No More Frowns

Jessica hadn’t been on a date in years. She wasn’t even sure this was a date. She only knew that Cassadee was coming to pick her up at 6, and that she had no idea where they were going. Once she had asked Cass to dinner, it was no longer in her hands. No, Cassadee Pope didn’t mess around when it came to dates with another girl, if it was a date, that is. All Jessica knew at this point was that she needed to get ready.

She showered and then went about the regular routine of getting ready, except this time she decided to put on make-up that didn’t blend in with her skin and make her more ordinary. She dug out her older shades, the one that brightened up her face and accentuated features that she’d left bare for so long. She brushed and straightened her hair so it wasn’t half curly, hair wavy today as it sometimes decided to be. Finally, she was satisfied with her appearance and went to put on her clothes for the day. She’d picked out several outfits earlier in the day, and had laid them out on her bed for consideration. She stared at the options and then, without really choosing, decided on the simplest one.

It was a pair of dark skinny jeans and a black, slim cut racer-back tank top, paired with a pair of light tan ballet flats. She didn’t want Cassadee to think that she was trying to impress her by wearing some extravagant but she also didn’t want to come off like she wasn’t into her.

Jess stopped when she thought of this.

Did she really care? Did she honestly care what Cassadee thought of her?

She straightened the legs of her pants and thought more on it.

Yes, she did. For the first time in a really long time, Jessica had someone to impress, someone she could dress up for. Slowly, she could feel the grayscale draining and being replaced with soft pastels.

She settled down on her couch and watched television while she waited for her date.

She also decided that it was definitely a date. She’d asked Cassadee out for dinner, therefore it was a date. This excited the butterflies in her stomach. Cassadee Pope was something else. She didn’t take no for an answer, something Jess thought would’ve bothered her but in reality, she was glad that Cass had taken the initiative and forced herself into Jessica’s world. Where would she be if Cassadee Pope wasn’t a go-getter? She’d still be stuck in her dull world where she had suck so deep into herself and her depression, she couldn’t see the sunshine.

No, Cassadee Pope was exactly what Jessica needed in her life.

A knock came at her door and she jumped up, her nerves flaring and her worries rearing into overdrive. She walked slowly, breathing deeply, towards her front door. She opened it to reveal Cassadee looking gorgeous.

Her long dark hair was down, falling around her thin shoulders perfectly, with a few highlighted strands showing towards the bottom. She was wearing an oversized black t-shirt that frayed at the bottom and a pair of black shimmering pants that wouldn’t look half as good on anyone else.

“Wow, you look amazing,” Cassadee breathed, looking Jess up and down. They sized each other up for a moment before Cassadee held out her hand. “Shall we?”

Jessica took her hand and stepped out of her apartment. She pulled the door shut and made sure it was locked before she followed her date out of her building, grins gracing both of their faces.

This was going to be a night that neither of them forgot.