73 Memories

The Sixteenth Memory

I'll bet you already know what this is about, don't you? If not, let me give you a little kickstart.

One week after you asked me to be your girlfriend, or more specifically, one week after I danced around my room at midnight, you and I were about to go on our first date. And, if memory serves, it was slightly embarrassing for you. I was an emotional wreck, and I would assume you were too.

When you walked over to my house to get me, I didn't even tell my dad I was leaving. Nor did he notice.

I smiled when I saw you outside my door, and this made you smile too. "I'm not going to lie," you said, grabbing my hand as we walked across the street to your car, "I'm super nervous."

"Why?" I was trying to play it cool. "We've hung out before. This is just slightly different because we put a label on it. It'll be fine."

I was wrong about that.

You didn't tell me anything about the date, so I had no idea what you had planned. First, we went to this little park. We didn't do much there, but you brought us ice cream from one of those ice cream stands that you informed me your cousin owned. We went to sit down on these swings, slightly swaying as you told me a story.

"It was kind of dark that day, for some reason, and so I couldn't see what he was doing. But, when I got closer, I saw that the guy was walking towards me with his phone held out like he was recording me. I didn't want to sound like a narcissist, though. So I simply waved, and then, when he got closer to me, he just-" your sentence was cut off when the chain of your swing snapped and you landed on the sandy ground beneath us. At first, was sure you had broken something. But then you said, still laying on the ground. "He just stuck his hand out and slapped my face as we passed each other."

And then, I laughed. I laughed at the whole situation. I've always had a dramatic flair, as you know, so I was completely certain that you were going to be paralyzed for life.

Your cheeks turned red but you laughed, too. I got out of my swing and sat criss-cross on the ground next to you, and eventually, you set yourself up, leaning against one of the poles, which looked extremely uncomfortable, by the way.

After the whole park thing, you took me to the zoo. That, was, as well as the park, not a great experience for you. It was this small petting zoo that I'm pretty sure no one really knew about because there was literally no one else there except for the employees and us.

The employee who would be walking with us was named Emily. The last place we went to was the giraffe section. Emily gave us both a carrot and we were allowed to feed it to the massive animals that were separated from us by a tall fence, though their heads could still come down a little higher than how tall you were. I fed the giraffe that came up to me, whose name, I found out, was Geraldine. You had Garrett. Geraldine took the carrot and licked my face, which was disgusting and fascinating all at the same time. The purple tongue was kind of disturbing.

But you, with Garrett, was the best and worst part of the night. You gave Garrett his carrot, and he took it happily.

I shivered slightly. So you, being the cheesy yet still adorable boy, pulled your jacket off and was just about to give it to me when Garrett swooped down with his big neck and stole it from you.

After we laughed about the giraffe situation, you and I made our way to your car so you and I could make our way to our homes. When you parked, you walked me across the street, like the gentleman you always have been. You kissed me on the cheek when you left me at the door, and when you went to walk down the three steps that would lead you to the sidewalk, you tripped.

It was so funny, I must tell you, but when you got up from the ground and looked at me, your face was so red I could tell how nervous you were, so I simply said, "Goodnight," and walked inside.

When I got up to my room that night, as soon as my head hit the pillow my phone vibrated on my nightstand. I sighed and picked it up, my heart automatically racing when I saw the text was from you.

I want a redo.