We’re Going Where?

“I can’t believe this is happening…” A certain man mumbled under his breath.

“Look, I’m not thrilled either.” A husky voice growled back. “Like hell I’d ever want to go on a date with a man, let alone you. Fuck… Let’s just get this shit done and over with.”

The antagonistic duo of Dan and Chloe were currently standing at the entrance of the fabulous Harem Hotel, bashing heads like good ol’ times. Sometime after Dan escaped the clutches of his secretary, who evidently was a fashionista, he begrudgingly donned his new outfit of a classy button-down and slacks and arrived at the predetermined destination. Unfortunately, no amount of foot-dragging could prevent his inevitable return despite his best efforts. His… “date” must have felt the same way judging by her ever-so-affable attitude she was known for. The third person here, however, couldn’t be more different.

“Well, aren’t you two a couple of eager beavers! Y’all ready to enjoy your hard-earned date?” Vanessa clapped as she greeted her beloved cast members.

“Can hardly wait,” Dan responded dryly. “Highlight of my life to go on a date with the person that picked on and bullied anything with hair.”

Chloe’s eye twitched. “Asshole.”

“Dick.”

“Yes, we all know what you’ll bring to the table after your date… Let’s all get along…” Vanessa teased as she slid between the now stammering duo. “Now remember, this is your date, Chloe. You’re in charge of where you go and what you’ll do. No limits!”

Chloe shook her head as she thought for a moment. “Yeah yeah, I got it.”

“Perfect! Then I shall get out of y’alls hair. Need to give you lovebirds some room to fly after all.” The host snickered as a classy black limo rolled up to their location. “Enjoy your evening!”

The two former high school “friends” reluctantly clambered into the spacious car and sat across from one another. Dan could see his companion typing something into a mounted display that she was fiddling with. Their vehicle began moving as soon as she finished typing, confirming Dan’s thoughts. ‘The location, I guess.’

His curiosity needed to be sated. “So… Where is my beautiful date taking little ol’ me on this wonderful evening?”

“Bleh... Don’t call me beautiful. Sounds gross.” The tomboy gestured a hurl. “Don’t make me lose my appetite. I’m actually looking forward to this shit now.”

Dan’s eyebrow raised in confusion. “You’re looking forward to a date with me?”

“Fuck no!” Chloe shouted, some pink on her cheeks going unnoticed. “Talking about the place we’re going.”

“Which is…?”

Chloe smirked. “You’ll see.”

Not a minute after Chloe entered their date's location into the device, the vehicle stopped, and the car doors swung open, signifying that they had arrived at their destination. The first thing Dan noticed after stepping out was an intense odor that could never be confused for anything else for this southern grown boy.

“Barbecue?” The man wondered aloud as he perked up.

“Not just any barbecue, Whitaker. We’re talkin’ THE barbecue.” Chloe rounded on him with unexpected passion over the subject matter. “When she said it was a free all-inclusive date, I knew exactly where we’d be going.”

The tomboy ran up the curb and posed at the restaurant's entrance. “Welcome to the fuckin’ Black & Crackle Roadhouse! The greatest and most expensive barbecue in the south.”

“No shit…” Dan wasn’t the savviest with restaurants outside his local sphere, but even he had heard of the world-famous BCR from various cooking shows and viral videos. He was impressed. Chloe actually picked an excellent place for their… date. And watching her getting all giddy from her idea got Dan to do some dangerous thinking. ‘Huh… She’s almost… cute like this.’

Chloe: +1 VP Impressed her Date

“I ain’t waiting on you to stand there all day to gawk. I’m fuckin’ starving.” The tomboy hurried on inside, leaving Dan alone to readjust his thoughts. ‘Yeah, no, she’s still fucking Stewart.’

Just as Chloe had believed, she was in complete control over what her date detailed. And if Chloe Stewart wanted the VIP treatment, she’d get it. Dan was just along for the ride.

“This is the fucking best.” Chloe sighed between bites of her full slab of ribs and jalapeno cornbread.

Dan couldn’t agree more as he downed his second order of brisket and baked beans. “No kidding. Got to hand it to you, Stewart. Good fucking choice.”

