Christmas - Prequel to Mistletoe

September 23, 2013

Patrick

Fourth attempt at dating. Third time I was stood up. There I was, chin resting on my hand as I stirred my drink with the straw, fighting back the feeling of disappointment that was swelling at the back of my throat. I could feel the sympathetic, pitiful stares of the people seated around me, as I was sitting there alone, at a table for two.

That was set for two.

It wasn't that I knew the person who was supposed to have showed up, but being stood up by anybody didn't feel good. Especially with a self esteem like mine.

So I sat there, trying to ignore the stares around me as I swallowed the lump in my throat, fighting back tears of embarrassment and disappointment, feeling worse than ever. I didn't think I would be able to do this anymore. No more dates. Not after all this.

The guy that was supposed to be here, Spencer, I think, was described by Ryan as nice. However, I felt like shit right now, so I was a little unsure that he really cared that he stood me up. And as I watched the ice cubes at the bottom of my empty glass of water, I sighed, seeing them melt slowly, just like my motivation.

So much for matchmaking. A lot of good that was doing. Just leaving me disappointed. Lonelier than I used to feel. I looked up, seeing the people around me turn away, and act like they weren't staring at me with pity.

Which made me feel worse. And I was about to just get up and leave when I was stopped from someone sitting in the chair across from me.

"Hey, baby. I'm so sorry I'm late, traffic was an absolute bitch." I looked up at the stranger, my eyes wide. He definitely didn't look like how Brendon described Spencer. In fact, he seemed very different, in character and appearance. He had dark brown hair, with whiskey eyes and tattoos on his arms and he was smiling at me. Wow. Okay, that was a really nice smile.

"W-Wha-" I stuttered, caught off guard as he leaned in and interrupted me, whispering quietly, "I saw you got stood up, and those nosy assholes were staring at you. I felt bad, so I came and sat with you. Just act like I'm your boyfriend."

I just sat there, my eyes still wide as I didn't answer. He smiled, seeing that I was frozen and he just said a bit loudly, probably enough for the people staring to hear, "I didn't get out of work until six, then my boss kept me longer than that even though I told him we had something planned for tonight, then the traffic made me half an hour later after that," I slowly nodded, going along with what he said. "Again, I'm so so sorry." I swallowed, anxiously tapping my foot as I answered, "It-It's okay."

He smiled again, his teeth showing this time as he whispered, out of earshot of everyone else, "I'm Pete." I smiled back, not as confident as I replied, "I'm P-Patrick." He looked down, picking up the menu as he studied it. "Do you actually understand anything that's on here?" I shook my head timidly, looking over the options. "I understand the w-word pasta. Pretty much it."

He looked up at me, smiling again. Wow, this guy smiles a lot. "You have a stutter," I blushed, embarrassed as I looked down. And, here it comes. "it's cute." I looked up, eyes wide. Well. Didn't expect that.

"C-Cute?" "Yeah. Suits you." I stared at him for a second, before hiding my face behind the menu as I heard him chuckle. I pretended to look at the options, finally deciding on one that I could actually understand, and it seemed like he'd decided as well.

The waiter came and took our orders, and he turned to me as she left. "So, what's the deal?" I looked at him, unsure of what he meant. "What do you m-mean?" "Why would anyone not want to go on a date with you?"

I blushed at that. I didn't know if he was flirting on purpose, but the grin on his face told me that he probably was. "Probably because I'm n-not worth their time." He shook his head. "You seem like you're worth a lot more than time." I looked down, smiling.

I looked back up after a second, answering, "My roommates think I'm going to grow up old and lonely. They've been trying to set me up with their single friends for weeks." He snorted. "That never works." I laughed, surprising myself. "I know! That's what I keep trying to tell them, but one of them bet the other fifty bucks about this whole thing so now he's kind of forcing me to do this so he doesn't lose the money."

He chuckled, retorting, "Sounds like he's more interested in his money." I laughed again, answering sarcastically, "Don't worry, he said it was 'out of love.'"

Pete snorted, before his eyes widened and he exclaimed, "You're not stuttering!" My eyes widened as well, and I realized that for the first time, I really wasn't. At least, for the first time without Brendon or Ryan. I think Pete could tell, because he remarked, "Good job, Patrick," I smiled at him as he went on. "I told my mom I wasn't intimidating! She thinks I am." I chuckled. "You're not. You're like...a small pink butterfly on a marshmallow." He gasped, mock offended and I giggled, something I hadn't done in months.

He smiled at the sound, saying, "Cute." I blushed, looking down. "Be quiet." He held his hands up in surrender, exclaiming, "I'm being honest! It was cute!" I raised my eyebrow at him as he mumbled under his breath, "Kinda like you."

I let out a laugh of disbelief, retorting, "Sorry, what was that?" He blushed slightly, coughing out, "Nothing." I rolled my eyes as the waiter came back, carrying our plates of food as she set them down, leaving soon after.

I slowly ate, and Pete did as well. As we were finishing up the last of it, he smiled at me, and I looked at him questioningly. "Do you have a pen or something?" He asked, and I furrowed my eyebrows. "No...the waiter might, though." He called the waiter over, asking for her pen. Once he got it, I watched as he scribbled something down on a napkin.

The waiter left with her pen, and I raised my eyebrows as he passed the napkin over to me. "Here's my phone number. You'll text me, right?" I looked down at it, surprised as I answered, "Yeah, of course. I'll text you later tonight." He smiled, getting up as I looked up at him. "Okay, great. Thanks. I'll look forward to it." I got up as well as I got out my wallet to pay, but I was stopped from him setting down the bill with the money inside.

"Hey, I would've paid for that!" He shook his head, smiling. "No, I had fun. The least I could've done was pay for it." I glared at him, and he just smiled innocently, patting my shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll pay next time."

He then turned and left, leaving me standing there. Next time, huh?

Well, he was definitely better than any of the people Ryan and Brendon had been trying to set me up with. And for the first time, I left a date feeling happy.

Well, accidental date. Still counts.