I Can Be Your Date

Chapter 2

"I Can Be Your Date"

Chapter 2

Mon is standing next to the tree, getting a bit impatient. She glances at her watch. Nop is already ten minutes late. Is Nop ditching her? Maybe she should go meet up with Irin and Noey at the coffee shop and inform them that she might have been stood up.

When she is about to walk away, she suddenly sees a girl with a red tank top and a book. The girl walks up to the bench and sits down, looking around for a moment. Mon sees the girl opening a book.

Oh so Nop is a girl. Oh wow okay, yeah not a problem, she’s bisexual after all. She can work with that.

Mon walks up to the bench. “Hi Nop, I was worried for a while that you wouldn’t show up, haha, it’s good to finally meet you!” She feels nervous, Nop is really, really beautiful.

Sam looks up from her book and arches an eyebrow in confusion. There is a young lady in front of her and oh god, she’s breathtaking. She sees brown eyes staring at her. Oh right, she should say something, how rude of her. She should tell the young lady she has the wrong person. She’s not Nop, whoever Nop may be. She’s Sam.

Sam puts her book to the side and takes a deep breath to tell the girl she’s not the person she’s looking for, but god does she wish she would be. Before she can say anything, the girl opens her mouth again.

“You know…I thought you’d be a guy because your name is Nop, but I can’t really say much with my name being Mon, I could have been a guy too.” Mon awkwardly mumbles and she feels herself blushing. “Do you mind if I sit next to you?”

“Uh hi.” Sam mumbles. “Yes, I mean… no, I don’t mind.”

Mon sits down next to the brown haired girl. “I hope I didn’t insult you.” She feels a bit bad. “I shouldn’t assume things based upon your name, I’m sorry.”

Sam bites her lip. “It’s okay, Mon. You did not insult me.”

Mon's nerves rise at the way this gorgeous girl pronounces her name.

Sam notices the book Mon is holding. “Do you like to read, Mon?”

“Oh uh yeah… sometimes.” Mon nervously tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. “It seemed like a good idea to bring a book to be able to recognize each other. I mean, after all, all I knew was that you’d have brown hair and you knew my name. The part about wearing something red didn’t seem like a strong idea on its own, since everyone can wear red.” She shrugs. “So yeah, meeting on this bench at the lake, wearing something red and bringing a book was a good idea.”

Realization sinks in for  Sam. Mon must be here for some type of date with some Nop person, and she doesn’t know what Nop looks like aside from brown hair. She takes her phone to see what time it is. It’s twenty minutes after two. Mon must be stood up. Why would anyone ever stand Mon up? Then again, if that Nop person only has the information of her name…

Sam looks at Mon and a small smile tugs at her lips. Mon looks happy to see her and she can’t remember the last time someone seemed so happy to see her. People usually don’t even bother to talk to her. It might have something to do with her usual stoic and withdrawn appearance.

Sam nods. “I like your eyes.” Really Sam… I like your eyes? God, she should have stayed home.

Mon blushes lightly. “Thanks… I uh really like your eyes too.”

Okay Sam breathe, Mon is only being polite. It doesn’t mean anything.

“Do you come to the park often, Nop?” Mon asks.

Sam is confused for a moment. Oh right, Mon thinks she’s Nop. “I live nearby, actually.”

“Oh really?” Mon smiles at the brunette. “That’s cool. I wish I’d live a little closer.” Nice job, Mon. Now Nop will think she's already waiting to move in or something.

“I hope this place is not too far for you.” Sam whispers.

Mon chuckles at that. “It’s okay, Nop, it was my idea to meet up here. It’s not that far really.”

“You can call me Sam.” Sam blurts out. It slipped passed her before she thought about it.

“Sam?” Mon notices the added pink in the brunette’s cheeks.
Sam quickly wants to recover herself. “Yes, I like to be called Sam. Nop is…” She wants to tell the truth, but something in her chest aches at the fact that Mon got stood up. “… Nop is my middle name.” She lies. Okay a little lie, maybe a big lie, but she doesn’t want to break Mon's heart.

“Sam.” Mon lets it roll off her tongue. “I like it.”

Sam thinks about how Mon thought Nop would be a guy. Well maybe Nop is a guy, but clearly Nop didn’t show up. “May I ask if you are disappointed that I am not a male? If it is not what you expected, I can leave.”

“Oh no, Sam.” Mon waves her hands. “Don’t be ridiculous, it’s not a problem at all.”

Sam shifts her eyes towards the lake. “It is beautiful and calm here. This place helps me to clear my mind.”

Mon is mesmerized by the soft expression on Sam’s face while she looks at the lake. “Okay this may sound weird… but you’re actually so much nicer to talk to in person. It’s like you’re different from when I talked to you online, but like, in a good way.”

Sam fidgets with her hands. This is not good. Mon is noticing. She will know she’s not Nop.

Mon stands up. “We could go grab some coffee, if that’s okay with you?” She offers carefully. She’s worried that she’s making Sam uncomfortable.

Sam nods and stands up.

They walk in silence. Occasionally their arms brush together.

Mon slips her arm around Sam’s arm, like she often does with her friends. She regrets that decision immediately when Sam stiffens. She bites her lip. “I’m sorry, Sam.” She pulls her arm away.

Sam is not used to someone coming so close to her. She feels guilty for the way she stiffened and the sad look it caused on Mon’s face. She holds her arm out in Mon’s direction. “May I?”

Mon is a bit surprised. She nods.

Sam links her arm with Mon’s and politely follows her to the coffee shop. The touch of Mon’s skin makes her feel warm.

To be continued...