Cat & Drew's Whirlwind Adventure

21. First Date Dynamics

This feels like someone else's life, there's no way in hell I would've thought back then on the first day of school that I would be here, being groomed by my dad before I go out on an actual date with an actual guy. Not just any guy either, Troy Baker, son of my coach slash boss, and goofy troublemaker that I hadn't even given a second thought to the past ten years. Odd how it happens sometimes, he's the same person he's always been—hyper and loud and quick with his wit, but also soft and generally good—yet I somehow never stopped to see anything more in him than what I could glean with a passing glance. I'd be curious to know if it'd still be the same, if not for last summer.

There's no glorifying what happened, obviously, but as I hold perfectly still for my dad to adjust my sleeve, I consider that I wouldn't want it to be. It's awkward to just be stuck in a room while someone is singing at you and you can't do anything about all the eyes on you, but I was touched by the gesture. To know how hard that must've been for him, especially with his stage fright, says it all. It's good to finally have my answer in black and white, and while I haven't yet fully fleshed out the extent of my own feelings, I know enough to admit that I like him too. A lot. And that I'm abnormally excited, if not also wracked with nerves, for today.

"There, we don't want it to be too tight." Dad pulls my cuff down a bit. I spent a disproportionately large amount of the afternoon cultivating my first date look, I don't exactly need his help, but he's insisted on offering his input regardless since I came downstairs. He doesn't mention it, but I catch his expression visibly sink when he observes the scar on my arm, just shy of what my sleeve covers. He chooses to ignore it, "I'm so excited for you, kiddo, you're going to have a great time. To be young and in love, it's a beautiful thing, reminds me of when I first met your mother."

"Slow down there, dad. No one said anything about love." I check my hair in the mirror again. I want it to be perfect, that's the real reason I spent so long on my look, choice of shirt with rolled up sleeves included. I thought about hiding my scar like I've done ever since I got back, but should I have to? It doesn't bother Troy. "What was she like?"

"Your mother? She was a real spitfire to be sure, a carefree spirit if ever there was one. Your grandma wasn't a big fan of mine for the longest time, she'd refuse to even speak to me if I came to the door, so your mom would sneak out to meet me. There was this trellis at the back of their house she'd climb down, and I'd be waiting for her the street over on my motorcycle." The recollection prompts a fond chuckle from my dad.

"You had a motorcycle?" My eyes widen.

"I had a mullet too, there's a lot you don't know about your old man. That was a whole lifetime ago, I was a different person then. Your mom too, I suppose." The fondness slowly dwindles. "She was always smiling—there wasn't a more perfect smile in the world, she could truly light up any room. I miss that sometimes."

"Dad?" I touch his shoulder.

"It really is a beautiful thing," he repeats himself, clearing his throat to be free of the past, "so have fun while you can. Not too much fun though, I hope I don't have to remind you to always be respectful of your body and your boundaries. Troy's a fine young man, but just because you're both guys doesn't mean you shouldn't take certain...precautions."

"Oh my god, can we not do this right now? That is the furthest thing from my mind, it's only our first date." Picturing my dad picturing me getting all naked and sweaty is cause for instant mortification.

"Hardly, but that's a relief, I was your age once too, I know how it can get when you're really attracted to someone, and you've got all those hormones. I only want you to be prepared for anything, so I'm here if you need to talk or have questions, I'm not particularly well versed in this area but there are resources I'd be more than happy to walk through with you."