They Never Said It Would Be Easy

July 15, 2018

Today is the day that I am hanging out with Brooks. It's kind of crazy how 20 minutes in a coffee shop could change how I feel about him. For the past few months I have hated him with everything I had. I avoided him at all costs and whenever I did run into him my whole day flipped upside down. As of yesterday, we decided to try to be friends, try to get along for the sake of the group. I don't understand why he feels the need to spend a full day with me, but if it improves our "friendship" and allows me to see my real friends more often, then I am all for it. 

I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. Yesterday was the first time we have ever spoken to each other without getting into a huge fight, well except for when I apparently made out with him and slept in his bed, but that doesn't count because I had on my beer goggles was definitely not in the right state of mind. If I don't remember it, it didn't happen and I will stand by that until the end of time, especially if it has anything to do with Brooks. Anyways, I was pretty nervous and unsure of how the day would go. I barely got any sleep last night because I was tossing and turning, having nightmares that Brooks had this big, elaborate plan to embarrass me in front of everyone I cared about most. I am hoping that it was just a dream and that today will be nothing like that. I woke up from my nightmares sweating, so I had to take a quick shower, giving me less time to prepare for the day. I quickly brush my hair and throw on jeans and a t-shirt. I apply a small amount of mascara and lip gloss before putting on my sneakers and throwing my purse over my shoulder. I don't want him to think that I put any effort into getting ready for him, so I look as casual as possible, almost switching out my jeans for sweatpants, but I decide against it. Now I am really overthinking things. Just act normal I think to myself. You have nothing to prove to him. He wanted to hang out and you are going along with it. I regain my composure and go to the kitchen to drink a glass of water before he picks me up. 

Brooks texts me to let me know he is out front. Why does he have my number? I never gave it to him and I don't really want him to have it. I guess Eli must have sent it to him along with my address because I don't remember giving that to him either. Whatever. If I start the day off in such a negative mood it will be doomed from the beginning. I need to calm down and clear my head. I walk outside and get into his car. He is just trying to help me find some inspiration to start writing my book.

"Ready for a long day?" Brooks asks with a smile on his face. Usually when I see a smile on his face it is mischievous and usually means that he is up to no good. This time it seemed sincere. 

"As ready as I'll ever be," I respond as I buckle in and mentally prepare myself for the next 12 hours. 

I'm relieved when Brooks turns up the volume for the music so that we don't have to make awkward small talk. I'm immediately surprised, in a good way, when I hear one of my favorite songs by Albert Hammond Jr. Fast Times plays from every speaker in the car and I can't help but sing along. 

"So I take it you're a fan?" Brooks asks and starts to sing along too. 

"Definitely. I love his solo work and his music with The Strokes too. By far my favorite artist of all time," I answer and we both sing the rest of the song until we get to our first destination. 

"First stop: Breakfast. If we plan to get through the day we need to get some food in our stomachs," Brooks announces as he parks the car in the lot. We are at a small diner that I have never been to. I get out of the car and follow him into the restaurant. The hostess leads us to a table and hands us our menus. "Whatever you want, on me," Brooks says. "I still owe you for the way I treated you."

"No it's okay. You got my coffee yesterday and I already accepted your apology. I'm buying my own. Thank you though." I don't want him to use this against me at any point. If I buy my own food, I'll have nothing to worry about and he can't throw it in my face when he inevitably tries to embarrass me in the future. We eat quickly because Brooks says that we have a lot to do today and we are on a time crunch. Once again, I get my way out of awkward small talk. Today is going better than I could have imagined.