by Billy Taylor
“I don’t know,” Ted replied. He leant to his side and looked past me. “Would it?”
I sighed and realised he had set me up. I turned and faced Emily. “Oh, hey, Emily. How’s it hanging?” I asked. How’s it hanging? Why not just ask her how she is?
“Well, I sat down on them earlier and it really hurt,” she replied.
I frowned, not understanding what she meant. “What hurt, sorry?”
Her innocent blue eyes blinked a couple of times before she said, “My balls.”
I found it really funny, but I just smiled and froze, because it caught me completely off guard. Clearly I wasn’t expecting that response. After a moment or two I laughed and said, “Well, I hope they’re feeling better now.”
She smiled a tight-lipped smile. “They are, thank you.” I could feel my heart beat rising, and I could feel myself backing out of asking her.
“Will would like to ask you out, Emily,” Ted then said. “It was painful watching you struggle,” he said into my ear. I could see his smug smile out of the corner of my eye. I didn’t know what to do or say, so I just stood there and waited to see what she would say.
Her eyes flicked between us a few times and then she brushed back a small piece of her hair that had fallen forward. “How about you give me your number and maybe I’ll text or call you.”
“Excellent. Will, give her a business card,” Ted said, patting my chest. I turned my head and his smug face met my unamused face as I reached into my jacket and retrieved a business card, I always keep a couple on me. Ted snatched it from me and handed it to Emily. “We can stop coming to the cinema to see ridiculous films now. You take care, Emily,” Ted said, forcing me to turn toward the exit.
“My name isn’t Emily,” she quickly replied.
I removed Ted’s arms from my shoulders and turned back to her. “Sorry, I assumed that was your name since it was on your name tag,” I said.
“My name is Zac,” she said, as she examined my business card.
“But that’s a guy’s name,” Ted said.
“Why don’t you go and wait in the car?” I said, removing the keys from my pocket and tossing them to him.
“Fine,” he replied, walking away. I shook my head and then took a step closer to Zac’s stand.
“That’s why I don’t have a name tag with it on. Because everyone asks why I have a guy’s name.”
I nodded. “Well, I’m sure I can hear all about it if I hear from you.”
“Yes you will, Will.” She smirked at the “will, Will” part and covered her mouth to try to prevent me from seeing. I lifted an eyebrow at how funny she found herself. “Sorry,” she mumbled.
I laughed. “That’s ok. I’m gonna go now. I hope to hear from you soon, Zac.” I wanted to stay and talk to her, but I didn’t want her to get into trouble for chatting to me, even though nobody was around.
“Good-bye, Will.”
“Good-bye, Zac.”
January 21st
According to “the rules of waiting for someone to call you,” I had to wait three days before I could presume that Zac wasn’t interested in going on a date with me. And since Monday, I have done nothing but stare at my phone, wishing she would call. And then as I returned to my office from the toilet just before Ted and I were about to leave, my phone started to ring on my desk. Ted and I shared a glance, and then I dove onto my phone to answer it.
“Hello.”
“Hi, Will, it’s Zac. Is now a good time?”
“Oh, hey! Yes, it is. How are you?”
“I’m ok. How are you?”
“I’m good thanks. I’m glad you called.”
“You’re lucky that we met really because the past couple of weeks I’ve taken on extra shifts as someone is away.”
“Oh really? I’m very fortunate then.”
“I guess. Anyway, I thought I’d see if you still wanted to go out?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I was wondering if you wanted to see a film with me tomorrow? It’s the last showing of this film I’ve been meaning to see. I thought you could maybe watch it with me?”
“Yeah, of course, I don’t have any plans. What time does the film start? We can get some food afterwards as well if you like?”
“Maybe. The film starts at 6:00 p.m. So I’ll see you ten minutes before then?”
“Ok, 6:00 p.m. See you then, Zac.”
“Ok. Bye.”
“Bye.”
