The Pieces of Us

First Date

After Matthias was exceptionally kind to me at the pet store, I had made it a goal of mine to go back to the pet store within the week. I did, twice actually, but he was never working at the times that I was there. I was really bummed out, but I asked one of his coworkers if I could get his phone number. She gave me the number willingly, even though she thought I was stalking him. Weird, I know. 

I called him a day after I got the number, mostly because it had taken me that long to build up the courage to do so. I asked him on a date, and he agreed willingly. 

We were supposed to go to the farmers market downtown, which I thought was one of our best bets because it would be a good mix of people and trying free samples of homemade food is right up my alley. Sadly, though, it was raining that day, so we settled to just go have lunch. 

We met at a local Mexican restaurant, which everybody loves going to, even though it's not the nicest of establishments. 

He picked me up at my house around 11-ish, and we drove off. 

"Hi there," I greeted as I dropped into the car. It felt really awkward getting into his car, almost unnatural, honestly. When I glanced over at him he didn't seem to be uncomfortable.

"What kind of music do you like?" he asked me without saying hello.

"I don't know. I'm not really into any kind of music. I guess I could say I enjoy pop." He rolled his eyes and gave me an incredulous look. 

"Do you know who Arcade Fire is?" 

"That's a dumb name for a band." 

"How about Vampire Weekend?"

"What does that even mean?" He laughed right out loud. 

"My dear, you have not lived." I raised my eyebrows as he plugged his phone into the headphone jack of his car. 

He may be cute, but his music sense is a little off. After listening to two songs I shut his phone off. 

"Hey!" he cried as I unplugged his phone. "I liked that song!"

"How is that considered pleasant?" I asked him. He glared at me. 

"You are more stubborn than my older sister. You're so against new experiences that even when you do enjoy something you have to turn it down because you have to be right." My face tightened in disgust. 

"I do not! I think you're just insulting me because I don't like your music taste." 

"See, now you're doing it again. I've seen it a million and one times. There's no fooling me, Eira. I have a younger and older sister who do it all the time. Maybe it's a girl thing."

"I cannot believe I actually agreed to go on a date with you." 

"You asked me!" I rolled my eyes. 

"Well, if that is the case-"

"It is the case." In an odd way I really enjoyed being frustrated with him.

"Let me finish! Well, it that is the case I would like to say it was a very stupid idea to ask you out on a date. And it was also a really dumb idea for you to agree to come on a date with me." He rolled his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.

"Look, it's only natural to agree when a kind and pretty girl asks you out on a date. Especially when that same kind pretty girl would ride a bike five miles in the pouring down rain just to get her little sister's goldfish food. That was a very good first impression, on your part."

"Thank you, I guess. And, of course, it's only natural to ask out a hadsome boy who offered to drive you around to different stores until you find a specific brand of goldfish food. That was also a very good first impression on your part." 

"Why, thank you. Now, you see? This is how a first date normally starts, complimenting one another, making small talk, and not insulting the other's music taste." I puched him in the shoulder. 

"Oh, sorry. Punch bug." His green brown eyes shifted over to me.

"Of course," he agreed sarcastically. "We're here." He cut the engine and hopped out of the car. I followed suit and headed towards the doors of the door of the restaurant. Matthias held the door for me as I walked in. I smiled at him. He could be a jerk, but an awfully cute one. 

He asked the hostess for a table for two and we followed him into a dining room to the right of the entry. It was a pretty typical Mexican restaurant, the worn sandstone looking walls, the colorful paintings with red frames, the tan tile. I relaxed a little as I sat down in my chair. 

"Sorry I insulted your music," I said after the waiter had given us chips and salsa to nibble on. 

"You know that it doesn't bother me, right? I was just joking about the whole 'must be a girl thing.'" He smirked and continued, "For the most part, that is." I glared at him, but couldn't prevent myself from smiling. 

We chattered for what seemed like days, asking random questions, and telling eachother random stories about our crazy lives, and our siblings, and how much we hated school. As it turned out, Matthias had a lot more in common with me than I thought he would. 

As our meal neared the end we quieted down a bit, realising that our little world wouldn't last forever. As we stood up to go pay for our meals (we payed individually, as I didn't feel right making him pay for a date that I invited him on) I introduced the idea of a second date.

"This got off on a rocky start, but I have to say, this was really fun," I stated, giving him a hint of a smile.

"I mean, aside from the part that you punched me. You have a much stronger arm than I thought you would." He reached up and grabbed where I had hit him. 

"Well if you don't want me to hit you again, you should avoid saying things like that," I replied, punching him on the other shoulder. "I think that we should do this again." 

"Are you proposing a second date, Eira?" He raised a suspicious eyebrow. 

"I believe that I am. Are you agreeing?" He made a face that mocked deep thought.

"I don't know, this was fun and all, but I would love to try again." He smiled brightly at me. 

"Perfect. Hopefullly next time it won't be raining." 

We rode back to my house in total silence, but I am slightly ashamed to say, that when I got home that night, I listened to two hours worth of Vampire Weekend and Arcade Fire. 

And you want to know the worst part?

I absolutely loved it.