"I knew he was hot!" Arlen said once I had told him everything that had happened. And here we are, two days later and he's still saying the same thing. He had taken a brief break from work and had shown up at my house with Chinese food and fortune cookies.
"I still can't believe you haven't gone on a date with him yet."
I didn't want to tell Arlen, I was having dinner with Nate today. I just didn't want to jinx it because I'd be putting it out there into the universe. I was already nervous enough as it was but also excited. I couldn't wait to meet him again. To see his face again.
"Let it go, Arlen. We're still discussing dinner plans." I said, as I opened my box of food. Arlen had gotten me orange chicken and fried rice from our favourite place. I wondered where Nate was going to take me today. He had only told me to dress up. So I'm guessing somewhere fancy fancy.
"You do know you're living a fairytale right? Like the chances of you meeting at the same breakfast place? Recognising your voices and names? Disney would make a shit ton of money with this." Arlen said as he ate his food.
"Arlen what have I said about chewing and talking?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him. It used to be one of his bad habits and he stopped, however, it surfaces when he gets too excited about something.
"To always do it?"
"I honestly don't know what Key sees in you." I teased, taking a spoonful of food.
"He's blinded by love." Arlen said with a knowing smile. I shake my head at my friend as we continued eating, Never Have I Ever, playing on the tv screen. Arlen still hadn't seen it yet. Arlen stayed over for a while, talking and laughing, sharing some of his business ideas with me. He was thinking of reaching out to smaller brands and showing them off on his website and also selling their items. Stuff like that.
By four-thirty, he bid me goodbye and was out of the house, saying something about surprising Key at work. By Five, Jaden was back home, looking just as neat as when he left home that morning, not a hair out of place.
"How was school, buddy?" I asked Jaden when he walked into the apartment.
"Soul sucking as usual." came his reply. Ah. I remember high school. It wasn't the best for me. I had been the smallest and I had also been that gay kid. So yeah, it wasn't great.
"What do you want for dinner?" I asked him, I could make it before I had to leave the house.
"Can we just get pizza? Chicken supreme with thin crusts and those tiny cinnamon rolls? I want thirty of that." Jaden said as he falls onto a couch, face pressed into the pillow. I shook my head at the boy and moved closer to him, sitting by his legs.
"Whatever you want." I said, patting his ankle. I took off his sneakers and socks and dropped them to the ground. "Hey Jay?"
"Yeah?"
"I've got dinner plans today, would it be alright staying here alone? I'll be home on time." I said. Jaden pulls his head away from the throw pillow, adjusting his body so he was sitting up with his legs crossed under him.
"Is it with prince charming?" Jaden asked, wiggling his brows at me. Honestly, how many nicknames does he have for Nate? It was getting out of hand.
"Yeah it is." I said, heat spreading to my cheeks. "So would it be okay?"
"Yeah, it's fine. Go and have fun with prince charming." Jaden said, grinning at me.
-
By seven I was dressed up in a white shirt tucked into black pants and black boots. My hair was styled off my face and I slipped on a watch, made sure to check my wallet was in my pocket. On my way out of the room, I grabbed the flora print blazer. Jaden was still in the sitting room when I walked out and he was tapping away at his phone.
"You have cash for the pizza right?" I asked.
"Yeah and yes, I'll call you if anything comes up or happens." Jaden said, finally looking up from his phone. "You look good."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Really good. The jacket makes it you." Jaden said and I chuckled at him. I had bout this jackets weeks before and had never had any reason to wear it until tonight. I hoped Nate liked the jacket too.
I was about to walk to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water when there was a loud knock on the door. My heart violently slammed against my chest and I looked at the door. I looked down at myself and then at Jaden who was smirking at me. That little sneak.
Okay. I was ready and I looked good.
And I liked this guy.
So yeah, I could do this. I totally can.
I made my way over to the door and pulled it open. Nate stood there with a bouquet of sunflowers. He looked so perfect standing there, dressed in all black. Black shirt tucked into black pants and a black long jacket thrown over it, his dark hair was styled off his face with a couple strand curling to the side of his face. His rings were ever present, still the same as in his profile picture.
He looked so good.
"Hi." I said.
"Hey, angel." Nate said. "You look absolutely stunning." he said and I smiled shyly at him. This man with his words. He was the same in text, in voice calls as he is in person. "These are for you." he said, holding out the bouquet of flowers.
I take them from him and sniffed them. They smelt so good. I have never received flowers before and these sunflowers were just perfect.
"Thank you. They're gorgeous." I said. "Can you give me a minute so I can put them in a vase?"
"Sure." Nate said, smiling at me.
I rushed back into the house Jaden whistling at the bouquet of flowers. I put some water in a long jug and put the flowers in them, turning them this way and that until I liked how they were positioned. I rushed back to the door when I was done and Nate smiled at me.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
"Ready." I said.
Nate holds out his hand towards me and I slipped my hand in his and together we walked out of the building. He leads me to a black SUV and yeah, a big sized car for a big guy like Nate. Nate was so tall and the street lights showed off just how cut his jaw was and he was still smiling, his hand holding mine. When we got to the car, we both stopped.
"I don't want to let go of your hand." Nate said and I blushed, looking up at him. I didn't want to let go of his hand either. Was it meant to feel this way? Tingly, warm and content?
"It'll be for a brief moment." I said, smiling shyly at him.
"It's longest moment." Nate said and I giggled. This man. He raised out locked hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of my hand. He held open the door for me as I slipped it and shut it afterwards. He makes his way over to the other side of the car and got in.
"You can pick the songs." Nate said as he slipped his seatbelt on. I didn't need to be told twice. I changed the station until I found the right song. Cardigan b y Taylor Swift comes on and I hummed along with the song.
Nate pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main street.
"Where are we going?" I asked, looking over at him.
"It's a surprise. You'll like it." was all Nate said. He sounded so sure of himself so maybe he knew what he was doing. When he pulls to a stop at a red light, I reached for his hand, my fingers taking up the empty spaces by his.
"Have I told you how gorgeous you look tonight?" Nate asked and I giggled.
"Yes you have. You look very handsome too."
"Not like Kermit the frog?" he asked and I laughed. It seemed like minutes ago rather than weeks, when I playfully said his voice would be identical to Kermit the frog's.
"I was joking."
Nate smiled at me, squeezing my hand for a bit. "I know. I just like hearing you laugh." he said and for the umpteenth time, I feel the heat creep up my cheeks. I don't think I've ever been wooed like this before. All these sweet words directed at me with so much honesty.
"What have I told you about being cheesy?"
"That you secretly love it." Nate countered.
I let go of his hand when the light turns green. We talked on the way towards my surprise. I already knew we had things in common, I already knew how his hand felt in mine. I knew all these thing, like how kind he was, so..... deep down. I already knew this date, was going to be the best first date.
—
What did you think? (I love Nate)
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