Second Chances

five

a l e x

"Wait, did you say Eloise Wilson?" he asked me after I retold him what had happened earlier in the day at the store.

"That's what she told me. Why?" I questioned, taking a bite out of the pizza slice in my hand.

"We dated two years ago for a month. She's one of the obsessive ones I told you at the diner. She's really annoying," he sighed. "I thought I finally got rid of her. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"So you don't have a girlfriend?" I mused.

"No, of course I don't," he assured me. "Apparently, I have a somewhat stalker though."

"You know, even if you did just date her for a month, you've downgraded, Luke. What happened to your taste?"

He stared at me, "What do you mean?"

"Eloise isn't very gifted in the fashion department. I mean, I actually felt bad and gave her my discount at the store earlier," I elaborated.

"Good thing I broke up with her then. Wouldn't want people to judge my girlfriend's fashion sense, would I?"

I laughed, and we continued talking about random things for a while. It got quiet sometimes, and I can't say it wasn't awkward a few of those times, but one of us would say something suddenly and the awkwardness would disappear just like that.

Overall, it wasn't bad.

"Remember that one time we pranked Lexi? The one where we convinced her we that we saw a ghost in your bathroom?" he asked.

"Oh gosh, yeah. She would ask me to check the bathroom before she showered every single time to make sure the ghost wasn't there. I gave up after a week and told her it was a prank. I have never seen her more paranoid in my life," I laughed.

"Good times, Alex. Those were some good times."

"Ooh, we finished the pizza! Let me go put this over there first," I said, picking up the empty box and throwing it into the trash chute.

"Well, I don't have any incentive to stay anymore, so I guess I'll leave now," he told me, getting up from the bar stool.

"Oh, okay," I said. "But before you leave, I wanted to ask you something first."

"Sure, hit me."

"That gala you were talking about earlier, do you have a date yet?"

"What?"

I sighed, "Forget I asked that. I just have this thing that I don't like going to events without dates because I don't like random people hitting on me at things like that ,and it's really soon, and I don't know if I'm gonna find someone to bring, and—"

"No, I don't have a date."

I stopped my rambling. "Would you wanna be my date, Luke?"

"Well, I mean the guy usually asks the girl, but for you, I'll make an exception," he smiled. "Of course I'll be your date."

"Great. I saw the invite. It starts at half past six, we don't want to be there exactly when it starts, and the place is about fifteen minutes away," I thought aloud. "Pick me up at seven?"

He shook his head, smiling. "Only you, Alex. Only you would think of all that stuff, but okay, I'll pick you up at seven."

"I'll take that as a compliment, so thank you," I winked, walking with him to the door. "Thanks for the gift too. You really didn't have to."