Attraction

2.

When I get home from work, I set the paper with the number written down on it on my table. Should I just toss it? What if I call it and whichever one of them who had left it is genuinely nice. My shoulders shrug as I turn to walk down the hallway and into the bathroom where I wait for my shower to warm up.

As soon as I've had my shower, I put on the most comfortable sweat pants I owned and turned on the tv to watch a few episodes of a tv show on the couch. This wouldn't be a comfy night without a glass of wine, I get up from my seat as I go to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of wine. It is just passed five pm and I figure it couldn't hurt to relax a little bit more. Following sitting back on the couch and watching another episode I decide on pouring one more glass of wine.

When I am on my second glass while being twenty minutes in to watching a comedy movie about a cable guy, I was feeling pretty bold and daring. I get up from the couch as I walk over to the table and grab the paper with the number that had been written on it from my kitchen table as I grab my cellphone. I dial the number as I smirk to myself; it couldn't hurt to call— why not? Four rings go by before a familiar and gruff voice answers.

"Hello?"

I pause before answering, what should I say? Who should I ask for, I don't even know which one left this number.

"Hi, who is this?" I speak nervously into the phone.
There is a pause and a soft chuckle.

"You called me, so you tell me." The voice responds playfully.

I decide on taking a wild guess.

"Is this Paul?" I ask sheepishly.

"How do you- Who is this?" The voice asks. He genuinely sounds confused.

I try to stifle my giggle by biting down on my bottom lip for a moment.

Maybe he forgot that he left his number on the table for me, he must be nervous or worried that I'll think it's weird that he left his number for me.

"This is Willow, from the diner tonight. You left your number on the table." I tell him. I hear what sounds a stifled chuckle from the other line.

"Oh, hey. Milkshake girl, right? Listen, I'm sorry about making you spill that milkshake all over you. But I didn't leave you my number..." He says sounding a little less confused.

"Oh." I quietly speak.

I pause now unsure of what else to say and now feeling stupid for even calling. The other boys at the table probably left his number there as a prank...

"Well, this is embarrassing." I speak, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called." I consider hanging up for a moment.

"What? No, don't be sorry. It's not every day I get a spontaneous phone call from someone like yourself." He responds kindly.

I take a sip of my wine as I feel my cheeks get warm from his words.

"Oh... Did one of your friends leave me your number?" I ask curiously. He doesn't answer right away, he pauses for a moment.

"If I had to guess who it was, I would have to say, Jared." Paul replies. "So, tell me about yourself, Willow."

Hearing my name from his lips sounds so nice. I like the way he says it, I like the way it sounds—a smile begins forming on my lips.

"Uhmmm....Well, I just moved here to Forks about a month ago." I begin.

"Welcome to the area!" He says in cheerful tone, I smile again.

"Thanks. Yeah, I got lucky and found this apartment thanks to my cousin hooking me up. Technically I just moved back here." I respond.

"Oh, well, welcome back." He says. Paul's voice sounds so friendly and kind. "And, Willow?"

"Hm?" I reply. He seems to hesitate for a moment before speaking again.

"Would you like to get a drink or get something to eat with me sometime?" He asks.

I can feel my heart jump with excitement and nervousness altogether. I didn't expect this phone call to go this well. I didn't expect Paul to ask me out, but I didn't even expect an answer if I'm being honest with myself.

"That would be great." I say as I smile into the phone at his offer to take me out.

"Awesome. Listen I gotta go, but I'll call you tomorrow. How does four pm sound?" Paul asks, I can hear the hopefulness in his voice.

"That sounds perfect." I chirp.

"Hey, uh...thanks for deciding to call." He responds in a warm tone.

"No problem." I smile happily. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Our phone call ends and I'm left feeling happy to have made a new friend, I haven't had the chance to meet many people since I've moved here. Paul's voice sounds so smooth and warm, I really like it. I think back to the diner when I looked into his alluring brown eyes and how gentle they seemed when we had locked eyes at the diner tonight.

My mind flashes back to the way his expression was after we had bumped into one another and the milkshake had spilled all over my work apron. Paul's expression had changed from embarrassment from the two of us crashing into one another to looking at me with complete adoration.

Nobody has ever looked at me like that before. I am not sure how to feel about it. Perhaps I have had a little too much wine, and it is just the alcohol over exaggerating things and making me yet once more over analyze every detail that happens in my life.
I tend to do that, I over analyze a lot of things that happen, but I overthink just about everything as well. Maybe he was only trying to innocently flirt with me tonight when he said he thought I was beautiful. He probably didn't even mean anything by it, but to be polite or to subconsciously make up for the milkshake incident.

Maybe by taking me out he's still hoping to make up for bumping into me at the diner? It's been a long while since I've been out with anyone and I don't know how prepared I'll be. Hopefully we don't go anywhere too fancy, I can't afford to buy a new dress right now— I'm trying to save money. But one little date couldn't hurt, maybe a nice friendship will come out of all of this and one day we can look back and laugh on how we met.

I decide it's probably time for me to finish the rest of my wine and go to sleep. Later I get ready for bed, I grab my comforter and decide to curl up on the couch with the tv playing softly in the background just for some noise.
My mind floats to Paul for a moment and I try to wonder which one Jared was that may have left his number on the table for me— I try to remember but I can't. While my eyes get heavy, I fall into a deep a sleep with the warmth of my blanket and the tv playing in the background.