The One Who Got Away is Back

Present 7 ♡ Not So Casual Surprise

"What the hell am I doing?"

"Getting ready for the date of your life," Ayrton replied over FaceTime.

Poonam held my phone for me, pointing it my way so he could see the outfit. It was a cute marigold dress that evoked sweet summer memories, of which I had none, so the intention was to create them while wearing it. The problem was that I was having a mild panic attack.

I flailed my hands aimlessly and said, "Who agrees to go on an overnight trip for their first date with someone?"

Poonam rolled her eyes. "Let's not pretend you don't know the guy, in case you're intending to use that as excuse to chicken out at the last second. Besides, he's almost here."

"I can't do this." I put my face in my hands.

"Listen to me, you adorable moron," Ayrton said and as if sensing his intention, Poonam stuck my phone so close to my face that it felt like he was right there, breathing down my neck. "You're going to get up from that bed, grab your little bag full of sexy things that you're going to enjoy with the sex god who is trying his best to sex you up, and you're going to shed the coward you have been hiding behind all these years. Is that clear?"

Technically it was. That was the only way I was going to enjoy this corner I'd backed myself into in an unexpected moment of bravery. But there was old comfort in the coward I hid behind, it meant I was safe from getting hurt. That was how I'd approached every relationship I'd had since college. And those had all fit the definition of casual to a T. Casual dating and stopping when someone more interesting came along. Casual sex and stopping when we grew bored with each other.

There was nothing casual about Miguel, despite him using the term to describe what was definitely not a run off the mill date. An overnight trip was a solid test, and I wanted to pass it as much as I wanted to fail it.

I groaned.

"I need a verbal yes," Ayrton said.

"Yes," I finally said, standing up. "What if I screw up?"

"You fix it." Easier said than done, I thought but kept it to myself. Ayrton then said, "Men are very easy to please. All you need to do is show them a boob and they'll fall at your feet."

Poonam threw her head back and laughed like a witch, saying, "It really does work."

"Thanks for the mental image," I said, but I was smiling now. "Thank you, guys. I don't know what I'd do without you."

She protested as I hugged her, but I knew she secretly liked it. Poonam was the least traditional in a traditional family, the only one of her cousins not in the holy trinity of careers: law, medicine or engineering. And although she proudly lived the values her family had instilled in her, she surpassed them all in determination and vision. And also in grumpiness. But I was so thankful that we were in each other's lives.

"Stop, you're giving me cavities," she said after a moment, like she always did when we had a sweet moment.

"Where's my sugar?" Ayrton asked.

I blew him a kiss through the camera and he faked catching it mid air and putting it in his pocket. That had been our tradition ever since he moved to L.A. in pursue of his dream film career. The Californian life was doing him well, his smiles were brighter and it probably had to do with both being away from the long shadow of his father and the fact that he had a new beau. I was so happy for him, but I missed him so bad.

I was working myself up into a mood when there was a knock at our door. Poonam rushed over to the peep hole and confirmed it was my date.

"And girl, he looks fine," she said, enunciating the last word with exaggeration.