Chapter 27
I stood in front of my closet and wished that the perfect outfit would magically appear. Today was my date with Caleb, and I had completely forgotten about it until he messaged me to ask what movie I'd like to watch.
After telling him to choose, I had thrown open the doors of the closet in my room and stared at the clothes inside, unable to decided what would be appropriate to wear while going to watch a movie with a guy who seemed genuinely interested in getting to know me.
I realized that I would have to call someone who could definitely solve my problem, though I would have to beg a little.
I picked up my phone and called Scarlett.
"Hey, I need your help." I confessed.
"For what?"
"Picking an outfit for a date with Caleb."
"I'll be at your house in fifteen minutes." She said, and hung up.
That was easier than expected, I thought to myself while pacing around my room nervously. I finally decided not to bother myself with the sudden change of Scarlett's personality. Perhaps it was only temporary.
The bell rang and I heard Jake opening the door. He talked with her for some time before letting her come up to my room. I heard her footsteps outside my door, so I flung it open before she knocked.
She didn't say anything, but instead looked around at my room. Noticing the records strewn around, my un-made bed and the empty bags of food.
"You really do need my help." She let out a long breath, and then straightened up, as if she was getting ready for a fight. "Alright then, let's get started."
She ordered me to clean up my room first, because she couldn't work in a mess. When I finished cleaning, she started throwing clothes onto the floor and on my bed. I started to protest, but she silenced me with a glare.
"You should never wear these in public ever again." She pointed at the clothes she had strewn around.
"But... I love this shirt." I picked up a shirt with a picture of The Simpsons on it and held it protectively.
"I love yoga pants, but you don't see me wearing them around, do you?" She snapped. "Besides, I never said that you can't wear this stuff at home."
"Fine." I dropped the shirt, waiting to see what her next command was.
She turned back around and resumed pawing through my clothes.
"Don't you have any dresses?"
"I don't need them." I answered.
"Well you need them now. Remind me to take you shopping some time."
"I will." I crossed my fingers as I said this. I would never be able to survive a shopping trip with Scarlett.
"Why don't you have any footwear that isn't a pair of sneakers?" She whined.
"I have a pair of sandals."
"You'll be wearing those today then." Along with these words, she threw a black skirt and a fucshia blouse at me.
"Along with this combination?" I demanded, holding the items of clothing that I couldn't remember buying away from myself.
"Yes. Go put them on."
I showed no signs of moving.
She took a threatening step towards me, and I ran into the bathroom.
When I stepped out, sulking and complaining about how I looked like a secretary, I spotted the various make-up products strewn on my bed.
"No." My eyes narrowed.
"Yes." Scarlett told me, her hands on her hips.
"No..?" This time it came out sounding like a question.
"If my sister was alive, we would be having the same argument." She sounded so wistful that I forgot all of my complaints.
Her gaze fell on my shocked face.
"Yes, my sister is dead."
She had misinterpreted the expression on my face. I hadn't been shocked by the information, I had been shocked by how easily she had trusted me with a personal detail of her life.
Before I knew it, I was seated in front of a mirror while she smeared something on my eyelashes. She had assured me that she wouldn't use everything at her disposal so I would end up with a more "natural" look. I sincerely hoped it would look that way.
*
I rubbed my hands around myself. My shirt wasn't doing much to keep me warm from the cold wind. My gaze fell on my watch, wondering if Caleb had stood me up. The very thought of being stood up made me want to cry.
If he didn't turn up, I wouldn't really be shocked. People had disappointed me all my life because I wasn't important enough for them to care about what I thought about them.
I couldn't blame him for not wanting to be seen on a date with me.
Somehow, I managed to start walking away from the space in front of the theatre. My face started to heat up with embarrassment when I thought about Scarlett's expression when I told her about my first date.
Before I had even taken a few steps away from the entrance, I heard him calling out my name. Relief washed over me as I turned around and spotted him all dressed up in a plaid shirt and dark jeans. So he truly had meant everything he said to me. I immediately regretted thinking otherwise.
"Sorry I'm late." He apologized. "I had gotten locked out of my dorm room."
"No problem." I answered sheepishly. "At least you didn't stand me up."
"I would never do that." His voice was serious.
"I know." I wanted to say more, but somehow I couldn't put my insecurities into words.
He had decided to watch an action movie. We bought popcorn and coke, which he insisted on paying for. I promised myself that I would find a way to pay him back.
When the movie started, he casually slung his arm around me. It made me want to laugh because Scarlett had warned me that he might pretend to yawn just to put his hand on my shoulder. Obviously he wasn't that predictable.
I had thought that it would be slightly uncomfortable watching the movie with his arm around me, but I was quite relaxed. Soon, we were getting into the spirit of the movie and screaming encouragements at the movie. We lost count of the number of people who glared at us or told us to keep quiet in not very polite ways.
We walked out laughing after the movie ended. The wind had slowed down outside. There was nothing left to say, so we walked in silence towards my neighbourhood.
"I had a great time." I told him honestly, as we stood outside my house.
"Me too." He smiled. "Especially when you were trying to balance the 3D glasses along with your own glasses on your nose."
"I thought you didn't notice that."
"You under-estimate me." He faked a hurt look.
"I won't repeat that grave mistake again."
There was another silence, and then a slight tension in the air, which increased when he cupped my face in his hands and started to lean in. I closed my eyes, but opened them when he just gave me a peck on my forehead.
"That felt nothing more than friendly right? Admit it."
I nodded reluctantly. There had been no butterflies in my stomach, no barely sustained excitement and no magnetic pull. The whole date had just felt like two friends spending time together.
"I think we're better suited as friends. I hope that's won't be awkward."
"It won't." I grinned, hugged him goodbye and walked away.
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