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 Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 5:48 pm
Gale had felt a little better after her lunch out with Karone. Her sister had asked to spend time with her out of utterly nowhere…but it was nice to feel wanted. Especially by Karone…she had missed her so much…she didn’t know why her sister had grown so distant…but she hadn’t liked it. Now though…things seemed better.
Lunch had gotten a little uncomfortable when talks of Gale’s love life came around, and when she mentioned she had been dumped and it had hit her really hard…she was almost afraid at one point that Karone was going to go out and find Zach and murder him…thank goodness that wasn’t the case though.
But now. Almost a week later she had received a text from her sister saying that she was sending her on a blind date with a very good friend of hers. Someone who was ‘very successful’ and ‘quite handsome’ and that she was going to pay for the whole date so Gale didn’t have to feel awkward.
…Didn’t have to feel awkward? She wondered at how her sister could have even thought that such a thing would be possible. How could she not feel awkward about going on a date with someone she had never seen or heard of before…
It wasn’t her style…and yet here she was, all dressed up and waiting outside of her apartment building for the teal haired man in the silver car to come and pick her up.
The picture that Karone sent had been a good one…and the guy had been…well. Really pretty handsome so…maybe today wouldn’t be so awkward. Just awkward enough.
With a sigh, Gale checked her phone again and shoved her hands into her coat pockets. It was so cold out today…and she hoped he would arrive soon.
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 5:05 pm
This isn’t how Laurence expected to spend his day. When Karone said she needed something, naturally he’d gone over to see what it was.
He hadn’t expected to find out that he’d been set up on a blind date—with her sister. On one hand, it was flattering that she though so highly of him that she would do that. On the other hand, if he messed this up…
His stomach was in knots and he grumbled as he parked his car, trying to keep his nerves from making him sick. He double checked that he had the right address before he turned the car off. Withdrawing his phone, he glanced at it once more before shoving his phone away into his pocket.
He could find any number of reasons to stay in the car or to ditch, but…
Karone would never forgive him.
Before he could talk himself out of it, he forced himself out of his car. There was a girl waiting—Gale, he recognized. He raised a hand in greeting and cleared his throat as he approached.
“Hi. Gale, right?”
He already knew who she was, he was just trying to be polite. He extended his hand. “I’m Laurence. It’s nice to meet you. Karone speaks very highly of you.”
He offered a smile and hoped she didn’t feel as awkward as he did about this whole setup.
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 5:18 pm
She saw the car come and park and felt her heart start to go at least four times faster than it was supposed to. This had to be him. Silver car…the guy driving looked like the picture she had been sent…but…
Oh God…she didn’t really want to do this. She wasn’t ready to try dating yet. She wasn’t…interested in just hooking up with some random stranger….well…not hooking up…but…
Her face grew hot and as she watched him get out of the car and begin to walk towards her, she almost ran back inside and locked the door. Almost. But she knew that Karone would be so upset if she didn’t at least give this a chance…even if it was a halfhearted one.
Forcing a smile of her own, Gale reached her hand out and took Laurence’s offered one. “Hey there! Um…When did she decide to tell you about this…because she texted me about two hours ago and said it is happening so…I promise you, this wasn’t my idea, so if it goes badly…we’ll blame my sister. Fair?”
There was a ring of confidence in her voice that surprised her, and the level of sass she managed surprised her too. “Wow…I…am never that forward…Hi. I’m Gale. It’s nice to meet you too…I’m sorry about my sister.”
It felt as though her face was glowing from embarrassment and she wanted more than ever to retreat into her apartment and just…hide forever. “S-so…where are we off to today?”
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 5:31 pm
”It’s a pleasure to meet you, Gale.”
Laurence cleared his throat only a second later. “…She told me fifteen minutes ago. I was worried I was going to be late, so I sped a bit. If I’d had a little more time, I would have at least tried to pick you up flowers or something.” He seemed genuinely apologetic, but offered her a smile. “I’m a little rusty on the whole ‘date’ scene, so please—there’s no pressure to consider this anything more than two strangers going out to a meal or something. I confess, I haven’t really…planned anything. Do you like Italian food? I know a good place. There’s a gallery right next door, too. If you like art?” he suggested.
He knew nothing about Gale but didn’t want to make this any more awkward for her. He was holding his breath as he waited for an answer. It was chilly outside and he was eager to get back in his car—and maybe get somewhere more public, where there were more distractions for the both of them if this wound up being too awkward.
