Olivia MacLeod is very, very nervous. It’s the first time she’s going on a date since him and she’s wondering if this one is going to be the same way. She hopes not.

Jasper Callaghan is still at his apartment, buttoning up his shirt and trying to get his messy, curly hair to hold some sort of style (spoiler alert: it won’t). As he slips on his beat-up old Converse, he can’t help but wonder if this date will be like the one before it, and the one before that… He just hopes he has the grit to get through the night.

At the small cafe where they agreed to meet, Olivia sits down at the table. She’s worried he’s not going to show; the waitress pouring her water picks up on it.

“Nervous about the date?” she inquires. Olivia nods, taking a sip from her glass.
The string of bells on the door chimes and he walks in. He slides in across from her and flashes a big smile full of white teeth at her.
“Hi. I’m Calder.”
“‘M ‘Livia,” she mumbles.
“Excuse me?” he asks, not unkindly.
“My name is Olivia.”

His phone chimes and he picks it up, making a face. “Sorry,” he says. “I have to take this.” A whispered, concise conversation is held, and he sits down, apologizing again.

As he begins to tell her about himself, another couple comes in the door. Though they are clearly together, they appear distant. Olivia doesn’t really hear Calder as she observes the other couple.

The girl - Olivia guesses she’s around her own age, 19 - is a petite blonde with pink dip-dyed ends. She’s wearing a little too much makeup for Olivia’s own liking, but she’s definitely not ugly. The boy, who Olivia assumes is a bit older than herself, has messy, curly hair and a smile to die for, looks completely focused on what his girl is saying, which reminds Olivia that she should probably be listening to Calder.

“- And so we were, like, already halfway up the mountain-” He’s again cut off by the irritating bzzbzz of his phone. He shoots an apologetic glance and Olivia, and she shrugs, choosing to continue watching the couple across the floor.

He’s beginning to look agitated; she’s typing away on her cell phone, not giving him any attention at all. He runs his hands through his hair and sighs loudly, loudly enough that Olivia can hear it just as much as she can see it.
Though she is across the room, she can easily pick up on his next words. “Look, Sophia, if you don’t care, you can just go. Okay? Really, I don’t mind. This is clearly wasting your time.”

Shock register’s on the girl’s - Sophia’s - face, and her mouth screws up and her nose scrunches.
“Fine, Jasper. Fine. But if you want me to leave now, I hope you know that I’m never coming back.”
It’s all a bit dramatic, Olivia thinks, as Sophia pulls up her hood and struts out of the restaurant. The boy - Jasper - stays seated, staring at his empty plate. Calder sits down in front of Olivia, regaining her attention.
“Sorry,” he says, not sounding sorry at all. Olivia sighs. If Jasper can do it, she can too.

“Calder,” she begins. “If you’re busy, I get it. It’s fine, you can go.”
He looks rather shocked. “Alright,” he says, picking up his jacket, “Thanks.” And strutting out of the place, looking very similar to the way Sophia ran out a few minutes ago, Olivia feels guilty. She hopes Calder wasn’t looking forward to this as much as she was.

Just as the breeze outside slams the door of the café shut, the waitress walks over to Olivia’s table, pity in her eyes.
“What can I get for you, sweetheart? Whatever you want, on the house.” She’s an older woman, with laughter lines etched into her face. Olivia thinks that they’re wonderful, and that they tell a story -- the story of who this person is.

“Can I - Can I get the fried duck please?” The waitress - whose nametag reads “Amelia” - nods.
“Salad or soup with that, hon?” asks Amelia. Olivia pauses.

“Soup, please.” Amelia smiles at her and begins her walk back to the kitchen.

Olivia sits in her seat, twiddling her thumbs as she waits for her meal. As she ponders why she thought that this date was going to be a good idea, someone approaches her table.

She looks up to see the face of the boy who was sitting across the table from her. He speaks shyly, twisting his hand together as a blush creeps up his neck and into his cheeks. “Could I… Could I sit with you, maybe?”
Olivia smiles. “Of course. Did you order yet?” He shakes his head. “Then you can have some of mine. I hope you like duck.”

Olivia herself doesn’t quite understand why she’s being so hospitable and kind to this complete stranger, but deep down she understands. It’s because he’s so pretty, a voice inside her says. It’s because he gave you the confidence to kick Calder out, another echoes.

As Jasper pulls out a chair for himself and sits down, Olivia takes in his appearance. He face is spotted with acne scars and freckles, and his hazel-green eyes are sparkling with hope. His gorgeous golden hair piles on his head and frames his face, making him look even more boyish and angelic. As he begins to speak and introduce himself, Olivia thinks I’ve never been so in love.