Andrew
I'd changed at least six times. It's seven-thirty. It's seven-thirty, which means that in thirty minutes Garrett will be at my door.
It's seven thirty-one.
"Fuck."
I change again.
Apply deodorant for the tenth time, I just kept sweating.
I blink and it's eight.
He's here.
"Just a second!!" I yelp, hopping around the apartment, pants half on, shirt halfway buttoned, this was outfit number twelve? I give my pits one good last sniff and sigh, I'd reapply before we leave.
I open the door, flushed, hot and sweaty, he stands there with a smile on his face, roses in his hand.
Fuck.
"Hi."
"Hi."
We stand for a bit, forgetting how to act until a guy carrying pizzas walks past us,
"Did you two order pizza?" Garrett looks at me, quizzically,
"I didn't," he motions to me, I shake my head quickly, Garrett smiles.
"Stupid apartment numbers..." the man mutters before quickly sprinting down the hall.
"That was—"
"Weird." I finish, and he nods his head. "Come in!" I hold the door open while he ducks in, setting the flowers on the counter. I can feel myself blushing, never in a million years did I think I'd be getting flowers from Garrett Watts.
I felt special.
"I hope you like them," he's timid tonight, I wonder why usually I was the flustered one.
"They're great," I smile, picking them up as I search for something, anything to put them in, though nothing I owned seemed appropriate to house them, I settle for a pitcher, one my mom had lent me one time and one I'd never given back.
"You look," he pauses before finishing and I cut him off,
"Sweaty?" I laugh nervously, not knowing what to do with my hands.
"Handsome."
My cheeks are burning, but in a good way, I decide to return the compliment, and for the first time since I opened the door, I look at him.
He's shaved, his hair is styled, and he wears black jeans with rips at the knees, a loose button-up, probably one he'd found at the thrift store, but he wore the hell out of it.
"Wow." That is all I can say, he looks amazing. "You look,"
"Wrinkled?" He winces, and I shake my head, no.
"Garrett, you look, beautiful."
It's his turn to blush.
"Stop it," he grins softly, tucking his hands in his pockets, he looks to the ground, "you think so?"
"One hundred percent."
"Thanks," he grins again, his eyes crinkling so that his glasses move just a bit on his face, I reach out to fix them.
Our eyes meet and suddenly I don't feel nervous, I feel comfortable, at home with him in my home. He clears his throat, breaking the moment.
"So, where are we going?"
"Shit!" I glance at my watch, I'd completely forgotten our reservations, we needed to leave now, "We're actually running late," I wince and he giggles, I quickly order an uber as I rush around the apartment, doing absolutely nothing.
Reapply my deodorant, look myself in the mirror one last time before I leave for the date.
I'm going to kiss him.
***
This was by far the WORST date I'd ever been on, and I could count on my hand the number of dates I'd gone on.
We'd made it to the restaurant too late, and even after begging and pleading and even bribing the host upfront the answer was an ultimate "sir, you're an hour late, and we close in ten minutes."
Stupid L.A traffic.
Garrett giggles the whole time, and I try my best not to seem too upset.
We go for sushi and get ice cream after, it's a nice night, so we walk to the Pier.
"Win me a stuffed plushie! Oh, Andrew, please?" And soon I'm pulling out my wallet, probably before he even stops begging, his eyes widen, and he grins. "I want the purple one," he points at the purple panda sitting on the shelf, "he looks lonely."
I spend at least fifty dollars before the girl at the game just hands me the panda, she feels bad for me, I was awful at basketball. I silently thank her and hand Garrett his panda, he squeals and hugs it tight.
We continue walking down the pier, as we walk, tourists fade away and soon it's just us two at the end of the dock.
We decide to sit, our feet dangling over the edge, the moonlight glittering in the waves. I lay on my back, breathing in the salt and the sea, staring at the clouds that loom low in the sky.
It would rain.
I can't help but laugh a little, and then some more, and soon I'm rolling hysterically on the pier as Garrett stares at me. He's laughing too, but I know he's quite confused.
"This has been the shittiest date," I make out.
"Are you kidding?" Garrett laughs loudly, "This has been the best date I've ever been on!" I sit up, still laughing, wiping my eyes.
"Garrett," a water droplet splashes on my cheek, and I begin laughing all over again, shaking my head, "we were an hour late to dinner, the restaurant closed, I'm pretty sure that sushi is going to give me food poisoning, and I'm lactose intolerant." Grimacing at how many scoops of ice cream I'd eaten.
"Best date of my life." He grins, hugging the plushie to his chest, and I feel warm.
It downpours on us as we sit on the pier, both laying side beside, staring up at the moon peeking out behind the clouds.
"Thank you," I say finally after the rain has subsided, it's settled to a nice mist.
"For?"
"Everything. A second chance, mainly." He smiles softly as he turns his head towards me, still laying on our backs, I turn my head and our eyes meet.
"Of course," is all he says, his voice is soft and light, "you're worth a hundred second chances."
I shiver as the wind picks up, completely soaked I don't realize how cold it is until just now. His hand trails along my face, stopping at my jawline, the pad of his thumb brushes over my scruff.
"Stunning." He whispers, I shiver again, only not from the cold, I can't stop looking at him. The way his eyes told me exactly what he was thinking, the shape of his lips, his golden eyelashes, the droplets of water on his glasses reflect the moonlight.
I can't breathe.
And then he kisses me.
A/N: IM SCREAMING I LOVE THIS CHAPTER SO MUCH