“You’re welcome.” Chloe snorted. “I guess there’s finally something the two of us have in common.”

“Hmph, I suppose so.” Dan agreed before looking up to try to gauge his companion's response. Instead of looking at him, however, he could tell her eyes were glued on a particular TV screen displaying a football game. “A football game this time of year? Is it a re-run?”

“Nah, spring football,” Chloe answered without removing her gaze. “Division Championship round. The winner here plays for the title next week.”

“Huh. I guess I never really paid attention to spring football. Really only the normal season.”

“Eh, don’t blame you.” The former athlete chuckled. “The leagues die and come back like every other year like a shitty boomerang.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that.” He eyed the screen again with more focus but couldn’t determine what the team's logos represented. “So, who’s playing?”

“The most frustrating team to be a fan of.” Chloe paused as a frown formed. “The Atlantica Sentinels.”

Dan’s face lit up. “We have a team?”

“Yup,” Chloe answered while taking another bite of her cornbread.

“Huh, no kidding.” The silence continued briefly while the two watched the Sentinels' drive end in a punt. Then a thought occurred to him as he watched his date. “Why don’t we just go to it?”

Chloe finally broke her gaze in confusion. “Huh?”

“To the game.” Dan smiled. “You know a date doesn’t have to end at a restaurant.”

As the realization kicked into her mind, a smile Dan hadn’t known she could make caused his heart to skip a beat. “Waiter! Get us some to-go trays! With extra brisket and cornbread!”

**********

The atmosphere was electric as Chloe and Dan found themselves in a couple of seats at the football game, their to-go tray of brisket in hand. The two managed to arrive and claim a couple of tickets just before the first quarter ended, thanks to the whole “reality-warping super limo” they had. It even let them pick and choose their seats despite the packed game, which was incredibly convenient since Chloe insisted on having seats in the 10th row on the 50-yard line. It wasn’t close enough to smell their hometown team's sweat but pretty damn close.

“LET’S FUCKING GO!!! FIRST FUCKING DOWN!” Chloe was practically bouncing in her seat with excitement. “KICK THEIR ASS DAWSON! WOOOOOO!!!”

As the refs took the time to move the chains, Dan took a moment to ask about their choice of seat. “So what made you pick these seats? Figured with unlimited choices, you’d go for a managers box or something.”

Chloe scoffed at the idea. “You kidding me? Fuck that. Anywhere from the 10th to the 20th row is perfect. We can practically hear the dudes slam into each other and get a good view from being center. Plus, nothing beats the vibe.”

Almost on cue, the Sentinels got another first down with a flawless run to the outside, eliciting another burst of energy from the crowd. Dan couldn't help but admire Chloe's passion for the game. He found himself drawn to watching her as she cheered and yelled at the players on the field. It helped that she even picked up a jersey from a random stand that she quickly realized was way too small for her though she didn’t care enough to get a new one. Dan didn’t mind one bit.

The girl was a firecracker, exploding in emotion every play. From cheering on the Sentinels to heckling the opponents, the Appalachian Cougars. It seemed like the only time she wasn’t yelling was when she took a quick bite of their shared brisket. One thing Dan noticed, though, was that despite ups and downs, the tomboy never once lost her smile. It was infectious.

As the game progressed, the Sentinels and the Cougars were neck and neck. Every time one team scored, the other quickly caught back up. They were trading blows for blows, and now it was the fourth quarter with only a minute left on the clock. The Sentinels were down by three points, but they had the ball. Chloe was on the edge of her seat, yelling at the top of her lungs, with Dan joining her beat for beat. Chloe practically shook with excitement and nerves while gripping Dan for support for the hundredth time this game. The action caught Dan off guard at first due to the sudden contact, but he was okay with it. Though she never once commented on it.

“C’mon, C’mon, C’mon!” Chloe chanted to reassure herself, her grip on Dan getting tighter as she prayed. “Just keep moving down the field. At least get within field goal range…”

The former football star’s prayers were answered when a fantastic opportunity opened up, allowing the Sentinels to get within field goal range and even close enough to enter the red zone. They had a fresh first down, but their options were limited, especially with so little time. They had to call a timeout to come up with a decision.

