Total Opposites | Cairo & CC

Chapter Seven - First Date?

CC - Chapter Seven - First Date?

Song Choice: Are You Bored Yet? - Wallows, Clairo

I still couldn't believe Cairo had said yes, but I was doing my best to keep my composure. I was more distracted on how she reacted when I asked about her life before Yale, it seemed like she hadn't wanted to talk much about it. Perhaps I'd be able to talk to her about whatever it was that was bothering her eventually.

We were now on our first date (and my first date ever), and as I followed Cairo in the door after holding it open for her, I knew that I needed to try to beat her to the counter so I could pay. After all, I asked her out, it felt like that's what I was supposed to do.

I saw that there was a line to order. Perfect. I met Cairo, who resumed our conversation as I approached.

"What are you going to order? If you want to go ahead and get us a table, I can get our order."

"Absolutely not, Cairo. I asked you out, I'm paying. Besides, worst comes to worst, we have to sit outside or something. That's not that bad."

"Yes," the shorter girl said drily, looking down at her outfit, which consisted of a denim jacket with a cream colored turtleneck underneath, a black skirt with tights, along with black Converse, and back to me, "totally not that bad."

It was then that I realized if we were sitting outside, Cairo was likely going to be burning up. Her outfit was a stark contrast to the black cargo pants and baggy forest green Vans shirt I was wearing.

"Why don't you go get us a table, and I'll get you your black coffee?" I suggested, still not wanting Cairo to pay.

"I suppose I can do that. I don't like you paying for me, though."

"Well, I asked you out. Maybe if you ask me out one day you can pay." I replied, almost suggestively, wondering how the shorter girl would reply.

"Hmm, perhaps," was all she said as she walked away in search of a table.

I playfully rolled my eyes and realized that I was next to order. Our bickering must have taken longer than expected.

Upon placing our normal orders, I began to search for where Cairo was sitting, finding her in a corner table, scrolling on her phone. Walking over to her, I glanced down at her phone screen over her shoulder, just to see her looking at Instagram. Wait, is that my Instagram profile? What? Upon realizing my presence behind her, the girl quickly changed tabs, and that's when I knew she didn't want me to see. I decided to not mention it so as to not embarrass her.

Flopping down in the seat across from her, so I was not only facing her, but the rest of the coffee shop. I took a moment to simply admire her beauty, and upon further examination, she had light freckles across her face, that so perfectly framed by her hair, which was down and cut into what looked to me to be a long wolfcut.

"Walker, they just called our orders." Cairo's voice said sternly. I zoned back in, not realizing I had been staring at her.

"Oh, right, sorry. I'll be right back," I quickly got up and speed-walked to grab our orders, trying to make up for embarrassing myself by getting caught staring.

Once I had made my way back, I placed Cairo's coffee in front of her, and my latte down in front of my chair that I plopped onto.

"So...Walker,"

"So... Cairo," we both began at the same time.

I motioned for her to continue.

"Why soccer, and why Yale?" The brunette asked.

I had never really been asked this question before, and took a moment to answer.

"Well, my parents put me in it when I was young, mostly because they quickly became tired of my constant state of high energy, and knew I needed an outlet. I guess I had a natural knack for it, so I stuck with it, and then got offered to play for the national team my sophomore year when I was captain. Regarding Yale, well, my mom wanted me to go to a good school for academics, and I wanted to go to a good school for soccer, so we compromised. Yale obviously has strong academics, though I don't really intend to ever do something that needs the degree. I really just want to play soccer. If I'm lucky, I'll make the U.S. Women's National Team and can play in the Olympics and stuff. I definitely didn't get into this school for my academic abilities," I said with a light laugh, "not that I had bad grades or anything in high school, but they definitely weren't good enough for me to get into Yale on my own academic merit. What about you, Cairo, what's your story?" I asked, still feeling like I knew nothing about the girl I was on my first date with.

"Nothing really, my life before coming here was quite boring." The girl said, and I just about let out a sigh of exasperation, as it seemed like she wasn't going to easily be giving up any information about herself.

"Well, what about your family?" I asked, thinking the question was harmless.

I immediately saw the girl tense, but to my surprise, she answered my question.

"Oh, uh, it's just me," the normally well-spoken girl stuttered, "my parents are always traveling for work. They'd usually just leave me with enough money to do whatever I wanted, but I pretty much always lived alone without ever really having contact with them. I did have Winnie, though, she was my lifeline and has been my best friend since elementary school."

Hearing those words left me shook. I thought back to my family, and how even though we often annoyed each other and I just wanted to get away, I knew it could never compare to how Cairo must have felt all those years. No wonder she was so closed off. She doesn't know what it's like to have a family. I can't even imagine.

"Earth to CC Walker." The girl across from me took me out of my daze.

"Oh, hey, sorry. I was just thinking about what you said. That's awful, I'm sorry, no one should have to go through that."

"Eh, it's fine, it made me who I am, I guess." Cairo said, almost halfheartedly, like she didn't believe it.

An awkward silence overtook the table as we both took sips of our drinks.

To fill the silence, I inquired, "So, Sweet," the girl across from me cocked an eyebrow, almost flirtatiously, "what do you do in your free time?"

"Write, mostly. Or read."

"Ah, yes, how English major of you."

"Yeah, yeah," Sweet rolled her eyes.

"What do you write/read about?"

A sorrowful look filled Cairo's eyes, and I immediately was concerned that I had asked about a sensitive topic. It began to feel like there were so many layers to this girl, I'd never be able to pull them all back and see the real Cairo.

"I used to read a lot of Henry Miller, and write stuff similar to that. But I haven't, not since. . ." Cairo trailed off, and a single tear fell from her eye, which she quickly wiped away, but not before I could see.

"Hey, you okay? I'm here if you want to talk." I asked, worried.

"Yeah, I just, uh, I just gotta go. I'll text you. I'm sorry."

And with that, my first date came to a quick conclusion as Cairo Sweet rapidly stood up, grabbed her belongings and drink, and booked it out of the coffee shop, leaving me in her wake, still unsure of what exactly just took place.