Nina Cox Must Date

Chapter 6 - Jett

I've been stressing unnecessarily about what to wear. After all, we're going to Waca Grill, and anything fancier than jeans would look out of place. I follow my instincts and dress as I usually do when I go there. I eat at Waca so often that I know the entire menu by heart. I put on a bit of dark red lipstick to at least look like I made an effort, and I dab on some perfume from a tiny vintage bottle.

Lisa will scold me if she sees me. She thinks I own things that are only fit for grandmothers. Every Christmas, I receive fancy perfume or makeup that ends up in a drawer—well, the stuff I don't use for cosplaying. The doorbell rings, and my heart beats fast. Somehow, this feels like a blind date, and I'm curious about who will be behind that door.

I'm not disappointed. Jett is cute and has a boyish face. His messy black hair and olive-green eyes give him a charming look. A wide grin brightens his face.

"Hello, Nina," he says.

"Hi," I reply, realizing that I stretched the "i" longer than necessary.

We get into his car and make small talk about the weather. Waca Grill is close to my house, so we arrive in no time.

"Is the food good here?" he asks as we enter the restaurant.

"Oh, so this is your first time? Everything is delicious," I reply.

"Hey, Nina! How are you doing?" the hostess, Barb, greets us.

"Hi, Barb! I'm doing great," I say, nodding my head toward Jett. "How is little Neil doing?"

"Getting bigger and wiser," she responds, showing me a picture on her phone.

"So adorable!" I coo at the picture.

"He is. I have a great table for you by the window. Come with me," Barb says, grabbing the menu cards.

I wave at the servers and the guys in the kitchen. I scan the menu, even though I already know what I want to order. Before leaving with our drinks order, Barb whispers, "He is cute. Good luck!" in my ear.

"Do you know everybody in here?" Jett asks curiously.

"I think they know me more. I come here almost weekly," I reply.

"Wow! You are a real fan."

"I love cooking, but it can be challenging to do it for just one person. Sometimes my siblings or my friend Taylor come over, so I at least have someone to share my food with."

"I have two roommates, but I rarely eat with them. My mom lives alone, so I go there to have dinner with her," he explains.

"That's very kind of you," I say, and he gives me one of his charming grins.

We start talking about our likes and dislikes and discover that we have tons in common. I find myself staring at Jett; he has such a lovely face that I want to pinch his cheeks. Maybe Lisa is right—I do behave like a grandma at times.

"I took a look at your website. You sell a lot of things!" he comments.

"I do. I've recently narrowed it down and primarily sell toys related to TV series or movies. I have some traditional board games and toys, but they're not my main focus," I explain.

"You had some seriously good Star Wars stuff at the Fan Con. Are you into it?" he asks.

"Anyone with a bit of common sense knows that Star Trek is better than Star Wars," a voice says from behind me.

Jett and I exchange surprised glances. I turn around and see a round guy with a beard staring at me, clearly expecting an answer. Before I can respond, Jett speaks.

"One name for you: Darth Vader," he says to the guy.

"You must be kidding me. Is that really the best you've got? Mr. Spock would take your mock Jedi and put him in his place with his invulnerable sense of logic and his Vulcan pinch. What's the deal with that guy anyway? He needs to take some anger management classes."

"By the time he gets near Vader, he'll have been choked to death with the Force," Jett retorts, clearly irritated.

"And what about that ball? What is it? A-ha! The Death Star. A little guy throws a fireball and boom! Destroyed! Papier-mâché is more resistant than that joke of a vessel," the bearded guy says. "The USS Enterprise is a beautiful example of engineering and home to many people," he adds, his tone dreamy.

"Well, my friend, I have a joke for you: a redshirt and a Stormtrooper get into a firefight. The Stormtrooper misses every shot, and the redshirt dies anyway," Jett says mockingly.

The bearded guy stands up, and so does Jett. The people around us are staring, and I want to dig a hole in the ground and jump in.

"What the hell is your problem?" Jett asks.

The guy pushes him, and I remember the incident from a week ago. I step between them and stretch out my arms.

"You two are an embarrassment," I begin. "I love Star Wars! I have a lightsaber that I use as a night lamp. I also own a Star Trek uniform apron. Why? Because I love Star Trek too. There is never going to be a winner in this constant fight because both are fantastic! And guess what? In the end, we are all nerds!"

The bearded guy looks embarrassed, and Jett stares at the floor.

"One more thing: eavesdropping is rude, and causing a scene in a public place because you don't agree with someone about a fandom is pathetic. You both need to grow up and mind your own business. Thanks, Jett, it was a lovely date."

I grab my purse and walk towards the entrance. The restaurant employees grin and give me thumbs ups as I leave. Since we had taken Jett's car, I head to the bus stop. Suddenly, I feel a hand on my arm and expected to find Jett coming to apologize. Instead, I found Barb, the restaurant hostess.

"This is for you," she says, handing me an envelope.

"What is this?" I ask, looking at it.

"Our boss felt sorry for what happened during your date. He asked both guys to leave the restaurant, and we thought you deserved a bit of comfort," she explains.

I open the envelope and find a few vouchers for free meals. I give her a hug.

"You know what? Waca Grill is my favorite place. I'm not going to let those two ruin my night."

I walk to the restaurant with Barb and take a seat at the bar. I order a tall cocktail and have a fun time... with myself.