Firsts and Lasts- Kliensen

First Date

So I'm back!! Bit late, but still Sunday so it counts, right? Earlier than last time, anyway. Anything interesting happen since last chapter, folks?

-19 years old-

---Jared---

I don't want to push any of his buttons, even if that means I swallow my every first though in favor of a second, more tactful one.

I don't want to make it look like I don't care anymore, even if that means I wear something terribly nice-looking and I feel uncomfortable.

If I want to be with Evan, I gotta transform. Be different. Keep him this time.

And I do. I really, really do want to be with him. I want to look at him without my heart breaking at how I'll never have that.

"Wow. Jared, you look really nice." My heart skips a beat at how Evan's eyes light up when he sees me.

"Thanks, you too." Evan does look good. As he always does. Blonde right now, his hair is a tiny bit... there's something in it and it looks good.

Evan smiles boldly when I offer my hand, and our blushes match when he takes it. His hand slides warm into mine and I swear I'll melt into the floor.

When I'd asked when and where, all Evan had texted back was casual, so I figured lunch.

Dinner comes off too formal, and coffee is just not enough. I actually don't usually eat lunch, so this should be interesting.

By the time we're seated I'm a little (a lot) freaking out because my mind is so freaking blank.

"How's life?" I ask finally, taking a bite of my sandwich.

Evan looks up from his soup, his eyes a little wider than normal. "Well." Evan's shoulders move up just a little, like a micro-shrug, but they stay up. He seems as though he's gearing up for something. "I- I'm not in college, so. Um. I mean, I could, I guess- but I'm working- I'm taking a year off so so- before I go to college so I can- um."

Afford it, I nearly drawl, but instead I offer gently, "Take a day."

Evan swallows. "Yeah." We have this extremely awkward pause where I don't make a sarcastic comment. Then Evan goes, "How about you?"

---Evan---

Jared loves college and has fallen in love with computer programming, has gotten contacts- I miss his glasses, though- and, it seems, at least to me, turned into a normal guy.

Mostly.

He's still gorgeous. And smart- well, he's always been, obviously- but he used to be unconventionally smart. Witty, sarcastic, off-kilter humor, though I think- I think has gone, or faded or something because-

"Evan," he hasn't called me Hansen all day, "We know her. Don't turn around." He hasn't been sarcastic all day- in this situation, he'd usually make some rude remark about whoever is behind me or something...

"Who?" I ask, because now I want to turn around and see because it kind of makes me nervous that I can't see them, that there's someone behind me and I can't turn and I wish I did ask to sit back-to-the-wall like I normally do, but no, this is good because it's what normal people do.

Jared shifts in his seat, looking a little- angry? Mad? Upset of some sort and I bite my lip because I don't want him to be unhappy but why is he unhappy, who is it, who is it?

"Zoe," Jared scowls, and then looks up at me and stops scowling.

Oh my god, is he jealous? "I worked things out with- I mean, well, we're mostly on, like, she doesn't hate me," I say lamely. Jared's eyes are still narrowed and... "Are you jealous?" I regret asking as soon as I do but I also really want to know..