Joe walks me to his car. I smile as I hop in.

"First date?" he asks.

I nod. He nods in reply.

"I'm wearing jeans and a shirt and smell like hospital. Okay then," I mutter.

"I don't care," Joe replies like it's kinda obvious.

"Where do you want to go for lunch?" He asks me.

I shrug. Awkward silence. He nods, continuing the awkward silence, slightly aggravating me.

"For real, this time?" he asks, raising his left eyebrow at me.

I nod with a genuine smile. "I haven't been to a lot of places, just choose."

He nods again.

"Good, because I made reservations at Pappasito's."

I nod in reply.

Joe nods as he starts the car. It's not the best looking, but it works pretty well. The car's radio and air conditioning system work extremely well, based on how old the actual car is. He turns the station to 95.7, Denver's pop hits. Honestly, I don't know why we're listening to Denver's pop hits, when we live in Houston, Texas, but that's the least of my problems. I feel like cheering like my problems are gone, but I know that they are just beginning. I know I will have thousands more problems to come, but they're not here.... Yet.... I've just become an in the moment person. I will change forever. My persona has already started to change, without me knowing, ever since I met Joe.

"Alli," he says, "What's your favorite song?"

I look at him and watch him drive, like a stalker, one of Susan's old friends, Patricia.

"Probably....," I start, "Probably anything Taylor Swift. What about you?"

He nods at my choice. "Probably any type of rap, I'm thinking. I also like too many other kinds of songs as well."

I nod in response. "That's cool."

"Why are you so easygoing?" he asks, a little annoyed with me.

"This is getting awkward," I think to myself, biting my lip slightly, trying to contain all of my nervous energy inside my body.

"I was trained not to care about anyone's choices," I reply softly.

"I don't think that's true," he pushes.

"Seriously?" I reply.

Joe raises his eyebrows, making me chuckle slightly.

"I think it's because you have terrible self esteem," he jokes.

I burst into loud lighter, the most I'd ever laughed in three years. I don't know how that happened, or even why. It was just.... There. It's there. It's done. It happened. "True statement."

He laughs at my response.

"That's the first time I've heard you laugh. Like, really laugh," he says, right before he pulls into a parking spot near Pappasito's and opens the door for me. I walk out, feeling like a treated guest. Joe grabs for my hand. I hold his hand tightly, maybe a little too tight, but whatever, right? The weather outside is so hot, I'm melting, I smell like hospital, and we both look like a wreck, but this is it. This is happening. My very first date. If Mom were still alive she'd be fangirling. She'd do my hair real nice, and let me wear some of her stiletto heals that were stored in the back of her closet. She'd make me wear one of her nice, sparkly dresses, and give Joe a bouquet of flowers to give to me and hide it behind my back, just like any normal mother would. Joe would've liked her, or so I think.

"This is it, Mom," I silently say to her, "My first date."

We arrive at the door of the place. I hold the door open for him as he starts to walk in, but then he turns around and takes a step back.

"Alli," he says, "My friend might be stalking me so please, please, please, let me hold the door open for you so that I look like a decent person."

"You are a decent person," I reply, laughing from what Joe had just said, "But if your friend is stalking you, isn't he overhearing this conversation? And you walking in then walking back out?"

"Probably. But please let me hold the door?" he pleads.

I nod and let him hold the door for me as I walk in. He follows me in the restaurant. Joe looks at the waiter and says, "Edwards."

The waiter leads us to our two-seater table on the patio, surrounded by candles. Joe asks for them to be lit, even though it's in the middle of the day, and it's Houston, Texas. The weather is burning hot in the middle of May at noontime. Why on Earth would he light a candle? Oh, Joe. The waiter places the menus on the table then leaves. Joe and I both sit on opposite sides of the table, because it's a two-seater.

"You like?" Joe asks, his voice lower than usual, trying to impress me.

I smile. Then, I nod. "Of course."

The waiter walks to our table and lay a basket full of chips and some salsa onto the table. "What would you like to drink?"

