Taking position next to Jason, I raised my arms. The music played, and I awaited the cue. His hand was on my midriff, and I could feel the stares of others under my skin. Part of performance was in front of an audience- so a monthly review had been conducted in pairs in front of the class. I'd only had two weeks to learn something the class had been working on for over a month, so I had expected embarrassment from this. As the cue called, I gracefully walked left, head over shoulder, spinning to meet back to him. My heart raced as he took me into his arms, lifting me up. We'd been doing well.
Finally, the music stopped, and a scattered applause from classmates was received before we watched a few others. Afterward, the class was ranked from best to last - we had been third. Which, due to my complete lack of experience, was amazing. I felt like laughing in everyone's faces. We'd had a short break to drink, snack or talk, and in that time Jason came up to me, attempting to spark a conversation.
"How are you?" He asked, sitting on the bench beside me.
"I'm fine." I responded, shyly. "And you?" I hadn't really felt like talking to him, but as he'd been kind enough to partner up with me, I had to.
"I'm wondering why you won't let me take you out." He answered, hand raking through his hair, gaze wondering over me.
"I'm seeing someone." I replied, feeling a little guilty. Technically he'd asked first, but I didn't like him whatsoever.
"Really?" He said, sighing. "Why did you give me your number then? Was last week different?"
Rolling my eyes, I stood up.
"I don't owe you an explanation." I strolled between other dancers to my place, Jason trailing behind. He had caught up with me, his torso pressed against my back.
"One coffee." He whispered. He'd been a little close for comfort, but I'd tried my best to ignore it.
-
We sat opposite one another, and I awkwardly accepted the tea from him.
"So, who are you seeing?" He questioned. Exhaling, I took a sip, mentally scolding myself as I'd burned my tongue. Trying to ignore the loss of taste buds, I responded.
"We dated in highschool and have started talking again - we are going out tonight." I replied, pissed off at him for making me come out, and myself for waiting to drink a liquid made up from boiling water.
"Right." He sighed, clear annoyance in his voice. "What's his name?"
"His American name is George." I wanted to prove myself right, but didn't particularly enjoy this conversation.
Jason laughed. "Opposed to what? His elf name?"
"No," Rolling my eyes, I questioned again why I'd done this to myself. "His Japanese name. It's Joji."
"Oh." He looked a little sheepish, taking a swig from his own drink - what looked to be some health shake.
"Wait-" He began. "Is that the Youtuber? Filthy Frank or something?" His eyes were wide, and for the first time he wasn't making a sarcastic comment or question.
"Yeah." I replied. He shook his head, and the smirk returned.
"No, you're lying." He told me, and instead of fighting back, I got out my phone. Bringing up my camera roll, I was showing him a photo of us from Art's the other day. I got a little warm feeling in my stomach when I first saw it, we were smiling and surrounded by glasses, whiskey and snacks, his arm around my shoulders. I remembered the walk home, the kiss and last night's events too.
Jason sat back in his seat, and I returned the phone into my pocket.
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you." He broke the moment of silence we'd been encapsulated in. Looking into his hazel eyes, I gave a smile.
"That's okay. We can be friends." I wasn't sure why I added the last bit on, but apparently I was making amends with him, because he laughed, shook my hand and introduced himself once more - a fresh slate. Just what I'd been hoping for.
It seemed easier to talk after this, as I didn't feel as if he was just talking to me to fuck me. I'd finished my tea, and he his smoothie, yet we continued the conversation. I'd told him about my seizures, and he asked how it had felt, what had caused them to happen, and seemed genuinely interested. He'd told me about his past, opened up that he was still hung up over a breakup a while ago and wanted companionship - apparently I looked a lot like his ex which is why he'd been insistent on taking me out. I'd joked about him seeing one of the bitchier girls in our class, and he'd told me that he'd actually led a lot of them on. That made me feel a little uncomfortable as I felt I couldn't trust him, but I pretended it didn't bother me.
"Another tea?" He questioned after we'd stopped laughing.
"No thanks," I looked down at my phone, 5pm. Shit. "I really have to go, my date is in two hours. Do you need a ride home?" I asked, and he looked a little disappointed.
"No, that's okay. Good luck with tonight."
I gave him a reassuring smile, not really sure how to make things a little less awkward. "I'll buy next time." I replied, putting my bag over my shoulder and running to the car. That seemed an appropriate way to end the evening, polite but quickly. In my car, I threw my bag down, accelerating quickly, rushing home.
Practically running through the door, I rushed into the bathroom, showering as fast as humanely possible, stepping out, putting on a pair of jeans and a cute, long sleeved black top, paired with a gold necklace and earrings, spraying on perfume, brushing my teeth, drying my hair and finally putting on some concealer. As it was already 6.30 by this point, I didn't have time to put on my usual winged liner, sadly. I would just have to look awful for the first date, the rest I will try twice as hard.
Starting the engine once more, I made the fastest journey to George's house - by this point I was filled with trepidation. Although fucking terrified, ready to go into cardiac arrest by how fast my heart was racing, I felt the happiest I've felt in a very long time. We were going out together again. This was just the seed of the budding relationship. I had faith we would go far.
George got into the passenger side, slamming the car door and looking at me directly in the eye. I could tell he'd made an effort, for this had been the first time in years I could smell aftershave on him, and looking over him, I could sense how anxious he'd been. There was a slight shake in his hands.
"You look nice." I'd said, pulling away from the curb and into the ongoing stream of traffic.
"You do too." He replied, and I could hear him swallow.
"Where exactly are we going?" I questioned.
"Oh, shit-" He cut himself off, pulling up maps on his phone. "Next left."
I put on the signal, steering left and driving straight until he told me otherwise. We'd somehow managed not to go the wrong way once, parking up in front of a restaurant. It looked pretty; through the window I could see Chinese lanterns coming down from the ceiling and a warm, tone, yellows and reds throughout. The sign above had been bright, reading out 'Wonderful'. I was guessing that had been the restaurant's name.
George took the lead, entering and asking for a table for two. We sat down and menus were handed to us before the server left.
"I've never been here." I told him, glancing over the pictures of food, wondering what I'd get.
"I figured it was casual, yet not tacky. Plus, they do gyoza." His eyes rested on my face, causing me to blush.
"Is that our thing?" I laughed, and a smile broke out over his cheeks.
"Maybe it is." He replied, calling the waiter over. "Can we get a bottle of Baijiu and two glasses?" The waiter looked a little confused, but wrote down the request anyway. "Oh, and just a bowl of vegetable gyoza?" Again, confused, the waiter wrote down the request and walked off shaking his head.
"What did you ask for?"
"It's a Chinese liquor." He replied, grin still on his lips.
"I'm driving, you know that, right?" I laughed.
"It's fine, I'll walk you home."
I raised an eyebrow but said nothing more. Last time that had happened, well, this happened. So maybe walking home was the best option.
1472 words,, kind of edited??
