The Unexpected

5

Jens pov

"So when did you find out you were gay?" I ask Leah after me and her had a good laugh. "3 years ago" she says confidently. "Oh wow" I said. "You?"
She asks. "Mmm..I don't know the exact amount of years but it was more than 5 years ago for sure. "Oh wow" she raises her brows. "When's the last time you dated?" She asks me.

"Okay we're gonna be direct" I giggled. "About 5 years ago too" I said. "What?" "Yeah..I had to focus on things before I started dating again. I decided I'll give it a try soon. I didn't know when but I planned to do it soon..but then I met you a bit earlier than I planned on talking to a girl and well..I'm not hating it" I said. She smiled and reaches for the wrapper paper from my straw that was on the table and she played with it. "So I got in the way of your plans?" She asks. "I mean...I guess" I shrug and look away. She laughs and throws that wrapper paper which she turned into a ball at my face causing me to look at her.

"Not my fault we go to the same Starbucks and club" she says. "Yeah I was assuming you were following me" I said. She furrows her brows and widens her eyes. "I'm kidding!! It's a nice coincidence that we end up seeing each other often."

"Yeah true. But we had to get each other's numbers because who knows when I'll see a woman as pretty as you again?" She says. Now the blushing started to hit me.

"I usually give people fake numbers but..i guess you got lucky" I said. "Hm. I know. I'm just too good for a fake number" she says. I smile and bite my lip and look away at one of the TVs hanging up above the restaurants bar near us. There's a game going on tonight so it was getting loud at some points especially from the bar.

"You're not gonna ask me about my past?" She asks. "Is there something I should know?" I ask her. "Not really. Just know I've dated girls before" she says. "Okay" I said. She shakes her head then tilts it. "Usually people are interested in that" she says.

"I'd rather not ask. The past is the past. What matters is the present. Even if it was bad or good, it doesn't matter. You're a new person everyday" I said.

"I love that" she says. I grin and look away.

After dinner, we walked outside. This restaurant was connected with other businesses that are pretty busy on Friday and weekend nights.

"Jen!" I hear someone say. I look towards where the voice came from and it was just Vanessa. "Oh hi!" I said and gave her a hug. But she was so focused on Leah because she knows I'm talking to her.

"Hi Le-I mean hi! I'm Vanessa!" She says and reached out to shake Leahs hand. I shook my head because she's making it weird that she already knew Leahs name and Leah has no clue who Vanessa is.

"Leah, this is my bestfriend Vanessa. Vanessa..this is Leah" I said and forced a smile.

"Nice to meet you" Leah says and smiles. I adore Leahs smile.

"So..I didn't know you went out on a date! I thought you were just.." she pauses as she noticed I was flaring my nose and pressing my lips. She sometimes doesn't know how to shut her mouth.

"We're just hanging out" I said. "Oh so you're friend-zoning me? I thought this was a date?" Leah asks and I look at her confused. She starts to laugh and nudged my arm. "I'm kidding" she says. I let out a relieved laugh and looked at Vanessa.

"You two would be cute though" Vanessa says. "Shut up. You don't know she's gay" I mutter. "Are you?" Vanessa asks leah. I face the other way and roll my eyes. "I mean if she wants me to be" Leah says. "Oh my goodness" I say to myself. "See! Y'all would be cute!" "Vanessa!" I raise my voice. "She's cute yeah..not me" Leah says. I look up at the sky and smile for a second. What is going on?

"I'll see you tomorrow Vanessa" I said kind of hinting that I wanted her to leave before someone embarrasses me more. "Okay okay. See ya" she winks at us and leaves. "Ugh" I groan. "You were not wrong about being so openly gay" she says. "See? But then my friends and family tease me. In a good way though. Not offensively"

"Mm" she mumbles and we start to walk around the plaza. "So you think I'm cute?" I nervously said and giggle. Who even asks that to clarify? I'm so cringe.

"Cute and pretty..hot too if I could add one more" she says. "Oh-ha- wow. Thank you" i said smiling a lot more. "What?" She asks noticing that I'm smiling like an idiot. "Nothing" I said. She starts to smile too. "Thank you for dinner" I said. "Of course. Hope we could do this again" she says. "I'm sure we will" I said. Then I notice her eyes drifts away from mine. I thought she was looking at my lips. I mean she could've been. But she reached her hand out for my necklace. The one my mom and Veronica got me.

"Oh..I got that as a present" I said looking down at her hand. Her soft looking, gentle hand. "It's so cute" She says. "Yeah" I smile because it reminds me of Veronica a lot.

I look back at her and she was looking right at me. We didn't say anything and just kept our eye contact.

But this city could be crazy. We started hearing some crazy guy yelling across the street so we looked towards that direction and she let's go of my necklace.

"Maybe we should go" I said. "Yeah" She says. We walk back to her car. She drove me so i still have some time left with her.

"So..how long have you lived in this city? You said you aren't far from the club?" I ask her. "A long time. My whole life almost. And yeah I was drunk a bit but I live not too far from it but not in the same city. This city is my home" She says. "Me too. This is my home" I said. "I don't know. Something about it makes me not want to move to a different city. We have everything here. I mean other cities do too but I'm just so used to it here." She says.

"I know right?! I mean if I have to move then Okay. I'll be devastated unless it's just a city next door or something." I said. "Exactly. I cant leave our city" she says.

We get to a stop light and she looks at me.

"There's this new scary movie that's coming out this week" she says changing the subject. "Yeah?" "Mhm.. I have nobody to watch it with." She says

"I'll pass. Im scared of scary movies" I said. "That's the point of them! You're not supposed to laugh" she says. "I know! But still. No. Sorry"

"Come on. I'll be with you" she says and reaches for my arm and holds it for a little. I lick my lips and look away. "When?" I ask. "Saturday night" she says. I sigh and shake my head.

"Fine" I said. "Yay! I didn't know I was that convincing" She says. "You get a pass for this only" I giggle. "Haha" she softly laughs too.

I feel like it's bad that she keeps making me smile. Considering I'm trying to slow things down. I think I like her. Like...like like her.