Life in the Friend Zone

Chapter 4- You're amazing but...

“I had a really great time tonight,” I said as he drove me home. Yes, MacDonald’s would not be my first choice for a first date, but just the fact that it was something different made it special.

We had driven to a park and had a “picnic” of sorts. We talked for hours on end, watching the stars, it all seemed perfect until I remembered that I had a few proposals to go over and it was already past midnight.

“Me too,” he smiled at me.

“Give me your phone,” I asked, wiggling my fingers at him. He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to me. I typed in my number and handed it back to him, “And now you have my number.”

“I was going to ask you know,” he laughed, “couldn’t pass the opportunity of getting a beautiful woman’s number.” He smirked

I looked out the window to hide my blush. He was just too sweet, “Flattery I see,” I replied wiggling my eyebrows.

I realised that we had arrived at my place. “I had a really great time Alex, thank you” I repeated obviously hinting that I wanted to see him again, it was now up to him to take the bait.

“I did too,” his playfulness was gone and replaced with a serious determined look. He was staring at me intently, almost as though he were imprinting my face in his mind.

“So we should do this again-“I began, but I was cut off by the incessant ringing of his phone. He answered it quickly sounding worried.

“What’s wrong? Is she alright? Okay I’ll be right there,” he spoke quickly and ended the call.

“Is everything alright?” I touched his shoulder hoping he would tell me.

“Uh, yeah.” He sounded off, like he couldn’t wait to leave.

“So I was saying-“I began again but he cut me off.

“You’re amazing Emily, but…I have to go. I’ll call you,” he said checking his watch while he spoke.

I stared at him in shock, and then I silently got out of his car. He sped off before I could even wave goodbye. I was rooted in one spot, staring as his car sped off into the night; I was there long after I had lost sight of his car.

“What just happened,” I whispered to myself.

I took my shoes off and walked inside barely registering the greeting off the doorman. It didn’t make sense. We had a great night, and he just left, without an explanation. Was it something did? Or maybe it was something I said, I racked my brain over and over again to find something wrong, but everything had been perfect.

I walked into my apartment feeling dejected, only to receive the shock of my life when Kim came bounding towards me. She was literally bouncing up and down in excitement.

“So tell me, tell me, how did it go,” she grabbed my arm and walked me to the couch. She was looking at me expectantly, but I wasn’t even sure of how to describe what had happened.

I just decided to tell her everything. I recounted the entire date, from the time we walked out of my apartment, to having a picnic in the park with food from MacDonald’s, and finally I told her about what had just transpired in the car.

“So,” she trailed off deep in thought, “So wait, he just left?” she asked sceptically. I nodded my head and smiled at her weakly.

“But why would he do that if you guys had such an amazing date.” She spoke more to herself than to me, I realised.

She stood up and began to pace. My eyes followed her for a while until I felt exhaustion hit me. I curled up on the couch and closed my eyes as I waited for Kim to stop pacing. I heard her stop and gasp loudly.