Us Against the World

15. Mom, I Have a Date

I let Aceline choose the shopping center, since I have no idea nor any care for where to buy clothes. I'm comfortable with the outfits that I already have, but when I look through my closet after coming home from our chat, I realize that I have no presentable clothes for a date. I doubt hand-me-downs and thrift store clothes would make a very good first impression, especially when the outfits I've always worn in Ezra's presence have never been mine and always cost more than my paycheck.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," Ezra's cool voice drifts into my ear like a winter chill when I call him a few days later. My stomach tickles, but I try not to let the emotion that stirs in my belly affect my voice. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Meera?"

"I, er, I was considering your proposition," I stammer. "About...going out?"

"And here I thought your silence was a rejection," Ezra says in amusement. "But the offer is still on the table, if you're interested."

"You make it sound like this is a business proposal," I say with a smile. "But I am interested in going on a date, which is why I'm calling."

"Really?" He sounds surprised. "Alright!" Quickly, he regains his composure and I can practically see him smiling. "Where would you like to go? I-Is there any place that interests you? Anything you'd like to do?"

"I'm not sure," I respond. "It's been a while since I've been on a date...a few years, I think. What do you think we should do?"

"Well, there are many things that we can do," Ezra says. "We can go to a museum, aquarium, or amusement park. We can also just go to a regular park and chat. Or perhaps a restaurant for dinner?"

"I think going out to eat would be nice," I decide. "The other places sound lovely, but I'd probably be more focused on trying not to fall than on what you'd be saying to me."

He laughs. "I'd be there to catch you," he says, and I realize that there's a silky breathiness to his voice that causes the bars around my heart to bend. "But a restaurant sounds good. Do you mind if I choose the place?" There's a sound behind him, something similar to a pterodactyl screeching, and Ezra pauses. "Please don't mind the excruciatingly annoying dinosaur of a sister that I have," he continues dryly. "She wants to know now so that she can know where to bring you shopping."

Even though my cheeks are hotter than lava, I can't help but laugh. Aceline sure is a specimen, sort of like Chandini and Riya. "You can pick. I don't eat out a lot anyway."

"Wonderful!" A boyish eagerness latches onto Ezra's voice. "Shall we say, Friday night?"

"Sure," I agree. "This Friday sounds good."

"Great. I'll pick you up at eight?"

"That's fine. See you then." And I go to hang up, but hesitate. The line continues to buzz. He hasn't hung up either. Is he waiting for me? Or does he want to stay on this call too?

After a pregnant pause, he finally hangs up, and the balloon of anticipation deflates inside my stomach, but just as quickly, it blows up again. My heart accelerates at a worrying pace, but I don't pay attention to it, because I'm too busy stressing over Friday, since my brain has nothing else to do.

"It's a date, chill," Chandini says dryly when I pour my storm of anxiety onto her. Like a cat, she lays carelessly on her bed, paging through cheesy girl articles on her laptop as piles of clothes surround her. "The worst thing that can happen is that he loses interest in you."

"That's not helping," I mutter from the pile of goopy anxiety that I've become on the ground.

"It wasn't meant to help. I'm giving you facts," Chandini replies. "If you dress nicely and, gee, I dunno, change your hairstyle for once, maybe he won't dump you."