A year in people #78(1) – A

“Can I take you on a proper date?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know, a proper date, where I come and pick you up and take you out for dinner.”

“Ohhhh. YES! Shall I wear a dress?”

He laughed. “You can wear whatever you like.”

He pulled up outside my friend’s house where I was staying, jumped out the car, ran around to the other side and opened the door for me.

“Wow you look amazing.” he said. I’m not sure he’d ever seen me in a dress or glammed up before.

He’d booked a table in one of my favourite restaurants, and we sat opposite each other, each a little fidgety; this setting and the formalness of the date a little alien.

We’d not been seeing each other that long, and it’d come out of being friends. We’d hung out loads, but not like this. Now there was that heady feeling of anticipation and excitement and just something a little more. It was intoxicating.

He was so much fun. We laughed so much, and chatted about all sorts. I hung off his words, and he off mine. We just enjoyed being together. It didn’t really matter what we were doing, whether it was a fancy restaurant or blasting the mountain bike trails; we just liked doing it together.

Because we were friends first, there was a natural ease about it all. I felt I could be 100% myself. I could be vulnerable and I knew he wouldn’t judge me. I was still seeing The Marine at the time and I didn’t have that with him, it was different and I definitely had a wall up.

Not with A.

I just knew he cared. Cared about me and cared about us.

At the end of the date, we stood outside on the pavement, enjoying the fresh air. Distant chatter from the nearby pubs carried on the breeze, full of the scent of Spring blossom.

He turned to me and smiled. “I’ve had a great night.”

“Me too.” I replied.

We’d been seeing each other for a while, but still he took my hand, looked me in the eyes and asked if he could kiss me.

To be continued…