She sighed and smoothed her shirt again. Again she sighed. The clock read 6:50.
“God it’s only 6:50?” she moaned.
“Don’t worry. Just don’t look at the clock,” Claire said automatically. She had repeated that phrase for over a half hour now, and she was getting to the point where it just came out of her mouth.
“That’s easy for you to say,” Jessica grumbled. “You’re not the one who’s waiting.”
Jada rolled her eyes. “Just don’t worry about it. It’ll be fine.”
Jessica looked down at her clothes. She wore tight brown pleather flares and a short tie died brown tank top to match. Her black hair was twisted up and pinned with a brown barrette. The make up was done lightly, for that was the way Jessica was. Plus she wouldn’t let them put more than that on her. On her feet were brown boots. “God are you sure this is ok?”
Kate rolled her blue eyes. “It’s GREAT. Now stop complaining ok?”
Jessica let out a breath of air. “I hope. I mean, he DID say to dress casual and this is casual, isn’t it? I mean, they’re just boots and…”
The rest of them rolled their eyes and blocked out her rambling.
By the time she was done, the doorbell rang.
“See?” Ally asked. “All you had to do was take your attention off the clock.”
Jessica froze and started muttering a prayer under her breath.
“God you don’t have to PRAY to get through this date,” Claire exclaimed. “Now COME ON. Lance is kinda waiting?”
Jessica wiped off her palms and yelled that she was coming downstairs to the living room, where her parents and Lance would be waiting.
She stood up and walked to the door. Then she turned around. “Aren’t you guys coming?”
They shook their heads.
“Some friends you are,” she muttered, then she went slowly down the stairs. She stopped mid-step when she saw Lance and her parents. They were laughing. Her eyes widened. Never had a date of hers made her parents laugh. “Miracle worker.”
Her brain told her to keep going, but she stayed put, her eyes still on Lance. For some reason, he looked oddly different. He was wearing a slightly tight, sky blue long sleeved shirt that brought out his arms and chest. Then he wore a pair of jeans. Jessica shook her head of her strange thoughts, and continued down the stairs. She cleared her throat to make her presence known.
They looked up at her, hearing her. Her parents smiled.
“Honey why didn’t you TELL us that this young man was so interesting?” her dad asked.
“I…I don’t know?”
“Well you should’ve,” her mother said. “He should come back more often.”
Lance blushed.
“Um, c’mon Lance,” she said, saying the first thing that came to mind. “We’re gonna be late.”
Lance jumped to his feet and held out his arm.
Jessica smiled and took it. With that they went to the door in silence.
Arianna smiled at her husband. “I can tell this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
Mark laughed. “True Ari. Very true.”
*-*-*
She put on her seatbelt and looked at Lance. “So where are we going?”
Lance only smiled. “If I told you it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?”
Jessica smiled despite her growing curiosity. “Fine.”
She turned and looked out the window, watching the landscape pass by, trying to find out where they were going by finding distinct areas.
Lance looked over at her and knew instantly what she was doing. He shook his head and grabbed a handkerchief with one hand. When they stopped at the stoplight, he took his chance to cover her eyes.
“Hey!” she protested, darkness coming to her sight.
“Don’t even try it,” Lance warned.
With a pout she leaned against the back of the seat and crossed her arms with a ‘humph’.
Lance smiled at her cuteness. Then he pressed the gas pedal and drove onward to their destination.
*-*-*
“We’re here,” he said softly.
“Can I take the blindfold off yet?” she whined.
Lance laughed. “Not yet.”
She groaned. “Please?”
“No. Now hurry up. The sooner we get there, the sooner you can take that thing off.”
With that in mind she got out of the car quickly, ignoring Lance’s laughter.
Lance took her hand lightly in his and started leading her over to the spot. She stumbled slightly, but she didn’t fall.
Her heart beat faster when his hand gripped tighter on hers. It felt strange, him holding her hand, and it scared her.
“Are we there yet?” Jessica asked.
“Just about there…”
After about 10 more seconds he said, “You can take it off now.”
Without hesitation she took off the blindfold with her free hand. She kept her other hand in Lance’s. Then she gasped. Her eyes wandered the enormous field. The fence that surrounded it was covered with white Christmas lights, as were the few trees. In the middle was a tree with red Christmas lights and candles.
“Oh my god,” was all she could say.
“Do you like it?” Lance asked.
After a few attempts, she managed to say, “It’s beautiful Lance.”
Lance held back his sigh of relief. “That’s good.”
Jessica smiled and turned to him. “So…there’s a gorgeous landscape…but…where’s the action?”
Lance grinned. “C’mon.”
He went forward and pulled her along.
The walked that direction for about 2 minutes before she could see a building in the distance.
“Is that-”
“Sh.”
She remained silent as they neared the long building. Now she could see that there were 2 sides separated by a hall. The building was made of wearing gray planks of wood.
