Greenline

5

Saturday, January 30th. 6:09 pm.

I had never taken someone out on a date before that day. I remember standing in front of my mirror for an hour trying to decide whether to wear the navy blue button up or the navy blue button up with white polka dots, but I'd be damned if I wasn't wearing navy blue. Why? I don't know. Probably nerves.

My parents had even stopped me at the door, making it known that I was apparently blatantly obvious when trying to impress someone. I lied and said I was going to meet friends to study, but I'm pretty sure they knew. I didn't study, and I didn't have friends.

I had gotten to Isaac's house early and spent the extra eleven minutes fixing my hair in my rearview mirror. Did I think it looked bad before I left the house? Not at all. But with the extra time on my hands, I found tens of different ways to despise the mop of brown hair on top of my head.

After eventually giving up with the hair I then believed I was cursed with, I scrambled out of my car and walked up to the grand house that the Kingsley family rented. I rang the doorbell and could hear it muffled through the door. Even the two note melody of the house seemed elegant and refined.

I had met Isaac's parents before, briefly before they had left for the night. They always greeted me kindly, and while I didn't know the specific details of their family situation, I could tell they appreciated that I was there for their son. I don't think many other people were.

They called Isaac over to the door and I was honestly stunned for a moment at how handsome he managed to look in a loose t-shirt and worn out jeans. He still wore his beanie, but I had never seen him without it and didn't have a particular urge to. If he felt comfortable with it, I'd leave him be.

After a few embarrassing comments from Isaac's dad that really only bothered him, we got into my dented vehicle and I began to pull out of his ridiculously long driveway. It occurred to me that I had never had him in my car before this point, and a knot tied itself in my stomach as I fretted over the cleanliness and odor and general aesthetic.

My cheeks felt warm when I realized I was imagining us making out in the backseat and quickly began speaking to try and distract myself. "So, uh, I've never really been on a date before–" Good start, I quipped in my head.

"You're in luck, Rodes, because neither have I," Isaac responded, a smile on his full lips.

I was unable to resist smiling back. "But you read so many books, you have high expectations," I argued.

He pretended to be offended, placing a hand dramatically over his heart. "I do not have high expectations." Then he paused and began playing with the cord bracelet on his wrist, turning serious. "I don't care what we do. Give me one cliche–hand holding, a kiss on my doorstep before you leave, whatever – and I'll be yours."

I grinned, casting a glance at him every so often. "Okay, so where I was going with that original statement was; I have no idea how to go on a date. So unless you had any ideas, I was thinking we'd just go to Roscoe's and get dinner."

I was nearly positive he was going to point out my lack of planning, but he surprised me by saying, "sounds good."

It didn't take long to get there, because as I've said before, our town is not very big. There was a free parking spot along the sidewalk just in front of the restaurant which I maneuvered the car into. We entered the diner and took a seat at a table for two, grabbing menus on our way.

I ordered dinner but he didn't want anything other than a milkshake. I soon found out it was due to his plan to steal half of my food, but I didn't really mind. I'd gotten used to him snatching snacks from the few times I had hung out at his place. I lightly smacked away his hand a few times with a devious smirk before finally "giving in" and sliding the basket of greasy food to the middle of the table.