Never Forever

Number 4. The Date

I walked into the beautifully lit restaurant full of chattering mortals and I let out a sigh. This is much better. A waitress smiled at me from behind her little desk.

"For how many?" She asked sweetly.

"Just one." I replied, matching her smile. Duh.

"Right this way." We zigzagged through the tables until she stopped at a table for two, placing a menu in the middle. I sat down as she zipped out her pad and pen.

"Anything to drink?"

"Stone Fruit Sangria and water, please." The girl scribbled it down and left, promising to be back shortly with my drinks. I grinned after she was gone. I had been only eighteen when my fate was sealed, but my ID says I am twenty one. So legally, I'm not allowed to drink-but they don't know that.

I opened up the East Side Mario's menu and got a sudden chill as if someone was watching me. I glanced around carefully but saw no one looking my way. I suddenly felt exposed and out of place. But I knew i was safe in public so if anyone wanted to hurt me they would have to... wait until I got home. I took a calming breath to stabilize myself. No one can hurt you, Jacey. You're immortal. Remember that. I was starting to get a little sweaty in the palms so I rubbed them against my jeans. Where's that dang waitress?

"Here you are." The waitress sing songed as she set the glasses in front of me. "Are you ready to order?" 

"Yep." I deadpan. "The chicken BBQ pizza with a side of Caesar salad." The girl nodded and left with the order. Taking a dainty sip from my sangria, I leaned back to study the crowd. A person can be a lesson all by him/herself without even knowing it and i learn something new every time I watch and listen. Funny huh?

Couples argued over who's gonna pay, kids goofing around, guy staring at me, waitresses accommadating-wait a second! My gaze snapped back to where I had seen the guy but there was no one, just an empty chair. I rubbed my temples tiredly. My mind is just playing tricks on me. 

I need a hug. I haven't had one since... I don't remember. 

"Where are we going?" I laugh as Nick pulls me through the streets of Cancun, México. He just grinned back at me with a gleam I didn't catch. 

"It's a secret!" 

I glare at the table as if it was the one who had brought on the memory. I had been so naive back then; believing anything and everything he had said. 

"BBQ chicken pizza and Caesar salad?" I jump when the waitress spoke and looked up and nodded. She placed the order on the table with a smile. "Anything else?"

"No, thanks." I mumbled. As soon as she was gone, I grabbed a fork and started shoveling the salad into my mouth. 

"Jacey?" I hear a voice gasp in disbelief. Oh. No. I slowly turn to see Cassie standing two feet away, staring. So much for that get-out-of-my-life-plan. We were silent. Me because I had a mouth as full as a chipmunks' and her because she probably thinks she's staring at a ghost. After a moment, I gesture for her to sit down across from me, which she does, still open mouthed. I start to chew slowly, racking my brain on what to say to her. 

"How are you alive?" She managed. I swallowed slowly, then took a sip of water. Slowly. I took a deep breath.

"Want some pizza?" I ask, stalling. 

"Okay.." Cassie says carefully. But she made no move to take one. I sigh and grab a slice and put  it on my plate before handing to her. 

"The fall didn't kill me." Was all I could think of to say. I mentally slapped myself for such a stupid answer. 

"I can see that." Cassie responded. "You don't even have a scrape on you." She gestured. 

"Not that you can see." I reply quickly. That was true. Of course I'm referring to mental pain and she's referring to physical pain. "I did go to the hospital." Lie.

"No one can survive that fall." Cassie responds bluntly.

"I did." I snap. She looks a little taken aback by my sudden temper. I relax and wipe my forehead. "Look... I am amazed I survived as well, just drop it." I snap my fingers at a waitress and tell her I want another plate. She nods and hurries off.

"Tell me, do you like snowboarding-"

"NO." Her bold/blunt answer made me jump. "We are not doing anything dangerous, it is my turn to choose." My jaw drops.

"Your turn?" I sputter. This girl is unbelievable. I grab my sangria for a mouthful.

"Yep. And we will be... double dating!" I choke and almost spill my drink.

"You call that 'not dangerous'????" I blurt a little too loudly. Is this girl guy-crazy??

"Your plate, ma'am."

"Thanks." I croak as I grab the plate being handed to me.

"It's a whole lot safer than what you've been wanting to do." Cassie answers after the girl had left. I drop a piece of pizza on my plate.

"Men are dangerous." I dump dried pepper flakes on the pizza. I need to find a way out of this.

"Not all men." Cassie replies, finally deciding to eat as well. "We can go onto a dating website and-

"No." I interrupt firmly. Who needs excuses?

"Why? Are you scared of men?" Light bulb.

"Yes." I say lowly as if too embarrassed for anyone to hear.

"That's so sad.... Why?" Great.

"Uh... my dad was a jerk and so were all my mom's boyfriends after they divorced."

"That's awful. Complete opposite of my Dad." Casey watches me with sad brown eyes.

"Ya, you are lucky." I mumble, taking another bite of my amazing pizza. I had a sudden pang of envy in my chest. She had a family and I did not. It was enough to make any girl cry. Good thing I wasn't 'any girl'.

"I know a guy who's really nice." Cassie taps her chin thoughtfully. "You can go with him." I internally groan. I cannot get away with this.

"I'm a lesbian." I say desperately, helplessly. She just laughed.

"No you're not. Anyone can see that." She popped the rest of her pizza in her mouth before grabbing another one. I huff. Well... The date is something I have never done before....

"Fine." I sigh.

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