It all started with Joy.

Chapter 8: Dating Mr Perfect.

It's already half six, and I am not ready; of course, I would be running late on our first date. I run out of the bathroom, pulling down the dress I have chosen; I need shoes, and a blazer... and a bag. Why did I not lay out my clothes yesterday? Because I'm lazy, that's why. It's better to do everything last minute while anxiety courses through your veins than have everything ready so one can relax, right? I can feel my body tingling as I jump from one corner to the other, groaning. I decide to let my hair down and wear minimal make-up. Not because I don't like it, but because I am terrible at it; I have tried, many times, I have watched tutorials and followed the instructions step-by-step, but I always end up looking like a clown, so I just have had to accept it and move on. I am not cut out for makeup, and makeup is not cut out for me. I shove my wallet and my phone into a tiny bag, which is defying the definition of bag to be fair as it can't really hold anything, and, hopping on one leg while trying to secure a strap around my ankle, I get to the kitchen. Jay is leaning back on the table with his palms clutching its edges while his legs are crossed in front of him, so I take advantage of his presence, twirling around, showing my outfit.

"What do you think?"

He eyes me up and down, "it's rather short, isn't it?"

What? I roll my eyes at his silly answer; yes, it is short, but it's a date, what was he expecting? A pair of jeans or a nun's tunic? "But it looks nice, right?" I press.

"You always look nice," he shrugs. Lovely, I am not getting anything out of him, apparently, so I just shake my head and go back to my room to put on the blazer before Sam arrives. As I am staring at myself in the mirror, adjusting the spaghetti straps of my dress, I see Jay appearing in the doorway.

"Maybe I wouldn't have worn the lace top, you know? It kind of looks like a piece of lingerie," he states, combing his brown locks with his fingers. I can feel my eyes widening, and my jaw falling to the ground at his words; what the actual fuck? I don't answer him as I am fuming, and I would probably just curse; that's one way to shutter someone's confidence, I guess, and also a good way to solidify his non-existent interest. I am still contemplating kicking his sweet ass when there's a knock on the front door; I slip past him, not even looking at him, heading straight for the entrance, but I can hear his heavy footsteps not far behind me. When I manage to pull the door open, my breath is sucked out of my lungs.

Sam is... dashing.

He is simply wearing a pair of black trousers with a white shirt and a long coat, but he looks incredible, so elegant and fancy, and I want to giggle like a schoolgirl. The blue of his eyes is so intense that I feel the need to tear my eyes away as it seems he may want to ready my soul with his gaze.

"Hi," he whispers, clearing his throat and chuckling. Weirdly, I am glad he is as nervous as I am because it makes me feel less alone and under the spotlight, if it makes sense? "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, let's go," I reply, excited, forgetting everything that's around me. I step out of my flat, and I join him in the hallway, but when we're halfway down the stairs, I realise I have forgotten my bag in my bedroom.

"Shoot," I cry, "I forgot my bag. Let me just go grab it, yeah?"

"I'll come with you," have I already said that cute and sweet is the best?

I am already climbing the stair to get back to my flat, so I just shout, "no worries, start getting the car ready, I'll be down in a minute," and, with that, I continue my hike, two steps at a time. I open the white front door, and head straight for the bedroom, not realising that Jay is still in the kitchen, looking pretty upset for whatever reason.

"You got the blue eyes you have always wanted," he yells as I disappear in my room. What's the matter with him? He's the one who introduced us, may I remind him, and now he's acting like a jerk. He went out with a colleague of mine, and acted all pissed when I voiced my concerns, but he can make these snarky comments and I need to be fine with it?