Midlife // Joji

Five

I shifted my truck into park and grabbed my phone.

Me: I'm here

Joji: I'll be out in a minute

George and I were hanging out for the first time since our hook up. It's only been a week, but compared to how often I saw him before, it was a long time to be away from him.

I wasn't worried about the fact that we hadn't spoken until I was talking to Judy about it. She's the 65 year old lady who works at the front desk of my apartment complex, and was basically my only friend for the past year.

Judy said if she were in my position she'd feel like he was avoiding her. And ever since then I'd been shitting my pants about the fact that I possibly ran off my friend.

I mean he was rather quiet afterwards. Maybe he did regret it.

I was on edge and it was all Judy's fault.

A knock on my passenger window brought me out of my daze and caused me to jump.

In the other side of the glass was a pale faced guy giggling like a school girl. I grinned sheepishly and leaned over to pull the lock and let him in.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," his deep voice rang out as he slid into my old junky truck.

Oh, how I missed his voice. All of my anxiousness brought on by Judy's comments slithered away.

I rolled my eyes at him as he slammed the door shut and buckled up. I looked him up and down, he wore black jeans and a grey sweatshirt, despite the fact that it was mid May and nearly 70° outside.

"We don't have time for you to be checking me out, Ella. We have sushi to eat."

I groaned, "I'm sorry, it won't happen again," I sarcastically remarked.

I put the car in reverse and began driving to the sushi restaurant.

"I still don't know about eating raw fish, George."

He shrugged, "it's good, you'll like it."

I scrunched my face up, kind of doubting him.

"Are you excited?" I asked after a moment of silence.

Once again all he did was shrug, "I'm a little more nervous than excited."

George was releasing Yeah Right and the music video to go along with it at midnight.  That's why he asked me to go get sushi, to celebrate and take his mind off of things.

"I'm excited." I hummed.

He looked over to me grinning, "yeah?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "It's gonna do so well Joj."

Although I was looking ahead at the road, I could see him smile in my peripheral.

"Thanks, Ella."

Eventually we arrived at the restaurant, right as we went in the lady at the front door greeted George and ushered him to what she claimed was his usual table.

He ordered a couple different things so I could try them all, it was cute how he was so excited to get me try to all his favorites.