Story of a Heart

Chapter 11: First date

Faye's point of view
Lee took my hand and lead me out the building. We walked round the back, to where he had parked the car, and my passion took over. I kissed him on the lips. He kissed me back. We kissed each other forcefully, with so much passion, I quickly found myself with my back up against the wall of the building. We were kissing each other for about five minutes straight before he pulled away, and as I caught sight of a person nearby I felt a little awkward. In response he hugged me tightly, and lifted me up. I was slightly drunk, so the motion made me feel all happy and floaty, but I was still far more sober than I had been on New year's. He carried me back to the car, kissed me and then set me down before unlocking the car, and opened the passenger door for me. He was such a gentleman. It was a shame really that I had a habit with guys, well I didn't call it a habit merely a coincidence. My sister was the one to start calling my reputation with cars and men a habit. Still at least I hadn't abandoned my family for any of my boyfriends yet, and I wasn't planning on it, so I had one up on my cousin who had also teased me about the habit. I glanced at the back of the car, and then thought better of it. Given the location and who we were it wasn't a good idea where there were so many people that could see us. The public didn't even really know about us officially, and I didn't want all the celebrity magazines plastered with pictures and headlines linked to me, Lee and a car. Maybe at some point we'd go at each other in the back of a car, but not now, and it would certainly be somewhere much more private than here if we ever did.

On the drive back we spent a lot of time not talking but both enjoying listening to the radio. On several occasions Lee glanced over at me and would smile as he did. I wasn't looking too much at him but I kept catching him in the corner of my eye and every time I would I'd grin and blush slightly before forcing myself to look at him. On the few occasions we made eye contact I'd moan at him to keep an eye on the road, despite how flattered we both knew I was by the gesture.
"Thanks for making this a great night." He whispered after a while. The way he was whispering to seem romantic didn't really work in a car when he was staring at a red traffic light, but it was still cute he was trying.
"Thank you for making this the best first date I've been on." I replied.
"Just out of curiosity, so I know how much that statement means; how many first dates have you been on?" He asked me, grimacing slightly as the traffic opposite us on the crossroads got to go first.
"Five now." I replied. "2 were before I turned 18 though so I don't know, do I count them really and truly because they were to like cinemas and stuff. I went on my first when I'd just turned 16, he took me to this really cringy kiddie movie they were playing in the old cinema back home. My second... No sorry, we shouldn't discuss this, not on a first date." I trailed off. I couldn't tell him about my past relationships. Could I?
"No, carry on if you want Faye." He replied.
"I was scared you'd be like them. Two cheated on me, one left me and the other was kinda only ever a joke. Anyway, I went on my second first date a few weeks before I turned 18 and we went round this country park thing... oh no it wasn't! It was on the downs! Then there was the joke date with Mick just after our 19th birthdays off a dare promise thing we made when we were 13 that if we were both single on his 19th birthday we were going on a 'date' together, where we did end up drinking for the first time of either of us on a date and neither of us remember how we got home, let alone anything else. We both hope we erhm... that we didn't; he's like my brother. The last one I went on when I was 20. 1996, I was still with him when we met so you guys all know the rest of that story. It wasn't an achievement of dating, but somehow it still ended in me being a mess somehow. I'd known it was going to happen, all the signs were there... Anyway, after that I'd vowed no more boyfriends and then I'd have no more heartbreaks. And then I broke that promise with you." I decided it was best to leave the conversation there.

"I've been on 3 dates. All with the same girl, all in the same relationship." He started. I looked at him expectantly, so he continued talking. "Her name was Kerry, and we've been best friends most of our lives. Right at the end of year 11, she asked me out. We dated for a year before realising we worked better as friends than a couple. We went to our leavers party together, though it was only as friends."
I smiled gently. That meant you could get with me I added to the end of the story in my mind. We pulled up to the front of the house, and I got out the car. Lee got out too, and took hold of my hands. He kissed me just like before but not so aggressively this time, before letting me into the house. We walked up the stairs, and I made silent judgements as to where the other 3 were. Claire would be in her 'reading den' which was essentially the type of den you make as a kid using blankets and ribbons. She liked to sit in it and read, and numerous times we'd thought about taking it down while she was in it. H was in the shower, a basic deduction I'd made from hearing a shower running and seeing the female bathroom door open. Lisa would be in our room then. I kissed Lee goodbye outside the door to my room as if he were dropping me off and I wasn't going to see him for days, and proved myself right about Lisa as I headed into our room.

