Neighbors

Chapter Eleven, 1st Date

“QUINN!!! WAKE UP!!” I open my eyes to see Peyton smacking me with a pillow. “I’m up! What on earth are you doing??” Peyton throws down the pillow. “Trying to get you up…your alarm has gone off three times and you kept sleeping through it!” I throw the quilt off of me and jump out of bed. “Three times? Jeeze I slept good. Can you make coffee?” Peyton nods and heads to the kitchen while I throw my scrubs and pink hair tie on. I walk into the kitchen to find a coffee cup already set on the counter. “Thanks. Bye!” I grab my bags and keys. “BYE!” I notice as I’m closing the door that Chris is closing his door too. Dang it, thanks to me sleeping too late I have to see him. We walk quite close to each other but neither of us says anything. Part of me is hurt that he doesn't say morning or something like that but then I remind myself I’m going on a date tonight. I don't need to worry about what Chris says or does not say to me. I climb into my car and head to work. Seven hours and thirty-two babies later I’m taking a break before my second shift to make up for taking off yesterday. “Hey!” Amy comes and sits right next to me. “What are you still doing here?” She smiles at me. “I just wanted to see how you were feeling about your date tonight, excited, nervous?” I laugh. “Both?” “That’s usual. Well, have fun!” We hug and then we head our separate ways. “NURSE JAMES ROOM 105!” I rush into another room to assist delivering a baby. Three hours later I finally clock out for the day. “Night Quinn.” I say goodbye to all the ladies and head to the lockers to grab my bags. “Hey do you know what time it is by any chance?” The man turns around and laughs at me. “Long night?” “Indeed.” He checks his watch. “Eight.” What!? Shoot I’m gonna be late. The guy is halfway out the door when he turns to me. “Normally people don’t bring so many dresses to work.” And he laughs as he walks out. “What dresses?” I mumble to myself. I turn to see on the clothes rack beside my locker there’s five dresses and three pairs of shoes. “OH!” I read the note. “Aria thought you could use some of her dresses, then Peyton thought you might run late with your shift so I grabbed them during my break and put them in here for ya. Best of luck! Amy.” I smile and then quickly throw on dresses to find the one I like most. I settled on a short red dress with red heels. I rush to my car and call Owen. “Hi beautiful.” I froze for a moment. No one has ever called me beautiful. “Hi, so where am I meeting you?” “Hm, how about The Chop House?” “Sure! I’ll see ya there!” We hang up and I turn on Taylor Swift in hopes of calming down. Ironically, “You Need To Calm Down” comes on. Finally after twenty minutes I finally made it to the restaurant. I see Owen already seated and go to him. “Hi!” He stands to hug me then pulls out my chair. No guy has ever done that for me before. “Thank you.” I say as I sit down and begin to sit across from me. “You're welcome. So not that I don’t appreciate tennis shoes, I don’t think they really go with that dress?” I stare in horror at my feet which are not in the red heels I picked out but indeed in my work shoes. “Oh..” Owen laughs. “In hurry tonight?” I nod, finally taking my gaze off my shoes. “Very, I’m a nurse in Labor and Delivery and I had a late shift so I was running around to get ready. I picked out pretty red heels I promise!” He laughs. “You just forgot to put them on. That’s an amazing job. Obviously you know I’m a bartender/waiter when we don’t have enough staff.” I nod. “Yes. Why did you go that route?” The waiter comes and we order. “Well I always wanted to own my own club or bar but you have to make your way up to that so I bartender at Grandstands.” “Well that is a brilliant idea. I’m sure you’ll make it there.” He smiles at me and I melt all over again. “So who were the ladies I saw you with last night?” I laugh. “The pregnant one is my older sister Aria, the tall one is my best friend Peyton, and the black haired one is my coworker friend.” He nods. “Well I figured Aria was your sister because you two look very alike. The only difference I noticed was your eyes, hers our green yours our brown like syrup.” I laugh and blush. “Well our Mother’s genes are quite strong but not strong enough to give me her eye color. I got my fathers eyes and my sister got her Dad’s and our Mom’s eyes.” He nods. I panic inside because I’ve never opened up to someone so fast before. “Well, tell me about yourself. What do you do for fun, music taste shows/movies taste.” I start to cut into my steak. “Baking, Taylor Swift, and Country, One Tree Hill, Sweet Home Alabama, Dawson's Creek, and Fried Green Tomatoes.” He smiles that smile of his again and I feel I have to grip onto the table to not fall right out of my seat. “Baking, when did you start doing that?” “All my life.” I don’t tell him anymore because I don’t feel comfortable enough to go there. “I see, I have to say your taste in music is good minus Taylor but I have to ask what type is your jam?” I think about this. “Probably the 90's and early 2000’s.” He smiles. “Great, I