January 22nd
I spent the rest of my evening grinning. I was looking forward to seeing her, and spending the evening with her. It’d be good to find out more about her as well since I know nothing about her apart from her name and where she works
I didn’t have time to go home and get changed so I wore my nice black suit today. It was date appropriate anyway. I was just slightly overdressed for a trip to the cinema. Ted walked home while I took the car. Home is only a fifteen-minute walk from work so don’t feel too sorry for him. By the time you’ve sat in traffic it probably takes the same amount of time to drive there, too. I called a flower shop earlier and ordered a bouquet. A beautiful girl always deserves beautiful flowers. Unless she’s allergic. Then get her something else.
I stopped by the flower shop and picked up Zac’s flowers. They had a small bag of water attached to the bottom so they didn’t need putting into water right away. Normally I’d feel quite stupid walking into a cinema wearing a suit with flowers in my hand. But I was about to go on a date with a seriously beautiful girl, so other people’s views were the last thing on my mind.
The cinema was maybe over half full, mostly people waiting in line for popcorn. A group of girls were leaving the cinema and they seemed to check me out, which was a reassuring sign that I looked appropriate for my date. I stood in the centre of the cinema and swept my eyes across everyone, but I couldn’t see Zac. So I walked over to the café and joined the line of three or four people to grab her and myself a hot chocolate to kill some time.
After staring at the board for a couple of minutes wondering whether to have cinnamon with it or not, I felt a hand on my arm. I looked down and saw Zac looking up at me with a tight-lipped smile, and she’d tied her hair back. I’d never seen her with her hair tied back before. Somehow it made her eyes stand out even more. I had to remind myself not to stare into them. She was wearing a grey jacket with the zip undone so you could see her black work polo. She was also wearing black ripped jeans and original Timberland boots.
She flapped her hand up quickly and waved and then stuck it back into her pocket. “Hi,” she said.
“Hi,” I replied.
“I like your suit. You look smart,” she said.
“Thanks. I didn’t have time to go home and get changed,” I answered. “I was going to get us a hot chocolate, is that ok?”
“I’m ok, thank you,” she replied.
I nodded. “Ok.” We stood in silence for a moment before she looked at the flowers, which I had forgotten about. “Oh, I bought you flowers.”
“You bought me flowers,” she said, taking them from me. “I’ve never had flowers bought for me before; this is so weird.”
“Really? None of your ex-boyfriends bought them for you?” I asked.
“No, my ex never did.”
I was very surprised, but did my best not to react and just did a few casual nods. I turned back to the queue and noticed that the woman who was stood at the counter ordering when I arrived was still ordering now. “I’m not really interested in a hot chocolate so shall we go find our seats?” I asked.
“Sure. I picked up the tickets before I came to find you,” she replied.
“Ok, great. Would you like me to put the flowers in my car?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s ok. I’ll keep them.”
“Ok. I shall let you lead the way,” I said.
Zac had reserved our tickets for the aisle seats on the third row from the back. The film hadn’t started yet, but the adverts were running. She to
ok the aisle seat and obviously I took the seat next to her.
“So what is this film about?” I asked.
“I’m not really sure. I know these two girls are in a police station and then everyone suddenly starts shooting everyone. Something like that,” she replied. Before I could reply she started talking again, “There’s a burger place two minutes down the road from here. When the film finishes, we could walk to it and have a drink at the bar there.”
I smiled. “Ok.”
She nodded at me and then looked down at her hands she was fiddling with, still nodding. “I’m just gonna go to the bathroom before the film starts. I hate having to leave the cinema halfway through a film.”
I smiled again. “Ok.” So she got up, made sure her flowers were not going to fall over, walked down the stairs, and exited the cinema screen.
I sat back and could sense what Ted would say if he was seated next to me. Jesus, Will, stop saying ok. Actually talk and say something, anything. Find out if she likes Star Wars or what her favourite colour is. The screen then went black and a statement appeared saying if you record this film illegally you’ll be fined or could face further prosecution. Zac still hadn’t returned and I thought that she might have abandoned me and ran off. And then the film title Twisted appeared in bold capitals. Zac then reappeared and made her way back up the stairs and returned to her seat beside me.
“Everything ok?” I asked. She quickly looked at me and shushed me very loudly. Her beautiful blue eyes trapped me in an intense glare. I tensed up and froze like my mum had just told me off in public. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
She then sniggered at me. “Oh my God, you looked so scared.”
I opened my mouth in disbelief. “That was so mean!” I whispered.
