Garfield Girl

The Date

So we decided on bowling and lunch for Chris and I. Kinsley, Matt, and Nick decided on going to the Art Museum in town and then to the park on the Levee. We had it all squared away, we had all gotten ready, gotten dressed, and had split up into our respective cars.

Obviously Matt could drive so they were good, but Chris couldn't so I took my car with him. Then a thought popped up into my mind. It would be so funny if I tried to teach him how to drive. We both sat in my car and it was still parked. "Hey Chris, what if I taught you how to drive?" I asked him. He made an awkward smile towards me, and I could tell he was nervous. "I mean we could I guess. I'm just a little nervous is all. I've never drove before." He blushed a little. "It's okay, I've been driving for about 4 years now so I can definitely teach you, but let's move to a somewhat empty parking lot first." I told him. I drove over to the Florence Mall and since the Mall industry was dying it was basically empty. I parked in a parking spot.

"Okay let's switch spots now." I told him. Chris nodded and got in the drivers seat. "Okay so look at the drivers side rear view mirror, adjust them so you can see behind you. You're gonna want your door to be visible in the middle of the mirror." I told him. He nodded and did what I told him to. "Okay good. Next, is the front line of the parking spot lined up with the bottom of the drivers side mirror?" I asked him. He looked at it and kinda sunk into his seat. "No, but it is if I lean down a little." He told me. "That's okay, adjust the seat if you need to, and the rear view mirror up here too." I pointed to the main rear view mirror. He adjusted everything to his liking.

"Okay, I got it all adjusted just for me." He smiled big and giggled. "Okay good. Here are a few tips. Tell me to slow down if I need to. So the first one is that when parking make sure the front line is lined up with the bottom of your drivers side mirror. The second one is keep the middle line in the road as close to the corner on the drivers side of the windshield. The third one is that you don't need to constantly check your mirrors, only when you're merging or turning. The last one is to just relax, but stay alert. Fell out my car with the gas pedal and brake pedal. Some cars are touchy when it comes to these things so just be weary." He nodded through all of my talking try to hang onto every word like his life depended on it. "Do you think you're ready?" I asked him. He nodded. "One last thing, when shifting gears you have to press the brake, and to change gears the car has to completely stop, or you might damage the car. So, just take it easy. No such thing as going too slow. Take your time."

He nodded and took a deep breath. He put his foot on the break and put the car in reverse, he checked the rear view mirror to ensure he doesn't hit anything. He put his foot on the brake again and when the car came to a full stop he shifts it into drive. He turns the wheel to turn the car straight, and then he accidentally slams the gas. "Sorry, I thought it was the brake pedal." He gave me a 😬 smile. "It's okay Chris, you're still feeling it out. Take your time and relax. Gas is on the right and Brake is on the left." He nodded and took note of this. He slowly eased his foot on the gas pedal and pulled up to a stop sign in the parking lot. He turned on the turn signal to turn right and he drove down the empty parking lot some more, just feeling it out. He would occasionally check his rear view mirrors, but I told him he didn't need to yet. He practised up and down the parking lot.

I got out of the car and observed his skills to make sure he was driving straight and steady, and to my amazement he was! I cheered him on from the sidelines. "WOOOO GO CHRIS!!!" I shouted as he drove past me, I could see his blurred smile. I assume he was done, as he pulled up next to me, rolled his window down, and said, "Hey pretty lady, hop on in." and winked. I giggled. "Alright, come on Chris, let's go to the bowling alley." I told him. He parked my car and we swapped seats again.

"Will you pull up nav?" I asked him. He smiled and obliged. We got to the bowling alley and parked. "Okay, are you ready to go in?" I ask him. "Yes, of course." He states back with a big smile. We hop out of the car, walk inside, buy our shoes, and pick a lane. We put our names on the board except Chris asked if he could put my name in, to which I replied, "Only if I can put yours in." and he said, "Deal." I could tell he tried to put Garfield Girl in, but there wasn't enough characters, so I was just Garfield. I put him down as Chrissy. "Wowwww. Lame." He said. "Better than Garfield." I told him. "Nothing is better than Garfield." He said as he leaned in to my face and closed his eyes, almost like he was going in for a kiss, and oh my god he was. "HEY! What are you doing?" I shouted at him.

He opened his eyes, "What? Is that not what people on dates do?" He asked, confused. "No, maybe some people, but not me. I don't wanna be kissing you right away." I told him. He pouted, "You don't wanna kiss me? Why not?" He asked. I blushed because I did want to, but this was also moving too fast. "I do want to, just not yet." I told him. This made him smile wide. We started bowling and he was wiping the floor with me. I sucked so bad and I had so many balls go in the gutter. "Oh my god you suck balls." Chris said while sticking his tongue out at me. "Not my fault they taste so good." I said, trying to crack a joke but I could tell he took it the wrong way after I said it and saw his face go red. "Oh my god I'm sorry, I was just joking." I told him. It was my turn to bowl so I took my shot and knocked all the pins down except two.

We just about finished up our game and Chris won, obviously. "Ughhh try harder next time Garfield." He told me while he ruffled my hair. "I gave it my all. Woe is me." I played while putting my hand on my heart and being dramatic. He chuckled at me. "Okay so where do you wanna eat? We only have two hours before I have to leave." He told me. Then it hit me. "Let's eat at Steak N Shake." I told him. "Okay, but what is that?" He asked me. My jaw dropped, "YOU DONT HAVE STEAK N SHAKE???" I shouted. "No, but it does sound yummy." He said. "Okay well let me check in with the others." I told him. I texted my sister, "Hey is everything going good with you guys?" She sent back a photo of all of them smiling with the Ohio River behind them. Probably at the bridge. I took the photo as a yes.

I got back in my car and we headed over to Steak N Shake. We got in and sat down and got some hats to wear and cardboard cars to build while we wait for our food. We decided to share a milkshake, obviously. I decided there to take a photo of Chris in the hat and he smiled. He then decided to do the same with me. When the milkshake came out after we ate we decided to take a cute pic of us sharing it. After we ate we went back out to my car to go ahead and start driving back to the hotel.

"Wait, can I kiss you?" He asked me. My face flushed red and I honestly didn't know what to say. We just met, but we probably won't see eachother again for a while. "Yes, sure, but I'm a little nervous." I told him honestly. "It's okay, I'll be gentle." He smirked after he said that. Oh my god I got butterflies. He leaned down to plant a soft, plush, gentle kiss on my lips. It was a little deeper than a peck, but not quite a french kiss. We both pulled away after a couple of seconds. I looked at him with my eyes as big as saucers, I'm sure of it. "Wow. Your lips are really soft."

He says and kinda looks down at his feet due to embarrassment. "Yours are too." I told him. "Let's go, it's about your time to leave now." We hop back in my car. After it was all said and done I drove him back to the hotel, where his brothers had already packed up everything and were waiting to board the bus. They all stood at the door.

Kinsley and I hugged them all and waved goodbye after helping them get their bags in the undercarriage of the bus. The perfect end to the perfect past two days.