Banking On You

ONE

-2014 

        I never fully understood the premise of Valentine's Day, it all seemed like a consumer-driven holiday, created purely to make people spend copious amounts of money to "prove" their love to their significant other. I would skip the holiday completely if I weren't being forced to attend this blind double date that my best friend so graciously planned with this guy she has been seeing for a few weeks and one of his "bros" as she put it. I don't have any particular problem with dating, I just don't go out of my way to do it.

        I waited patiently in her driveway, dressed in my favourite pair of black ripped jeans that fully showed my kneecaps and a white, long-sleeve cotton shirt that cropped right above my navel, exposing the dangling bee charm that made its home in my bellybutton, the scoop neck was just low enough to make my cleavage look fantastic. 

        "Hey, lovebug!" Sienna bellowed as she skipped down her front porch stairs and made her way over to the passenger side of my silver 2005 Honda Civic. "Hey Si" I responded, smiling softly at my best friend since the 3rd grade "Where are we going anyway?" I asked as she slid into the car and buckled herself in. "Brampton – Alexander said he set you up with the hottest guy in his friend group by the way" She winked at me as she plugged the address into the GPS. "Oh, cool" I tried to sound sincere, but she knew just as much as I did that I would much rather be at home in bed with a book and my cat. 

        Kai wasn't awful, and Sienna was right he was extremely good-looking – tall, at least 6 ft which was gigantic to my measly 5'2, he was muscular, which fit considering the multitude of comments he made about "hitting the gym", he had swoopy blonde hair that he constantly flipped to one side in true Justin Bieber fashion that was currently all the rage and pretty blue eyes with small hints of green in some places. 

        Kai was very much Sienna's taste in men, which left me confused as to why she was here on this date with Alex, his "bro" – Alex was sweet, but appearance-wise, he was plump with a round face and equal round features, he matched Sienna's height of 5'6, his ashy blonde hair was in desperate need of a haircut as it kept falling in his eyes, which with how nervous he seemed to be, I think helped him in avoiding eye contact. 

        We opted to see an afternoon screening of "50 Shades of Grey" a great movie but unfortunately made for a very awkward screening as Kai and I sat in utter silence, obviously uninterested in each other if I were reading the vibes right. Once the movie had ended, Sienna had asked for a tour of their neighbourhood, I didn't object – I wanted to soak up some of the unusually warm February day, it wasn't very often it was 16 degrees in Canada during what was supposed to be the heart of winter. 

        We wandered around for a couple of hours, as the boys showed us where they currently attended high school, their favourite places to eat, and a half-built housing complex that they reportedly liked to hide at and drink in over the weekends with their friends. "Our last stop is my favourite" Kai exclaimed; a bright smile plastered on his face. "We'll catch up in a second" Sienna waved from behind Kai and me and turned to Alex.

        "This may be incredibly inappropriate – but how serious are they exactly?" Kai whispered to me, unable to peel his eyes away from where Sienna and Alex were standing approximately half a block away, engaged in what looked to be a very serious conversation. I tried to suppress a laugh and failed, snorting, Kai looked at me in horror "I've offended you, I'm so sorry, you just didn't seem very interested" he frowned and reached out to touch my shoulder. "No no no! It's fine, you thought right, you're really nice but you're just not my type per se" I shrugged, smiling up at him and he smiled back "Oh thank goodness, I thought I was reading the situation all wrong for a second" he laughed, lifting his arm up to scratch the back of his neck. "As for your question" I continued, "I don't think they are that serious, this is only their second date" I smiled, "Really!?" he beamed, shooting his eyes back in Sienna's direction. 

        A few moments later Sienna departed from her spot down the block with Alex who turned and walked in the opposite direction, away from where Kai and I still stood. "Everything okay?" I asked as Sienna made her way back to us. "Yeah, I just don't think that he and I were going to make a good fit, so I opted to end it before it got too far, he took it fine, but decided to go home instead of continuing the afternoon" she shrugged, "But enough depressing shit! Kai, you said your favourite spot was next? Are you still willing to show us around? Or..." "Yeah, of course, this way!" Kai cut off the end of her sentence gesturing forward with his arm and the three of us started toward what looked to be a park that was full of hustle and bustle. 

        The feeling was definitely mutual between Kai and Sienna – I knew he was her type. It was evident as they walked side by side laughing and pawing at each other like love-sick school children. Addie resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she saw a group of people approaching them, seemingly coming from the park skateboarding addition if the gear was any indication. "Kai, my man!" A bulky black-haired guy with hair peeking out of his helmet in all directions exclaimed as he pulled Kai into a half-hug, back slap combo. "Who are these lovely ladies" he smirked and lifted his chin at Sienna and me. "These are some friends from Simcoe, Sienna and Addie" he smiled, gesturing to us but staring solely at Sienna, "Sienna, Addie – this is Arthur and the gang – Sammy, Michael, Hope, Syd, Kelsey, Theo, Asher and... Where's Ty?" Kai asked, his eyebrows raising toward Arthur. 

        "Right here big man, like these guys would go anywhere without me" the boy chuckled as he strode toward them, flipping his skateboard into his hand as he stopped. I held my breath when he looked up, he was beautiful – his tan skin complimented his shaggy chestnut hair and freckles perfectly, his blue eyes shimmered under the sun, they looked like two small pools taken directly from the ocean itself, his smile was slightly crooked on his face, he stood at least 6 inches above me and the moment his eyes found mine I felt my bodies temperature rise to my face. 

        Ignoring everyone else in the group, he approached me directly "Ty" he said as he stood in front of me, smiling that crooked smile down at me, "Addie" I whispered, looking down to break the eye contact.