held out my chair for me. To say it was unexpected would be an understatement. After we ordered almost everything on the menu, we just couldn't decide, Nick leaned back in his chair and smiled.
"What, do I have something on my face?" I asked moving to wipe whatever it was away.
"No, how could you, we haven't eaten yet," he said laughing.
"Oh, right," I mumbled, quickly taking a sip of my drink.
"I was just thinking that you're a lot more attractive then the pictures Simon showed me." I almost choked on my cocktail.
"I was thinking the same thing back at my place." I confessed, watching as Nick grinned.
"Well now that we have attraction settled, tell me about yourself."
"I don't really think there's a lot to tell. I'm an editor at Angel City Press, which I'm sure Simon already told you. I feel like all I do is work to be honest, I'm constantly reading manuscripts, and trying to get my authors on talk shows to promote their books," I told him. "Quite boring really."
"I don't think it is, I can tell you really love your job," Nick said grinning. "What books are you working on now?"
"Well I just finished reading this thriller novel, Creep it was called. It was quite chilling so I'm definitely going to pursue that further. One of our top authors is going on a talk show to promote her new crime novel Find her, which of course is going to be another best seller," I filled him in.
"Do you specifically only publish psychological thrillers?"
"For the most part yeah, it's my favourite genre so I wanted a place where I could solely focus on the books I know the most about," I said taking a sip of my drink. "But actually, my assistant recently gave me a manuscript to look over, I haven't got a chance to yet. It's an erotica which she was really into, she said it was amazing so I might give that a glance soon."
"Erotica is a pretty popular area," Nick commented.
"Yeah I do know that, which is why I know I should give it a look."
"Do you know what it's about?"
"No, all I know is it's called Need, but I mean, Julia was blushing as she was talking about it so I'm sure it's quite steamy," I said just as our food arrived.
"I don't even know where to start," I said looking at all the options, but then decided on one of the many shrimp dishes. I couldn't help moaning at how good it was, I really did love anything that had to do with seafood.
"What?" I asked, noticing Nick staring at me.
"Nothing, just you eating could be an erotica all on it's own," he said before starting on his food. I blushed, and tried eating more quietly.
"So all you've told me had to do with your job, what about when you're not working?"
"I don't even know if I'm never not working. I hang out a lot with my siblings, I have a brother and sister both a year younger than me. Jace is a big time director, and Izzy's a model. I guess when I think about it, I have a very small world around me. Sorry I must be terribly boring."
"Not at all, you just need to get out more. Open up to what the world has to offer," Nick said, moving across the table to grab a piece of my shrimp, grinning when I scowled at him.
"What about yourself, what's your life like?"
"Oh it's quite fascinating," he said jokingly. "I guess I'm kind of in the same boat as you, work takes up a lot of my time. The music business is constantly moving, and when you work in the recording industry I have to constantly be on top of it, getting the newest voice."
"Yeah Simon talks a lot about it, it seems crazy," I said. "But also fun." Being friends with someone in the music business has it's perks, I've been to quite a lot of parties that I had no reason being to.
"Oh yeah definitely fun," As Nick continued talking about his job, then moving on to his weekends I couldn't help but think that there wouldn't be a second date. He was a a nice guy, and insanely attractive, but there wasn't a spark. I wasn't feeling a connection any further than a physical one, and even though that was great I really did want something a little more than that.
0000
As dinner was winding down I knew Nick was feeling the same.
"That was really good, though I don't think I'll be eating anytime soon," I commented as we made our way out into the night. I could feel the four glasses of that blue cocktail I had moving around in my head, making everything seem brighter. By the look of Nick I knew he was feeling the same way. We were standing on the sidewalk, both not knowing what to do next.
"Same, we ate way too much," Nick said laughing. "And maybe drank a bit too much as well."
"Maybe, but I mean what's the harm in a few drinks," I said stepping a little closer to him. "And, well, if you don't have to go yet you could always come back to mine for a few more?"
"I would like that very much," he said, catching a cab as it drove down the street. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into the backseat. I barely had time to tell the driver my address before Nick was pushing me back into the seat and connecting his mouth to mine. A thrill ran through me, and I knew that there would be no drinks consumed once we got to my place.
"So how was last night?" Simon asked as we sat down with our mugs of coffee. He had insisted we meet for lunch, but I knew the only reason was so he could see how my date went.
"It was fine. Sushi, drinks, the usual date night vibe," I said taking a sip of my coffee.
"Do you think you'll go out again?"
"No, there just wasn't that kind of connection. Sorry to bash your matchmaking."
"It's fine, at least you ended up getting laid," Simon said so nonchalantly, causing me to choke on the bite of panini I had just taken.
"How the hell did you know that?"
"You're way less tense."
"Ugh, whatever," I said biting into my sandwich again.
"I am sorry you guys didn't hit it off though, I know how much you want something more than just a random hookup."
"What the hell has happened to Simon, you're starting to sound like Maia."
"Well, Izzy may have been talking a bit about how lonely she thinks you are," Simon said trying not to look at me.
"Oh super, why don't I just get forever alone stamped on my forehead," I said groaning.
"I have been thinking of something," Simon started.
"Great, what?"
"Have you ever considered maybe online dating?"
I wonder what will happen next? I hope you all enjoyed this, so please leave a review :) It's great being back here, I've missed the feeling of uploading a story. I'll be back on Monday with a new chapter, so I hope you all have a great weekend! See you soon.