I watched the waitress flee from the table like we were both lepers. I would too, judging by how awkward my date and I are. For the first 10 minutes, we exchanged glances over our menus. He was starting to creep me out. Why did mom set me up with him? I told her never to set my up with her friends sons. I guess I will make the conversation then.
“So, you’re in college, right?” He nodded. “What are you studying?”
“Oh, I’m majoring in nursing,”
So close!
“That’s cool. I’m going into teaching. I want to be a middle school teacher. I’ve always wanted to,” I was making such good conversation. After all, I’m so good at it. Just kidding.
“Yeah. My mom and dad were both in medicine. I guess it was just required for me to be a nurse,” He said with a smile. I could tell he really liked nursing.
“Here, you are!” the waitress said, attention catchingly loud. She was wearing the regular waitress couture of half of an apron over black pants and a red shirt. She had buttons all over the apron. That was the least attractive. “Do you two need anything else? Good? Good!”

We spent the rest of the date in silence except for the occasional question, from me. I wasn’t happy about that. I couldn’t think of anything to say to this boring sack of bones. He drove me home, as awkward as that was. We pulled up to the street in front of my apartment building.
“Goodnight,” I said with a very pitying tone.
“‘Night,” he said, checking his phone.
I could not wait to forget this one. Much like all of the dates I’ve had in the last 6 months.
“Part of your world!” I screamed while watching The Little Mermaid. It was my favorite movie when I was younger. The lyrics to all the songs are still engraved in my mind. I would watch it and my mom would go, “If a girl can get a husband by being mute, dye my hair and call me Ariel,” Mom and I grew up together. She put me through school by herself, she saved up her money so I could go to college. Dad wasn’t around to help. He was on the west coast doing something, Mom never told me.

“Now, Charlotte. Remember that you need to find a good boy. One who is a doctor and who loves you,” These were the deceiving words my mother told me. From my childhood, I’ve had the idea that the only way to make my mom really proud would to get a husband as soon as I was 18. I have since turned 24 and felt my mom shove me out of my dating bubble. That bubble would be dating guys I knew from my classes.

I went for a lovely walk on the next day. I had my dog, Sanchez, with me. I love walking and running with my dog, but I was still feeling crummy from that disaster date that wasn’t. Just a walk. I started going into parts of the city I hadn’t been to in a while. Central Park and all. Adventure is out there and I’m going to find it.
Suddenly, Sanchez runs off to a man with a dog. It was typical for Sanchez to do that. I ran over to the man, apologizing for my dog. Then I looked up and saw him. Really saw him. He was blonde with waves, all through his hair. He had stone colored eyes and a chocolate chip smile.
“Oh, Hi. I’m sorry, Sanchez ran off while I was just standing there,” I tried to make my voice calm and flirty.
“That’s fine,” he said this with a chuckle that ran away with my heart. “That’s a cool name, Sanchez. I’m gonna steal that,”
“Well, as long as it’s ok with him,”
What was I thinking? Why did that cross my mind and why did I say it?
“Ha ha yeah. My little dog’s name is Jeremy. I stick to human names when naming my pets, I’m not sure why,” He said with a smirk. I made sure to laugh up a storm on this joke.
“Oh and what’s your name?” he asked. “We’ve exchanged our dogs’ names. Time for ours. I’m Princeton,”
“I’m Charlotte,” I smiled for what seemed like a hour long pause in time.
“Oh, excuse me! I have to check my phone real quick. I have a grooming appointment for Sanchez, actually,” I had time, I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t awkward.
“Hey, this may sound a bit forward, but there is a really cool restaurant that I’ve wanted to try for some time. Would you like to go with me?” The smile on his face reminded me of a bashful 8th grader who asked me to the dance. This was very different, though.
“Oh, thats not forward at all,” I could not stop smiling. “Yes, I’ll go, defiantly”
“Awesome. Can I have your number so I can text you the details?”
We exchanged numbers and I went on my merry way. I was very merry.
“Thank you, Char,” he said. Just the way he said that made me close to him. Like we’ve known each other forever.
“You’re welcome Princeton”

After a night of texting, I woke up the next day feeling so jovial that I had to go for a run to calm down. Princeton and I were going to a little french place in SoHo, a little expensive and foodie for my taste but I would go anywhere if he asked me. I never had french food growing up so now is a good time to try it.
As I was running, I saw and heard so many beautiful things. A new mom and dad pushing a baby in a tiny stroller, an elderly couple sitting on a bench and eating churros, and a man and a women walking and holding hands. Then I saw the man. He had wavy blonde hair and a chocolate chip smile. But this time, he also had snake eyes that filled me with anger. It was Princeton! How dare he? How could he do that to me? Now I really have to get to him. To yell and scream at him.
“Hello Princeton,” I spit across the sidewalk. He looked so juvenile, like I had caught him with gum in middle school.
“Charlotte! Hi, what’re you doing here?” he asked. The girl next to him looked surprised and lost. Like she had stumbled into a mental hospital.
“I just wanted to take a walk. I was drowsy from staying up so late and texting my boyfriend, whom I thought I could trust,” I could feel my face get warm. But from embarrassment, not anger like it should’ve been.
“Don’t talk to me again, Princeton!” I ran away from that place.
I ran away from the beautiful and glorious day I was having. I went back to my dog. I could smell the tears coming. I could smell the salt water about to surge from my eyes. I was so ready to go and tell everyone. My mom, my friends, they all would’ve been so happy for me. But at least I fought against him and is deceit. I stood up to him. I overcame him and I can do it again.