Love Is Hard

A couple days later Aliah was perfectly healthy again. She was her old self again and we were going to go shopping in the mall today.

Justin had been spending basically every moment with me so I wasn't with her, not that I haven't but not as much. And that's all it used to be, me and her. I wanted to just spend a day with her. So I texted Justin.

Going to the mall today, with Aliah, just want to be with her today. Call you when I get home

Justin still hadn't asked me to be his girlfriend yet but tonight we were going on our first real date.

Have fun, don't forget to dress up for our date tonight

I smiled.

Well you just ruined everything because I was gonna wear sweatpants.

I quickly got a reply.

I'm sure you would look beautiful but you can't tonight is important

I didn't reply. I went to go get ready for shopping with Aliah. She was watching cartoons in the living room. As I got ready I was looking through my closet just to see what I would wear tonight, maybe it was my job today at the mall to get a new outfit. My phone began to ring, I got a text from Justin again.

Ava have fun, please wear something nice tonight, and remember to bring Ali to your moms. Because I know you might forget.

I actually did forget, Aliah was spending the night at her house and when we were coming back from shopping I was going to drop her there, that way I wouldn't have to go back out again. I still had to pack her bag and stuff.

I did forget thank you for reminding me. I was kidding about the sweatpants. Geez.

He didn't text back so I went to go get ready. I straightened my hair and put on my clothes. I went to Aliah's room and packed up her things for tonight in her little pink backpack. I put it on my back and went out to Aliah in the living room.

She was sitting intently watching the screen. "Come Aliah, lets go shopping." She came over to me and I shut off the television. We went out for the day and I knew I was going to have the perfect day.

As we were shopping Ali began to get restless and tired and I still hadn't found any clothing for my date tonight. We stopped by one more store and I tried on a cute dress. It was perfect.

I dropped Aliah off at my moms. She was excited to be staying with her Nana. I arrived home and texted Justin.

Just got home. I'm not ready so don't come over. What time are you coming anyways?

Around 5:30 dinner is at 7:00, I have something planned.

Great. I was so prepared. He had "something" planned. I decided to to curl my hair. It was going to take about a half hour because I always had to have it look perfect. It was 4:00 so I just started on my hair and hair sprayed it really well when I was done.

As 5 rolled around I decided to go put my outfit on. I thought I looked ok. I mean it was an amazing dress and I knew Justin was going to love it but something made me feel like it wasn't right. But I think it was my nervous-ness taking over. I was nervous, this was my first real date with a guy since Dylan had died. My first date with Justin no less. I put on some make-up not a lot though. Only a little eyeliner and some eyeshadow. I put on a lot of mascara though.

I checked myself in the mirror once more and grabbed the sweater sitting on the chair sitting in my room. I went to sit in the living room waiting for Justin.

It was 5:40 and Justin still wasn't here, he didn't text me and my doorbell hadn't rung. Was he standing me up? I didn't know what was happening. I was going to wait until 5:50 and if he wasn't here I was giving up. I wasn't going to give him another chance.

At 5:46 my phone started to ring. He was calling me.

"Yes Justin?" I answered the phone.

"Oh Ava, I'm so happy you answered. Come outside, I'm waiting. Sorry I'm late," At least he apologized. I hung up the phone and practically ran down as fast as I could to Justin. I just wanted to see his smile.

When I got in his car he smiled. "Ready?" I nodded,"Where are we going?" I asked, "Just to a special place." I looked at him and he began to drive off.

The radio was on low and he began to talk, "You look beautiful Ava." I smiled, "Thank you, you look very handsome." We had a normal conversation. About nothing special. About nothing at all really.

When the car stopped I looked out the window, we were at the little coffee shop. "Justin you brought me here?" I asked, "Well yeah, this technically was where our first date was supposed to be. I mean I want you to see it." We walked in and an old man and woman were sitting at a table and a younger adult looking woman was sitting at a bar stool.

"Hi, Thomas, Mary and Melissa." Justin said walking through the door. They came over to Justin.

