Super-Girlfriend

Part 1

People watching is the sort of thing that one resorts to after all the other options have been exhausted. Perhaps there's no more food to eat. The company is endlessly dull and can't hold an interesting conversation to save their life. Or maybe the work laptop ran out of battery.

For some reason, people don't find it socially acceptable to show up alone to a restaurant. Any special occasion should be spent with friends or family. So maybe that's why people are giving me those sorry eyes whenever they pass my table, so clearly set up for two yet only seating one. Maybe I'm reading too much into their expressions. Doesn't matter, because I can practically feel the pity emanating from them.

I feel like restaurants should have an upper limit on the amount of free bread they give out. I've practically gorged myself on carbs and butter, and there's little to no chance that I'll order much. But no amount of bread can repair my sour mood tonight. In fact, with every delicious bite the sinking feeling in my heart only grows heavier. Tonight is supposed to be the night.

By the night, I mean my two year anniversary with Ben. I've never dated anyone as long as I have dated him. In some sense it makes me proud; I've finally learned how to not scare them away the first few months. At the same time it also terrifies me. I have a tendency to abandon things as soon as I feel like it's not worth it. The anxiety combined with my frustration at Ben's absence is like a never-ending spiral that devolves into madness.

The ringing phone jolts me out of my miserable brooding. I fumble for my phone, and of course, it's Ben. I huff. Maybe I'll let it ring a few more times to make him panic. My finger hovers over the screen of the phone, and then I finally answer.

"Ben, where are you?" I demand.

"Hey, Lee," he says. He sounds a little out of breath. "I'm on my way."

"Like, how far away?" I ask, a little irked.

"Literally one minute away," he assures me. "I just called to see if we're still on tonight."

"Still on tonight!?" I shout into the phone. "Ben, you are an hour late. Do you know how many pitiful stares I got? Nobody eats out alone. And I still have an equipment evaluation due at midnight today--"

"Lee," he says, like he's trying to placate a bulldog. "It's our anniversary. Let's not rehash this fight. I want us to just enjoy ourselves tonight."

I take a deep breath, and then exhale slowly. "I want you to care about us."

"Of course I care," he says, a little hurt. I want to rebuke, but I don't have the energy to do it. It's been a long day, and I really just want to spend time with him. Even if he is an hour late.

"Yeah, I guess I just . . . forget sometimes," I mutter. I crane my neck and glimpse Ben standing at the entrance, urgently scanning the surroundings for me. His shirt is rumpled and the top few buttons haven't been done up and his hair looks like it's been tussled by his hands a few too many times. His tie is tied only loosely around his collar, and his belt is on inside-out.

He looks so goofy and lost that I laugh out loud. The laugh bubbles up inside me, pushing away the thoughts of anger and frustration. He really did try to get here as soon as possible, even at the expense of looking like a fool.

Ben hears my laughing through the phone and I can see and hear from here that he's laughing too. "So I'm guessing you see me and my outfit?" He snickers.

"Oh, yeah," I grin. "It's a stunner."

"Shut up," he says jokingly. "I had five minutes to change. Don't give me that bull."