Pushing Forward (Sequel to An Unlikely Duo)

Chapter 16: Double Dates

I was dancing around my room to my Beyoncé playlist when I caught sight of my clock.

Shoot.

I was meeting Paige for lunch in twenty minutes and I still wasn't ready yet. I stopped using my curling iron as a microphone and switched to using it for its original purpose.

I found my favorite dark wash skinny jeans, and paired them with a white flowy tank and my tan wedges. Some gold jewelry completed the look and I was grabbing my purse and running out the door.

"I've never been here before. Any recommendations?" I was trying to make a decision, but there were so many choices on the menu I was having a hard time narrowing it down to even a handful. We were trying some new organic healthy restaurant in town Paige recommended.

"I love the kale salad, I normally add chicken, but I'm thinking about doing salmon this time" Paige and I loved most of the same foods so we tended to order two different dishes and then share. It was a great arrangement.

"So what are we doing tonight?" I asked after we ordered.

"Kayla Ryans doesn't have a plan? Well there's a first" Paige grinned. She, Stephen, Scott, and I were going on a double date tonight, but that was about all we had figured out so far.

"Oh zip it and help me brainstorm" I threw my straw wrapper at her and it got stuck in her hair. She didn't notice, but being the evil best friend I am I didn't tell her about it. Holding back my laughter wasn't easy.

"Why don't we go surfing? Didn't you and Jake go on a surf date one time and had a blast? We haven't gone in forever" Paige suggested.

"That would be fun, but I don't think Scott would be into surfing. He's not really the outdoorsy type" I shrugged.

"Alright so no surfing, and I guess boating is out then too" Paige's nose was scrunched up and her mouth kept twitching from side to side. Paige's intense thinking face always made me laugh.

"What about bowling? Four is a good number for bowling" I suggested right as our food came out.

"Aren't we a little old for bowling?" Paige raised her eyebrows in question.

"Come on Paige embrace your inner kid. It'll be fun" I couldn't get over how good my salad was. I mean not as delicious as mac & cheese obviously, but pretty darn close for rabbit food.

"Alright we'll go bowling" Paige relented. We spent the rest of lunch talking about where Stephen took Paige for their 18 month anniversary. She was head over heels in love with him and even I, the relationship cynic, couldn't help but get all goo goo eyed about it.

We split the check and were about to head out when Paige bumped into someone from school.

They talked briefly about their classes for senior year and how the football team was looking before saying goodbye.

"Is it just me or was he staring at me kind of weirdly the whole time?" Paige asked, "I mean he has to know I'm seeing Stephen"

"Paige, you know I think you're gorgeous, but I don't think that's what he was staring at" I tried to stifle a laugh that was trying to bust out.

"Then what was it" Paige's look of confusion wasn't helping me control myself.

"Don't be mad, but that straw wrapper I threw at you earlier has been stuck in your hair this whole time" I attempted to look sorry, but it was a weak attempt.

"You let me sit all through lunch and talk to Mark for a solid five minutes with a straw wrapper in my hair?" Paige clarified.

"Yes, yes I did"