Bend Over Backwards

three

"It's so cold." I said zipping up my hoodie.

"Not really, here it's 48. Back home it's 33."

"I've always wanted to go to Maine. But not right now." I laughed.

"When I go back to visit again you should come too." She said as her hand brushed against mine while we walked northeast on West End Ave towards west end park.

"If it's warmer, maybe." I looked at her. I haven't had a first date in so freaking long that I don't know the etiquette of first-date rules. Do you fuck? Do you kiss? Just talk? I held my breath for a second.

"Have you ever been there?" She asked and I shook my head no. "Come." She took my hand in hers pulling me alone with her.

"Oh my god!" I laughed.

"Is that a pig?!"

"Yeah, isn't that cute?" She smiled.

"It's so adorable." I was staring at the pig and she was staring at me. I looked over at her and she lowered her head slightly. My phone started to buzz making me jump. "Je-sus." I sighed. I pulled out my phone and saw 'JADE!' On my screen. "I'm gonna kill her- hello?"

"Hey, where are you?" She asked.

"Out."

"Out? What the fuc- oh my god you're out with Flo."

"I gotta go."

"No, no wait! Oh my god, I'm a matchmaker. I fucking knew it Oh my god."

"Bye Jade." I ended the call. "We can't get married even if we wanted to." I laughed.

"Why?"

"Because then we'd have to give Jade the credit for it."

"Ugh." She sighed.

"I know."

"Now my weekend plans are ruined. Shucks." Florance smiled down at me.

"I guess we'll have to make different plans."

"My apartment is just two minutes that way if you wanted... to make plans for this weekend."

"That'd probably be smart... to make plans." She nodded and smiled taking my hand in hers. Wait, wait no I am not going to have sex on the first date... no. I can't. I can't do this... oh god but she's so beautiful... I know nothing about her... I don't even know her middle name... I don't even know her last name!

She has money, money. There is no way she saved this much money in just a few years. And not having a job... the doubt was seeping back in. There is no way she can afford this honestly at only 21... she held my hand firmly, she seemed older than me in every sense. Except for the split seconds, she's excited, then you see the youth. She said she needed money at 14 I wonder what her home life is like?

"Welcome to my humble abode."

"Humble- did you see my shit hole?" I laughed lightly then realized that might have come across as rude. "I'm sorry- I-"

"Fair enough, I forget that this is big. My house in Maine was my baby."

"You have a house?" I asked.

"Yeah." She nodded. "But- it's not home right now."

"Do you think you'll stay more than a year?"

"If... it happens it'll happen within the next 11 months. If it doesn't when I go back to Maine I'll never leave again." She was still holding my hand when she pulled out the island still for me. I sat down and she went to her fridge. "What do you want to drink?" She asked. Is she dying?

"Waters ok."

"You sure?" I nodded, she grabbed a bottle of water and sat it on the island. I took a drink from it and laid it down. She picked it up and held it away from her lips pouring some of the contents into her mouth. She laid it down and for some reason, I was getting... restless.

"Thanks."

"I'm sorry I killed the mood..."

"You didn't, sorry I just... I'm shy." I laughed lightly.

"You don't need to be shy." She walked around the island so she was standing beside me, she turned me to face her. "I already need to know you."

"Me too." I sighed. "Jade can't be this good." I mumbled and Flo smiled. She leaned down so her nose was against mine, and she slowly inched closer to my lips. My heart felt like it could bust. I closed my eyes trying to hide my labored breathing.