Alone With You

Meeting Him

I closed my eyes. The sound of dishes clinking glasses and low voices was beautiful, almost like wind chimes. Why, then, did I feel so let down? When I opened my eyes and looked around the table I saw someone sitting across from me I didn't know. 

"Do you always sit in restaurants and smile like that?" The guy laughs at me, smiling and shaking his head. 

"Not used to having company." I say, giving him a warning glare. He raises his eyebrows and puts his arms on the table, holding up his big ass head. "You must be the glorious, horriendous Halden." I say, trying my best not to roll my eyes at how cocky this guy is. I make a mental reminder in my head to kick Cornelia's ass when I get back home for setting me up on this blind date. 

"Yeah, so what are you ordering? The calms seem like they might be a little shaby." Halden says, flipping through the menu book. 

I scoff out loud, he looks at me with a confused look. "You okay?" He asks. I roll my eyes. 

"You honestly don't think anything you say sounds stuck up, do you?" I ask, disbelief taking over my features. His face changes and he chuckles at me. For some reason, this throws me over the edge. I put my napkin down on the table and push my chair out from under me, grabbing my things and walking towards the door. I have been on way too many dates, and this might just be the worst one I have ever been on. 

Once outside, I take out my cigarettes and my lighter. Just as I light it, Halden comes out of the restaurant. 

That's more than any of the other guys did. I think to myself, but push it to the back of my head.

"Look, we go off on the wrong foot, here, eh? Would you fancy if we start over again?" Halden asks. I wasn't prepared for this.

"I-I don't-"

"I promise I'll make it worth your while. Let me get to know you." He looks at me, and I truly believe he wants another try. Something about his eyes have changed.

"What was it?" I ask, walking towards the restaurant door without telling him I'll go back in with him. He doesn't seem to mind because he walks beside me. We stop in front of the door and another couple comes out, Halden opens the door for them.

"What was what?" He asks. I walk inside and he does too, letting the door close on it's own.

"What made you act like an asshole? Was it work? A girl? A guy- I don't judge? Mommy dearest didn't like the shade you wore today?" I ask, looking at him with a straight face as he pulls my chair out for me, and pushes it back in when I have seated myself. He swings around the table and sits in his own chair, unfolding his napkin and putting it in his lap. 

"You're lucky we didn't lose the table. Mommy dearest put in a good word for this table. Called in alot of favors." He says, and I almost laugh. "And it's work, I'm the CEO of Taylor Publishing." Halden says, my mouth falls open. "What?" He asks, looking at me confused. 

"You work at a publishing house?" I ask with disbelief. He just keeps surprising me. 

"Signed, sealed, delivered." He says, this time I laugh out loud. 

"Stevie Wonder reference, I like it." I say, staring at his full wine glass. He picks it up and presses it to his round lips.I'm oddly attracted to him now. 

"Stevie Wonder fan?" He asks me, tilting his head to the side in interest. 

"Not exactly. I only know about him because my mother used to play his songs on loop and there's nothing else to listen too. My high school history teacher used to play it all the time. I kind of picked it up from him." I say.

The waitor comes by to take our orders, I feel Halden watching me the whole time I order my food, when the waitor leaves, I try not to make eye contact with Halden, but I fail. My face feels like a red hot fire. I can only imagine how red it is. 

"Why are you staring at me?" I ask. 

"You're very hard to figure out." He says, observing me. 

"Maybe I like it that way." I say, smiling at him a little despite how exposed and nervous I feel right now. I play with my fingers under the table, trying to calm myself down. 

"I bet you do, wouldn't surprise me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, probably looking as wounded as I feel. 

He doesn't say anything as he looks up at me, and then back down at his food. He puts down his fork and puts his hand up to call a waitor over. He whispers in the guys ear and the waitor dissapears. He comes back with carry out containers. 

"Pack up your food, were taking this party to go." Halden says, and for some reason, my hands start to sweat. I do as he asked, and we grab our things to leave. Once outside for what feels like forever ago, he walks over to what looks like a bad ass Harley Davidson bike. 

"Wait, is this a 2010 Dyna Wide Glide?" I almost yell in excitement, beaming with happiness that I even get to look at this bike. He turns to look at me in surprise. "Yeah, that's right, I know my bikes, you weren't expecting that were you?" I laugh, his smile grows and reaches his eyes. 

"No, not at all. You were spot on too, the year and everything. Where did you learn about bikes?" He asks, he stares at me almost like he's in awe. I can't say I don't enjoy the attention. 

"My mom, she loves them. I hated her for making me learn and practice riding one, but I am so glad I did it. It fueled my love for wind therapy." I say, he still smiles at me. He hands me a helmet. I raise my eyebrows at him and he looks at me confused.

"What?" 

"Can I?" I ask, nodding towards the bike. His eyes get huge.

"You want- you want to-"

"Sit on it." I laugh. "Judging by the look on your face, I'd say this is your baby?" I laugh as I swing my leg around and take a seat, wrapping my hands around gas handles. I put my legs down, kicking the kickstand behind me. Holding up the bike, he looks at me in amazement as I hold up the bike and move it back and forth, checking the grip of the tires. When I put the kickstand back down and scoot to the backseat, he looks so surprised I almost laugh. But he says, nothing, putting his helmet on and swinging himself to get on the bike too. I grab a hold of his waist and squeal with joy when he fires that baby up. 

"Guide me to your house." He yells over the sound of his bike. I can feel his muscles tighening, which tells me he's smiling. I smile too, burying my head into the back of his jacket as he takes off down the road. Every once in a while I tap which shoulder he needs to turn, and he does as he's told. In minutes it feels like, he pulls up to Cornelia and I's house. Halden doesn't shut off the engine as I get off the back of the bike, putting the helmet he let me use in the saddle bag on the back of his bike. I walk in front of him and he looks at me, a new look in his eyes. He leans closer to me, the roar of the bike seems to dissapear. I lean forward too and his lips press to my ear.

"I hate that I can't figure you out." Halden says, the air from his words makes my body shiver involuntarily. I feel goosebumps form on my entire body, confusing me. I move away from him and he smirks, reveing up his engine. We stare into each other's eyes for what feels like forever before he rides away without another word.