The Seaside Café

Chapter 22- I'm Taking My Clothes Off

Chapter 22- I'm Taking My Clothes Off

Jace's Point of View

The next day, Saturday, at around 6:30, it registers in my brain that I should probably go and get Emma now. I told her I’d pick her up at 7 o’clock and by the time I get there, given all the afternoon traffic, it should be 7 or just a little before. It’s never dawned on me before just now why I never go on dates. There’s two reasons that the last time I went on even a sort of real date was in the ninth grade and that was just to the movies and dinner, which was really stupid and cliché.

That’s the first reason I don’t go on dates; being the guy, you have to make sure it’s all nice and sweet and fun and entertaining, and that’s just too much for one person, I think. The second reason though—  and probably the main reason—  why I never go on dates is because pretty much over half the girl’s at Napa Valley High are terrified of me. I think that’s pretty funny though, considering the fact that Emma, who was amongst the most scared of me, is now my girlfriend. Like, my actual girlfriend whom I kiss and hold hands with and do other couple stuff with. That’s just pretty cool, I think.

So, for our date tonight, I’m pretty excited, I mean, it will be the first time that we’re alone since we started dating. Well, not all alone because where we’re going has to have a person there to do the thing that we’re doing since neither Emma, I assume, nor myself know the first thing about doing that thing that we’re going to do. But since the dude that’s going to be there most likely won’t talk to us, it’ll be as if we’re alone, which is nice.

On the flip side though, I’m also kind of nervous, which is saying a lot, because I never get nervous and especially not around Emma. Not when I kissed her for the first time on New Year’s, not on our semi-date at the movies and not whenever we first started talking even though she was terrified. I’m just nervous because I don’t know if she’ll like what I have planned, but she’s such a nice person, that I’m firmly sure that even if she completely and totally hates it, she’ll say that she loves it. I mean, yeah, I can clearly tell when she’s lying, but still.

“Do you know that ever since you and Emma started dating, you zone out on everything?” Jonathon asks from where he’s sitting in front of my television in my bedroom, playing a game on my X-Box.

Chace’s sick with the flu or the chicken pox’s or something, which is why he’s not here tonight as he would otherwise be. I’m aware that the flu and the chicken pox’s are completely different sickness, but I don’t know which one he has but it’s definitely one of the two. I would go and see him, you know, make sure he’s not dying or anything, but, as selfish as it sounds, I don’t want to risk getting myself sick, because then I’d have to stay home and then I wouldn’t get to see Emma. And that would suck.

“I didn’t notice that I did that,” I truthfully reply. “I’m gonna leave now though, are you staying here?”

“Wait a second, are you actually not kicking me out of your house? Wow, this is new,” He replies.

“Yeah, but only because I’m in a really good mood today, so don’t get used to this,” I warn him, grabbing my car keys and iPhone before heading towards my bedroom door. I pull it open and step out, taking a first few steps.

“Hey, Jace?” Jonathon calls after me, causing me to take a few steps back, and peer back into the room.

“Yeah, Jonathon?” I ask exasperatedly. He’s my friend and therefore I love the guy like a brother, but really he’s just an idiot about so many things. First and foremost, Emma’s friend, Claire. I think that he should just ask her out. I mean, she obviously likes him and he obviously likes her. So, I think they should just get together before the school year is over and college starts and everything gets complicated. I’ve tried to talk some sense into him about it, but he always says that he’ll, “do it when the time is right”, which is a stupid response, but whatever.