Cupid Collections

21. Nate - 7: Graceful Laundry (CGD)

Sitting in my living room, it was silent. The television was off and there were absolutely no sounds except for the occasional snore from Pyro who sat on the opposite couch. I sat staring at the blank screen of my television wondering what had happened the night before. Peyton had been silent on the ride back down to Earth and she gave me a very cold shoulder after our unusually warm embrace. It was awkward and she only muttered a goodbye after arriving at my place.

There was a soft knock at my door and I raced to open it knowing exactly who it would be. Pyro moved from the couch to inspect who it was as well. Peyton met my eyes and gave me a brief smile before entering my apartment. She patted Pyro’s head and moved to go and sit on the couch. I wasn’t quite sure how to treat this situation. Did this make us closer than friends now? How close could we get? Was that even allowed?

Peyton had made herself comfortable and Pyro had moved to go lay down somewhere else. I approached Peyton slowly.

“Look, about yesterday-”

“Let’s forget about it,” Peyton suggested. “I’ve already pushed it out of my mind and I suggest you do the same.”

I watched her for a moment trying to see if she really meant it. Peyton needed someone but she just didn’t want to admit. Her mother was awful and obviously seeing her had brought back some unimaginable memories. She needed someone, but I just let the whole thing drop. She obviously didn’t want to talk about it and I wasn’t going to pressure her to tell me.

“What were you planning for today?”

Peyton stood suddenly and moved into my kitchen obviously looking for something. She walked into the living room unable to find whatever she was looking for. I stuffed my hands in my pockets. Peyton spotted my cell phone and excitedly handed it over to me.

 “What am I supposed to do with this?”

“Call your-soon-to-be-girlfriend, and set up a date,” Peyton replied as she moved to sit back on the couch.

Staring at the phone in my hands, I wasn’t sure I was ready for that step. Calling Lily and making it all official, something about that didn’t seem right. Glancing over at Peyton, she encouraged me to go on. I took a deep breath and then dialed.

A few painful minutes of silence were only interrupted by the ringing on the other line. Finally, a sweet voiced filled the other line.

“Hello?”

“Lily? It’s Nate. I was…uh…wondering if…” I hurriedly left the room to get away from Peyton’s curious eyes. I just couldn’t seem to think straight with her staring me down. “I was wondering if you wanted to go out tomorrow for some lunch?”

“Like a date?” Lily asked with a giggle.

I smiled and nodded even though she couldn’t see it. “Exactly.”

“Tomorrow should be great,” Lily said after a minute. “Around noon?”

“Perfect,” I agreed. “I’ll pick you up from your place?”

“Sure, I’ll give you the address.”

After fumbling around for a piece of paper and a pen, I hurriedly wrote down the address she told me. Then we said goodbye after exchanging a few more words. After I set the phone down, it took a minute for me to actual realized what had just fully happened. I had a date for tomorrow… I hadn’t spent any time with a woman alone in… centuries.

I just got a date.

I just got a date.

I laughed at the thought and ran out into my living room proudly, “I got a date.”