How To Get a Boyfriend ✓

tears and first dates

Step 3: The first date

When you go on your first date with the guy, make sure to

- insult him
- spill your drink on his shirt
- start crying

Making sure to get my last coat of mascara right, I closed the tube and placed it back in my make-up bag. I inspected myself in the mirror - jeans, cute shirt and natural makeup - and gave myself a mental thumbs up. I looked cute enough to make Luke forget about our first two encounters.

Grabbing my purse from the table, I walked out of my room just in time to hear the doorbell ring. Slipping into my peep toe ballet flats carefully so as to not spoil my freshly done nails, I opened the door.

"Hey," I greeted Luke, who was now dressed in a plaid shirt and some pants rather than his pizza delivery outfit.

"Hey," he replied, smiling at me.

Don't stop working, brain. Don't stop working.

"How did you get here?" I asked him as I walked out of the apartment and shut the door softly behind me.

"I came in my car," he replied.

We started walking down the two floor staircase to get out of my apartment block.

"Ah. Hey, is it okay if we take my car to the place?" I asked him.

When he looked at me curiously, the tips of my ears turned pink.

"It's just safer for me," I replied. "I mean, I barely know you and you could be a serial killer or a rapist or something so best to be safe than sorry."

When I realised that what I'd said had sounded really insulting, I rushed to cover it up.

"I mean, you seem like a great guy and I don't think you could be any of the above and I'm not saying you're a rapist or a serial killer but it's just- it's just better for me and okay, I'm going to shut up now."

His laugh brought my eyes back to his face from the ground that they'd been staring at. How did I manage to embarrass myself every time? And from when did I become so inept at flirting? Gosh.

"Shay, it's fine," he said, a smile still playing on his lips.

I offered him another smile in exchange, and after we decided on where to go, we took my car to the place. Walking into the pizza parlour (not the one he worked at cause that'd be weird) we ordered just one pizza and some sort of chilli sticks thing this place seemed to specialise in. We took a seat in a booth in the place and started talking. I was relieved to see that my brain hadn't started malfunctioning and that my words were as clear as they could be.

When our food arrived, Luke offered me everything first, and smiling a bit at his chivalrous behaviour (anyone who offers me food is awesome), I picked a slice and started eating. The dinner went quite smoothly after that, with us sharing our interests and talking about the basics, and I realised that Luke was actually really charming. He was totally adorable and extremely interesting and I found my miniscule crush on him getting bigger.

When the last of the empty chilli sticks had been tucked away, I wiped my hands with a napkin. My eye began to itch a bit then, so I used the heel of my hand to rub my eyes.

Big mistake.

A flake of chilli from the sticks must have remained on my hand, because my eye started burning. Removing my hand from my eye instantly, I blinked furiously, trying to get it out. My eyes started watering, and with a small mental curse to my blasted fate, I looked away from Luke, hoping he wouldn't notice my watering eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked me, doing the exact opposite of what I'd wished for.

"Yeah I'm fine," I told him, though by now my nose had started running too. "I think I got some chilli in my eye."

He looked taken aback for a moment, before a half concerned, half amused smile spread on his face.

"Why don't you sprinkle some water into your eye?" He asked, handing me the glass.

Just as I was about to take it from him, the back of my elbow hit my half filled coke glass, which fell onto the table. The liquid spilled all over on his side, and I gasped. Curse my luck.

"Oh my God I'm so sorry," I said, frantically handing him some tissues. I was squinting, my eyes so watering, but I could see clear enough to watch him laugh.

"It's fine," he said, looking down at his lap. "Though I think both of us need to use the restrooms now."

I gave him a shaky laugh, before nodding and walking over to the bathrooms. Splashing my eye with water, all the while making sure to not spoil my makeup, I got rid of the flake. Looking into the mirror, I saw my runny nose and bloodshot eyes and I congratulated my stupid self for managing to ruin the date successfully. There goes the chance of a second one.

Walking over to my table dejectedly, I stayed quiet as we paid and walked back to my car. The drive home was silent too, and before I knew it, we were back in my apartment block.

"So this is it then," he said, as we walked up the stairs to my house.

"Yeah," I replied sadly. If I wasn't such a klutz, I could have gone with a great guy. I looked at him, trying to memorise his adorable features for the last time.

"I had fun," he told me, and I gave him a look.

"Don't lie," I said dryly. "I spoiled it." I looked away then, taking a breath.

"No you didn't," he said, catching my attention by lightly grabbing my wrist. "Mistakes happen, just like today."

I grumbled in reply.

"And if you're okay with it," he continued shyly, "I'd like to repeat this sometime."

His words had me on full alert as I scrutinised his brown eyes. He seemed sincere, not like he was making fun of me, and my heart fluttered in my chest.

"Really?" I asked in a small voice, and he chuckled.

"Really."

"Okay!" I said, maybe a bit too excitedly. Chuckling again, he released my wrist before fishing his phone out from his pockets and handing it to me.

I entered my number in quickly, and took his, and with the promise of another date warming my heart, I waved him goodbye and stepped into my house.