Indestructible: Reinforced

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

     November 2009

     First Official Date

     I finished applying mascara to my eyelashes and stepped back to look at myself in the vanity mirror. My hair fell down my back in wide curls, my fringe covered my forehead, and my green eyes were accentuated by the eyeliner and the mascara that I’d applied moderately but still effectively. I’d chosen to wear my dark-blue wool dress that hit me mid-thigh and I’d paired it with black sheer stockings and black leather ankle-boots. I looked alright.

     I grabbed my Gucci purse and headed downstairs, it was almost seven and Josh was going to be here any minute now.

     Dad whistled when I came down the stairs and stood in the foyer readjusting my fringe. “Looking good, Gaby.” He walked over to me and crossed his arms over his chest. “Now, where are you going?”

     “Umm.” I frowned at him. “I’m going out.”

     “You didn’t tell me.” He shrugged. “I know nothing about it.”

     Uh-oh. Was he going to be difficult about this? I didn’t know how Dad felt about the whole dating thing, and I didn’t want to find out a few minutes before my date with Josh. “I told Mom, I assumed she was going to tell you. It’s no big deal, I’ll be back before midnight, probably.”

     He sighed. “Please be saner than Avy.” He gestured at the door. “Off you go, my youngest.”

     I rolled my eyes and laughed. “That’s a tad bit dramatic, don’t you think?” I sighed. “Besides, I’m still waiting for my ride.”

     “Aha.” He headed back to the living-room. “Just tell whoever he is to bring you back safe and at a reasonable hour.”

     I loved that man. I grinned and happy-danced. My dad was cool and didn’t ask many questions about boys. Yay. “Love you.”

     “Ofcourse you do.” He laughed. “Love you too, Gabs.”

     I checked my reflection again in the foyer mirror and sighed. I’d agreed to be Josh’s girlfriend a week or so ago, and we’d talked every day since then. We mainly IMed though. He’d only called me a couple of times, one time had been to set up today’s date.

     I’d talked to Avy about it. We were going to see a movie and then we were going to have dinner. Avy had advised me strongly to pick a horror flick. I wasn’t really into horror, I was easily scared, so I wasn’t so keen on it.

     “But you must go to a horror movie!” She’d said urgently. “I mean, if it doesn’t scare you he’ll think you’re awesome and strong and he’ll like it. And if it does scare you, which it will because you’re you, then you get to cuddle up and you get to bury your face in his chest and he’ll try to hold you protectively and he’ll feel better about himself. Trust me on this, Gaby.”

     She’d talked me into it, plus I liked the idea of spending two hours curled up against Josh in a dark movie theater. It seemed exciting and romantic. Too bad shrieks of people getting cut up and tortured were going to be the background music to our first date.

     The doorbell rang and I jumped. My heart started racing and I felt my cheeks turn red. I hadn’t seen him since that day he’d told me he liked me.

     I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves before I opened the door. And there he stood. In the doorway of my house. Looking beyond handsome in dark denims, a black button-up shirt, and a black wool jacket. He looked like a freaking model.