KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU
Episode 2
By Jaden
DISCLAIMERS- SEE EPISODE 1
How does someone, such as myself, prepare to call the object of her desire and engage her in some sort of interesting conversation?
Sure, I had gotten past the awkwardness of trying to hook up with someone, as well as some of my own fears and insecurities by asking Aaryn for her phone number in the first place. But now that I had her number, I actually had to use it.
I am terrified. I feel like I’m 15 again, with a crush on a really cute girl that I can’t bring myself to talk to, and feeling this way scares the hell out of me. Why? I have no clue. I guess in a sense I have nothing to be afraid of. She did give me the number, along with that amazing smile of hers.
All I have to do is pick up the phone and call.
I have to get over this. Get over this fear that I won’t be able to find the right words to impress her. I want her to like me. I want to make her laugh. I don’t want to end up somehow making a fool of myself.
I try to get past all the worse case scenarios going on in my head. Things like her not remembering who the hell I am, or of us not having anything to say to each other. I can’t let my fears stop me from calling her. She has already affected me that much, and I am already unable to refuse her anything.
I make a cup of hot tea and grab the cordless phone and settle into the couch. I figure the more comfortable I am, the more at ease I’ll feel when I talk to her. I have the number memorized. When Karen dropped me off last night, I sat on my couch and stared at the napkin with her number written upon it until it was burned into my memory.
Like the verdantness of her eyes.
I take a deep breath and punch in her number. It’s ringing...I can feel myself start to blush..two rings...I clear my throat.
"Hello."
"May I speak to Aaryn please?," I manage to croak out.
"This is she."
"Hi, it’s Janna. From last night," I had to add, just in case she had a short memory.
"Right. How could I forget?," she chuckled.
"I hope that’s good."
"Oh, it is definitely."
"So how was your test?," I ask, smiling.
"I think I did all right. I probably shouldn’t have waited until the last minute to study though," she sighs.
I can hear a beeping in the background, and then it stops.
"Was that a pager?"
"Yeah, my study group. I’m heading down to the library in awhile."
"Oh," I tried not to sound too disappointed, " I better let you go then."
"Wait," she stops me, " Shouldn’t we make plans first?"
"Plans?"
"Well, you did ask if I’d like to go out some time, remember?"
God, I am such a dork.
"Of course, right. So, when are you free?," I ask, trying not to sound too anxious.
Please don’t think I’m a dork.
"How is Thursday night?"
I paused for a minute, pretending to mull over my busy social schedule in my head. I didn’t want her to know just yet that I never went anywhere, except for when Karen dragged me out.
"That sounds great. Shall I pick you up?," I ask, making a mental note that I need to have my car cleaned.
" Sure, do you know where Citrus Park apartments are?"
"By University?," I briefly wonder how a college student could afford to live in such an expensive place, but figured I better hold off until we got to know one another a little better. Actually I was anxious to know her a lot better.
"That’s them. I’ll meet you in front of the gate."
"Is 6 good for you?"
"Perfect. I’ll see you then."
"Goodnight Aaryn."
"Night Janna."
I hung up the phone giddy with excitement. My stomach was in knots, my face was flushed. I wanted to scream, to tell everyone that I had a date with the most beautiful girl. Wait..... I have to plan a date!
I have to come up with some sort of social activity to keep us occupied for a set amount of hours. What did I ask her to do? Oh, right. Coffee, or a movie. Maybe dinner. You can do this Janna, don’t be such a freak.
The truth of it is, I haven’t been out with anyone in over a year. I haven’t even had a serious girlfriend in even longer. I guess I kind of got wrapped up in my own life, in working especially, and I didn’t think that relationships had a place in my life anymore. I have been without physical contact in so long, I don’t even think I’ll know what to do anymore.
I picked up the phone and dialed Karen’s number. I have to talk to someone before I burst!
"Yeah?," she answers groggily.
Damn, what was she doing in bed already?
"Get your ass over here, I need to talk."
"What did I do?"
"Wake up you fool, it’s Janna. Come over, hurry. I don’t care if you’re sleepy, come in your pj’s if you have to, just get here," I demand.
I suppose the desperation in my voice reached through her haze of confusion, for she finally said, "I’ll be there in awhile."
Minutes later Karen was pounding on my door to be let in.
"Karen, you do have a key you know?"
" I know, but I was too lazy to use it."
"You used more energy knocking on the damn door," I stand there with my hands on my hips.
" I’m not going to get into it with you about whether or not I should knock or let myself in. You wanted me here goober, here I am. Now what’s the problem?," she asks gruffly.
We sat on the couch and I nervously drank from my bottled water.
"I have a date on Thursday," I can’t keep the grin off my face.
"With hottie from last night?," she asks incredulously.
"The one and only," I said, proudly.
"Oh my gosh, I am so happy for you. I didn’t think you’d have the nerve to call," she stares at me in wonder.
"Nice to know you have so much faith in me," I sulked.
"Oh get off it. So you have a date. What are you going to do?"
"That’s where I need your help."
"Janna, I can’t go on the date with you.," she folds her arms over her chest and looks at me like I am a child.
"No, I mean, I have no idea where to take her? Or what to do? You have dates all the time, give me some ideas," I beg.
"You want to know how to woo her?"
"Basically."
Karen cracked her knuckles and put her legs up on the end table.
"You could take her to dinner. It’s a first date so you don’t want to come on too strong. Then you can tell her what an interesting person you are, and you can let her talk about herself as well. Try to get her to have a few drinks, loosen her up bit," Karen offers.
"I’m not going to maul her on our first date."
"Why not? You might not get a second," Karen says seriously.
"Sorry, but I think that might be considered coming on a bit too strong."
"No way, coming on too strong is spending the night. It’s okay so long as you leave when you’re done," Karen says, matter-of-factly.
"No wonder no woman stays with you for long!"
"We’re talking about you here, remember?"
"Right."
"Janna, the important thing is to be yourself. You’ve got a decent personality, you’re not a bad looking chick. She did give you her number, so she obviously likes you. She even agreed to go on a date with you, so that has to count for something."
"You’re making me feel so much better Karen, really," I say sarcastically.
"I knew that I would. So, do you think you might score?," Karen, the wolf, is back.
"Is that all you think about?," I ask, though in truth, I had kind of been thinking about that sort of thing too.
"Mostly. I think it’s a valid question though."
"I am not that kind of girl, and I don’t think that she is either."
"I saw the way she looked at you Jan, she wants you," Karen teases.
"Shut-up, would ya?," I said, picking up a pillow and holding it menacingly.
"Aw, don’t get all shy with me. Your hormones are going to go nuts around her, seeing as how they haven’t gotten a decent workout in what? A year!," she laughs.
I began pounding her with the pillow until she surrenders.
Thursday can’t come fast enough.