EleDATE

4| Let's Ride

I had officially become a hermit.

Last week was a mess of me planning my article, stressing about dating, and feeling as though I was the one on the "outs." Since Lydia and Ellie were in charge of finding men to participate, they weren't at their desks much. Even Rory, Hayden, and Cole didn't really spend a lot of time with me as they were helping to read through the questionnaires.

It kind of felt like the 5 of them all had this inside joke now, and occasionally they would shoot looks my way or try to smother laughter at some of the answers. So, by the time the weekend rolled around, nobody wanted to drink with me for fear they'd let the secrets slip.

Thus, ironically, I had become even more antisocial than I was before, even though this whole experiment was aimed at increasing my social capacity.

I was laying on my side, buried under my duvet while I stared at the clock on my nightstand. I watched the minutes, knowing that in just 2 minutes my alarm was going to go off, and I would be heading to work.

It was Monday, and therefore my first "date." My stomach was in knots to the point that I actually felt physically ill. I even debated calling in sick, but I knew that would not fly with Dakota. I hadn't seen his stupid handsome face since our chat on Monday, but Ellie and Lydia had been feeding him updates about the progress on this experiment. After all, I knew nothing about the "bachelors," so how could I fill him in?

Finally, my alarm went off, pulling me from my thoughts. I begrudgingly rolled out of bed, shivering as my body adjusted to the air-conditioned room without my thick blanket.

I ran myself through the shower, and used my blow drier to dry my hair. I had natural soft waves, but I then used my curling wand to fix up the top layer. I put on my foundation, mascara, eyebrows, and chapstick before heading to my closet.

I wasn't sure what to wear now. This was me going to work, but this was also my first date with someone. I decided to wear one of my longer, professional black dresses. It was fitted, but it was definitely appropriate for work. I paired it with some black strappy heels and made my way to the kitchen.

Once there, I grabbed a mug from the cabinet, preparing to brew my usual cup of coffee. However, I immediately changed my mind and put it back. With the way my stomach felt right now, and the jitters I was already feeling, I didn't think adding caffeine would be a good choice.

I was just gathering up my work bag when I heard a knock at my door.

I froze. That was strange- nobody ever knocked on my door before work. Feeling a little uneasy because I lived alone, I grabbed the bat that I kept leaning near the door. It was just there for precaution.

I grabbed the knob, slowly opening the door while leaving the chain in place at the top.

When I realized it was just Cole, I let out the breath I'd been holding. He looked handsome today, and I really liked his grey slacks and navy button up shirt. "Morning, Ky... Can I come in?"

I realized I had just been staring at him in confusion but quickly snapped out of it. "Oh... yeah of course. One sec."

I shut the door, undoing the chain so that I could open it further. He strolled inside confidently, watching me set my bat back in place.

"What's with the bat?" He asked, attempting to conceal a smile.

"Well, I live alone, Cole. Can't be too careful. What are you doing here anyway?"

He beamed, "I'm gonna drive you to work today! I know today is your first date, and I know how you get. I didn't want you psyching yourself out and calling in sick."