“Oh fuck… We can win this here with a touchdown.” She eyed the game clock with only 20 seconds left. “But it would be stupid not to go for a safe field goal. Fuck!”

Dan winced as her grip threatened to rip his shoulder off. Just as he was about to tell her off, he realized how nervous she was based on her shaking. For some reason, he didn’t like to see her like this. Breathing in, Dan chose to endure the pain momentarily and rally her instead. “Don’t worry. We got this. I say go for the touchdown. Go for the win.”

Chloe’s shaking stopped as she looked him in the eyes. Her nervous smile grew dazzling once again. “You’re right, Whitaker. Fuck it. GO FOR THE FUCKING WIN!”

What happened next felt like a miracle out of a movie. Out of every scream in that stadium, it was as if Chloe’s alone reinvigorated and inspired the tired team on the cusp of victory. They could see one coach argue to have his special teams come out for the field goal, but the Offense refused to relent. Dan could see the passion in their eyes.

“We can win this here and now!” He thought he heard them argue. Then, despite the odds, it was the Head Coach who relented. It didn’t make sense. Tying the game and going into overtime was the safe option. The players decided to go for the win. Chloe squealed as the Quarterback retook the field.

The play began. The Sentinels quarterback scanned the field, looking for an open receiver. He saw his favorite wide receiver streaking toward the end zone. With a split second to decide, the quarterback threw the ball, praying his aim was true.

Chloe’s breath stopped as the ball flew through the air, spiraling toward the end zone. The wide receiver leaped up, stretching his arms as far as they could. The ball landed perfectly in his hands, and he clutched it tightly as he descended to the ground.

The stadium exploded as the miracle came true. The Atlantica Sentinels just won their first Divisional Championship.

The couple lept into the air as everyone around them erupted in celebration. People hugged, kissed, cried, and laughed as the underdog finally came out on top. Chloe was no exception as she abruptly spun her date around, high-fived, and then crushed him in a hug. It was like, for a moment, their past didn’t matter. They were just two fans who watched their sports team win a fantastic game.

“We fucking won!” Chloe screamed into his chest while he held her tightly in return.

“Fuck yeah, we did.” He yelled back, uncaring of just how back-breakingly tight the hug was getting. Fortunately, she soon released him and returned to high-fiving the others around them, completely unaware of how intimate they had been moments ago. The high didn’t stop there. For the rest of their trip back to the hotel, the girl was animated in a way that Dan had never seen her before. The two shared their favorite moments and talked non-stop the entire way.

“Great fuckin’ idea on going to the game.” Chloe complimented as the two rested briefly in the limo back to the hotel. “I didn’t even think about it, but holy shit, that was fun.”

“Gotta give you some credit. Wouldn’t have thought about it if you weren’t discussing it over that awesome BBQ.” Dan said as he sunk into the comfy leather seat.

Chloe laughed. “Ha, fine, I’ll take all the credit then.”

“Hmmm.” Dan rubbed his chin. “How about 50/50? Final offer.”

“Aight, deal.” She chuckled.

The rest of the trip continued with some brief small talk, but it wasn’t until the two reached the elevator and headed up to his penthouse that it sunk in for Dan. Chloe, the person he hated the most in high school, just took him on one of the most memorable and remarkable dates he’s ever been on. She was electric, passionate, and most surprisingly fun. It was honestly like she was a completely different person from the guy he remembered. He looked at her for a moment for maybe the first time in a new light.

“What?” She asked as she caught his eye. “What’s with the face? I got something on me?”

“Nah. You’re good.” His heartbeat quickened for a second when she looked at him. ‘There’s no fucking way.’

She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Whatever you say, Whitaker.”

As the elevator doors opened to his penthouse, Dan quickly addressed the new elephant in the room. “So, uh, yeah, I guess we have to share my bed tonight, huh?”

“Shit… I actually forgot for a moment.” Chloe grimaced. “Can’t I just take a couch or something?”

“Nope!” The ethereal voice of Vanessa popped into their heads. “Gotta share the bed. That’s the rule!”

