text: She woke up too late, like usual. Not even the construction across the street could wake her before ten, giving her less time than she wanted to get ready. Whatever, she thought, I just need to look presentable, not as if I'm trying to impress anyone. It was a first date, which she agreed to more out of a sense of obligation than enthusiasm. It had been several months since she'd gone out with anyone. Thankfully her mother hadn't bothered her for a while about the whole grandkids bullshit, but seeing Elise with her new boyfriend/friend-with-benefits/whatever got her feeling surprisingly a bit jealous. She knows that the guy has to give good head or *something* for her to be with a guy like that. He's always wearing those stupid hats and checking the price on Bitcoin, like he's expecting to be a millionaire any second now. Not that she could judge, as she too was willing to put up with a mild amount of douchery to be able to get off and feel the warmth of someone else next to her, rather than just the glow of a fanfic-filled laptop screen and the fear that she was loud enough this time that her roommate *definitely* heard her. Oh and I guess falling in love or something would be cool too. The guy seemed nice enough from his messages, she thought as she washed her hair and got ready. Then again the bar for that is just above "hey sexi" and "whats ur snap". And even if he can hold a conversation like an adult there was no guarantee he wouldn't start some unhinged rant about how his ex was a bitch or how the homeless should all get shipped off to Mars or whatever. He had a cat, which at least probably shows he can take care of a living thing, and there were no dead fish or shirtless mirror selfies in his profile. So hey, how bad can he be. He lived out in Jamaica Plain, so he suggested they meet in the public garden for a picnic. It sounded so sweet and old-fashioned she was honestly a bit excited about it. She threw on a sundress and a big floppy hat and started her way toward the train station, holding a bag of snacks in one hand and using the other to brace her hat against the wind blowing down Comm Ave. I may freeze my tits off, she thought, but at least I'll look cute. Elise told her all men go nuts for sundresses for some reason. She waited idly on the bridge over the pond, watching a tourist family riding in one of the swan boats pass under her. The sound of a violin player drifted over from the other side of the bridge. He showed up a couple minutes late, carrying a large picnic basket. He looked just as unremarkable as his pictures, wearing a North Face and jeans. He gestured toward one end of the pond past the weeping willows, saying he had a spot picked out. His voice was deeper than she imagined, and he slowed to toss a dollar in the violin player's case as they passed. Probably just to impress me, she thought. But she couldn't help but mentally give him a point in the "maybe not an asshole" column. He spread out the red and white blanket as squirrels scurried around, and for a moment she felt like a Victorian maiden being courted by a young gentleman. He immediately brought her back to Earth by asking if she saw Black Widow yet. She did mention liking Marvel on her profile so it's her own fault, but he probably just watched it for ScarJo's ass. She did think she already caught him sneaking a look at her own, not that she was particularly surprised. Sweet, dorky men are still men after all. He unpacked the sandwiches and drinks he brought, and casually mentioned he brought a thermos with homemade cocktails and a tiny box of moscato in case she wants any. Damn, she thought, this guy is good. The conversation was nothing special though, mostly chatting about school and hobbies. He likes the typical guy stuff like videogames and craft beer, but he also knows how to sail which is cool. They were laying down next to each other at this point after finishing their sandwiches, the sun filtering through the wind-blown leaves of the tree above them. She was daydreaming about them slowly gliding up the Charles River in a small sailboat when she looked over at him. He's more handsome than his pictures, she thought. His lips looked so soft she found herself wanting to kiss him right there, and it probably wasn't just the wine talking. He deftly avoided any red-flag conversations, and other than talking about IPA's for a bit too long she had no complaints. They gathered up the picnic supplies before walking around the common and talking for a little while. A long while actually; she realized with a start that it had somehow been five hours since they met up. Well, she thought, I guess that's a pretty good sign. They said their goodbyes by the entrance to the green line, the air getting chillier now that the sun had passed behind the buildings across the common. He went for a hug instead of a kiss, which she wasn't sure to take as lacking confidence or just being polite and cautious. Either way, she found herself smiling on the train ride back thinking about the way he looked at her when he complimented her dress. She awoke to a text he sent late at night after she went to bed. "Hey I had a great time! Down to do something again next weekend, maybe dinner? If not, no worries." There's that lack of confidence again with that last part, she thought. Men with self-esteem issues are so much work to date, she may as well leave him hanging for a bit longer to make sure he doesn't instantly accuse her of ghosting and call her a dumb bitch or something. She threw her phone on the bed and got up to make breakfast, before rolling her eyes at herself and picking it back up. "Yeah, dinner sounds great.