Lisa's point of view
Faye half stumbled into the room from her date with Lee. I'd managed to put the events of last week to the back of my mind, taking the few important points out of the conversation I'd had with H to tuck somewhere useful instead of a deep dark corner with the rest of my petty jealous behaviour that night. Faye had thrown herself at me and given me the tightest hug the second she'd found me in our room that morning, telling me how worried about me she'd felt. I'd questioned myself about it then, and I still was now. If she was so worried about me, why didn't she ask me out instead of Lee? I was reaching the conclusion that I didn't understand straight people.
"So what did you get up too?" I asked her, glancing at the clock. It was half 8 at night after-all. Was that early or late to be back from a first date? My experience of dates had never gone too well.
"We had dinner together." She told me.
"I could infer that from your absences at the dinner table." I replied too sharply. I might have forgotten about last week's events, but the pain was still there even still. I think it was anger at her for it, but I couldn't really tell because it could just be anger at myself for how stupidly I'd reacted. Anything could have happened to me while I was outside alone, her and Claire had a point.
"That was it. We didn't get weird or anything." She said, sitting down on her bed. I contemplated moving to sit with her, then decided against it. Then decided to move anyway, and sat down next to her.
"So how was it?" I asked her, fully prepared to listen to everything she had to say (despite knowing it would be a lot and could accidentally end up more detailed than she'd maybe like when her brain caught up with her storytelling).
She launched into a full explanation about the conversations they'd had, what she'd eaten, she even started to talk about the window she'd been sat next to. I smiled at her, taking in all the information she fed me. When I looked at her and saw the twinkling happiness in her pale blue eyes it hurt a little bit though. I was convinced I'd never see that when she spoke about me, she'd never think about me in the same way she thought about Lee, so I kept myself quiet. I got up ready to move away from her, but she gently grabbed my arm before I could stand up fully, gently tugging me back.
"Lisa, about last week. I'm so sorry I made you feel that way, I didn't mean to upset you, it's just that's what me and Lee love to do." She explained, it was about the 5th time she'd apologised to me.
"Faye honestly, it's fine." I said, brushing her hand off my arm.
"Well no, you're not are you? You seem like you're keeping yourself hidden from me, as though you're hurt by what happened and I don't want you to feel like that." She replied.
"I'm fine." I replied, sitting down on my bed. She followed and sat down right next to me, staring at me and I knew well enough she was searching for every little one of my tells to confirm that I was lying. She'd find every one she looked for and I knew that - she knew me so well.
"We used to be best friends, now it hardly feels like that at all. It feels like you're punishing me just for being in love." She replied, her eyes watering a little. I couldn't exactly tell why and I didn't want to ask precisely the cause though I knew it was to do with feeling hurt. I had a feeling it probably came down to me being petty and selfish the last few days I wasn't sure I wanted that confirmed.
"Okay Faye. Yes it hurt me a little, but I needed time to heal. I'm sorry I reacted how I did, and I'm sorry you don't feel like you trust me, but I know I've not been normal with you recently. I'm not punishing you for being in love, and I don't know what I expected from you and Lee it just wasn't quite what I caught." I replied, putting my arm round her. She smiled faintly, and pressed her hand up against mine, as though she was pushing it against her to reassure herself I was there.
"I want you to always be my best friend Faye." I added eventually. Actually, I want to be more than that, I thought, but I didn't add that bit in.
"Childish as it sounds, I hope we're always friends Lisa, no matter what becomes of the rest of them, whether I'm still with Lee or not. I always want you as a best friend." She replied.
"Well where do I start to make things better then Treacle Tozer?" I asked, jabbing her playfully in the ribs. She elbowed me gently in response.
"By just being you Scottsie bear." She replied. I smiled, that was just what I needed to hear.