The Overture

Two

The muggy evening Texas air brushes my dress as I coolly stood up at an intersection near College Vista. A couple of pedestrians surveyed me suspiciously, I was refined with that until this one dude invited me to come with him due to the fact that he thought I was a street prostitute. But all is satisfying, thanks to Abby's trusty Taser Gun – it seems to me that he won't bother me ever again.

As agreed upon, Jake pulls up his car along the street at exactly 7:30. I hop inside the vehicle, knowingly taking the front seat without his acknowledgement. He looks at me with an entrancing expression, then leans towards me to plant a kiss on my cheek.

In reaction, I push him back to his seat. "Get your ass in there and drive to wherever the hell we're going," I convey, hoping to endure my calm tone. "Stop kissing me from now on or else I'm reporting you."

"Okay Miss Bossy pants. I was just trying to be friendly."

I rolled my eyes and continued to stare at the traffic lights.

"By the way, how were your tests?" Jacob asks, slowly stepping on the gas pedal.

"Peachy. 2 tests, 6 hours. Fantastic indeed," I deadpan. "How 'bout yours?"

"It went remarkably well," He awkwardly mentions. "Uh... Nifty dress by the way."

"Thanks! I just bought it this afternoon, however I might return it back to Macy's tomorrow." I reply as I straightened up the dress. "I'm saving up."

He candidly laughed at my response, not the fabricated guffaws that I commonly hear from him – yet, I know now that he laughs like a fucking cow. "What for?"

"Possibly moving somewhere if we get accepted in the job we applied for." I say, emphasizing the word with air quotation marks.

"Where at?"

"Mind your own business, Johnson," I lash out.

"Alright, alright," He raises his hands. "I'm going to find out soon anyways."

From there on, the remnant of the lengthy drive was stiffly cumbersome. It took me a couple of times to awkwardly adjust my seating position to refrain from shuddering from his remarks. The discussions were fervently in relation to having relationships, safe sex and shit, literally. Jacob typically knows how to start a decent conversation, but tonight, he seemed strikingly tense.

To my surprise, He pulls up at an Olive Garden approximately west of town. This boy has an extensively long infamous record of taking out his dates in a Whataburger or Taco Bell. This motherfucker can be decent after all.

"Aw. Is this where our first date is?" I ask exquisitely. "How phony! This is too fancy for me to be precisely honest. Why not go to Spring Creek instead – "

"We're seeing someone," He snaps, gesturing me to go inside. "Cruise on."

"Oh... is it like a double date?"

"Its only one person, Maddie."

"Is it a girl?"

"No."

"It's a boy... Oh my gosh Jake, I never thought you were gay." I mention teasingly. "Its all gnarly homie, thanks for coming out of the closet."

"No, I am not gay." He halts for a moment and signaled me to sit down at a table with another personage I barely recognize. "Madison, this is Mr. – "

"Nicholas Wagner," The man intervenes, his clear blue eyes staring at mine intensely. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Madison Baker." He offers his hand for a handshake, yet I refuse.