Virtually In Love With You

Meeting Her

I had long conversations with the girl. I learned her name was Claire, her username meant 'blue flower', she liked cars, her best friends were two men named Eric and Jake, who were gay (they had apparently forced her on the site) her favorite color was red, she liked chocolate ice cream, and she loved mountainous coasts (don't ask how that came up in conversation. It involved a long, complicated story about a swimsuit and a fake gnome).

I decided she was cool enough for moi. "

Nateynate's met someone."

Andrew stared at us. "Someone. Like on Jack's dating site?"

I didn't answer.

"Oh, man. Are you an eighteen year old girl?"

I thought the oldest one was supposed to bully the young ones. Apparently, I was wrong.

"Shut up, Dost. I think it's wonderful."

"Oh no, I have formed a band with a group of teenage girls. What's next, midnight Tweeting and Lucky Charms?"

Fuck. How did he know?

There was an uncomfortable silence. "Um, yeah. I met somone." What? Desperate times call for desperare measures.

"Cool. Spill, now. I want every juicy detail."

And he thinks I'm the one who's a teenage girl? Really?

"Her name is Claire, and she's twenty. Um... she likes tumblr-"

"Ah, the Other Woman of Nate's."

Hmm.... I didn't know my slightly unhealthy obsession was well known.

"Yeah... she's into mechanics and web designing."

"Nice. You scored a manly one."

Oh dear God.

"A manly one."

"Yep. There will be no doubt who wears the pants in that relationship."

"Yeah, especially 'cause Nate doesn't even wear pants," Jack added.

What!

"I wear pants."

'No. You wear tiny, capris.... things."

I crossed my legs and arms, glaring at them. "I like my wardrobe-"

"I know you do." I wasn't liking his tone.

"Oh, yeah? I do?"

"Yep. You spend hours on it, after all." I was about to reply with an awesome witticism when my lovely laptop dinged. I practically flew over the keyboard.

"What is it?" Jack demanded, totally creeping on me.

"No one," I replied evasively.

"Hey... OMG! ANDREW! SHE WANTS TO MEET!"

God. Share it with the world, why don't you?

*

"Can't you wear actual pants?"

I shrieked and cowered behind my pair of jeans.

"Jack! What the fuck are you doing in here? Wait... how did you even get in here!?"

He just smirked. "Shush, Nathanial. I'm here to help you fashionize."

I glared at him. "I don't need you to 'fashionize' me."

"Nate, please. You're wearing capris. And suspenders."

I hugged my clothes to my chest, deciding to ignore the fact that I was half naked.

"What's wrong with those?"

"Everything." He then started going through my wardobe.

"He's right, Nate."

I screamed again. Andrew was sitting next to me... whoa. How did he do that?

"OUT!" They jumped. "OUT! I AM GETTING DRESSED MYSELF!"

"Geez, fine, no need to scream," Jack rolled his eyes. "Come on, Andrew."

After I had gotten dressed, I stumbled downstairs.

"When is she coming?" Andrew asked from where he was sprawled out on the couch, watching what seemed to be Wizards Of Waverly Place.

"Damn," Jack muttered, staring at Gomez. "I would so tap that."

"Don't tell Jill, but me, too," Andrew agreed.

"She'll be here any minute," I told them brightly.

"WHAT!"

I stared at them. Jeez, over reaction much? "She'll be here any minute," I said again.

"So that's why the maid was cleaning all morning," Jack mused. The doorbell rang.

"Fuck, shit, shit she's here, oh my God, fucking hell..." I started muttering. I bounded to the door, took a deep breath -be calm, be calm.. ha!- and opened the door.

"Rachel!?"

"Sup, Nate."

"IS SHE HERE!?" Jack screamed from the living room.

"NO! RACHEL IS!"

"HEY RACH! WHY THE HELL IS SHE HERE?"

"HOW AM I TO KNOW? SHE'S YOUR SISTER!"

"GET HER IN HERE! WHAT IF CLAIRE SEES HER?"

"WHY WOULD IT MATTER?"

"WHAT IF SHE'S SECRETLY LESBIAN FALLS FOR HER? LEAVING YOU TO WALLOW IN MISERY?!"

"OH MY GOD! YOU'RE RIGHT! GET THE HELL IN HERE, RACHEL!"

I yanked her into the living room.

"Fill her in," I commanded. "Yo, Rachel. So, Nate went on a dating site-"

"Nate. You went on a dating site? When did you become a girl?"

"Shut up, Antonoff."

"As I was saying," Jack said loudly. "He met somebody, and now she's coming over."

"So that explains why Nate is all gelled up."

They all stared at me.

"Fuck, Ruess. The hair gel doesn't fly."

I patted my hair. "I thought it looked good."

"Well, it doesn't."

I sped to the kitchen and combed my hair out so it was all fluffy.

There. The doorbell rang.

Once again, I took a deep breath. Calm... be cool. And calm.

I opened the door. A girl with shoulder length dark hair, hazel eyes and five freckles was standing there.

"Nate?"

"Claire! Come on in." She followed me inside where now only Andrew sat. Considerably better then Jack or Rachel, though he was still watching Wizards of Waverly Place.

"Hello," he said warmly. She smiled at him.

"Hi. You must be Andrew."

"The one and only." She turned to me. I looked at her. She looked at me. There was an awkward silence.

"Wanna come with me?" I blurted.

"That's what she said," Claire chortled. That pretty got rid of all the awkwardness.

I told her I was going to the bathroom and stared into the mirror.

Maybe it was my imagination...

But I'm pretty sure I believed in love at first sight now.