Love Backwards

Enrique

December 23rd 2020

Age: 18

Rosalie

The little bell rang, letting everyone know that I was 30 minutes early to our date. I contemplated getting a coffee already, but decided against it. After I told Ama what was happening she decided I wasn't to be trusted dressing myself. She dressed me in a brown skirt, black v-neck, and a cute black shawl thingy because I told her I wasn't going out without a jacket. When she wasn't looking I put on some black leggings, since it was freezing and since I didn't really like the look of my legs. She did my make up with a dramatic red lip and winged eyeliner, somethimg I wouldn't normally wear but was pleasentley surprised by how good I looked. I was a little shocked by how I looked, and felt, surprisingly, confident that I looked decent enough to go outside, to meet him. I check in my phone camera, making sure I had no lipstick on my teeth. I decided to take the stares as me looking hot and not because of the usual reasons. I walk over to a table and take out my laptop to start catching up on homework while I wait for Enrique to arrive. I don't focus on my homework though, I glance at my phone every five minutes, waiting for an arrival text from him. Nothing. I turn my phone, face down, and try to focus. I have five assignments due tonight and, of course, I hadn't started on any of them. I'm engrossed in my second essay when I hear the bell, oh that sweet front bell, letting everyone know he arrived. He looks around till we make eye contact, he smiles and does a cute little wave. I smile back, gestering toward the counter. I don't think he got that I meant for him to order because he walks over to the table I'm sitting at instead. I stand up and give him a little side hug,

"Hey Enrique, I meant for you to order your coffee before coming over here, but I'm awful at hand gestures." I say with a with a slight chuckle while we sit down.

"Don't worry, I got what you meant, but I noticed you didn't have any coffee so I wanted to ask what you wanted." He says with a slight smile, his cheeks are rosey from the cold and he rubs his hands together to warm them up. I grin to myself softly taking in how cute he is.

"Thanks, I actually did want a coffee, but was too lazy to get up and get it." I smile slightly. "Can you grab me an espresso?"

"An expresso?" He chuckles, "You drink those straight?" I nod at him, a little embarrassed now by my coffee choice. "You're brave." He chuckles again before getting up and scooting his chair in.

"Do you want anything else? A pastry or anything like that?" I think for a second,

"Maybe a blueberry scone if they have any?" He nods and walks away. I watch him walk. He takes long, graceful strides. Not faltering once. As he stands in line, I watch his hands fiddle with each other, his perfectly straight back and his white turtle neck pulled almost all the way up to his neck. It moves slightly as he orders. He reaches and adjusts it slightly before paying. He turns to look at me and we make eye contact, he smiles and I smile back. We hold that gaze for a second, before the barista gives him the coffees. In that split second I notice just how handsome he is, and I get butterflies as he walks back to the table. And then it hits me...he just paid when I was supposed to. That was the whole point of this, for me to pay him back for the party. When he gets to the table, he sets my espresso and scone down in front of me,

"How much was it? I'm the one who's supposed to be paying, remember?" He smiles softly,

"Don't worry about it, I told you, you didn't need to pay me back. Just think of this as two friends hanging out, not you repaying some burden." I frown a little. I feel bad. Everyone knows if you ask someone out, you pay. I express this, but he just brushes it off, telling me to get the bill next time we hang out.
We sat there and just talked. Talked about everything and nothing at the same time. I learned about him, and he learned a little about me. His laugh was so infectious. His laugh was heartwarming, the type of laugh that made you think you were special to hear it, to have it directed toward you. He called me pretty, and I blushed, I called him handsome, and he blushed too, which made me smile. He wouldn't stop fiddling with his hands, so I offered him my gloves.

"Oh no, I'm ok. It was just cold out, plus I have my own." He half smiles and pulls a pair of navy blue gloves with a design at the fingertips from his pocket. I watched as he put them on and sat on his hands.

"I like your gloves. The design is super cute." He pulls out his hands and takes in his gloves, then looks back up at me, very intently.

"You're very observant. I'm surprised you noticed the design." He said with a smile. I just shrugged, and we went back to whatever we were talking about.  Enrique was different from any guy I had talked to before, he told me about his life and his honest feelings. We talked about family and how I missed home and how he missed home, too.

"I'm glad to see someone else feels similar. It's suffocating being an ocean away, you know?" He nods his head.

"It might not be the same as your distance, I'm just a few hour drive away, but it's still not home, you know?" I nod. I think about how in Texas it wouldn't be nearly as cold as it is here, but how bundled everyone would still be. How we wouldn't worry about shovling the driveway or how much snow would be on the road that day. I miss how warm it would be in the house, how my mom would make arroz con leche or tamales and we'd watch christmas movies, and how all of my childhood decorations would already be up.

"How hard is it?" He asks, reading my expression.

"Very. I miss my parents and brother. I wish I could go home sometimes, but this is a great opportunity." He looks at me sympathetically.

"Where are you spending christmas?" He asks,

"With Amanda and her family, I think. If not, probably just in the apartment." He stirs slightly in his chair,

"You can't be alone. Let's spend it together if we're free. I can't go home, and my plans may fall through, so we'll be in the same place." I think about it. I don't really know if it would be ok. This is my first time meeting him, sober, at least. I do a small smile.

"Thank you, but I don't know how comfortable I would be with that. I like you, but we just met, you know?" He looks away and finishes off his drink. He looks at me and smiles,

"Then, how about we get to know each other a little better before then? I can even throw a small thing with people who have nowhere to go. We'll do fireworks and white elephant, if that would make you more comfortable. I just don't like the thought of you alone on christmas. Think about it and text me." He smiles, and I nod smiling sheepishlyat the thought. Maybe I will give it some thought, I'm not really sure how well we'll know each other in 2 weeks, but it's a nice offer. After that, we move on to work, school, professors, etc. We were there for a long time. We left the coffee shop about three hours in and just walked around, which was dumb for how cold it was, but I didn't really mind. He was funny, charming and nerdy, soooo nerdy, but I loved it. By the time I got home, it was eight thirty, and Ama was in the living room watching TV. When I walked through the front door, I walked straight to my room. After getting undressed and washing up, i checked my phone to see a text from Enrique. My heart fluttered a little, seeing his name on my screen.

"Hey, thanks for hanging out with me all day. We'll have to do it again :) Think about my offer and just do what feels right" I smile and plop on my bed.

"I will and I had fun today, we'll def have to do it again. goodnight" I think we could become close. He's a great guy and handsome...but mainly great.

"Goodnight Rose" My heart flutters just thinking about him and all we did today. And tomorrow I have to tell Ama all about it.
*Ding* I look at my phone expecting to see Enrique's name, and instead I see Liam.

"Hey can we talk?" I really thought today would end great too.