Expect The Unexpected (H-Town)

Date Night

Shazam

Amina looked good.

Like—really good.

She stepped out onto the sidewalk in a fitted denim jacket, hair laid, smile confident. The kind of smile most dudes would feel lucky to be on the receiving end of.

"Hey," she said, sliding into the passenger seat. "Sorry if I took long."

"You good," I replied, starting the car. "You look nice."

"Thank you," she smiled. "You clean up alright yourself."

I nodded, pulled off, and told myself to relax.

This was what I wanted, right?

Something easy.
No history.
No expectations.

We drove in comfortable silence at first, music playing low. She talked about her classes, work, little stuff. I listened. Really tried to.

But my mind kept drifting.

Stacey's voice.

The way she stood up last night.

The calm in her eyes when she realized she didn't need me.

"So," Amina said, breaking the silence, "you excited about that record deal?"

I glanced at her. "Yeah. It's crazy. Still don't feel real."

"That's big," she said. "You must be proud."

"I am," I replied. And I meant that.

But pride didn't stop the heaviness sitting in my chest.

We pulled up to the spot—nothing fancy, just somewhere to eat and talk. We sat across from each other, menus in hand.

"You seem kinda quiet," she said gently.

"Nah," I said quickly. "Just tired."

She studied me for a second. "You sure?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

Lie.

We ordered. Food came. She laughed at my jokes. I smiled at the right times. Anybody watching would've thought everything was cool.

But it felt like I was watching myself from the outside.

"You always this hard to read?" she teased.

"Only when I'm thinking too much."

"About what?" she asked.

I hesitated.

The truth sat right there.

About another girl.

But instead I shrugged. "Life."

She nodded, accepting it, but something shifted. Not disappointment—just awareness.

After we ate, we walked back to the car.

"This was nice," she said. "Even if you weren't fully here."

That caught me off guard.

I looked at her. "What you mean?"

She smiled softly. "I mean you're a good dude. I just don't think tonight was really about me."

Damn.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I didn't mean to—"

"I know," she said, cutting me off gently. "And I'm not mad. Just being honest."

I respected that more than she knew.

"I think you should figure some things out," she added. "Before you try again with anybody."

I nodded. "You probably right."

She leaned in and kissed my cheek—soft, friendly.

"Good luck with everything, Solomon."

"Thanks, Amina."

I watched her walk away, realizing something uncomfortable but necessary.

She deserved someone present.

And Stacey?

She deserved honesty I hadn't given her yet.

I got back in the car, hands gripping the steering wheel a little tighter than necessary.

Running from feelings didn't make them disappear.

It just made them show up in places they didn't belong.

And tonight?

Tonight proved that clear as hell.