"You haven't talked to Nameless all month? Yeah, he's done. He's ghosted you, it's over." Goldie stated. Of course, Goldie had also said that he was being a gentleman and waiting a few dates before he made a move because he was serious about her. So what was the truth?
A day later she decided she wouldn't take ghosting lying down so she sent him a text message:
"So, are you ghosting me or what? Blink once for yes."
His response, albeit a little later, was reassuring. He wanted to meet up next week for sure, he had just had a lot of stuff come down on him at work and he got overwhelmed. She smiled and felt reassured that he had honestly gotten busy and hadn't forgotten about her.
They had picked a bar at the base of her building, so she bragged to him that she'd be able to do a quick stumble home. He was, of course jealous, and gave her a hard time as soon as they met up.
He said he might make the move to the midtown area down the street from her building. Even though it was silly she thought about how much easier it would be to just meet up at the bar in the middle if he was that close. Even sleepovers randomly made it's way to her head, a silly fleeting thought. He hadn't even made a move...as far as she knew, they were still just being friendly.
Their conversation was, as always, easy to fall into. It was as if they had just had their last conversation, even though they talked that it had been since a few weeks before her tonsillectomy that they had even seen each other.
"I'm busy!" He would constantly state, exasperated. With a job 4 hours away on the weekends and going for his graduate degree as well as working a full time job during the week, she honestly believed that he had just been overwhelmed.
After a couple of drinks he slowly went from facing the bar to turning his body around to her. He propped his leg up on her chair, and she rested her arm on his leg.
She couldn't remember how it was brought up, but she mentioned her date the day before with the naive boy and how he was sweet, but was so not for her.
"You date a lot." Nameless said, completely devoid of jealousy or feeling, just stating a fact.
"Not really. Honestly you are the only one who has gotten past a first date in a really long time. You are the only person I date regularly, which is sad considering how often you are unavailable."
"Yeah it is," he said, amused at first, then thoughtful.
"What about you? Had any eventful dates?" She asked him.
"I don't have time...I've been on a few but..you can see it in their eyes when I tell them how busy I am."
She smiled "I know that look. I get it all the time. Now that I'm not doing theatre anymore I'm a little more available but guys don't really think going out for pho at 11 at night because that's the only time I have to spare is great. They tend to just give up because I'm also so disinterested in them."
He nodded, saying "They are always checked out by the middle of the date. They don't get that what I'm doing is important, and it won't always be like this. In a year I'll be done with my Master's degree and I'll have more time. I'll be more available. But they don't even want to wait for the end of that sentence. You're cool though, you know..."
She interrupted him; "I get it. You are crazy busy. I don't take it personally. I enjoy our time together a lot. Does it suck it isn't more frequent? Sure...but I don't blame you for it. I don't get mad. It is what it is."
"It's so great that you get it." He said. She smiled at him. They fell into a comfortable silence.
"It might be a few weeks before I can meet up again." He said. She smiled and said "I figured."
The energy shifted, and he leaned forward and kissed her right at the bar. He was so gentle and delicate that it took her by surprise. He had talked about his wild rock and roll style past being a musician, so she expected him to feel a little more dangerous.
He pulled away and looked into her eyes. "I could try and make some time next week."
She smiled at him and just simply said "Okay."
He leaned forward and kissed her again.
"Maybe later this week."
Her grin widened and she quipped "Now don't go making promises you can't keep."
"You know I always just keep you out as late as possible so I can spend more time with you. I could never forget about you, I'm just always so busy." He said earnestly.
She smiled at him again and said "I get it."
"It just feels like it's so long in-between when we see each other it's like starting over."
"You don't have to feel like that."
They started talking about Marvel and DC, and she brought up a movie that she hadn't seen yet. He became adamant that she had to see it. He would watch it with her. He was being so adorable about his enthusiasm that she couldn't help herself, and leaned forward and kissed him.
They shut down the bar and spent some time outside talking. They got a few bums asking for their spare change and quickly realized that hanging out in that area wasn't the greatest idea. They kicked around the idea of going to another bar, but he had an early morning. Eventually they parted ways, with him teasing her about getting the "vomit elevator" when she got home, the service elevator with the carpet walls.
She texted him when she got back to her apartment. "Ha, I didn't get the vomit elevator!"
He responded that she'd most likely get it in the morning, then asked her what flavor her lip balm was. She told him she thought that she'd worn peppermint and wild orange that day. He said the orange made sense but he didn't get peppermint. She asked if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
"That I can still taste you...good. Not knowing what flavor it was...puzzling."
"Fair. And Cute. In a nerdy scientist kind of way 😋"
