Your dad shakes his hand and immediately goes into sports talk, because that’s what dads do.
“Hi Ben, you play basketball?” Your dad asks this because Ben’s like six-four.
“No sir. I used to play football, but now I run track,” he replies.
“Oh cool. I bet you’re great at the long jump.” Your dad sounds stupid and you roll your eyes at Ben.
Todd walks past with his earbuds in and gives a wave and says, “What’s up.”
Ben says, “Hey,” and nods. It seems to be a universal guy thing, and you don’t care to introduce Todd to Ben so it’s fine when your brother takes two steps at a time up the stairs and disappears into the black hole that is his room.
“You two going to see a movie?” your mom asks.
“Yes, and then maybe something to eat after, if that’s okay?” Ben asks.
“Sure,” your dad says, then looks at you. “You know the rules, Pea.” And he actually winks at you, which pretty much mortifies you and you go into daughter mode and say, “Daddy!” and everyone laughs and you say, “We’re going now, bye!”
Of course it’s then that your dad decides to take ownership over you and gives you a big hug and a kiss and says, “Be good.”
You grab your purse and your phone, kiss your mom, and say, “I will,” and, “Bye.”
Ben says, “It’s nice to meet you,” and your parents say it to him too. They sound sincere, and it makes you happy to think he’s made a good impression on them, because you don’t want your parents to not like him.
When you’re finally out of your house, you say, “Oh God, I’m sorry about that.”
“Hey, they were fine,” Ben says, laughing.
“They’re probably spying from the front window right now.”
“You think so? They seem nice,” Ben says.
“I guess.”
“Your dad calls you Pea?”
“You caught that?” you ask.
“Yeah. It’s a cute nickname. How’d you get it?”
You smirk. “Long story.”
“Hmm,” he says.
He walks you to the passenger door and opens it for you and you squeal a little inside because this is the first time a guy has ever opened a car door for you and it’s just too much. You catch a whiff of Ben’s cologne and you think, Oh my God, because he smells like Abercrombie & Fitch, but not like how when you walk into the store and get a massive headache, just how if you walk by the store and get a quick whiff of it. A mix of that and soap. Yes, that’s what you think he smells like. Like a little bit of Abercrombie & Fitch, not too much, and good soap. Perfect.
He waits for you to get into the car and then he leans in and you can smell him even more. He says, “Well, nickname or not, you look very pretty.”
He shuts the door and you absolutely want to die.
7
On the way to the movies, Ben plays music from one of your favorite bands, and then some stuff you’ve never heard by some indie guy from Ireland who he said you might like and you do. His car is extremely neat and you’re pretty sure he vacuumed it out especially for you, and these little facts make you feel like you could really, really like Ben—more than you think you already do. You notice that he’s got his hands set on the steering wheel at ten and two, just like you learned in Drivers Ed, and you get a bit giddy thinking he’s a cautious driver, and also, you check out his arm veins again, and that makes you even more giddy. Then you remember how he held your hands as you floated down the Salt River and you get all warm and tingly inside thinking maybe he’ll hold your hand in the theater.
You don’t know how you’re going to survive this date. You’re not even there yet and it already seems too fantastic.
The movie you planned on seeing, a thriller about spies in Italy, is sold out, so you agree to see a different one, a better one, in your opinion, one that you would have chosen, about a quirky college kid trying to beat the system.
Before you go find seats Ben asks if you want some popcorn or candy and you say no.
“Maybe a drink though?” you suggest.
“Wanna share one? They’re pretty big,” he says. You both agree on a Sprite. With two straws.
In the theater, when he leads you to almost the back row, your palms start to sweat and you wonder if he’s that type of guy. Then he asks, “Is this okay? I hate sitting up close because it kills my neck since I’m so tall.”
It makes sense to you, so you say sure.
When you sit, at first you don’t know what to do with your hands, so you keep them in your lap.
You’re with this great guy, and this is pretty much officially your first real date, because even though you and Alex were “dating” for four months, you never really went out on dates, and in the end he was a total jerk. You make yourself stop thinking about Alex, try to focus on what’s happening now. You inhale deeply, and when you do, you smell Ben, and he smells like you already want to commit him to memory.
You’re trying to make sense of the whole experience, and it hasn’t even happened yet. But you’re sure it’s happening.
“You okay?” he asks.
You decide to try honesty.
“This is kind of a first for me,” you say.
“First PG-13 movie?”
This makes you laugh and you’re grateful. He’s got the best smile, and such beautiful straight white teeth, and you’re comfortable enough with him that you give his arm a quick nudge. Plus, you want to touch him.
“I’m a little bit nervous.”
“You don’t have to be. I like you. And it’s just a movie. Look, those guys don’t seem nervous at all.” Ben points to a couple a few rows ahead of you who are making out and you giggle.
“Think it’s their first date?” you ask.
“Doubt it.” He grins and takes a sip of the Sprite.
The theater goes dark and the previews start. People silence their phones and turn their screen lights to Low. You turn your phone to Vibrate; you’re sure no one is going to call you, although Jae might text, and then you see Ben turn his phone completely off. He holds the Sprite out for you. “Want a sip?”
“Sure.”
Halfway through the movie you have to pee. Really bad. There’s no holding it.
“I have to pee,” you whisper to Ben.
He laughs. “Don’t do it here.”
You stand and when you pass him, he touches your leg. “Hurry back,” he says.
When you return, you’re fully aware that he’s moved the soda to his right and lifted the armrest that separated the two of you. You’re nervous and also a little bit excited.
“Did I miss anything good?”
“Nah. He just threw a kegger at the frat he started.”
You sit down and what happens next is perfect. Ben moves closer to you, takes your hand in his, and places his other hand over it. “You doing okay?” he whispers into your ear.
“Yeah,” you whisper. “I’m really good.”
And you mean it.
He makes you good.