Nora

Chapter 20: The Dating Game

I spent Friday in the city with my parents which was an event to say the least. It was very busy with all the Christmas sales going on and there was barely room to breathe. I'd gotten used to the lazy feel of coastal towns even during the holiday peak. In the city it's bustle, busy, bang and catch your breath later. 

Mom had a blast and got some 'excellent buys' and Dad and I tried not to winge too much. 

However we decided to stay in Brisbane a little longer than planned and see a show. Usually you'd have trouble going to see a show last minute as the tickets would be sold but we got lucky. I really enjoyed it and all the actors were great. But I couldn't wait to get back to the coast and back to Nora. I knew I wouldn't be seeing her till the following night but I needed my sleep and I had a few errands to run in order to have our first date run smoothly. 

I still can't believe I'm going on a date with her. With Nora. With the most enchanting specimen to ever walk the earth. 

So I woke up this morning (Saturday aka date day) with a spring in my step and a bounce to my hop. This didn't stop me from being absolutely and nerve rackingly terrified.

I was less nervous to take the SAT test then I am for tonight. All I want is for it to go well and for us to kiss and profess our love to each other and re-enact the 'am I flying?' scene from Titanic. Ironically of course. We'd never be so mainstream or how do I put this nicely? Pathetic.

Surely tonight will go according to plan. I mean Nora and I have already had enough obstacles thrown our way, surely we can overcome this and live happily ever after. Surely she hasn't changed her mind. Surely she has the ability to fall madly in love with me, like I with her. Surely the stars will align. 

I spend the day rushing about getting tonight’s big date together. I've got something spectacular (at least in my mind) planned and it's not as easy as booking a table at a restaurant. I mean seriously 1. We’ve already done that and 2. It’s boring. Nora is anything but boring so I need something with a wow factor. Something both sickeningly sweet and awesome. I just hope she likes it.

Because when you love someone that's all you want. Everything else is irrelevant. You'd break up with them just to make them happy no matter how much it destroyed you, no matter how much you would miss them. Their best interests are in your heart and if you feel any differently in a relationship you're not with the right person.

Of course you need to think of yourself as well. Don't get me wrong. 

But if every decision you make in regards to your relationship is based around how it will benefit you then something isn't right. You just don't love them enough or at all.

I've been there. I dated far too many girls that I barely even liked let alone loved. And it doesn't matter how shallow or mean or boring or stupid they were that was cruel of me. I put my own survival ahead of someone else’s happiness. Multiple times. I dated girls I wasn't attracted to, but I knew people expected me to be attracted to. All so that I could survive high school. Measly, insignificant high school. 

I shouldn't have used them as a device, a tool. Girls aren't meant to be treated like that. Even though I was never mean to them, always told them how nice they looked and paid attention to what they were saying I was not being a nice guy. You should never date a girl for any other reason that you like her and hope to one day love her. 

I'm sorry to all the girls I used. You deserved better.

***

I manage to dodge my mother’s questions and fussing for most of the day because I've been out getting things done however when six O’clock rolls around and it's almost time for me to pick up Nora she swoops.