Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
LOUISA
My phone buzzes on my desk, the notification says I got a message on the dating app. I hope it’s Sam. I was too nervous to message him first after I cut him off last night and didn’t answer his question.
Sam
What title would you give this chapter in your life?
Last night, I browsed through the Level 2 cards to see if they were too intense to ask Sam. I recognize this as one of them.
Lou
Did you go buy the cards last night?
Sam
No.
I went this morning. I didn’t want you to be doing all the heavy lifting here.
Lou
That’s so cute, Sam.
Sam
Chapter title?
Lou
Oh, right! I would probably call it ‘Learning to let go’. But I’m still in the very beginning of that chapter.
Sam
Learning to let go is a really hard thing.
Anything in particular you’re trying to let go of?
Lou
Nothing specific. I’m a little high-strung, so I’ve been learning to just go with the flow more and let things happen in my life, even if it’s not a part of my plan.
Sam
I think that’s great.
Lou
Thanks, Sam.
Next question. Have you changed your mind about anything recently?
Sam
Dating apps! I was about ready to give up on it. I’m really glad I didn’t.
Aka, I’m glad I matched with you.
Lou
I’m glad B talked me into this and that I stuck with it for a bit. I almost deleted it, because I was meeting more guys in the real world than on here.
Sam
Oh? I find it so hard to make connections organically these days. I also don’t go out very much, so that’s probably it.
Lou
Well, I wouldn’t call them “connections” per se. They were singular interactions, if you know what I mean.
Sam
I catch your drift. I could use an interaction like that. I’m in a bit of a dry spell. (That is not me asking you to hook up; that would be tacky).
Lou
Haha, that would be tacky.
How long is this dry spell you’re in?
Sam
Honestly, I think about a year. I’ve been putting a lot of my energy into work.
Lou
Understandable.
If I’m being completely honest, sex was rare in the last year of my relationship with Jay. He was never in the mood, which made me frustrated and then that also made me not in the mood. It was a negative feedback loop that we never got out of.
Sam and I talked for the rest of the day, going back and forth answering Level 2 questions.
Sam
What is your mother’s name? Tell me one thing about her.
Lou
My mother’s name is Eden, she’s a middle school social studies teacher.
Sam
That must take an incredible amount of patience.
Lou
She is the most patient person I’ve ever met.
Well, maybe tied with my dad. That super power must have skipped a generation because my sister and I have none.
Sam
I don’t know how to respond to that without implicating myself.
Lou
Smart man.
SAM
“How do I ask her out on a date?” I hand Quinn a box of screws and hold the board level.
He grabs a few out and fastens the shelf to the wall. “Just fucking ask, man.”
“We’ve been talking for a week now. If she wanted to go out with me, she probably would have said something by now, right?”
“She’s probably saying the same thing about you, idiot.”
Quinn always makes everything seem so easy. Just because he goes on 2 dates a week doesn’t mean the rest of us have his level of game. But he has a point. Neither Lou nor I have really done this online dating thing before .
“Well, I don’t know the rules.”
He drops the drill down on the counter and turns toward me. “There isn’t a set of rules, Sam. You like the girl, right?”
I nod, a little embarrassed. “Yeah.”
“Then ask the girl on a damn date! The worst she can do is say no.”
I hate when he’s right. “What should I even-“
“Give me your phone!” He grabs me and starts feeling my pockets for my phone. I try pivoting and backing away from him, but he easily corners me in the small bathroom. He eventually gets a hold of it and runs out to the dining room, distancing himself from me on the other side of the table.
“Quinn, don’t you dare!”
“What’s your password? 1234?”
I run around the table, and he maintains the distance.
“Dude, you need to change your password. You’ve clearly never had a nosy girlfriend.”
“Shut up. Give it to me, Quinn. I’m serious.”
LOUISA
“What does one wear on a first date to an apple orchard?”
It’s 6:00pm in London right now, and B is getting ready to go to a work dinner while I get ready for my first date with Sam. I asked her to FaceTime me because I’m freaking out.
“Are you planning to get laid?”
“At the apple orchard? Seriously, B.”
“I meant after, but that would be sexy, too. ”
I roll my eyes at her. “We didn’t talk about hanging out after. We just planned to meet there at 2:00.”
“Invite him over after.”
“Let’s take this one step at a time. What if I don’t like him in person?”
“Who said you had to like him to fuck him? I mean, did you forget about Darrah.”
“Yeah, because that went soooo well.”
She’s off-screen at the moment, but I can hear her cackling in the distance. “You got me there.”
I’ve been waiting for her to come back so I can show her the outfit I picked. “What do you think?”
“I was ready to shut down your first pick, but honestly, Lou, you look damn good! I’ve taught you well.”
“Sure, take all the credit, you brat.”
“Love you!” She blows me a kiss through the phone.
“Alright, I have to go. Have fun at your work dinner.”
“I will! There’s this really cute blonde on their marketing team. I’m going to convince her to take me clubbing after.”
“Good luck.”
“Honey, I don’t need luck tonight; you do.”
She’s right. I really need all the luck I can get. I’ve never gone on a date with someone I met online, and I’ve heard such horror stories. My nerves are through the roof. But if he’s the same way in person as he is online, I think we’ll have a good time. If anything, he may just end up being another friend, which is always good to have.