"Ava, this is Thomas, Mary and their daughter Melissa." Justin pointed to each one as he said their names. "This is Ava." He said to them. They were a cute family. Melissa spoke,"Justin is she your girlfriend?" I laughed and shook my head his response, "Not yet," I hit his shoulder jokingly. "You sure are dressed up to be coming here," Thomas said. "No we are going out but we were going to stop here the other day but something came up and I just wanted to show Ava this place." He said.

"Well as you can tell there isn't much to see," Mary spoke. I smiled. They were nice but they just didn't seem like normal people to me and maybe they weren't.

We had a cup of coffee and Justin and I sat at a table in a corner. "Look right there to your left." I saw napkins, and a bottle of ketchup. I didn't know what I was supposed to be looking at. "No down on the table." Then I saw it. It was his signature. It was faded. "I put that there the first night I came here 3 years ago. I sit at the same table every time I come in here." I smiled. I took another sip of coffee before speaking. "This place must be special." He nodded, "The only place where I can get away from everything and anything happening. Hey we have to get going." I took one last sip and Justin put out his hand. I took it and stood up.

He said goodbye and I waved. We got into the car and he drove. It was 6:47 and we were probably going to miss our reservation.

Justin was paying attention to the road. I wasn't saying anything. I just sat there. It was an awkward silence too. We finally pulled up to the restaurant at 7:03. Justin opened the door for me and I got out of the car. At dinner we talked and had little conversations nothing big. Then we ordered our meals. I just got the caesar salad. He got steak or something. I was too nervous to eat.

"I think you should come meet my mom," he dropped that sentence like it was nothing. I looked at him wide eyed. "Look I had to meet basically your family the second day I met you. I had your mom put those tickets in your house, the least you can do is just come meet my mom." I nodded. It wasn't going to be tonight so it was ok. It just meant eventually I would have to meet her.

The night slowly came to an end and Justin and I were taking a little walk around before he was bringing me home. This was the first night I didn't have to go to bed early because Aliah was going to be waking me up early the next morning. Besides the few days I was too upset to do anything, but I was too upset it wasn't like relaxing. It was almost 9 and we were just talking.

"So let me get to know you? Lets play questions." I rolled my eyes when he said this. "Fine I guess. He put his arm around me and we just walked.

"What's your middle name?" he asked with no hesitation. "I hate it please don't make me say it," he answered, "Come on just tell me," I finally just said it,"it's Whitney." "I like that, Ava Whitney," I rolled my eyes,"please don't say it, it only makes it worse." He laughed, "It could be worse," I just smiled.

"Ok next question, do you like LA or Michigan better?" That was a no brainer, "Michigan," I answered, "Why?" I knew why, "I grew up there, I mean I love LA but Michigan will always be home, thats like asking you do you like Stratford or LA better? Of course you're going to say Stratford, because your life is there, your friends, family, everything, LA is great, LA is the best thing that happened to you, but Stratford will always be home." I was satisfied with the answer I gave him, "Wow I'm impressed you really get it."

He gave me like 6 more questions but they were all stupid stuff. By the time we got done with our walk it was almost 10. We had to walk all the way back to his car too. It was a great first date with him. When we pulled up in front of my apartment building he locked the door.

"Before I let you leave, I have to ask you, will you Ava Whitney," he smirked," please be my girlfriend?" I nodded. I was finally falling for someone after 3 years. 3 years is a long time.

He came around to let me out of the car and once my two feet were on the ground he hugged me and lifted me in the air. He kissed the top of my head and I smiled at him. I could tell he was happy.

"You're my first boyfriend since Dylan, I just thought I would make sure you knew," he nodded. "Goodnight, Ava." I replied,"Goodnight, Justin." I walked to the door and he yelled, "I'm coming over tomorrow. By the way, I love the way you say my name," I laughed and went to the apartment. My first date, first love, and first everything since Dylan. Once I was in my apartment I changed into sweatpants and a sweatshirt turned on the a/c and curled up on the couch watching romantic movies, this was the happiest moment since Dylan died.