From Geekville To Gorgeous Town

chapter 9

I had no idea who I was briefly. I had no idea how to respond to a simple smiling approach. I could feel my knees turning to jello, my cheeks flush, and my heart beating outside my chest. I was suddenly wishing the ground would all at once swallow me up before he spoke. However, I was so insecure that I would manage to even make that awkward by the ground letting out a big belch once I had disappeared.

I began breathing exercises just to get my body level at a calm pace. I debated on running, but I had to get past this insecurity that I kept hanging in my mind. So what did I do? I smiled, followed by a giant hiccup. This was also common for me to do when I got nervous. I had managed to swallow too much air doing breathing exercises. His cute smiling face went to a look of concern because my hiccups was not of a normal sounding hiccup but more like an animal mating call sound. I really wanted to pull my skirt over my head, do a cartoonish spin and jet to another planet. That would have been too easy I suppose.

I could feel the awkwardness prevail. I had to improvise.

" Hi" I managed to get out at the same time as a squealing hiccup. Oh great. He in my mind now looks at me like a dog does in that sideways affect after hearing a funny sound. Of coarse my mind was running from me with every worse thought imaginable.

"Are you ok?" He asked with a concerned look on his face. I didn't even get a hi. I was bright red. I could feel my body heat rising to my ears. I had to get under control. My remedy? I swallow deeply at the same time a hiccup tries to escape, now sounding like a deep voice frog about to debut in choir. It sounded nasty. It even hurt my throat. I felt tears building in my eyes, but I am not sure if it was more so embarrassment or throat pain from the swallowed hiccup. I have no idea how to react. So I smile. In my mind it's the most beautiful smile, in reality it was probably more like a smirk or a gas pain baby smile. I don't know but it lightened the moment.

"Yes, I am fine. I am just unfamiliar (hiccup) with the town, and I just finished a smoothie on the ride OH verrrrr" (hiccup). I answered, while looking at my feet. I had not looked at him since I saw him from the corner of my eye approaching me. I knew he was a dark haired cutie. But that's as far as I had saw. I glanced at him briefly, to see if he was looking at me crazy as I felt about now. He was smiling. Wow! He had some pretty white teeth. Maybe it was his dark complexion that made them so white. I had to look away so I didn't look like I was staring like a dog wanting a treat.

"So where are you from?" He asked still smiling. My improvising sizzled with nervousness.

" A couple towns over." Was my genius response. He giggled. That made it official. I was permanently a weirdo that Danica made sure everyone knew I was.

"I'm sorry, I am from Wellington." I corrected myself.

"I see why you came here to shop. That town is rather small." He responded. I smiled and let out another screaming hiccup. He laughed.

"You have the funniest sounding hiccups I have ever heard." He said chuckling.

"Are you shopping alone?" He asked between laughs.

"Actually, (hiccup) I was ditched by my mother and my aunt." I answered. Why did I say that? This is going all wrong. I started to walk away.

"Wait. Now what kind of gentleman would I be to let an out of towner be lost at this big shopping center?" He asked smiling. I gave a brief glance at him. Was this a game? I was humiluated. I hiccuped and gave a small grin.

" I should probably go look for them. They seemed to have for (hiccup) gotten to give me spending money." I replied.

"Where is my manners? My name is Tristen by the way." He responded offering me a smile and his hand. Oh no. I was so nervous my palms was soaked with sweat. Do I wipe them and offer my hand? I had to take a chance here. So I grabbed by purse using it as I towel before I offered him my hand. He didn't seem to notice. He shook my hand and stood looking at me. I stood glancing at him wondering if in fact he had noticed. This was awkward.

"Do you have a name? " he asked with a concerned eyebrow up look. I gave a silly smile. I am an idiot.

"Daisy." I replied.

"I should have guessed you would be named after a pretty flower." He said giving me a wink. I quickly looked away. I have no idea how to flirt. I had managed to stop hiccuping due to being uncomfortable. I gave an awkward smile. I had always thought of daisies more like a weed.

" Please allow me to be your guide through the mall?" He asked hopeful. I nodded and he offered me his elbow. I was scared. I managed to take his elbow but my feet was like jello and did not want to move. I started to stumble. He quickly reacted and kept me from falling. We ended up face to face. I could feel his breath on the tip of my nose.