The Goldy Project

Chapter 8

The next week it was all planned, I was going to have a continuation of myself and Ryan's chat. He decided to meet at a popular cafe that I hadn't been to yet. I was to meet him at 12:30 pm sharp and have lunch with him. The annoying thing is that he hasn't officially said it was a date but I pretended it was. So when I was deciding what to wear for this 'date' I found myself very confused. Do I go casual with a pretty top, or go full out with a dress? Heels or flats? Hair out or a sophisticated plait? This was when I wish I had a sister, as Sadie had a violin exam today so I couldn't ask her and James wouldn't understand.

That was when mum peaked her head around the door and started to laugh. As I glared back she started to stop quickly.

"There's no need for that ugly scowl, honey. What's taking you so long, it's just a study lunch isn't it with Ryan?" She says smirking at my blushing cheeks.

"It's kind of like a study lunch... except without the study part." I suggest and feel my shoulders relax as my mum smiles back at me.

"I did gather that. You should've just told me you were going on a date with Ryan. I'm all down with the teenage dating stuff. I used to be young once as well you know." I cringe, this was exactly why I didn't want to tell her.

"You don't mind? I just thought because you keep ranting on about distractions..." I trail off.

"You are sixteen Jade, you can live from your own decisions now. Plus I trust you and I know you won't do anything stupid, like me." Mum says wistfully, I try to change the topic as soon as possible.

"Plus James told me not to tell you because he said you used to always scare off any girls he brought home." I shrug, pleased with my quick thinking.

"What? That's a lie. I just showed them a quick peak of James' room and they went running off themselves." We both laugh at the honesty of this.

"But the thing is mum, I don't actually know if it's a date."

Mum starts walking back to my bedroom door, and before she leaves she turns around. "Whatever you're doing, remember to be yourself, you don't need to change yourself to impress a boy, okay?" Mum says earnestly looking at me with her liquid hazel eyes.

"I know." I sigh, easier said than done.

"Then wear the jeans with that top, leave your hair and wear your flats. If he's going to like you, he's going to have to like you for you." I run to hug my mum, she was always there to save me in the end.

I wear what she says and dab a smudge of foundation, draw a quick line of eyeliner and apply some lightly tinted chap-stick.

As I reach the cafe I feel extremely relaxed, it had a very retro theme and there was a faint whisper of jazz behind the chats of other couples in other booths. I scanned the booths to see Ryan flashing me a dazzling grin. I grin back and sit opposite him in the booth with drink and cakes already set out.

"Hey." My palms warm up and stick together in nervousness.

"Hi Jade. It's so good to see you again." He says, with a specific type of charm, which puts my erratic little heart at ease.

"Ditto. So erm- why did you call me exactly?" I ask. I needed to let myself know what this was. A date? A catch-up sesh?

"Well it's quite embarrassing actually." He says, and I realise that the perhaps Ryan was only after something. I get nervous again. I nod for him to carry on.

"Well I feel like I've known you for an age, because you've just always been there, I remember when you were my neighbour. You know that feeling when you know that you are just going to be great friends with someone, I just thought of that the moment I saw you. But you always used to scurry off whenever I attempted to approach you and I thought I scared you, and even thought I wanted to be friends, I thought perhaps it was better if I left you alone. Then recently I got dumped by my ex-girlfriend and last week was actually the first time I got out of the house, and I saw you again. It was like fate giving me another chance because you made me realise that perhaps maybe I was just scared to make the first move. I want to get to know you and hopefully one day you can by my gir- friend that's a girl?" Ryan looks so uncomfortable, yet adorably cute, and I couldn't help bursting out laughing. He looks at me in shock, but I couldn't hold it together. He wanted me to be his 'friend that's a girl'? Did he mean girlfriend? Seeing him so nervous made me less nervous and I smile at him warmly.