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 5:52 pm
Fifteen minutes.
Karone had given this guy fifteen minutes to get over here and take her on a date, and for a moment, Gale just stared, and then began to laugh. It had been a long while since she had a good laugh, and this was the very definition of a good laugh, it brought tears to her eyes and had her doubled over, clutching at her stomach as the mirth turned to some pain. “I…I’m sorry. I just…she only gave you fifteen minutes?”
Gale straightened up and wiped at her eyes, the tears that had collected there seemed to be a big more than should have been needed for a laughing fit. Was she crying now too? Great. What a way to scare a guy away. “Why didn’t you tell her you couldn’t do it? You…you rushed over her…for me? It…it doesn’t make any sense…”
She wiped at her eyes again, feeling really, really touched by his words. “I’m sorry. I’m a mess. I’ve been a mess for a while…I guess that’s why Karone is doing this but…still…”
Taking in a deep breath, Gale flashed a smile. “Italian food sounds wonderful, and I do like art, thank you…I’m…I was very nervous about this…but now I think I’m actually excited…” Once more she wiped away the moisture that had collected in her eyes and walked closer, hoping that he would still want to do this date…even with her emotional outburst. She just wasn’t used to being happy, and her body seemed to reject the very idea.
How rude.
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 7:08 pm
Laurence looked relieved that Gale could find humor in the fact that Karone’s planning was terrible, and her laughter even managed to bring a smile to his face. Now that he was here and not dealing with the stress of not being late, he supposed it was a little funny.
Very ‘Karone’, of course.
He didn’t seem intimidated by her tears, he just wore the same little smile. So far as he was concerned, it just meant that she was capable of having a good laugh at otherwise awkward and stressful situations.
“To be honest, I don’t like letting people down,” he admitted. “She said you were already getting ready, and all I could imagine was that you’d spent this time preparing, and I didn’t want it to go to waste. You look lovely, by the way,” he added; he moved to the passenger’s side of the car and opened the door for her.
“In a completely not creepy, genuinely complimentary sense. But in the sense that I have a hard time seeing how you could consider yourself a mess.”
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 7:39 pm
Gale found the smile quite heartwarming and moved to get into the car, returning the smile as she did so, her eyes still damp, but at least no fresh tears were brimming. “I don’t like letting people down either.” She made herself comfortable and waited for him to get into the car before turning towards him.
“Well, you don’t know me yet, I’m sure you’ll learn if you decided this has gone well enough for a second…ah…date.” She felt her face growing red again and it felt so strange. Being flustered like this…it wasn’t how she normally reacted to situations, and perhaps that was why she enjoyed it so much.
Gently she reached out and touched the dashboard of the car. “This is beautiful, is it new? It smells new. I love the lights! How pretty is that!” He had his own car at least…that was really a plus…and Karone said he was doing quite well. “My sister said you work in a pharmacy? I…I was taking classes to become a nurse but I’ve been having a rough few months and right now I’m just taking some time off from that…but I admire anyone who’s in the medical field. So, that’s really cool!”
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2018 10:15 pm
After Gale was in the car, Laurence moved to the other side and slid into his seat. He turned the car on immediately and warm air began to circulate. He buckled up and waited for her to do the same before he began to drive.
“I am a pharmacist,” he confirmed, “And the car is new. It has seat warmers, too. If you want to try them out, it’s that little triangle button with the picture of a seat on it.”
He gave her a few seconds to locate it and then asked, “You want to be a nurse? The nurses I know are incredibly hard working and kind, but they say it takes a lot of energy and isn’t always rewarding. You must be a kind person to put yourself through that to help someone else. Although, and forgive me if this is too forward, but if you ever need a study partner, let me know. I did very well in school.”
He paused and added, “I’m not bragging. I was going to list credentials, but I realize this isn’t an interview and the last thing I want is for you to think I’m some pompous a**. But I mean, if you decide to go back and want any help, let me know. Or, if you need a recommendation. I know a few people who can help you get a foot in the door.”
Making connections was important, and he’d worked very hard to have a wide assortment of them, back when he still thought it was possible to impress his parents.
“Even if you can’t tolerate me past this date, the offer’s still there,” he promised. “But, a second date would at least give me time to properly plan. We could count this as a pre-date, since we’re both sort of winging it. Next time I could even bring you flowers and make a reservation. What sort of flowers do you like?”
