Anna decides to help take care of her sick grandmother and blows off college. She's pretty much having the worst summer of her life but runs into someone from her past that could change everything. She's always been a good girl but he makes her want...
Mitch should've been here an hour ago. I looked down at my watch again and sighed. Just my luck, a nice guy and I can't even get him to like me enough for a round two.
I was locking up the studio and heading to my car. My keys were held in my hand between my fingers like all the self defense classes teach you. I hurried to my car that was parked under the brightest light in the lot and casually checked the back seat before unlocking it and getting in. I relocked the doors and started the car.
Just them my phone rang with Mitch's name popping up. I sighed and looked up at the sky to thank god. At least he was calling to blow me off like a gentleman. Not that I deserve it. I'm such a shitty person.
"Hello?" I answered after a few rings of letting him wonder what I was up to.
"Macy, I'm running a little late. Can you just meet me at the restaurant? I'll text you the address." He said.
"We can reschedule." I said. "It's not that big of a deal."
"No I'm on my way." He sounded like he was driving. "I'll meet you there. I'll be the one with the biggest apology."
I chuckled. "See you there, and the apology better be epic."
I put on my seatbelt and sighed. Driving in California made me so nervous when I started out here. Sometimes it still shakes me up a bit. Especially with all the things going on in my life right now. I can remember so many times I opened my phone to call Anna Marie just to have someone to talk to on the way home, but I never called her. I didn't want to be a burden on her new life.
I always felt like she was too good to be my friend in a way. My family didn't really have a lot of money, and I always had to work two jobs to get what I wanted. Anna Marie never made me feel bad about that but it was easy to see the polar opposite lives we had.
She was Sandy and I was Rizzo. It'd always been that way. She was the sister I never got though. Her parents hated me, said I was a bad influence. I probably was but I never would've let Anna Marie get hurt. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to her. Especially because of me.
Once I was at the restaurant I shut off my car. This place would cost me a new pair of shoes, but I doubt Mitch would let me pay. He seems like the kinda guy who'd pay for his date.
"There you are!" His voice made me smile before I even turned. "I could lie and say I saved some puppies from a burning building, or I could say I was helping old women cross the street."
I shook my head as I faced him. "But the truth?"
"I lost track of time with Harry. I'm really sorry Macy, but I did stop and get these." He held out a small bouquet of sunflowers.
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"No ones ever bought me flowers before." I smiled taking them. "Tardiness will not be forgiven a second time Mitch."
He fist pumped. "It won't happen again. You're already way out of my league, and I won't screw this up."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm not out of your league."
"Yeah, okay." He scoffed. "Let's head inside."
He held the door for me when we went inside. We sat at a fancy table draped with a white linen. There was a candle in the center of the table and the menu was so fancy the items didn't even have prices next to them. Mitch held most of the small talk.
He mentioned the weather and how nice I looked. He ticked all the boxes of first date chatter. He asked about my job and my friends. There was nothing he missed. It was a typical first date with a nice guy.
Once we ate he refused to let me even look at the bill. He paid and walked me to my car. That's where I figured he'd tell me this was a pleasant time and he'd say he would call me soon, but that wouldn't happen.
"I had a nice time." I smiled up at him.
"Why does that sound like a goodbye?" Mitch cocked his head. "I'm not done with you yet."
I widened my eyes. "Oh, and what else did you have in mind?"
"I think you'll really like it." He smiled. "Just follow me and we'll park then walk."
I nodded and got in my car. My hands started to shake as we drove. Telling myself this was safe was no use. I was practically hyperventilating by the time we parked under a streetlight in a sea of other cars. I recognized the area immediately from when I used to come downtown after I'd first moved here.
"You look nervous, are you okay?" Mitch asked when I joined him after locking my car.
"This just isn't the best neighborhood." I smiled. "That's all."
"I won't let anything happen to you." He laughed. "Already been locked up once this week, and I'm not afraid to go back."
That made me laugh. I'm pretty sure he was being serious though. We walked a few blocks in the haze of the city. Then Mitch pulled open a rickety old door and motioned me inside.
"What's this?" I asked as I slowly walked in noticing stairs going down.
"This used to be a speak easy in the old days. Now, it's like an underground poetry bar." He explained as he walked with me through the long dark entranceway.
Inside the main area the walls were covered in old peeling wallpaper that looked like book pages. Every square inch was covered in hand written words. The ceiling was the same. There were blue accent lights and a spotlight on a small stage at the front of the room. A woman was speaking into a microphone and everyone was watching her.
The bar had any liquor you could imagine fully stocked and was completely made of what looked like glass. Mitch led me to a free booth and we sat down in the red crushed velvet seat.
"I like to come here and listen sometimes. I thought it was so cool the first time I came here. People just get up there and bare their souls. Everything they say is so raw and honest. That's the kind of music I want to make." Mitch said after the girl finished.
"That's beautiful." I smiled. "How did you know I'd like something like this?"
"Just a guess." He shrugged. "You seemed bored at dinner, and I remembered seeing a poetry book on your coffee table when I was at your apartment. Not to mention, you're totally an old soul."
No one ever paid attention to details in my life much. Hell one time my parents forgot my birthday. I felt like him showing any level of caring might actually make me cry.
"I don't like expensive restaurants." I said softly. "It's flashy and pointless. You can get better service and food somewhere half the price. I just think it makes it seem like you're trying too hard."
"Noted." He smiled. "Flowers?"
"Bonus points because sunflowers are my favorite." I told him.
"Lucky guess." He laughed. "Chances of a second date?"