can still date you whew.” I laugh as he pretends to wipe his eyebrow. “How about you?” “Coach little league football, Country, any police shows really, not really a movie type guy.” I nod. “Little league football huh? What brought that on?” “Well my younger brother used to play and he asked me to coach his team so I did and then they wanted to keep me on because I’m good I guess.” He shrugs and finishes off his steak. “That’s cool.” He smiles at me. He flags down the waiter to pay the tab. “I enjoyed this Quinn.” I smile. “I did too.” “Would you like to do this again? Let’s say Saturday night?” “Sounds good to me.” The waiter comes back and we stand and leave. I’m in my car when I get in though it won’t start. “NO NO NO!” I get out and panic. “Hey! Is there an issue?” I look to see Owen running towards me. “Yes. My car won’t start.” He gets in and tries. “Looks like it’s dead… and there’s a flat too.” He points and I notice my front left tire is really flat. “Got a spare? I could put it on and then jump it.” I shake my head. “That was the spare I put it on two weeks ago… I never would have thought it would go flat so fast.” I try to think of who I could call. Peyton is on a date again, Aria is thirty minutes away, Amy is asleep by now for sure. “I can drive you to your place.” I look up startled to see Owen still standing beside me. “Really? That would be amazing!” He smiles and I grip onto the car. “Yeah, follow me.” I follow him to a big jacked up truck. He opens the door for me. “Welcome to your ride Ms.” I laugh as I try to climb in. “Here..” Owen puts his firm hands on my waist and lifts me up into the passenger seat. I laugh embarrassed. “Thank you.” He’s already gone to the other side and climbed in. “No problem. How tall are you?” I hesitate with my response. “Uhh…I’m 5’3 please don’t hold that against me!” He laughs. “Wow…I think I was 5’3 in sixth grade.” “How tall are you?” “6’2…I’m nine inches taller than you!” We both start laughing wildly. “So where exactly do you live?” “I’ll point out where you make turns.” He nods and starts driving. “Left!” I turn on his radio and flip through stations till I find a country station. “Nice.” I nod as he bops his head around. “Right!” Suddenly Reba McEntire “Fancy” comes on and Owen starts singing at the top of his lungs. I join in laughing when he does the high notes. “Keep going straight.” The song ends and I turn the radio down. “So you're a Reba fan?” He laughs. “I grew up with three sisters who all watched her show and loved her music. So eventually you give in and sing along. I think I’ve seen every episode of Reba and I think I know every song of her’s.” I laugh. “I always liked her show. Turn right here!” He turns and we pull into my apartment. “Oh I have a friend that lives here.” “Oh really what’s their name?” “Chris, we went to high school together. He just moved here. I haven’t seen him yet. We talk on the phone. He's crazy about his neighbor but she’s ruthless and shuts him out everytime he gets close. Shame because he’s a really good guy.” I sit frozen in place. This can't be happening. “Quinn you ok?” I nod and then start to get out of the truck. “Hey wait, did I say something?” I shake my head. “No..I just don’t feel so great.” All of the sudden Owen is out of the truck and right beside me. “You don’t look good either… Here I’ll walk you to your place.” I want to say no but all I can do is sigh. Suddenly there's a firm grasp on my arm and he’s walking me to my apartment. “What number?” “5B.” He walks me to five B. “Here hand me your keys.” I go to get my keys out of my purse when I realize I don’t have it. “Oh no.” “What?” “I must have left my purse in my car which has my keys.” Owen shakes his head. “Do you happen to have a neighbor who has a spare?” I think. “No… My friend probably won’t be home till late or in the morning either.” Owen pulls out his phone and starts typing. “What are you doing?” He puts his phone back. “I just told my friend I was here to see him and asked him to send me his apartment number.” No no no. His phone dings and I suddenly feel like I might puke, or cry. “Oh weird he says 4B….isn’t that right..oh here!” Here it comes I brace myself for Owen to freak out but he doesn't. “Wonder which one of these is the neighbor's place?” I sigh he doesn't know it’s me yet. I hear a door click open and turn to see Chris at his door. “Hey man!” He doesn't notice me at first and he hugs Owen. “Hey..I need a favor so I took this girl on a date and she lives here but she forgot her key. Can we hang with you till her friend can get here?” Chris looks up to see me. “Quinn…” I nod my head. “Oh you two know each other?” Chris shakes his head. “Owen I hate to break it to you but this is the girl.” Owen stares from me to Chris. “No way…she’s not at all how you described her.” I shrug. “Huh guess it’s only me she has issues with. So you lost your key huh?” Owen stares at me in shock. “Quinn… you don’t look good..” “Quinn are you alright?” Both of them are staring at me Owen with concern, Chris with slight concern but mostly anger. I turn and throw up right beside a plant.