She Is Beautiful

I stuck with water. I didn't want her to think I just drank all the time, and for God's sake, we were on a first date. If she already knew who I was, she already had an impression of me. I didn't want her to think of me like that. After all, I was nervous. I'd never been nervous on a date before.

She looked absolutely stunning. I'd never seen anyone more beautiful in my life, and she was sitting right across from me. The lights strung along the patio reflected against her maple syrup-colored hair. She glanced around the patio, at other tables or waiting for food or drinks. I wasn't sure, but I didn't care. I liked watching her, in the least creepy way possible. She turned back to me.

"I've never been here," she said. "Has this always been here?"

"Yeah," I said. "I've only been here a couple times, but it's pretty great."

She smiled and took a sip of her wine.

"What do you do?" I asked. "For work?"

"I'm a free-lance photographer," she replied. "Mostly I do weddings and photo shoots for babies and families. Business is slow lately, but sometimes Soraya and I do our own shoots for her charity work."

"Soraya is your friend?"

"Yes, she was the first person I met in L.A., and we connected right away. You and your friends - did you know each other before your band? All of you?"

"Yeah, we all go way back," I said. "We all kind of just met through mutual friends over the years and started messing with music. One thing led to another, and here we are."

"It must be pretty surreal - getting to live out your dreams," said Belle.

She was so incredible, and I wanted to know as much about her as possible. I was already tired of talking about me, but I humored her.

"It really is," I replied. "I wouldn't change it for a second. How did you get into photography?"

"I used it as kind of an outlet for my feelings," she sighed, looking around. "I would try to find beauty in little things, and I wanted to make it last forever. Now I'm trying to give others that same feeling."

I smiled. She tucked her hands under her legs and looked across the table at me. There was a moment of silence before she finally chuckled and shook her head.

"What?" I asked.

"I just don't know how a guy like you ends up on a date with a girl like me," Belle answered.

"To be honest?" I said. "I saw you from all the way across that bar, and I thought you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes on."

She blushed and said, "There's no way."

I held my hand out to her and said, "I don't know if you get asked out often, and I don't know if you've ever been on a date with someone like me. I know that's not stuff people talk about on a first date, and I'm not asking you to tell me. I just want you to know that you're the first woman I've ever been nervous around, and if Dylan hadn't made me talk to you, I don't know if I ever would have gotten the courage to say anything."

She put one of her hands in mine, and I jumped at the touch. Her skin was soft, as I imagined it to be. She put her other hand on her chest and let out what sounded like a cross between a laugh and a snort.

"Um...I don't even know what to say," she said.

"You don't have to say anything," I said.

"Can I just say something?" Belle asked.

"Absolutely."

"I wasn't going to talk to you. And I don't mean that to sound like I didn't want to talk to you. Soraya knew who you were though, and when she told me, I didn't think I could even say anything to you. I don't listen to Hollywood Undead. It's not my scene, but I knew what you were about. And I knew that wasn't me. She made me promise to talk to you, though, so I guess it's good that we both have friends that are looking out for us."

I chuckled and sat back a little in my chair.

"You're not into party dudes?" I said.

"Not anymore," she said as our food approached the table. "But like you said earlier - that's not stuff people talk about on the first date."

She gave me a wink, and my heart skipped a beat. She pulled her hand away, but something in me wanted to pull it back. I could have held it forever. She thanked the waitress as she set the food in front of her, but once again, I was speechless in front of her.

***

I sighed and flopped down on the couch. Almost immediately, my phone rang, and Dylan's name showed up on the caller I.D.

"Funny Money, how's it shaking?" I said.

"Ese, you gonna tell me about this date?" Dylan replied. "I assume since you answered that you're not in her bed?"

"Dyl, she's the most amazing person I've ever met," I said. "I can't fucking believe I was on a date with her."

"You're welcome, by the way," snorted Dylan.

"Man, I can't thank you enough. You're the greatest fucking wingman in the history of everything."

"I know. So, will there be a date number two?"

"I told her to call me soon. I wanted her to feel like she was in control of this, too."

"Yeahhh," Dylan laughed. "Charles P. likes it when the ladies take over."

"Shut the fuck up," I said. "Listen, I'm out for the night. We're all still on for that shit show tomorrow, right?"

Dylan chuckled, "That meeting downtown? Yeah, as far as I know. You get some rest, homie. I'll see you in the A.M."

"Hey, Dyl?" I said.

"Yeah?"

"Seriously, thanks. I couldn't have done this without you."

"Don't fuck with me, Jordon. You're trying to get this girl, you probably shouldn't be talking sweet to me."