Praying Under Pressure

38 - The Perfect Date: April 26

"Think he'll let me tap it on the first date?"

"Dude. He let you tap it before the first date." 

Noel scoffed, crossing her arms at her seat on the toilet lid. She was watching her best friend go through the whole ordeal of getting ready for a date. They had Spotify playing, they had been fighting over pretzels, and Ward was strangely confident. On the outside at least.

He stopped messing with his hair to scowl at Noel on the toilet, "You make him sound like a slut."

Noel scoffed again, "You started it."

Ward only snorted, going back to his work. He was almost done. He practically started getting ready the moment he got back to the house. His shower routine. Carefully shaving and plucking eyebrows. Picking an outfit. Doing makeup and starting hair. 

He was nervous. Like a shit ton worth of nerves. Something Ward didn't like one bit. It left unknowns and scary possibilities. It left vulnerability and fear. Nerves were never a good thing for Ward Baxter. But push comes to shove and he was willing to risk it all this one time. 

Because it was something good about Elliot. There was always a tickle of vulnerability and the unknown when it came to Elliot. At first terrifying was now a happy possibility. Strange but slightly expected.

"Are we sold on a fun date or should I try to be romantic?"

"Well lucky for Elliot I think you're absentmindedly romantic every so often," Ward rolled his eyes at his best friend who was now filing her nails, "So a fun date, in turn, might become a romantic date."

"I'm magical," Ward sung with a toxic high pitched voice while he put the final touch on his hair. When he was done he did a full check of himself before turning to Noel, "Good?"

Noel pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes in mock assessment. He was great. Attractive, clean, excited. She was proud. No matter how Ward looked Elliot would still care. He finally found someone who knew, and cared about, much more than what was on the surface. It was like watching your son grow up right before your eyes. A little ting of sadness in her gut but pride in her heart.

"Nasty. Go get 'em, tiger."

Elliot stared at himself in dull reflection of the fridge surface. It was freshly clean as it was Tom's weekend to clean. It was Andy's weekend he would have seen nothing but fingerprints and food smears. Three boys were very chaotic in the kitchen.

He was put together in a short-sleeve button-up and shorts. Ward something nothing but to dress in whatever he felt like. It was awful instructions and if he wasn't nervous he probably would have fought stronger on the subject. But he was nervous so he dressed blindly. 

His face was clean, his hair combed, shoes tight. He was ready either to take fourth-grade school pictures or go Boca Ratna. Perfectly fit for a first date. 

"Mirror Mirror, on the fridge," Andy's mocking tone snapped Elliot from his faze, making the man blush while he kept singing, "Will Elliot get proper dick?"

"Stop it!" Elliot scolded the man but his cheeks were still pink as he shied away.

Andy just laughed, opening the fridge to get the apple juice, "I love how I'm a father waiting for my daughter to get picked up for her first date."

Elliot cleared his throat and crossed his arms to reassemble his masculinity, "You are no father material." Andy would be a shit show father, poor kid. Too absentminded and unpredictable. Ward was similar but arguably more responsible. 

"No I am not, I hear you," Andy shuddered, gaining another eye roll from Elliot, as he poured his apple juice, "Where is he taking you?" 

"Um..." If his clothes were not a clue to the limited knowledge Elliot had then his hesitation was. He was unsure about everything. Except, maybe, Ward.