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 7:02 am
“Seat warmers?” Gale’s voice was full of wonder and she pressed the button he indicated, sighing and all but melting into the seat. “Jeeze, you’re pretty amazing if you have a car like this.” Her opinion of this Laurence was growing more and more at each thing that he said. And he was offering to help him study? “Where the heck did Karone find you? Like…are you serious about the studying thing…? Because I could use that more than you know…and I would appreciate it so much.” She went quiet for a minute, mulling over some of his words.
“You…have you ever had like…someone try to rob you before? Looking for drugs or something, I mean…have you ever had a situation like that?” Gale’s eyes were wide as she watched him, almost hoping for a yes, if only for the story, but at the same time a little fearful.
“Wait…flowers? Oh…I don’t know. Pretty ones. I like lilies, like a lot. Easter is my favorite time of year because it’s so easy to just go to the grocery store and stick your nose in all of the lilies…that sounds stupid, but I just…I adore the way they smell. Plus that means it’s spring…and I love springtime.”
Tucking her hair behind her ear, Gale shrugged. “I know we haven’t really gotten started on this date yet, but the way things are going…I don’t think I’d mind planning for a second one at all. You seem…perfect.”
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 8:43 am
Laurence couldn’t help but laugh. “Perfect? I try. I was serious about the studying thing, I’ll make sure you have my number before I drop you off tonight. But I have to say, there’s nothing stupid about liking lilies. They’re a very calming plant. Some say that the essential oil of a flowering lily can be used for aromatherapy. It’s supposed to be good for depression. It’s a very welcoming aroma, I enjoy it. It makes me feel very relaxed.”
Laurence didn’t want to ramble though; he shut himself up quickly. Gardening wasn’t a very manly hobby, and he didn’t want her to think he was silly for being so familiar with alternative medicine when he worked as a pharmacist.
Besides—he couldn’t keep talking about flowers when she’d asked the question she had.
“…Which I appreciate, because there are days when my life is very stressful. We have security guards at the pharmacy, but there are times when you couldn’t find one to save your life. I’ve been held at gun point before. I got jumped once at knife point, but I’m not sure if that was drug related. I mean, I’m sure drugs were involved, he was tripping out. I’ve got a scar on the back of my hand from it.” He shifted positions just slightly so the sleeve of his shirt pulled a bit, revealing a pale, two inch mark on the back of his hand.
“…But that in college, while I was still interning. Most people I interact with are very polite, though.”
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 9:00 am
He liked lilies. For some reason that made Gale’s stomach do a funny little flip flop, ant the way he was talking about them…he wasn’t just making this stuff up. He sounded like he really knew what he was saying. And…the essential oil…
Her thoughts were interrupted by Laurence’s next story and at the fact he was not only held at gunpoint but also ended up getting stabbed by some crazy. She moved close, tugging at her seatbelt to take a closer look at the scar on his hand. “That…that is insane! I’m glad he only got your hand and not your face or like…you know. I’m glad you weren’t killed. Were you scared? I would have quit right there, I think. I don’t…I don’t do too well in high stress situations I…”
She grew quiet and shrugged. “I tend to shut down, I think. I never used to be like that but…you know. Getting older changes your reaction to things…you know a lot about lilies…I think that’s really neat…where…where do you find essential oil? And what’s the best way to use it? I…I think I could use some of that if it’s good for depression.” Quickly gale snapped her mouth shut and turned to look out the window, shifting in her seat a little. “Sorry. That was really personal. Please forget I said it. Anyway. Oil…yeah?”
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 9:13 am
Forgetting things wasn’t a skill Laurence performed well. “Anxiety and depression aren’t anything to be ashamed of. Over forty million people in America have some sort of anxiety to deal with. Less than half of them are being treated for it, though. Which is a shame, I’ve seen what the medicine can do for people. From a completely non-judgmental, medical professional opinion, if you have a concern, you should look into it. I can give you a referral if it’s something you want to look into. But I’ll tell you all about essential oils over dinner.”
Laurence was a careful driver; he seemed to stay aware of everything on the road and knew where he was going. He was mindful of traffic and patient, though he seemed to be focusing a little extra. His expression didn’t show it, but he was extremely concerned with making some stupid driving error—getting into a fender bender, blowing a light, making a wrong turn.
He didn’t want to make a poor impression of her—or chase her away with medical rambling.
