Chapter Three: In Over My Head
I wake up the next day with today's upcoming activities rolling through my head. Remembering yesterday's conversation, I immediately regret my decision to date two brothers at once. If either of them find out, I'm screwed. And plus, having dinner with their family when we get 'serious' can't happen. Ever. Because that's a recipe for disaster.
I run out to the kitchen and graba granola bar off of the counter. My mom left a note on the counter, explaining that she's going to visit her friend from college, Carmen, who's in town on business for the week. I recall her mentioning it a few days ago, but I must have pushed it to the back of my mind. Goodness knows I have more important things to worry about.
I gobble down the granola bar and return to my room. I throw on a sundress that's casual but pretty and flowing. I gently apply some blush and mascara, to give off that innocent look. A quick application of lip gloss and a high ponytail are all I need to finish off the job.
I run out the door and hop in my car, driving to the park as calmly as possible. In reality, my heart is racing. I don't know anything about this guy, except that his dad is rich, and he's major trouble. For all I know, he could be covered in tattoos and smoking cigarettes when I meet him! I don't know what to expect.
I grab my paperback book/decoy from the glove compartment and hop out of the car. It's one o'clock, the time we agreed to meet, and my heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest. I walk over to the fountain in the middle of the park quickly, and walk around for a few moments. The only teenage guys I see are with their girlfriends or friends. After five minutes, i give up and take a seat o na park bench facing the most popular entrance.
Before long, I get so bored that I actually start reading the book, and before I know it, I'm on chapter three. When I finally come back to earth, my heart stops when I see the time: one thirty. I jump up and make a quick lap around the fountain. It's less crowded than before, but still no teenage boys.
I pull out my phone and call back the father to see what the problem is. He has his phone off. Frustrated, I flip my phone shut and lean back against the cold metal bench.
"Something wrong?" a man asks. He's sitting next to me on the bench, holding an open phone in his hands. I hadn't realized anyone had sat next to me.
"Um, no. Sorry, i'm just... tired."
The guy smiles. He looks about nineteen, maybe twenty, and is very good looking. He's clean-shaven, has on an expensive leather jacket, and designer sunglasses rest on his head as if they were placed for a magazine cover shot. I'm taken aback by his appearance for a moment before I regain my cool.
He smiles at me. "Anything I could help you with? You look a bit stressed."
"I doubt it. Just some problems with my, uh, friend's parents. They're not exactly cooperating."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I was suppossed to meet my friend here, but he didn't show up. So I tried calling his parents to see what's up, but no answer."
"Why would they know?"
"They, uh, set this up. The guy didn't have a phone, so they told him where to meet me."
He gives me a knowing look. "Oh, so this was a blind date?"
My face burns as I answer. "No! I'm tutoring him," I lie smoothly. Or, not so smoothly.
"Sure, tutoring him. I'm sure you've 'tutored' your fair share of guys, right? Why would someone who looks like you need a blind date?"
I smile at the compliment. "I don't. It was my friend's idea."
"Well, at least I know you're single. Do you want to get some lunch? I could drive you over to that cafe place across from Starbuck's and we could split a burger."
"I don't usually date guys I don't know."
He holds out his hand. "Well, then, hello. I'm Carter. And you are?"
I breathe out a sigh of relief. This is the troublesome guy I'm suppossed to date? "Eve. What are you doing in the park on this lovely cloudy afternoon?"
"Meeting my father. Who, as always, is a no show. I was late anyway, but he's usually waiting for me. It's just like him to think I ditched him."
I nod. "Parents, right? Well, let's go to lunch. I'll drive."
"No, no, I'll drive. No offense, but I probably drive a better car than you." I think of my hand-me-down Toyota and flinch. "Probably. Alright, you can drive. But no speeding."
He nods in agreement and holds out his elbow. He laughs when I glance at him from the corner of my eye. "Come on, it's fun." I oblige, looping my arm through his and letting him lead me to the parking lot.
When I see his car, I reel back. "That's your car?" It's a Ferrari. Like, a real Ferrari. Bright yellow and standing out in the parking lot like, well, a Ferrari in a parking lot.
He nods, not smiling. "Yeah. Birthday present from my dad. He felt bad about not being there, so bam, Ferrari." He holds the door open for me and I slide in feeling like a movie star.
