Adrian Gonzalez knows the painful truth about liking someone you have no chance with-they never like you back and you're left heartbroken. Ever wonder why it's called a 'crush?'
But when the hopeless crush he has is on Parker Thompson-nonbinary scho...
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Everything I knew about dates were from BuzzFeed articles, highlighting how horrible they could be. You know, those ones where someone sought solace in a less-than-appealing bathroom, instead of going through with a date that was turning very bad very quickly.
This was my first actual date, and I had been equal parts excited and nervous for it. Nervous enough that I had told Samantha, my sister, about Adrián. Knowing our relationship, I had only gone to her as a last resort. Sure, she wouldn't hesitate to donate me a kidney if it ever got to that, but she had also set my clothes on fire because I had borrowed a couple of her cute tops without asking--to make sure her "You can only take my clothes if you have none to wear" point got across.
It had.
Questionable actions aside, Samantha was a great help. She did my makeup, let me rampage her closet with a smile on her face, and then drove me to the café, where Adrián had asked me to meet him. Maybe she'd had a change of heart. Maybe it was because she wanted to wedge herself in my love life and confirm her suspicions about Adrián (mainly that he was some sort of catfish, because his instagram was still lacking photos of himself) I had assured Sam that I knew him, and that he was real. But given my history of failed online loves--and her leaving before she got the chance to meet him since he ran late--she was still skeptical about his genuine existence. Whatever the reason for her interest, I was grateful.
However, that gratitude began to dwindle after each text Sam sent after I told her Adrián had arrived at the café.
Sammy: how's it going? is he an ax murderer?
Sammy: or are u dead already and can't text back.
I had decided to ignore her, but I knew she wouldn't stop until she got closure. So with an apologetic smile at Adrián, I picked up my phone and replied.
Me: i already told you hes from school. and its going okay.
Sammy: OKAY isn't great. He has no face! not even one photo of himself! Those are red flags, can't you see??
An 'okay' date wasn't great, yes. But I wouldn't call it bad either. Adrián had been nothing but sweet so far--he paid for our drinks, and let me sit at the shady side of the table--but I was sure you weren't supposed to bring your homework along on a first date. Yet here I was, texting my sister and drinking a latte, while watching my date scribble furiously in his notebook, glance up at me for like, two seconds, then go back to writing, without as much as a word.
Then again, he knew more about dates than I did; he said he'd been on several after I asked. The closest thing to a date I'd been on was going to the movies with Isabella; it had felt more like hanging out. Besides, that date had been based on a lie. A spontaneous publicity stunt she had convinced me would be mutually beneficial.
Spoiler: Isabella hadn't been wrong, so to speak. Because in the end, it led to now. Now, when Adrián sat across from me, brown eyes reflecting as much light that seeped through the umbrella which hardly shaded him. Curls bouncing softly whenever he cocked his head to the side, eyebrows furrowed in focus at whatever he was doing.