“Have you lived in Destiny City your whole life?” he asked, trying to give her another topic to move onto if she was feeling intimidated by talks of medicine and depression. “There are always strange things happening. I wish I could say being held up was the oddest of all of them. At the very least, it gave me a cool scar. And some nightmares, I admit. I don’t remember being afraid when it happened, but I did pass out on the way to the hospital. I wish I could tell you I was fearless and it was only a scratch, but I wound up losing a lot of blood. I think I grabbed the knife, but I don’t really remember that part clearly. The important thing is that I didn’t lose the ability to use anything in my hand. I play the piano, and I don’t know if I could have learned to play it again if I didn’t have full control of my hand. Do you play any instruments?”
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 9:20 am
He was so…utterly understanding and Gale didn’t know what to think. Normally…when something was too good to be true…it was, and yet here was this smart, well to do, kind, understanding guy who was offering her advice for depression without batting an eye or asking what was so bad…and she didn’t know what to do.
“I…yeah we’ve lived here our whole lives, Karone and I…but…Jeeze Laurence…that…that’s really cool…” She paused. “Not that you passed out and lost blood! No, that’s not cool. You’re just cool. I …you play the piano?” She looked interested again, blinking at him. “How long have you played for? I would love to hear you sometime, I adore piano music.” She gave a soft laugh. “I don’t play anything but card games, though I have to admit I haven’t done that in a while either…I um…I crochet though! Maybe…what colors do you like? I could make you a scarf before our next date…it’s been so cold lately…I mean, if you’d want one, that is. If I’m being too forward, just forget I said anything.”
She was feeling quite flustered now. He was literally the perfect guy…and that really was almost frightening her. Nobody was this…golden child. Nobody. Well, nobody outside of fiction, that was. Sure there were people in books, and in television shows…but real people always had secrets…and the better they looked on the outside, sometimes that meant the worse the secrets were. “Have…you lived in the city all of your life too?”
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:27 am
Once more Laurence laughed quietly. “You crochet? I don’t have the patience for it. I’m worried to even put my hair in a braid, in case I accidentally put it in a knot. All that yarn, I’d probably wind up trapping myself in a net of it. I’d love to see what you can make, though. I’ve been playing piano since third grade. I should have started earlier, though. I play a few instruments, but the piano is my favorite. Violin is a close second. Maracas are third.”
He paused, and then cleared his throat. “…I’m kidding, though. I’m not sure if they even actually count as an instrument. And my parents never would have approved of me practicing something so ‘loud’ and ‘unsophisticated’.” He tried to repress some disdain, but it was only slightly masked behind an exasperated sigh. “We’ve lived here all our life, though. We’re an old family, so you know. My ancestors planted their roots and our pride prevents us from moving. I’m a creature of pride, too,” he confessed. “I can’t imagine living anywhere else, now that I’ve established myself here. And I like Destiny City, even though it’s got its quirks.”
The traffic had picked up a bit, but he still seemed to know what he was doing. He made one last turn before pulling into a parking lot. Even through the closed windows, a delicious aroma wafted in from the restaurant Laurence seemed to have picked out for the evening.
He pulled into a spot and put the car into park. He might have been nervous earlier, but there was something soothing about Gale. He didn’t feel pressured to put up appearances—and even had to remind himself that she was Karone’s sister so he shouldn’t say anything foolish that might get back to her.
He hadn’t been on a date in a while, and while he had been hesitant about this…
He was looking forward to dinner. And getting to know Gale.
…And maybe, even, a second date.
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Posted: Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:37 pm
He didn’t really answer her question about the colors…but that just meant she could make what she wanted, and already the perfect design was coming together in her mind. Dark blue and purple, like his hair and eyes, with perhaps a thread of silver running through it.
Another smile had formed on her face, rather against her will as she thought and when he mentioned playing the Maracas, she laughed. “But that’s so cute! You and I could have had a conga line!” She frowned slightly at the seemingly repressed…something after talking about his parents, but decided not to really comment…it wasn’t her place.
“I like it here too…it’s home.”
When he got the car parked, Gale took a long sniff, sighing as the smells of Italian food reached her nose. “Oh jeeze…that all smells amazing…” She looked at Laurence. “So…are you ready for this? Because when you first pulled up…I really wasn’t but…I’m actually really excited for this date…so thank you for coming to get me…” She gave a shy smile and quickly got out of the car. This was going to be good for her…but she really wanted to text Evan…maybe she would stop by and see him tonight to gush about all of this…
...She wondered how it would be to see her best friend and not be upset…
It would be an interesting thing to see. But, if today continued to go the way it was going, she had no doubt it would remain a good one.
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