He speeds down the road and I don't care that he ignored my request to obey the speed limit. Riding in this car feels like you could break the sound barrier and still not be going fast enough. We pull up to the cafe in no time and I glance in the side mirror before getting out. Good thing I wore a ponytail today.
Carter holds the door for me and I wonder to myself waht his father was talking aobut. He seems like a perfect gentleman.
We choose a booth by the window overlooking the busy street. He orders a burger with fries and I do the same, adding a coffee at the last second. Carter looks impressed. "I didn't peg you for a coffee drinker."
"Like I said, it's been a long day."
The food arrives faster than I thought it would and I take a bite. It's surprisingly good. I don't eat here much, and I didn't expect a cafe to serve burgers. I take another bite, savoring the perfect flavor. Carter gives me an appreciative look. "Wow. Somebody's hungry."
"Not really, it's just super good." I try the fries and am greeted with perfect crunchiness. I add some ketchup and scarf down my food, forgetting that Carter is still there.
"You sure do eat a lot," he says after I've finished. I look over at his burger, only half finished, and his untouched fries and wonder if I should have eaten breakfast. Maybe I should go on a diet....
"Yeah, well, it was pretty good. Are you not hungry?"
"Why, do you want my food too?"
I cringe. He must think I'm an idiot! What is wrong with me? I'm usually the smooth one, the girl who knows what to say and when to say it. I try to regain control of the situation.
"No, sorry. I've just been so nervous about this blind date, I haven't eaten anything for days! And then he didn't show up..." I fake sigh. "But it's alright. I kind of figured he wasn't the one. So you said your dad was coming to meet you today?"
"Yep. But why were you so nervous about this date?"
"He was my friend's cousin, and I didn't want her to be disappointed if he thought I was stupid. But back to your dad-"
"I don't want to talk about that. Let's focus on you."
I frown. "Why? Is that how you win the girls over? You magnify their suffering until they're a hormonal mess and then you take them back to your apartment in your fancy car?"
Carter stares at me. "What the hell is wrong with you? Who says something like that?"
"Well, why don't you want to talk about your dad, then?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe becaue I don't want some stranger asking about my relationship with my father? I was concerned because you were clearly upset and uncomfortable, and i was trying to make you feel better. But forget about it, I'm out of here."
Carter stands up, drops some bills on the table, and storms out of the restaraunt. I sigh and mentally kick myself for letting him leave. What is wrong with me? i've never bombed out of a date before! Fourty seven perfect dates. And the one time everything is at stake, I lose it. I ignore the stares of the waitress and the other patrons and chase afer him.
As I throw open the door and reach the outside, Carter is starting his car and pulling down his sunglasses. "Carter! Please, wait!" I cry.
He sneers at me and revs the engine. I stand in front of the car so he can't pull out and he honks the horn at me. I'm not budging. After waiting a few moments, he shuts off the car and pulls the key out of the ignition. "Get out of my way."
"Just hear me out, okay?"
There is a long pause. "I'm waiting," he says impatiently.
"Oh. Well, look, I'm sorry. It was stupid of me to blow up on you like that. I haven't dated a lot of guys, and you seemed too good to be true." It worries me how smoothly another lie comes out. "I freaked out because no one ever asked me about me before. Now can I at least have a ride back to my car?"
Carter waits a few seconds before agreeing. I hop into the passenger's seat and glance over at him. His face is stoic showing nothing, but at least he isn't yelling anymore. He drives off slowly, taking his time. When we reach my car, I get out and pause before I close the door. "I'm sorry," I say again.
He nods, then reaches over, holding out his hand. "Me too. I didn't mean to blow up, I guess I substituted you for my dad."
"Can we start over?"
He smiles at me, showing off perfectly straight and white teeth. "Sure. I'll meet you here, same time, tomorrow under the fountain. And we'll start over. Deal?"
"Deal."
Carter drives off and I watch his car leave the parking lot before I climb into mine. I can't believe what happened today. I screwed up a date. I didn't think something like that was possible. I am the master of dates and I have a reputation to prove it. And today I just ruined years of hard work.
If Hugo is anything like his brother, I'm in way over my head.
*****
I finally uploaded! i hope you guys are happy(: I promise to upload tons more now that it's summer. Let me know what you think of this chapter, what you think might happen, and how you think the story will end. I love our feedback! This is my favorite story i'm writing, so i'll probably update this one most frequently. so check back in soon!
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