"A Dr. Pepper, please," Joe orders.

"I'll have one too," I order in reply.

The waiter nods and walks away from our table. I take a chip, dip it in red salsa, then take a small nibble out of it. "How did you get the money to do this?" I whisper.

"I work at a job, Alli. I saved money, then my friend gave me a little loan. I found a stash of my mother's old jewels, and maybe thought you would want them?" Joe asks with uncertainty.

"Sure, I can give you a place to stay," I whisper in reply.

"I don't need it," he replies.

I nod, not trying to start a fight. The waiter comes back with the two Dr. Peppers in her hands, laying both of them on the table. "You ready to order?"

"I think we need some time," Joe replies, smiling at the waiter.

The waiter nods and briskly walks away from the table.

"What's your favorite color?" Joe asks.

"Ummm.... Green," I reply, "What's yours?"

"Blue," Joe replies, "Not the typical dark blue, sky blue."

I nod slightly. "What's your favorite plant?"

Joe laughs. "Interesting question. Probably a tree."

"What's your favorite part of the tree?"

"Probably the stump. We should look at the menu."

I nod in reply. I take a look at the menu. I want a burrito, because it's the cheapest option on the menu, and because I don't think I've ever tried one so... Here I am... Making the old decision of trying a burrito. The waiter stops by the table once more. "Are you ready to order?"

"Yes, ma'am," I reply.

Then I realize the waiter is a man. My face turns bright red. "Sir," i correct.

I pause for a moment before speaking again. "I would like a chicken burrito, please."

Joe nods as well. "One beef burrito."

The waiter walks away from the table while nodding at the same time, probably because he is too lazy to do them separately, like most normal people do. He isn't normal. Joe laughs.

"What?" I ask defensively.

"You called him ma'am," he replies, laughing louder than ever before.

I laugh as well. There's a long pause between us. Joe drinks a sip of his drink and eats a chip. I do the same.

"Kennedy and Ellie are probably eating our Chik-Fil-A," he adds in, breaking the awkward silence between us.

I chuckle in response. "You're probably right."

"Let them eat disgusting food," he mutters.

I chuckle in response. "We are so different. Our only similarity is hating Chik-Fil-A."

He chuckles again. "Yep."

"Do you believe in magic?"

"I don't."

"I do."

"I mean I don't and I do."

"Seriously? Joe. Let's just accept our differences. How do u believe and you don't? Oh, whatever."

He laughs again. The food comes. We eat in silence, listening to all the other people talk.

"Please not now," I hear, "please not now."

I instantly reach across the table and tap Joe's shoulder.

"What?" he asks in shock.

"Did you hear, 'please not now'?"

He nods in reply. I got a text.

Laura: is he treating you right
Me: yep

I stop texting instantly.

"Is that Mrs. Clam?" Joe asks, being nosy.

"You mean Laura right?" I ask.

"Yea."

"Please don't call her Mrs. Clam, please."

"Fine." Joe pouts in his seat playfully, causing me to laugh.

I take a big bite of my burrito just as Joe takes a bite of his. It was really yummy.

One hour later...

Joe pays the bill. I push a twenty dollar bill in front of him. He shakes his head. I nod. He hands me back my money.

"Okay, fine," I mutter.

As soon as the waiter takes the cash. Joe pulls me up out of my seat. We walk out of the restaurant. Joe sits on the stump beside the place. "Alli will you sit with me?"

"I'd prefer not to," I reply.

"Please?" he asks.

I shrug and sit on the stump. His ice cold hand brushes against the huge purple bruise on my face. I slightly wince. Joe ignores it, but still looks at me flawlessly. His lips press against mine. I press back. We exchange that long kiss on the stump, then he takes my hand and walks me to the car. He starts the car. "Where do you live?"

"I'll walk."

"Nope. Where do you live?"

"6675 Barnyard Street."

"Okay."

Joe turns on his GPS and takes me to Laura's house. I walk out the door. He follows me. He gives me a quick peck on the lips.

"Love you!" he yells.

"Love you!" I reply.