Take A Breath, Let the Rest Come Easy

He came back to the living room and sat on the end of the couch. Grace blushed at the idea of having a really cute guy in her house. She hadn’t had a relationship since a boy named Tommy whom her mother had set her up with. And that was around two years ago. Alex was different than any boy she had even been friends with. His aura was more relaxed, and he was easy to talk to, and didn’t judge. She was intrigued by his personality, how he had decided to walk her home in the pouring rain.

Alex perched next to her, and took her small foot in his hands. He pressed a bag of ice against the small foot. “It looks a little swollen.” He noted, and looked up at her. She looked away, embarrassed of staring at the boy with caterpillar eyebrows. “You should probably stay off it for a while…” He shrugged, “Drive to work, maybe?”

“No.” Grace quickly shot out with no hesitation. “I won’t drive.” She shook her head. Alex glanced at her sideways.

“Oh.” Alex looked confused. “Don’t have a car?”

She shook her head. “it’s um…” She looked around uncomfortably. “It’s more than that. I just can’t drive.”

Alex studied Grace’s face. “Never learned? Passed the test?”

Grace gulped. “It’s a long story.” She kept her eyes anywhere but Alex’s.

Her hand moved slowly across her shoulder. Her mind reveled back to the memories that still haunted her to this day.

“I’m sorry.” Alex went back to being nervous, again after seeing her discomfort on the subject. “I barely know you.” He moved the ice from her foot. He entertained the thought of taking her to dinner. Yeah, he had just ended a relationship- and he was still torn about it. But something told him he had to ask anyways.

“It’s alright.” Grace muttered, looking down.

“So, do you um…” Alex went back to the scratching his hair method, “Do you maybe want to go out to eat sometime? I know a really great place.” He said looking hopeful.

Grace smiled. The last time she went on a date was with Lauren and her many men. The man ended up being gay. “Sure.” Grace grinned like a child on Christmas. She quickly wiped the smile off her face as to not look too excited. She had to keep him guessing didn’t she?

“Great!” Alex said happily. “Do you um- know like a day or… when are you free?”

Grace took the iphone out of his hands and began to plug in her number.

What are you doing, Grace?

“Thanks.” Alex replied. “I hope your foot feels better.” He smiled, and Grace could feel the blood pumping through her veins.

“Thank you, again.” She smiled. “That was really nice of you.”

“Alright, well… I’ll see you- Ow!” He ran into the side of the chair trying to get to the door. Grace chuckled at his cute awkwardness, and watched him escape to the door. “Bye Pooka! Bye Grace.” He said, and then escaped out the door.

Grace reached from her phone and dialed Lauren’s number. “You’ll never believe this- I have a date!” She squealed. Little did she know Alex was walking up the street on the phone with Jack- saying the exact same thing.