My First Date   by Carla Reed

    The clock ticked on relentlessly. Five minutes to seven now. To think, twenty minutes ago I was sitting here in exactly the same position as I am now. Probably slightly calmer as he still had a chance to be here early. I sat as close as humanly possible to the clock and watched as it ticked on.
    "Tick!" Passed seven o’clock. As the doorbell failed to chime simultaneously I burst into tears, fled up the stairs and promptly collapsed sobbing on the bed. Ten seconds later had denounced the male half of the human race as uncaring insensitive idiots. Given another minute and I probably would have joined a convent forever. I didn’t, however, get the chance. The doorbell rang.
    Glancing in the mirror at my tearstained, mascara smudged face I neatly burst into tears again. Then, deciding there wasn’t time and yelling to my mother to please get the door, I repaired my face. I hoped desperately as I heard the door open that she wouldn’t alienate him by talking about flower arranging. Within fifteen minutes, I was downstairs wearing a tight pair of Levi’s and am even tighter top. My darling mother of course declared this carefully chosen outfit as "ridiculous, as it was November" the second I entered the room. Any other time I would have died with sheer embarrassment at her saying that in front of James, but I didn’t. Simply because of the look he gave me as I walked in the door. With a smile on my face that would have rivalled a Cheshire cats’ I sweetly bid my mother goodbye and listened as James solemnly promised not to keep me out too late. Had it been any one else the feminist in me would have chastised him there and then for presuming to have control over what time I would arrive in at. But it wasn’t anyone else, it was James and I was walking on air. He hadn’t specified where we were going but as we walked into the icy night air, his arms around me I realised I didn’t care.
    In the end we saw a movie. We sat close in the almost empty theatre munching Malteasers and making disparaging comments from start to finish. It was a soppy "romantic-comedy". We only went because the other choice was a macho, action movie, which I absolutely detest. Looking back, we made the right choice because at least we got to know each other.
    Afterwards, we stopped at a tiny take-out restaurant and I told him I was a vegetarian. To me, this was like revealing my innermost secret, as not many people know because I’m always afraid of their reactions. He was okay with it though. He did eat two cheese burgers in less than two minutes so maybe he thought me a bit of a freak not to share his obvious delight in devouring out bovine counterparts. Then again, maybe not.
    Walking home later, we talked about everything so that by the time we got to my house I felt like I’d known him for ten years rather than ten days. When we got to my house we stood on the porch and we kissed. Well, the earth didn’t move and no fireworks exploded over our heads but it was defiantly one of the nicest kisses I have ever had. A few minutes later I noticed the porch light flashing on and off, on and off.
    "Subtle," I thought, "really subtle."
    I told James I had to go and we hugged my hands inside his huge warm jacket. He sighed heavily then he kissed my lips and I said I’d see him in school. He gave me a lazy smile then stepped off the porch. I stood for a second missing his warmth and watching his easy strides down the street. Then I went inside feeling lighter than air.
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