Give Me a Break

Lé Bistro

Two weeks later, I was standing in front of my mirror, with Fawn standing behind me, zipping up a cute, flowery dress that was (I hoped) not too formal.

"So how did Nathan ask you out again?" Fawn asked for the millionth time.
"Ugh, Fawn, I've told you this-"
"I know. Just humor me here," she said, moving to my hair and curling little pieces.
"Okay.

"So the day after we met him, he came up to us again when we were eating lunch, remember?" Fawn nodded. "Anyway, he asked me then- he said, 'Are you free next Friday?' And I said 'Why?' And he said, 'Well, this new French place opened up a little ways away from Boston, and I was wondering if you would have dinner with me there. My treat.' And you remember how you were sitting a little ways over on the bench, practically peeing your pants?" Fawn nodded again, giggling. "Well, then I told him it would be an honor, and he told me he would pick me up at 8, and then he gave me his number and told me to text him the address, and here we are!"

I grinned at the mirror, my makeup expertly done to accentuate my cheekbones and my eyes. It made them look so much brighter and colorful, like emeralds that rivaled even the evergreens that stood tall outside the buildings, living in the midst of the snow.
My soft hair was curled and hung in ringlets, framing my face and brushing past the straps on my floral dress that hugged and magnified what little curves I had. Personally, I thought I looked beautiful.
"I think I'm ready," I told Fawn. She checked her watch, and nodded at me.
"Good. It's about 7:45, anyway. I'll go now, but you have to promise to tell me everything about tonight. Everything. Promise me, Vi?"
I laughed.
"Promise."

As I watched her car pull out of the driveway a couple minutes later, I turned to the picture of mom on my dresser, with new duck tape on the frame.

I put on her necklace with Jaida's and my names on it, and smiled at the picture.
"I'm going on a date, mom. First one in this town," I whispered, and picked up the small photo, clutching it to my chest. "I don't know how it's going to go, mom- I'm kind of scared." I could feel tears dampening my lashes, clouding my vision. "Please help this go well," I said, my voice hitching on the last word. "I wish you could be here for this, mom. I love you."

I set the photo down, and blinked my tears back as I heard Nathan's car pull up in front. Smiling in excitement, I raced down the stairs in my pumps and reapplied my lip balm, sighing and fluffing my hair anxiously.

The doorbell rang, and I waited a couple seconds before opening the door to Nathan, who looked me up and down and beamed, his smile making my heart almost leap out of its cage. "Hey," I said, and stepped out the door.

"Hey," he said, his soft baritone quiet against the rustling of the trees in the night wind. "You ready?"

"Yeah," I replied, and yelled to my dad inside. "I'll be back by eleven, dad! Love you!"

"Be safe!" He yelled back as I shut the door.

I turned to Nathan, and felt him take my waist and lead me toward the car.
"So," He said, dangerously close to my ear, "is this your first time eating out in Massachusetts, or has another guy snatched you up already?"

I laughed. "Unless you count the guy who handed me my food at McDonald's, I think I'm free," I said as he opened the the door to his black convertible for me. Where did his family get this kind of money? He had a Mercedes, and I had- well, a Bug. Not that I didn't love it, but still.

"So, it's about a twenty minute drive to the resteraunt, and since you're my guest, I guess I have to let you choose the music," he told me, scratching his clean-shaven chin with nimble hands. "What do you want to listen to?"

I shrugged. Many people didn't get my taste in music, so I just let them choose what tunes they wanted.
"No, seriously," he said again, this time looking straight at me."What do you really want to listen to?"
I sighed, and reluctantly plugged my phone into the aux cable hanging from his dash. Then I closed my eyes as the first sweet chords of Pachelbel's "Canon in D" floated out of the wonderful Mercedes speakers. It was a beautiful sound, and I relaxed a little more as Nathan started driving.
"So, what is this?" He asked, his voice gentle and soothing, even more so than the music.
"I'm sorry, I just don't know that much classical."

"It's okay," I replied. "Most people don't- it's Canon in D- one of my favorites." Nathan smiled, then reached over and squeezed my knee.
"Whatever makes you happy."
I froze when he didn't remove his warm hand from my leg. Scared to move, lest he pull away, I carefully scooted my butt further up the soft leather seats until I was in a more comfortable position.
His hand became hotter, and hotter, until I was sure that it was burning a print in my thigh. My nerves were magnifying every shift of his fingers, every stroke his thumb made up and down the side of my leg. I was freaking out.

Suddenly, I shifted forward, knocking his hand off, and changed the song. I couldn't stand it.
Nathan looked over at me, curiously. I could feel the heat rising in my face, and avoided his gaze.

"Are you alright?" His electric blue irises seemed to bore holes in my cheek, and I looked back at him.
"Yeah. I'm fine- I just- need some air."

"Okay, well, we're here, so that should be easy."
I looked outside with a start, and was shocked to see the sign that read 'Le Bistro' in soft lights.
"Oh."