First Date

“We need a suggestion for a weird place to bring a date to.”

A sea of shouted suggestions comes from the rest of the crowd as the performer on stage picks one they can work with. You and Cassie are inside a small improv theatre watching the show as your first date.

It wasn’t really an easy transition from talking about something incredibly personal with your daughter in front of her best friend, and then having to ask that same best friend to a romantic night out, but those are just the pitfalls of a weird entangled relationship, you suppose.

Watching an improv show was a pretty good suggestion from Cassie as a first date. You’re still both feeling each other out in this new dynamic you introduced to your already existing relationship, and with how complicated that relationship is already, taking the next step is filled with awkwardness. So it’s nice for both of you just to enjoy something together.

You still can’t believe that that’s what this is though. Stella may have considered what you did last night with Tanya as a date, but it wasn’t really for you. It was more of an escape that just snowballed into a wonderful night thanks to the Affection Multiplier, but you’re not sure if you would consider it a date. You’re not sure if Tanya considered it one either. But this... this is definitely something you and Cassie both consider a date.

The revelation that she’s been in love with you since she was young scares you a bit. It feels like you’re some creepy paedophile who groomed her into liking you, but that’s just you being a downer on yourself again. You know that’s not true. You took care of her like any parent should, but maybe because you took care of her when you really didn’t need to, she misconstrued those feelings. Whatever the psychology that led to this doesn’t really matter though, you tell yourself. She’s attracted to you, and you’re attracted to her. That’s all that should matter now.

The improv performance has taken an intermission and you and Cassie are now sitting next to each other in a theater, not really knowing what to talk about. Thankfully, she starts the conversation, “Are you enjoying the show so far Mr. Craig?”

“I think you can just call me Jay, now, Cassie.” you tell her. She blushes and says, “Right. I guess I’ll have to get used to doing that.” she says with a giggle. “Yeah, I’m enjoying it so far. These guys are great.” you say, answering her question.

A bit of an awkward silence falls between you two, and you have to think of something to break it. “What made you suggest we go watch improv tonight?” you ask her to break the silence.

“Oh, um, you remember that improv show you used to watch on DVD while Stella and I did our homework?” she asks you.

“Oh, ‘Whose Line is it anyway?” you ask her.

“Yeah! I always liked how hard you laughed at that show.” she tells you. “Remember when Stella got so annoyed by your laughter she went down to the stoop and did her homework there?” You both laugh at the memory.

“Of course! I had to sit on that stoop with her until she finished her homework, just in case somebody wanted to kidnap her. I wanted to be there so I could tell the kidnappers she was for sale” you joke, which gets a laugh out of her.

“Next time the performers ask for any volunteers to improv with them, I’ll suggest you. So you can share your comedy to the rest of the audience.” Cassie jokes back.

Just like that, the two of you get rid of the awkwardness together, and remember that the two of you actually do have a preexisting rapport with each other. From here, the two of you become more comfortable and enjoy each other’s company. At one point during the show, yours and Cassie’s hands accidentally touched while trying to place them on the same armrest, and instead of being awkward and shy like before, you just held hands for the rest of the show.

Once the show ended, you both just walked randomly around the city holding hands. You had fun telling Cassie around what time a certain spot closed down, or got bought by a franchise, or became a trendier hipster place, and reminisced about what that spot used to be before she moved out. You eventually make it to a pizza place that serves your favorite slice in the city and decide that that’s what you should have for dinner.

“Based on the number of pizza boxes from this place we had to throw out yesterday, I would’ve thought you’d be sick of them by now.” Cassie jokes.

“Getting sick of Mel’s pizza? Blasphemous.” you joke back.

“I prefer Tony’s” Cassie states, and even though you know she’s baiting you, you still bite.

“Tony’s!? That dump that has cardboard for crust? You’re breaking my heart here” you exaggerate, placing your hand over your heart and acting in fake pain. It causes both of you to laugh.

“Oh, I wouldn’t want that.” she says in a flirty tone. “Tell me how I can mend that broken heart”, she adds while pushing her body onto yours, her chest resting on your arm, while she places a hand on top of your hand that’s over your heart. Her face has gotten a lot closer to yours now. She’s smiling from ear-to-ear, and you’d like to think it’s the happiest you’ve ever seen her.

You look at her lips, just like in your dream, and see how they tempt you to just kiss them for the rest of the night. You move your head a bit closer to hers, and she responds in kind; but before your lips meet, you put your pizza slice to block what could’ve been your first kiss with Cassie and say —

“Take a bite of this and tell me this isn’t the best pizza you’ve ever had.” Cassie gives a giggle and takes a bite.

“This isn’t the best pizza I’ve ever had.” she says in a monotone voice and a straight face, jokingly repeating what you said, but she slowly breaks and starts laughing at her own joke.

‘Yeah. You love this girl.’