Blurred Lines

Chapter Twelve

"Okay well how about this." Bri flipped her dark hair upside down and twisted it up into a bun before laying back down on the lounge chair. She readjusted her bikini and slid her sunglasses back on. "Would you want to go on a double date?"

"I need more information," I answered lazily from my spot on the pool floaty. Closing my eyes against the afternoon sun, I plopped one leg into the cool water and tapped my toes against the side of the pool to gently push myself across to the other side.

"Do you remember that guy Jonah that I was talking to you about? From my psych class?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"So we were texting the other day and he mentioned that he lives around here, and he asked if I wanted to go on a double date."

"Maybe." I thought about it for a minute. "Who's the guy he's thinking about bringing?"

"His friend that he went to high school with. Apparently the guy is really nice."

I rolled my eyes at the vague description. "Just nice? Did he tell you anything else?"

"No." I could practically hear her shrug in nonchalance.

I splashed my hand around in the pool, testing the surface tension by pressing the tips of my fingers against the water. "Okay." I sat up on the floaty and looked over at her. "I'll go. But if he's rude or I can sense it going bad, I'm leaving."

"Deal." She grinned a toothy smile.

***

"Where are you going again?" Dad asked as he walked into the kitchen. He had just gotten home from work and was tugging at the collar of his uniform, anxious to change out of it.

Bri and I sat at the table, dressed up in skirts and platform sandals, waiting for the boys to pick us up.

I stood and slid my phone across the counter towards him, pointing out the restaurant on the map. "It's called The Brim."

He grunted. "And who are these boys?"

"I know Jonah from college," Bri piped up. "The other guy, Patrick, is his friend from high school."

The doorbell rang and Bri sprang out of her chair. "They're here!"

"You're going to Mr. Mike and Carol's tonight, right?" Dad walked with me as I followed Bri towards the front door.

"Yeah." He checked his watch. "Soon, I think. But I will most likely be back before you get back."

"Blair, this is Jonah." Bri pulled me from around the corner to meet the two boys standing in the foyer. She gestured towards the guy with the cropped light brown hair and blue polo shirt.

"Nice to meet you." I smiled.

"You too." He had kind eyes and bushy eyebrows. Then he turned to the guy with the blonde hair and freckles across his nose. "This is Patrick."

Patrick gave a short wave, already looking disinterested.

"And I'm Officer Watson." Dad waved, making sure the boys both got a good look at his police uniform before heading up the stairs. "Have fun kids."

"Shall we?" Jonah asked, holding the screen door open for Bri.

"Let's go." She giggled, looking back at me and throwing me a thumbs up. Patrick and I walked in silence behind them down the walkway. Since this was the first time we were all meeting each other, we drove altogether in Jonah's car.

After a few minutes of quietly listening to Jonah's jokes and Bri's laughs, I asked Patrick, "So what do you do?"

"I'm majoring in business, but this summer I'm working for my dad's construction company." He looked down at his phone at a notification and then back up at me. "What about you?"

"Journalism." I relaxed into the seat, relieved that I wouldn't have to be doing all of the work in this conversation. "But I'm currently working at The Coffee Spot. Have you heard of it?"

"Yeah." His face lit up. "My grandparents and I go there sometimes. You guys have the best chocolate chip pancakes."

"Oh yeah, those are my favorite too. The next time you come, you'll have to let me know and I can be your waitress."

"Sounds good. It'll probably be soon because we're long overdue for another breakfast date." He pulled out his phone. "Actually, I'll make a note to call them tomorrow."

The conversation flowed smoothly for the rest of the drive. It was nothing crazy, just the two of us getting to know each other as Jonah and Bri jabbered along in the front. We pulled into a shopping center with The Brim on the end. It was a restaurant that specialized in abnormal burgers, with a bar in the center and an umbrella filled patio on the outside.

We walked across the street and through the doors, into the crowded entryway. Bri, Patrick, and I followed as Jonah approached the hostess stand and gave her his name as well as the time he had made a reservation.

She said something to him, but I couldn't hear over all the noise. Jonah turned around and asked, "Inside or outside?"

Bri shrugged and I suggested outside.

Jonah gave our answer to the hostess and she nodded, turning to talk to her coworker for a moment before leaning towards Jonah.

"She said it'll be about five minutes."

"Okay." There were occupied benches and chairs in the waiting area with little kids running circles around their chatting parents. "I think I'm going to wait outside until we're ready."
"No worries." Jonah stuffed his hands in his pockets and started searching for wall space to lean up against. "I'll stay here for when they call our name."

"I'll just stay with you," Bri offered, following Jonah over to a spot beside one of the benches.

"After you." Patrick gestured towards the door with his hand and I shoved my way through the throng of people back to the fresh air. We sat down on the curb outside the restaurant, watching the passing cars and busy people.

"I want to apologize," Patrick started. "I feel like I was rude earlier."

"Not rude, I don't think," I disagreed, smiling a little bit before joking, "Just a bit disinterested."

"Yeah, that's putting it nicely." He chuckled. "I was nervous about being awkward, and well, yeah, I guess this just isn't my forté. I don't typically like going on dates with people I've never met. But Jonah really wanted this to happen, so, yeah." He looked over at me sheepishly and shrugged.

Half-laughing, I said, "It's okay. This isn't my forté either, I really just agreed to it because Bri was so excited."

He let out a short exhale. "Well I'm glad it's not just me. Do you want to agree to just get to know each other, without any pressure or anything like that?"

Behind me, Bri yelled out the door and pointed towards the patio. Through the window, I could see Jonah following the hostess through the maze of tables and servers. I threw up a thumbs up and stood up, looking down at Patrick still on the curb. He got up, wiping the back of his shorts off of any gravel.

"Agreed." I smiled. "Let's just have fun."

****

What do you think of the new characters, Jonah and Patrick?
What do you think will come from all of this?

What's your favorite dinner restaurant to go out too? Mine is basically any restaurant that has burgers :)

- Payton