One Day at a Time

“So,” Joe spoke as we were going through the dinner menu. “What are your plans for school now? It’s near the end of your last semester as a junior; what’s to come for senior year?”

I was listening to what he was saying, but too much into the amount of food that could be made from such a tiny restaurant. I finally placed the menu down to answer him.

“Honestly, I have no clue. I know me and Jenn need an English class that they only offer in the spring time. So, I know at least one thing I’ll be doing in a year. And…that’s pretty much it.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” he agreed. “That’s it?”

“As of now; yes. What about you? You’ll still be big and famous, most likely, and touring the world all over again. What else besides that?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll go to school. Who knows?”

“Really?” I looked at him oddly. “School?”

“Yeah,” he answered with an equally odd expression like mine. “Why? You don’t want me to get an education? I can’t perform with my brothers the rest of my life. Kevin’s married and Nick has his own project going on. All that’s left is me and I don’t even know what I want. Frankie, too, but he’s only nine.”

I never know what to say in situations like this, and I was glad that a waiter came outside to take our orders before I could say something, and possibly make myself look stupid.

“Good evening,” the waiter said. “I’m Steve; I’ll be your waiter tonight.”

Joe looked to me so I would order first.

“Oh, uh can I just have a Coke and the chicken parmesan dinner?”

“That sounds pretty good; I’ll get the same, but with a Dr. Pepper.”

“Okay, I’ll be right back with your drinks,” Steve said and took the menus from us. I looked back over at Joe.

“So, do you mind if I ask you something?” He asked, and looked as though he were thinking of a good way to phrase his question.

“Sure,” I said.

Before he could ask, Steve came back with our drinks and informed us that dinner would be ready soon. We nodded our heads and I took of my Coke while I waited for Joe to say something.

“Is it too weird to ask why you still had feelings for Erik?”

It took me a moment to process what he had asked me, and I thought about it. Sure, I still had a little something inside of me that was drawn towards Erik, but to be quite honest, I couldn’t care any less about the guy.

“It’s not weird, just pretty random.”

“Sorry, I’m just curious. I mean, it’s been a few weeks and nothing?”

“I kind of just want that chapter in my life to be closed. I almost lost my best friend over a stupid argument concerning him, and we’re definitely done and over with,” I answered with as much honesty that I could give. I didn’t want to be too over-dramatic about it; I just wanted him to know the simple things.

“Yeah, I remember that fight,” he smiled to himself. “We didn’t even talk for that whole time and I didn’t even do…”

I had a feeling he would pause before finishing that sentence. He didn’t do anything wrong, but it felt so sudden for him to kiss me. I had just gotten the news of my boyfriend (now ex-boyfriend) being sent off to jail and wasn’t in the best shape; physically and emotionally.

The silence between us was almost deafening, until we were saved by the waiter delivering our dinner. It looked so amazing, and yet I just didn’t feel all that hungry. Joe saw it as an opportunity to keep himself from talking, and started eating. I just sat there and moved the food around with my fork for a few moments.

“It was nice,” he said out of nowhere.

I wasn’t confused, nor was I surprised by his comment. It took me a second to understand what he was talking about, and a small smile appeared across my face. He liked our kiss.

“Really?” I asked, feeling awkward about this sudden conversation. I cut a piece of the chicken and chewed on it slowly, waiting for a response from him.

“Can I be honest?” I nodded my head for him to continue. “Well, if I didn’t think I would like it, I wouldn’t have done it; even if it meant you weren’t gonna talk to me for a week or two. And I hope that didn’t sound completely arrogant or anything.”

“No,” I replied quickly. “No, not at all. I mean,” I paused. “I like you…I mean I liked it.”

Tongue-tied and turning red. If it wasn’t embarrassing enough that I tried convincing him that my wallet was bigger than his, I just had to spill my guts and tell him that I actually did like him. Can I get a to-go box, please?

“I-i m-m-mean…” I stuttered like a broken record. Great; now I’m tongue-tied, turning red, and a rambling idiot. He couldn’t help but giggle into his hands, trying his best to hide it and not embarrass me even more.

“Take a breath and breathe out,” he demonstrated it to me. “Can I ask you something again?”

There didn’t seem to any point why I wouldn’t allow him to ask me anything. At this point, everything seemed to be out in the open. I nodded my head as I took a sip of my Coke to keep my throat from getting any drier than it already was.

“Would you…” he thought for a moment of how to ask this question and I could feel my eyes growing wider as I waited for him to say something. “Would you be my girlfriend?”

His eyes bore into mine and he could see the shock in them. It was random and I wasn’t sure how to react. To be honest, I’ve never actually been asked to be anyone’s girlfriend. Luke and I just sort of made it unofficially official. Erik and I never really said that we were boyfriend and girlfriend; we just assumed that we were. Joe didn’t seem to be thrown off guard by my reaction, but as the seconds inched past, he grew anxious.

“Not ready for a relationship yet?” He assumed.

“It’s not that.”

“Then what?”

“I’m just flattered that you would ask me instead of presume that we were already dating or something.”

“Well, I believe I’ve proved time and time, again, that I’m a gentleman,” he chuckled.

“Yes you have, Mr. Jonas. And I’d love to.”