Dan winced as his date groaned. “Fuck… Fine. What do I do for sleepwear?”

“Don’t you usually sleep naked?” They could practically feel the smirk in her voice.

Chloe’s face reddened instantly. “Like hell am I going to be naked around him!”

“Maybe you could ask your handsome date then?”

She let out a defeated groan and turned to her partner. “You got any plain shirts or something… You’re not that much bigger than me.”

“Yeah, I got you.” Dan chuckled internally, leading her into his bedroom and pulling out a plain white tee. “You can change in- woah.”

Back when he had the opportunity to check her out and soak in her toned and sexy body at the beach, Dan had that mental block of associating her with her former self. But now, things were totally different after seeing her in a new light. Before he could instruct her on where to change, the tomboy was already halfway through taking off her shirt and shorts. The girl was wearing rather simple sports bra and panties, but it didn’t detract from her attractiveness one bit. Though she was still shorter than him, with muscles and curves like that, it was like she was an Amazon.

She was hot. Way too fucking hot. His penis agreed.

“Hmm? What you’d say?” The tomboy asked as she reached out and grabbed the offered shirt. How she was oblivious to the growing python in Dan’s trousers was a miracle. She grasped her bra before mumbling. “Girls usually take this shit off for bed, right?”

Dan quickly turned around in an attempt to hide his growing erection. “Uh yeah… I guess.”

“Thank God, this shit is way too tight.” Although he couldn’t see it, Dan could practically hear the sports bra being peeled off his companion’s prestigious chest. “Christ, that’s so much better! I can fucking breathe again. Fuck bras. Hm? You good over there?”

“Yep! Just picking out something to wear myself.” He quickly searched through a drawer and pulled out another T-shirt, taking his time to calm himself. “Here we go.”

Chloe shrugged and walked towards the tremendously big bed. “Shit, they really want you to be able to fit everyone on this, huh? Aight, I guess I’ll just take this side then, yeah?”

“Works for me,” Dan spoke as he began stripping himself down. He just prayed that by the time he finished, his boner would have receded a tad. Once his slacks and dress shirt were off, he turned to throw on his shirt of choice for the evening, despite usually sleeping in just his underwear. It just felt more “appropriate,” considering the circumstances. Before he could put on his new shirt, however, he heard a faint gasp coming from his bed.

“Hmm? You okay?” He turned to investigate, but what he saw only confused him more. On his bed was the now braless form of Chloe staring up at him slackjawed. Even from his place on the other side of the room, he could see her face growing atomic red while her eyes darted up and down his chest. ‘Is… Is she checking me out!?’

“Nothing! It’s nothing! I uh…. just didn’t know you worked out! Thought a total nerd like you was just all talk. Hahaha.” Chloe quickly tried to deflect while sheepishly laughing away. ‘What the fuck is wrong with me!? I… I like muscles but on girls! I’m not fucking gay! Why the fuck is he so…!’

“Uhm yeah.” Dan scratched the back of his head as he always does when flustered. “I uh like working out. Me and Tori try to go as much as we can.”

“Great! Uh... Good! Maybe I could… uh… work out with you guys sometime. Give you pointers, you know?” Her heart was beating a mile a minute. ‘What the fuck am I saying? Just shut the fuck up!’

Dan smiled wryly back as he finally threw on his shirt. “Sure… Sounds great. I’ll uh take you up on that. Sometime.”

“Great! Uhm Okay. Goodnight!” The girl launched herself under the covers with that final statement. ‘What the fuck!?’

“Good night then.” Dan crawled under the covers on the opposite side of the bed, his own heart thundering in his chest.

It would be a while before either of the young adults finally fell asleep due to one incredulous thought repeating itself inside the unlikely couple.

‘‘Why the fuck is he/she so hot!?’’

**********

AN: First date complete! Hope y'all didn't mind the football bit, felt like it was a great opportunity to bring a couple of folks together who could bond over a shared interest. Coincidentally the Championship for the XFL is next weekend, which like Dan, I've never really cared for. Maybe I'll actually watch it. Probably not lol. Anywho thanks for reading, see y'all next time! Toodaloo!