The Shades of Blue

6. It's just a date!

-" It's just a date."
-" No it is not. You know how it is for me!"
-" Jo, calm down. I know it feels weird that you're going out with your best friend, but trust me, you two have known each other since you were both pooping diapers. You'll be fine."
-" Sky, I'm freaking out. Last date I went on was a mess, and Blue has so much more experience than I do."

Jo paced back and forth, talking to Kayleigh Sky - Blue's older sister. Since Jo doesn't have an older sibling and grew up with Sky, they consider each other as sisters, and Sky is one of Jo's best girl friends. They talk to each other about anything and everything. And Jo finds it a little weird that she's going out with her best friend's little brother, who also happens to be her best friend.

-" Jo, Blue asked you out on a date. It doesn't have to get awkward. You two know each other, just think of this as a character development." Sky played with Jo's stuffed bear. It was a gift from Blue on her 13th birthday, and Jo always slept with it.
-" I can't help it ughh.. what if I say the wrong thing? What if I trip and fall? What if he thinks I'm not as pretty or funny as he thought?"
-" Screw him then, you are all of those things. Plus, he knew them already, doesn't that mean that he likes those about you?"

Sky snickered. Jo had always been so clumsy, to a point that she tripped over her own shadow, there has never been a meal where Jo wouldn't drop a spoon or spill something. Blue once casually told Sky that he thought that's cute. And Sky knew.

Jo was now on to her 5th outfit. She was never much of a fashion icon but she had a very diverse closet. Now she realized that it is so much harder to pick out an outfit for a date with the diversity of her closet. Sky looked at Jo. Her long wavy brown hair was tied up in a messy bun, she's wearing a maroon dress with a white cardigan. Maroon really made her eyes pop because Jo had dark brown eyes but under the sun they look yellow. Her button nose added a sly dash to her appearance, with cherry lips and skin the color of magnolia. Jo has always been a pretty girl and Sky found it sad that Jo didn't know how beautiful she was.

-" Look, I know how it is between you two, and I can imagine that it's overwhelming for you right now. But just be yourself. That's the Jo that Blue asked out, so don't try and change just because of who he dated in the past."

That's another thing that Jo was worried about. All Blue's exs were much hotter and far more outgoing than she was. Blue had a type. He usually went for girls with straight hair and on the shorter side. Jo wasn't tall, but a bit taller than the average height of Blue's exs.

Sky knew. Jo was insecure.

Through no fault of her own. Since the age of 11 up until 15, Jo had constantly been called names, not only at school but also at home. Constant ridicule and judgment had brought Jo to tears countless times, she had cried in Sky's arms, or over Facetime with Blue and Garrett. Blue had said no less than 4 times that he blamed it on society, for putting so much pressure on Jo. When they were little, Jo was such a happy and smiley little girl. As she grew up, she smiled less and less, to the point that Blue and Garrett were the only people who saw her smile.

-" Screw it, I'm wearing this." Jo decided to go with the maroon dress and white cardigan, put all the clothes back, then plopped down next to Sky. "Do you think it'll be awkward?"
-" For the ten thousandth time, it will be fine!" Sky giggled, scooted over next to Jo. Jo overthought a lot of things, which was the precise reason why she self sabotaged most of them. Sky smiled and thought to herself 'I really wish Blue and Jo work out.'

6:15

Jo stepped in the shower after returning home from tutoring. She tutored the kids in the neighborhood as well as some people from school. Jo washed her hair, tried to calm herself down as the hot water trickled down her body and the bathroom was filled with the smell of rose and green tea. Blue and Garrett had always been telling Jo that she had a very subtle but calming smell, Jo thought that it was because of her shampoo and body wash.

After toweling off, she moisturized her skin with a rose-smelling body lotion, then put on her new outfit, including a new pair of white sneakers, before reaching for the makeup she rarely used. She didn't need much, just some tinted chapstick, mascara, and a trace of blush. She brushed her hair and then put on a pair of earrings she got last Christmas as a present from Blue. When Jo finished, she looked in the mirror, spun around and smiled. She hasn't felt like this in a while. The feeling that she was pretty.

It was now 6:50, Jo went to get her purse and put in her wallet, chapstick, a pad of paper and a pen, a small bag which contained Kleenex, hand sanitizer, hair ties, some tampons and safety pins. She looked for her car keys and realized that Blue was going to pick her up, so no need for those. She also put in some gums and pepper spray. Garrett and Blue all agreed that Jo should have pepper spray with her at all time, after a girl they knew almost got attacked at school. You can never be too cautious these days, Jo thought to herself.

As she looked for her phone, it rang on her bed and she picked it up.

-" Hey Gare what's up?"
-" Break from practice, just checking in on how your date with Blue is going." Jo heard fainted noises of guys talking to each other in the background, so she guessed Garrett was on the bench or somewhere not too close to hearing proximity of his team.

-" He'll pick me up in about 10 minutes, we're gonna go get dinner at the Grills, then head to the ice cream place.."
-" On Main. Yeah you love that shop."
-" Yup, and then we're going to the movies."
-" The one in the mall?"
-" No, the rooftop one on Sunset."
-" You nervous?"
-" Phewww you have no idea!" Jo giggled. Garrett noticed the tension in her voice. Jo overthought a lot, and he found himself saying even before he realized it.

-" Jo, you are going to be fine. It's just a date. Besides, you two have known each other your whole lives. Calm down, it'll be fun."
-" Yeah you're right. I just need to.. be myself, and it'll be just fine!"
-" Atta girl. Now go get your cute butt downstairs, it's almost 7. I gotta get back now, call me when you're done."
-" Cool, don't hurt your dumb self!"
-" Make me!" Garrett laughed before hanging up. Jo put her phone in her purse, looked at herself one last time before running downstairs.

-" Mom, dad, I'm heading out now!" Jo said out loud. Her parents were sitting in the kitchen, they both got up and walked out to the front door. As they were walking out, the doorbell rang.