Straight To You

twenty-nine

After what feels like an eternity, I'm able to piece together an ensemble that isn't terrible. In the back of my closet, I found a cropped light gray top that's a little snug from little use, but fits well enough. I pair it with ripped black jeans and white converses, which is about as dressy as I get. Then I storm into my bathroom to put together the rest of me, which takes longer than it should. My hair is fine, as I just leave it down in it's golden waves. It's my face that needs the real work.

I don't often wear much makeup, so it takes me a while to figure out how to make myself look better and not worse with the products. When I finish with my look, I'm pleased enough with how it turns out, knowing it's not going to get much better than what I've already accomplished.

The moment I go to leave my room, I hear Jack's car pull into my driveway. At the same time, my phone chimes with an incoming FaceTime call from Lana.

"Let me see your look," Lana demands the instant I accept the call. "I'll give you my verdict."

I turn my camera to face the rear, panning over my mirror so Lana can observe my outfit. "Is this okay?" I ask her as I do so, glancing out of my window, counting down the seconds for Jack to reach my front door. I had no clue getting ready for a date would be so stressful. I'm already out of it, and I haven't even gone on the date yet. Why do so many people do this to themselves? I don't get it.

"You look great!" Lana assures me, sounding genuine. With a laugh, she teases, "Now go get your man before he goes back to Lacey!"

"Gee," I scoff, turning the camera back around so Lana can see me rolling my eyes. "Thanks."

"My pleasure. Bye!"

I go to say something to Lana, but before I can get a word out my screen flashes with the notification that Lana has hung up, getting revenge for when I hung up on her earlier. I smile to myself as I shove my phone into my back pocket, bounding down the stairs in record time. I've just entered the living room when the doorbell rings, crying to my dad, "I'll get it!"

"Why don't you invite him in?" Dad suggests as I rush past him on my way to the door. "I want to have a little talk with Jack before you two head out."

"No way!" I retort, smirking at my dad over my shoulder. I take a deep breath before I open the front door, wondering why I'm so nervous. I mean, Jack and I have already established that we both like each other. Maybe it's the fact that I've never really done this kind of thing before that has my nerves spiking. Or maybe it's the thought that Jack is standing right outside of my door.

With the latter thought, I realize I should probably open the door for him. I paint a smile across my lips as I toss open the front door, coming face-to-face with Jack. He looks good, which is typical. He's not dressed up or anything, however, simply wearing a black hoodie and jeans. It's refreshing to see that I chose an okay outfit, though I realize all that stressing-out I did was over nothing.

"Hey," Jack says as our gazes meet, a smile taking over his features. "You look great, Scott."

"Thanks," I reply, leaning against the door frame as if I'm not nervous at all. "So do you. Hey, I mean." I blush when I think about my last sentence, realizing it made no sense. "I mean, you look good hey. Wait. No. I meant you look good, too. Not you look good hey. That makes no sense. Am I rambling? I feel like I'm rambling." By now, my cheeks are flaming. My lips keep moving, yet I have no idea what on earth I'm saying.

Jack's eyebrows furrow as he watches me make a fool of myself, a teasing glint shining in his green eyes. There's a faint smirk on his lips that widens as he listens to my nonsense, and I know instantly that he can tell I'm nervous.