Jaded

First Dates

Ann Clarke sat nervously, glancing around on occasion at the other diners who were happily enjoying their meals. Families and lovers alike chuckled heartily, some tried to reenact the famous scene from Lady and the Tramp by placing a single piece of spaghetti in their mouths. Giovanni's was so full of life, why did Ann feel so anxious? Why did she feel so alone?

Ann had arrived very early to the restaurant due to her leg, navigating any crowded building or public place with a leg in a cast was a hardship. However, her doubts were slowly seeping through. Dave was an excellent timekeeper, he usually arrived early to wherever he went. Ann was afraid that he wouldn't come. She gazed down at her watch, 5:58pm read its digital screen. He was due at 6pm.

She sighed to herself as she returned watching the birthday parties and family outings go on around her. She looked down at her watch once again, and then she repeated the monotonous action for several further minutes. On the verge of giving up, she reached for her phone from her leather handbag with the intent to dial Will. Her actions were promptly halted by a sight that made her gasp.

Dave had entered the restaurant. He looked stressed and somewhat terrified, considering the fact that his usually pristine white shirt was smothered with mud. He pushed past people to get to the table though he apologised frequently.

"Dave, what's going on?" She stated in a matter of fact way.

"Well...it's a long story." Dave replied.

"I'm willing to hear why you are covered in mud and you look absolutely awful!"

"Okay...Where do I begin?"

The time was 5:30pm, David Wilson was in an anticipatory mind frame. He was due to go a date with the receptionist at the office of his employment, he hadn't expected it. He didn't know that she had felt that way towards him. He was 'average Dave' to his peers, he wasn't anything special. On the other hand, he needed to sort out his broken life, he had just broken up with his wife

He buttoned up one of his white shirts and placed a tie around his neck. He was ready to go, he was ready to face the world and have a fresh start. His happiness was abruptly halted was the sound of banging on his door. He knew who it was before he even turned the key. Casey and Peter stood disgruntled outside of his residence.

"I've come to collect my belongings." She smirked at him,his blood almost ran cold.

"I'm going out tonight. I'm fine about you coming to collect your stuff, couldn't we just arrange this at a far more reasonable hour?" He awkwardly replied.

"Dave, I just want my stuff and then we'll be gone from your life forever." She begged him.

"But..."

"NO MORE BUTS! I'M FED UP OF YOU!" Lover boy Peter stepped in, attempting to intimidate him.

"Then I told them I had to leave and Peter began to beat me up, he threw me on the ground and ruined my nice new shirt! He was obviously trying to get what he thought was revenge. William had stopped him from getting to me before... They got Casey's belongings and then they left. That's why I'm so late, I'm ever so sorry." He finished, taking a seat. The onlookers then turned away, returning to their meals.

"That's dreadful! I'm ever so sorry for you!" Ann replied in sympathy.

"So, about this date?" He responded, for a split second, he was freed of all his troubles.

"Dave, because you were so late...I've had time to think. We have both split from our partners through similar circumstances and I both think that we're jumping into quickly for this. I'm not saying that we can't be good friends..."

"I understand, it's hard when big things like this happen, your entire life just goes out the window. I've been so stressed about work that I didn't realise that it wasn't the right time for me. Do you know how often I have to do paperwork in my own free time?"

"Over an hour every night. I do work as receptionist Dave, I hear this often." She said smirking as she attempted to lift the mood.

"True." He said grinning, he didn't care in that moment about his paperwork, his muddy shirt or being beaten up by a guy with only half a brain cell.

Maybe it was 'just friends' for now, most would be downtrodden at that thought. However, it was the right thing for then, and things have a habit of changing over the course of time.

Ann and David laughed and joked for hours as the world went on around them.