Tonight is Cole's and my first date. He asked me out 6 days ago. He wants to go out to this Chinese restaurant, he says it really good. It may not be an ideal place for a first date, but we both love Chinese food. We actually both had the idea for Chinese food, so it made it a whole lot better.
"Cara!" I yell from my room. I think she is in her room, so it only takes a matter of seconds to enter my doorway. "I need help", I say, fake pouting.
She automatically goes to my closet, pulling out 4 dresses. Holding 2 in each hand, she asks, "What are you trying to go for tonight?"
I shrug, "I don't know. Cole is already my best friend, we are just going out to dinner. Maybe some walking around town, because I still haven't done that, he wants to show me around".
Cara nods, thinking for a moment. She finally decides on the one dress I found in Vermont, that one the guys loved. The blue one with lace details.
"Cara, do you realize how cold it is outside? I'm going to freeze". She thinks for another moment. She throws me the dress, still on its hanger, and rushes out of my room. I groan.
She walks back in with a few things in her hands. "That dress would look really cute with those boots that you have, that you never wear. And wear my long winter coat. It'll help a little". Cara seems more excited about my outfit than I am. "Oh yeah, I'm going to do your hair, so let's get going".
I change from my school clothes from today, into the blue dress. I wrap a blanket around me until I enter the bathroom. It's extremely cold in my house.
"Let's go. We only have ten minutes. I need at least fifteen". I drag myself into the bathroom where Cara stands in front of the mirror with bobby pins and the curling iron. "Sit", she motions for me to sit on the toilet lid.
10 minutes later, the doorbell rings. I hear Mom answer it and she calls up to us, "Meredith, Mr. Cole is here. And he looks very nice". I smile a little.
"Before I send you down there, I need to give you advice. You know, because I'm your big sister". Cara finishes the last bobby pin and curl in my hair. It's half up, half down, with curls. "Don't do anything you even think you are going to regret. I mean remember when Derek and I went on that date last summer to the pool. When I jumped in with that bikini top on, then it came off and he wouldn't give it back, so I ran around the public pool trying to catch him to get my top back". I laugh.
"What you're saying is that I can't jump into a pool with a bikini on with people around to steal it?"
"What I'm saying is that you need to be careful with what you wish for. That may have not been the best story to go along with that, but it's true. Knowing guys and dating guys are two totally different things. Just remember that". I let Cara apply a layer of light makeup quickly and we head down the stairs. "Break a leg", she whispers to me as we finish down the stairs.
Dad, Mom, and Cole sit in the living room talking. Dad and Cole are acting like their normal selves, just talking about hockey plays, and hockey strategies. I stand in the doorway for a moment before Cole notices me. "Wow", he mumbles under his breath.
"Ready to go?" I ask him as Cara hands me my purse and the coat that is going to end up being a longer length than my dress. Cole nods, a smile from ear to ear on his face.
"Okay, no staying out after eleven", Dad says, leading us to the front door.
"Good bye Dad. I will be back before eleven. I promise". I stand on my tiptoes and give Dad a kiss on the cheek. Cole leads me to his car. I didn't realize he had a car, we were always just in Noah's. But I guess the sophomore who' are 16 mean they would have a car, or at least able to drive a car.
We arrive at the upscale Chinese restaurant 20 minutes later. A hostess shows us to a table near the back of the restaurant, and we take our seat on either side of the booth.
"Does this seem awkward to you? I mean we are best friends, I don't think going on a date should change that, right?" Cole says as we look through the menu.
"I think it's only going to be awkward if we make it that way. So let's not", I smile happily. "I mean we have technically been dating for a week. We walk down the hall together holding hands, and I have noticed girls becoming jealous because they've all fallen for you. I just have the pleasure of going on a date and going out with you". That last part was more sarcastic, but still true.
"Cole, I have a question for you". He looks worried for some reason. He nods slowly. "On my first day of school, how come you wanted to be friends? I mean, I get it now, but when you first laid eyes on me, you kinda looked like you were gonna kill me". Cole chuckles.
"I guess you were that mysterious new girl that I wanted to know. And that sounds weird, but it's true. You seemed like that girl who didn't want to meet anybody, so it was more of a bet with myself, to get you to open up to me. I didn't know you were out there in the hallway, so when I saw you, I thought it would be a good time to take a chance. So I did, and look how it turned out".
"But I was so mean to you. I told you I didn't want to even see you that day, because you were a hockey player, and I didn't like hockey at that point". Cole nods, still laughing a little. "And I feel horrible about not telling you guys I could skate, or even play hockey. I mean that first time you took me out on the ice, I hadn't been on the ice in about three years, so that was still true, but I guess I could have told you guys. I think it was just about how my father was and what he did for almost ten years. I'm sorry".
"Meredith, you don't have to apologize for anything. The team and I have grown to understand why you didn't tell us in the beginning who your dad was. I completely get it, I mean I didn't tell you who my brother was, or that I even had a brother. So we are even, if it even counts".
"Okay fine, we're even", we shake hands jokingly.
We finish dinner and decide on a walk out here in the city. As we walk, Cole grabs my hand. We walk silently as snow falls over the busy city. I rest my head on Cole's shoulder while we watch the river rush along through town.
"Hey asshole" we hear from behind us. We turn to see a large guy.
There he stands, Devon Anderson
Edited: 3/4/22
YOU ARE READING
Just Another Goal (Counting on Hockey #1)
Romance*Book one of the Counting on Hockey series* To Meredith, watching hockey was torture. But her sister was a hockey player. She wanted nothing to do with hockey, even thinking about it made her angry. But she had her reasons. Starting 10th grade at a...
