The pair arrived at the Odd Duck restaurant, and sat down to begin their dinner. "Hope you like either seafood or meat," Paul said as they were getting settled at their booth.
"Seafood!" Maddy smiled back.
"Oh good. Then I picked a good place!"
"You did! Thank you, for inviting me to dinner." Maddy didn't even feel herself blush.
"Well.. I had too. TK has been talking about you since he got here, and I didn't know how pretty you were until I saw you at the station your first day. TK was saying how open-minded you were, so I assumed you'd be okay with.. dating.. uhm.."
Maddy smiled at him, "I am very open-minded." Paul smiled with ease as he knew all was well. The conversation flowed as easily as a river, there was hardly a dull moment or awkward silence— except when they were eating.
After the pair was halfway through their meal, a white couple was seated at a booth across from them, and immediately looked toward Maddy and Paul's table. They tried to ignore the stares, but Maddy had a feeling she knew why they were staring and countered their stare with a dirty look. The couple looked away and Maddy rolled her eyes at them.
Before they decided on dessert, Paul got up to use the restroom, and Maddy seized the opportunity as she saw the couple still starring at them.
"Excuse me?" Maddy said in the nicest way she could muster.
"What?" The women of the couple replied with an attitude.
"Uhm, well.. I noticed that you two have a problem minding your business."
"Excuse me?!"
"Yeah.. the moment y'all sat down, you felt the need to stare at me and my date... non-stop, so I just wanna know what y'all's problem is." She smirked sarcastically.
"Listen sweetheart," the man of the couple said.
"Yeah.. don't call me that," Maddy sneered. "Why were you staring at us?!"
"Because young lady.. we think.. you're too pretty to be out with a black."
"EXCUSE ME?!" Maddy slammed her hands on her table. "Y'all know nothing about me! Mind your fucking damn business!"
"Hey.. sweetheart, we don't mean nothing..."
"Don't call me sweetheart, you asshole. Enjoy your fucking dinner!" Maddy grabbed the check and her purse, before she stormed out to the lobby to meet Paul.
"Maddy.. what's wrong?" Paul asked as he approached her. Her face was bright red, and tears were forming in her eyes as she looked at him. "I don't want dessert, I want to leave. And no.. it's not you at all. It's that racist-ass couple that sat next to us..." she sniffed her tears away as Paul grabbed the check from her.
The two walked outside and Maddy spilled it all, "those fucking assholes! They told me that they thought I was 'too pretty to be with a black'.. I mean, just what the fuck?! Fucking racist pricks. I don't have time for that shit. Told them to fuck off. Also.. thanks for dinner!" She sighed after her rant was done.
"Yeah.. being black in America." Paul shrugged as he reached out his hand. Maddy locked her fingers in his and smiled gently.
"Fucking sucks. 2020 for god sakes."
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"Still hungry?" Paul asked Maddy as he motioned for her to sit down on his couch.
His house was welcoming and neat. Tan furniture, bare white walls; typical bachelor pad. It made Maddy smile, the simplicity of it.
"Hmm.. I am. We didn't eat dessert after all!" Maddy winked as Paul turned to her.
"This is true! What do you want?"
"Well.. what do ya have?" Maddy smiled back as she got comfortable on his couch.
"Do you eat meat?" Paul laughed from behind a cabinet door.
"Kinda?! Fish, and chicken when I'm in the mood!" Maddy laughed as she looked around his living room.
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"Here ya go, m'lady.. Pb&j!" Maddy laughed as she took the paper plate from Paul's hand, "delicious! Thank you!"
Paul sat down next to her as he turned the tv on, "my pleasure." Maddy finished her sandwich and got up to throw the plate away, before ducking into the bathroom to do a teeth check— nothing. She was good to go. She walked back out and took her seat next to Paul on his couch.
"I'm used to people staring at me," Paul said randomly during a commercial. Maddy locked eyes with him, "because you're handsome?.. Orrrr...?" she winked.
"You're sweet." He put his hand on Maddy's thigh, causing her face to get hot. "But nah, ever since I got here.. black man in Texas and all that. Yeah. It happens." Maddy's eyes were still locked on his. "I do like your theory better..."
"It's true..." Maddy batted her eyes at Paul as she swallowed hard. The two leaned toward each other and their lips collided. Maddy had never felt something quite like this before— butterflies filled her stomach, and chills cascaded down her spine as she wrapped her hands around Paul's neck.
He pushed her gently back towards the armrest of his couch, and smiled through their kiss. Maddy pulled away to catch her breath and starred in Paul's eyes. "You can stare at me all you want.." he breathed.
"You're a dork.." she laughed as he pulled her back into their kiss.