Lance remained the leader as they turned into the mysterious structure.
Jessica’s brown eyes widened. “Whoa.”
He smiled and led her down the long hallway, waiting to reach the right door.
She looked around in awe. “All of these-?”
“Yup. Ours.”
Finally, he got to the right door. He reached inside. “Hey Beauty. How are you?”
Jessica watched in amazement as he talked to the black horse. Beauty seemed to be responding, only with her eyes.
At last, Lance looked back at her. “Jessica, I’d like you to meet Beauty.”
She neared the horse cautiously, scared that it would bite her or something.
“It’s ok Jessica. She won’t bite.”
Jessica looked back at Lance in wonderment. ‘How’d he know?’ Then she looked back at Beauty. She stuttered, “H-hi.”
Beauty snorted and dropped her muzzle to Jessica’s shoulder, who, with frightened eyes, watched her from the corner of her eye. Lance stood and watched. Then Beauty raised her head and whinnied.
Lance smiled. “She likes you.”
Jessica slumped her shoulders in relief. “Oh my god that was scary.”
He shook his head. “C’mon. I’m gonna let her out.”
“Out? As in not inside the box?”
Lance laughed. “Exactly. Now that we’ve grasped that concept, move a little.”
She nodded and moved over to the side.
Lance opened the door and Beauty came out, trotting slowly. Then he closed the door. “Stay,” he said firmly.
Beauty responded my stomping with one hoof. Then Lance turned and left down the hallway. That left Beauty and Jessica alone.
Jessica let out a sigh. “Man this is gonna be a long night.”
Lance came back and harnessed the horse skillfully. Then he secured the saddle. Next, he held out his hand. She took it.
“Get on.”
Her eyes widened. “WHAT?”
“We’re gonna ride.”
She shook her head. “No.”
Lance stared at her, confused. “Why not?”
“I’m scared of heights.”
He laughed. “It’s only 5 feet.”
“To you.” Jessica backed away.
“How ‘bout this.” Lance grabbed the harness. “I’ll get on. Then you get on. We’ll ride, and that way, you won’t have a problem.”
After some thought, she finally agreed. Lance got up onto the horse and held out his hand. Shakily, she got on behind him.
“You ready?” he asked, looking behind him for a moment.
She nodded, so he nudged Beauty with his feet, and she trotted out. Jessica screamed and hugged Lance’s middle. Lance laughed.
“I thought you said you were ready.”
“Now I don’t think I am,” she said, her voice muffled by his shirt.
“C’mon. It’s not that fast,” he tried to coax.
She regained her regular heartbeat and tried to look up from Lance’s shirt. She caught glimpses of the scenery, and her mind eased. Jessica lifted her head higher, and felt the coolness of the wind in her face. She sighed.
“See? It isn’t so bad,” Lance said.
“Maybe not.”
*-*-*
“Are you ok?” Lance asked again, hiding his smile.
She rubbed her backside once more. “Yeeah. I think so. But I think my butt’s dented.”
Lance laughed. “C’mon Jessica. It’s not that bad.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah. And swimming with piranha’s isn’t dangerous.”
He shook his head.
“Is it time for dinner yet?” she asked, sitting down on a bale of hay.
“Yeah. Hang on a sec.”
He went up ahead and pressed a button on the wall. Then he came back. “Now we can unsaddle Beauty.”
“That’s all?” she asked. Then she looked at the horse. “Cool.”
She got up to her feet and watched Lance unbuckle one side of the saddle. “Can I try?”
Lance smiled. “Sure.”
He got on the other side with her and watched her slowly unbuckle the saddle.
“No you gotta do this one first,” he said, reaching over to point to another buckle.
For one instant, their fingers made contact, and they paused for a second before resuming. At last she did it, and they put Beauty back into the stall.
“God I’m starving,” she said, walking to the end of the corridor.
“You’re not the only one.”
They reached his house and he opened the door for her.
“Thanks,” she smiled.
“No problem.”
She went inside and immediately got swept up in the sweet smell of…food. “Ooh that smells soo good.”
Lance smirked and followed after her.
“Oh my god!” she squealed, looking around.
On the floor was a large red blanket with food piled on top of it.
“This is so cool! I haven’t had a picnic in forever,” Jessica laughed, sitting down on the blanket.
Lance laughed at her childlike behavior and sat down beside her.
Quickly, she piled food on her plate and began eating it. “This is so good.”
“I have NEVER seen anyone eat like that,” Lance laughed.
“That’s because you’ve never met anyone like me.”
“God knows I haven’t.”
Jessica laughed, then she stopped and smiled. “I didn’t know you were like this.”
“Like what?” he asked, interested.
“Like…I dunno. Sweet and funny. I just never saw you like that,” she said softly.
“You never got to know me.”
Before she lost the nerve, she said, “I’m glad I did.”
Lance smiled. “Me too.”