Blue Jay #Wattys2016

EPILOGUE: DATE

I arrived at the restaurant a half an hour before Christina. Ever since prom, I couldn’t wait to take her out on a real date. Everything I had put into our relationship, relied on this one moment.

   I was going to truly propose to her. In the cheesiest way possible. In the most humble and cautious manner, I’ll get down on one knee after she finds the ring in her desert.

   She’ll hate it. I can picture her perfect white face changing into a deep shade of red. I don’t like seeing her upset, but watching her be irrational is hilarious.

   I knew something she didn’t, something she could never know nor fully understand.

   I knew that our time was slowly decreasing. Karoline had seen Christina, not too far into the future, take her last breath. I hadn’t known her then, so the death of one more human barely concerned me. Now, though, she’s all I can think about.

   All I can see is her thin figure, full lips, pale blue eyes. Her long chestnut coloured hair that smells like strawberries. The way she laughs, the way she cries. She’s literally all I can see and think of.

   She walked into the restaurant wearing a satin blue dress. This is a fancy restaurant, but I told her to dress casually. She never listens to me.

   I pulled her chair out for her, the scent of her filled the crevices of my nose as she took her seat.

   The waiter came by shortly after. He lit the candle in the center of the table and asked if we’d like something to drink.

   “Red wine.” I answered.

   He nodded and trotted away.

   “We’re celebrating? What?” she leaned over the table.

   I leaned over too “Our love, obviously.”

   I raised my empty glass, so did she.

   “To eternity.” I toasted.

   “To loving you, incredibly so.”

   I grinned “Incredibly so.”

   Clink.

   The waiter returned and took our orders. He poured the wine into our cups, then whispered to me “It’s in the cake.”

   “Thank you.” I whispered back, patting his arm.

   Christina had her eyebrow raised “What’s up?” she said, gesturing to the waiter.

   I fidgeted in my seat, even though I already knew her answer for when I ask the question “Ah, old friend.” I lied.

   She took a sip from her glass, then set it off to the side “So, why are we really doing this?” she crossed her fingers over one another on top of the table.

   I held her shaky hands in mine “I wanted you to have the true gentlemen experience.” I whispered.

   She bit her lower lip for a second. When she opened her mouth to speak, the waiter came back with our orders.

   “Lobster for the miss.” he set the plate down in front of her. Then he set my plate down “And steak for the mister. Anything else I can get for you lovely people this evening.”

   I didn’t take my eyes off of Christina “No, we’re good.”

   She was looking at the lobster, but grinned “Everything’s perfect.”

   Those words nearly took my breath away. The waiter walked back to the kitchen, I barely noticed, though.

   I took a sip of wine, attempting to settle my nerves. My arms were shaking, my legs nearly jumped out of my pants.