conundrum

snuggie, soft to the touch

Hands glued to each other's we walked out of the diner, mouths stretched into grins that were so wide we almost could wrap the corners of our lips around our ears two times over.
    "So, how do you pronounce your name? Kim and i only texted so..." Ben looks over at me, tilting his head down a bit in the process due to our slight height difference.
"Oh!" I smile, respecting the fact he even asked, because most would butcher the first try, and then slaughter the rest. "It's Tres, like the number three, or trace? Like tracing paper?" He smiled, causing his pink nose to scrunch slightly in the process.
"Tres." Just the sound of it rolling off his tongue made me want to roll up in a ball and implode. In the best way possible. "Is that short for anything?" He glances at me again, awaiting an answer.
"It's actually Teresa, like the spanish pronunciation, but most people will pronounce it the way white people do, which is fine, but i'd rather go by a nickname than an incorrectly pronounced one, y'know?"
    I talked too much again, and the silence after that made me never want to speak again. To others it may have appeared to be a sort of comfortable silence, but it was killing me. All of a sudden I felt a gentle squeeze on my hand, I look up at ben, happy I came out tonight.
"So, tres, what do you do? What are your hobbies? Besides run on sentences of course!" He chuckled to himself and I let go of his hand.
"My hands are cold, sorry" i shrug and stuff them in my jacket pockets. "I mean, anything art related really." Short and sweet wins the meet.
"That's nice"
We walked, i occasionally fell a few steps behind, distracted by the window shopping i was absentmindedly partaking in. I saw him bring his naked hands up towards is mouth in a failed attempt to warm them, sticking them back into his giant coat pockets afterward. i felt around in my pocket for my HotHands baggie,
"it may not be as warm as it was earlier but i think it might help" i say, extending my hand toward him slightly, he grinned and took the baggie, along with my hand, lacing his fingers through mine and shoving them in his coat pocket. i rolled my eyes.
"you're pretty cheeky, you know that?" my cheeks felt a bit warmer, and i suddenly became glad that it was so cold because my face would mostly likely be beet red if otherwise.

"so," ben started "what were you thinking about doing, i know we haven't been out here for as long as it feels, but it's currently freezing if you haven't noticed" he squeezed my hand in his pocket and looked at me
"honestly i didn't know it was cold i thought it was just a bunch of salt on the ground" DUMB DUMB DUMB "anyway maybe we should just not listen to my gut wrenchingly awkward jokes" i kicked a small ball of snow in disappointment for myself "we could head over to mine? i've got a broken heater, blankets and a pristine movie collection." Ben nodded his head
"that sounds intriguing, but could i possibly buy us some hot drinks before heading over? i think i'm freezing from the inside out." i threw my head back gently in laughter. i hope this whole date goes as well as it started.

After grabbing some coco we headed on over to my place as fast as we could, seeing as warmth was the only thing on our minds, we chugged our lukewarm chocolate beverage as we hurried up the steps. In a flash we were in hallway walking towards my apartment.
"wow, orange doors? could they not think of a better color?" i turned toward him in shock, and scoffed

"excuse me sir but i quite like these orange doors," i shrugged, examining the doors i pass by every day "i think they give the place character, don't you? it also helps with rent, because the owners are too cheap to repaint every single door in this place." i chuckle grabbing my keys from my bag and unlocking the door, swinging it open and hanging my back on the coat rack that was next to the door. "Welcome to my, very, humble abode." i put my hands by my sides and give a toothy smile, hoping that my place was nice enough to not scare him away. while walking in, Ben slapped his hands together rubbing them against each other,

"So what is our plan of attack?" i chuckled and shrugged my coat off to hang it up
"how's about i take your coat and then we discuss our strategy?" i walk over to him with my hand out and he gave his coat to me kindly, as i went to hang it up i heard him sigh, hopefully in relief, i couldn't think of any other reason and i don't want to. i kicked my shoes off and grabbed my favorite blanket that was piled on top of other blankets next to the couch.
"pick your poison" i say, gesturing to the different kinds of blankets i've collected over the years. He grabs a scarlet one a lifts it up in front of him in awe.

"is this... a fucking snuggie?" He thrusts each of his arms through the sleeves and feels it "i never knew these were so soft, if i had i might've bought on to the hype years ago!" i laugh and set myself down on the couch.
"So what movie would you want to watch?"
"movies you mean" he answered putting an emphasis on the 's' "well lets see what you've got" he walks over to my bookshelf of DVD and VHS tapes "man you really got a collection here huh" he looks over to me, eyebrow raised "let's see" he drawls on the 'e' sound while he picked out three films, i looked at the clock, 12:25, i mentally rolled my eyes, knowing i'll be fast asleep before the second movie even starts. Ben glides over to the dvd player and sets a disc in the mouth and presses play. i watch him, holding in a laugh. he looks at me "what?" his face drops "do i have something in my hair?"
"no..." i mustered up the sternest face i could "i just think we should turn the tv on before you sit and wait for the movie to load" i busted at the seams, his face was priceless. He roughly tossed a nearby plush at my face and pressed the power button on the tv. i yawned.
" aww" he cooed "the first date and you're already tired of me huh" i swatted at him, happy that he was the one kim chose for me.
"stop making fun of me! it was a long day, bucko" he chuckled and sat down on the opposite side of the couch.

not five minutes into the movie i can feel his eyes on my face, burning a hole through my cheekbone.
"what" i sigh, insecure because i can't handle anyone analyzing my face when i'm fully aware
"do i have like, cooties or something?" i look over at him, confused
"again. what?"
"well we've been watching this movie for like an hour and you're still all the way over there" i laugh
"it's not my fault you sat down second!" poking him with the tip of my foot through my blanket, he grabs it and pulls me over to him, my legs end up over the arm of the couch, and my head in the middle of the cushions.
"yes, there we go" he smiles proudly of the fact he brought me closer to him
"wow, yes. ben this is so much better than how i was sitting. Comfy." i swing my legs over to my side and scoot closer to him, resting my head on his arm stretched out behind me "are you happy, you sap?" he drapes him arm over my left shoulder.
"very."
❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️
i wake up to a softly snoring ben and immense back pain from sleeping on such an old couch. i get up from the couch as quiet as i can, walking to grab my phone to check the time. 9:00 am. i text kim,
to: Kimberly
thank you so much for setting me up with ben, he turned out to be a perfect match !!11!!!!1!1

i see the ellipsis going and i set my phone down to go make some breakfast for ben and i, i glance over at him, head hung back, looking so soft and beautiful. hoping and praying this isn't our first and last date, i take out a carton of eggs and slap a frying pan on the stove top, turning the heat on low and pouring olive oil into the pan and let it sit. putting my hair up in a ponytail i walk over to my phone and read the text from kim,
from: Kimberly
what are you talking about? ben texted me and told me you stood him up last night? what's gotten into you?