REM // Van McCann

25. Company

The day went by quickly to my fear and relief. Even though we were only going out for dinner, I was nervous. All I wanted was to get it right. I wanted to pick a restaurant with good reviews but also be mindful of her preferences. It's mad to think I didn't give her preferences much thought before. I had chosen an Indian restaurant on impulse so I know she likes Indian but I'd rather go somewhere different this time.

Not only did I worry about what restaurant to eat at, I worried about my appearance as well. I've never given my outfits much thought. My wardrobe is pretty uniform so I can't go wrong with what I pick, really. I thought about wearing a white dress shirt but decided against it as it seemed too formal for dinner and knowing my luck, I'll drop something on it. Eventually, I settled on a burgundy shirt that didn't see much use.

Next was my hair which was always a mess from my hands running through it. Most of the time, I don't realize how often I push it back so I wanted to try parting my hair to the side. Maybe that would stop me from touching it all the time as I'm mostly pushing the hair from my face. I looked in the mirror and wasn't quite happy with my appearance but I was running late and didn't have all day to fix it. Reckon I'll go back to my usual style if I hate it. I had a quick cigarette on the balcony and got a little carried away with the cologne. The last thing I wanted was to smell like an ashtray.

It wasn't until I got to the car that I was upset at how I was acting. Here I was trying my best to impress her when she already likes me for who I am. If she didn't, we wouldn't even be friends. When I was outside her house, I texted her that I was here. Moments later, I could see her coming out. I always park in the same spot so she knows where to find me. In my nervous state, I forgot to unlock the car and quickly did so when she pulled the door open but it didn't budge.

"Sorry about that," I apologized. My eyes met hers briefly and I quickly looked away, afraid she'll see that I'm nervous. The last time I looked in her eyes, I was surprised by the color. She sat down and put her seatbelt on.

"You look different," she noted and I tried my best to focus on driving.

"I'm having a hair crisis," I joked and she laughed. I was stopped at a four way stop.

"Wait...turn towards me. I want a better look." There were no other cars around so I figured it wouldn't hurt. Her gaze did nothing but make me even more nervous. My cheeks were getting warm and I wondered if she could see I was starting to blush. "Well, it suits you well. I can see your face."

It's not often that I get complimented so it felt really nice, especially coming from her. It gave me a boost of confidence.

"Erm...well...thank you." The confidence didn't save me from being awkward as I didn't know what to do with the compliment.

"Where are we eating?" she asked, turning on the radio. She took note of the radio station it was on and nodded her head in approval. Having driven my car several times before, she feels comfortable with the controls. It's interesting to think how far we've come since her first lesson. It was a simpler time.

"Guess."

"The same restaurant as last time?"

"No, 'course not! Unless you want to eat there again?" I offered. She shook her head.

"I'm not a picky person. I trust your taste."

"You do? I'm glad because we're going to MacDonald's."

She playfully hit my arm knowing I was joking and I laughed. She's quite fun to tease. We were almost there; only a few more blocks. Reckon you can't go wrong with an Italian restaurant. We have several Italian restaurants more upscale than the one we're going to but I enjoy the atmosphere of this place. It's a family run business and you're treated like family. When I came back for my second visit, I freaked out when they remembered my name as it's been a month since I ate there. I'm quite chatty so I must've said something to make them remember me. Either that or I was clumsy and spilled something on the table. Actually...now that I think about it, I think this was the restaurant where I knocked over my glass of wine. I pulled into the car park and parked the car. We both got out and I led the way towards the restaurant.