Status: completed
First Date
Chapter 1
"I'm not sure about this," Danny Harp muttered to his best friend Christian.
"It'll be fine, Dan, don't worry about it," Christian said in a voice that was meant to be comforting, but didn't ease Danny's nerves at all.
"You know I've never been good with girls," Danny said quietly.
Christian rolled his eyes. "She's really nice, Danny. You'll get along just fine."
"This is all your fault, Chrisso. You know I'd rather be at home doing..."
"What? Watching movies?" Christian teased. "Trying to get to level 30 on The World's Hardest Game? Come on, Dan. You need to get out more."
Danny swallowed. Christian was right. He was 32 and had never been in a serious relationship. Sure, he'd had the odd one night stand, the odd girlfriend. But they'd all backed off once they'd got to know him. Got to know about his obsession with video games, stupid movies and fast food.
"Danny, listen," his last girlfriend Allie had told him, "why don't you just grow up?"
"Okay," Danny said, not just to Christian but also, to Allie. "What's her name?"
"Her name's Belinda. She's one of Anna's friends from work. She's really nice, and she's really pretty, too."
"Now that, I like," Danny said, trying to sound upbeat. "How do I look?"
"You look fine, Dan," Christian said, ruffling Danny's short blonde hair. "Now go get 'em, tiger."
***
Danny pushed open the door of the dimly lit, out of the way restaurant Christian had directed him to.
"Oh, God," he muttered in disgust. All he could see were couples holding hands, kissing and canoodling at the small white tables scattered across the room.
If there was one thing Danny hated, it was public displays of affection.
There was only one other person who looked as out of place as Danny. She was standing near the counter, with her arms crossed, incredibly bored and incredibly pretty.
Danny approached her nervously.
"Hi," she said coldly, shaking Danny's hand. Danny was surprised at how tall she was - he was 6'1 and she came close. "You must be Danny."
"Yeah. It's really nice to meet you...um..." Danny broke out into a sweat. His mind was a blank. He couldn't remember her name at all. "Uh..."
The woman watched Danny flounder, with a look of - was it contempt? - on her face. She didn't prompt him.
"Bella?" Danny guessed.
"Belinda," she corrected.
"Right. Belinda. I'm so sorry. It's just...your name escaped me for a moment."
"I'm so unimportant that you forgot it?" Belinda cocked an eyebrow.
Danny moaned quietly and motioned to a table. "Why don't we sit down?"
"It'll be fine, Dan, don't worry about it," Christian said in a voice that was meant to be comforting, but didn't ease Danny's nerves at all.
"You know I've never been good with girls," Danny said quietly.
Christian rolled his eyes. "She's really nice, Danny. You'll get along just fine."
"This is all your fault, Chrisso. You know I'd rather be at home doing..."
"What? Watching movies?" Christian teased. "Trying to get to level 30 on The World's Hardest Game? Come on, Dan. You need to get out more."
Danny swallowed. Christian was right. He was 32 and had never been in a serious relationship. Sure, he'd had the odd one night stand, the odd girlfriend. But they'd all backed off once they'd got to know him. Got to know about his obsession with video games, stupid movies and fast food.
"Danny, listen," his last girlfriend Allie had told him, "why don't you just grow up?"
"Okay," Danny said, not just to Christian but also, to Allie. "What's her name?"
"Her name's Belinda. She's one of Anna's friends from work. She's really nice, and she's really pretty, too."
"Now that, I like," Danny said, trying to sound upbeat. "How do I look?"
"You look fine, Dan," Christian said, ruffling Danny's short blonde hair. "Now go get 'em, tiger."
***
Danny pushed open the door of the dimly lit, out of the way restaurant Christian had directed him to.
"Oh, God," he muttered in disgust. All he could see were couples holding hands, kissing and canoodling at the small white tables scattered across the room.
If there was one thing Danny hated, it was public displays of affection.
There was only one other person who looked as out of place as Danny. She was standing near the counter, with her arms crossed, incredibly bored and incredibly pretty.
Danny approached her nervously.
"Hi," she said coldly, shaking Danny's hand. Danny was surprised at how tall she was - he was 6'1 and she came close. "You must be Danny."
"Yeah. It's really nice to meet you...um..." Danny broke out into a sweat. His mind was a blank. He couldn't remember her name at all. "Uh..."
The woman watched Danny flounder, with a look of - was it contempt? - on her face. She didn't prompt him.
"Bella?" Danny guessed.
"Belinda," she corrected.
"Right. Belinda. I'm so sorry. It's just...your name escaped me for a moment."
"I'm so unimportant that you forgot it?" Belinda cocked an eyebrow.
Danny moaned quietly and motioned to a table. "Why don't we sit down?"