“I thought it was very funny. You looked like a dog that had been told off for peeing in the house again.”
My mouth seemed to open further in disbelief. “And now you’re comparing me to a dog!” Thankfully there was no one sat that close to us because my whispering really wasn’t very whispery.
“I had to pop out and speak to security because I got a text from my friend who’s on her shift, she said there was a suspicious gentleman wandering around in a suit, carrying some flowers, and she asked if I had seen him.”
I hadn’t clicked onto what she was saying and then I glanced down at my suit, and then at the flowers in front of her. Now I started to glare. As I looked up to her she began sniggering again.
“That’s twice I have got you now!” she whispered. “The film really is about to start now though,” she said, turning her attention to the screen and tucking her legs up onto the seat and wrapping her arms around them. I kept my eyes on her and watched her for a moment. She really was beautiful. And she’s funny, too. Zac maintained her position, but her eyes peeked over at me and she smirked slightly. So I turned my attention to the screen too as the film began.
Twisted was such a surprise. It was nonstop action after the first ten minutes. It’s about a girl who witnesses a murder, so she sprints to the nearest police station straight away and tells them what happened. And her new friend, whom she had started at university with, comes to comfort her. And then the group of people who arranged the murder comes to the police station, because one of the cops on the inside is a traitor and informs them. And they barge in and shoot the whole place up. Then the two girls suddenly turn into assassins and shoot them all back. The girl who witnessed the murder used to shoot with her dad so she was pretty good with a gun. To put a long story short, they manage to kill everyone and escape.
I recognised Eleanor Walden, the super-hot brunette actress; she played the new university friend. She has done loads of films. Ted and I have seen most of them. But the other actress, August Bishop, I’ve never seen before. She was also extremely hot. I can’t believe Ted didn’t want to come and see this film. This would be his definition of the perfect film.
I put Zac’s flowers in the car while she went to grab her bag from her locker. By the time I walked back toward the entrance, Zac was already making her way out.
“Ready to go, Will Evans?” she asked.
“I am, Zac… umm…”
“Williams,” she added. Before I could make the comparison of my first name and her second name she joked in a silly voice, “Yes, that’s like your name.”
I smiled. “Williams, Zac Williams. Got it.”
“My full name is Zachary, but only my parents call me that when they’re shouting at me.”
“Zachary. So is there a reason you’re called that or…?” I asked as we began to walk down the road to this burger place she’d mentioned.
“My parents wanted a boy. And they were one hundred percent convinced they were having a boy. I’m sure you can imagine their excitement when I entered the world without a penis.”
“So, they called you Zac anyway?”
“Well, my dad is called Zac and my grandfather is called Zac. So I’m actually Zachary Williams the third.”
“That is pretty cool, though. Not many people can introduce themselves as the third, or any other number for that matter.”
“So are you a Will or William?” she asked.
“Just Will.”
“Ok.” She stuck her hands in her pocket and started shivering.
“Do you want my jacket?” I asked.
“No, it’s ok, thanks.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded. “So what did you think of the film?”
“I liked it,” I replied.
“I liked it, too,” she began. “That was the blonde girl’s first role, she’ll be huge soon. I think I may have a small crush on her.”
“Oh really? I think I’d still rather date Eleanor Walden.”
“Yeah, she’s hot, too, but August seems more like my type,” she said with a sarcastic squint.
“Yeah, I agree. You two would make a lovely couple.”
She sniggered. “I’m glad you agree.”
I paused for a moment before saying, “But if I had to choose between the three of you, I would choose you.” I almost winced after saying it, and thought that it was way too cliché, and she was going to think that I was weird. I could sense Ted beside me laughing.
Zac looked at me and then her tight-lipped smile grew into a grin as she blushed. She looked unbelievably cute. I really wanted to kiss her.
“I like your smile,” I said.
She covered her mouth with her hand and mumbled, “Thanks.”
As I looked ahead I could see the glowing lights from the burger restaurant. But halfway between us and the burger restaurant, was a small everyday shop. I saw this as an opportunity to quickly pop inside and call Ted to update him with how it was going with Zac. I suppose I could have called him from the bathroom of the burger place, but that might be a little weird. There could be another guy peeing, and then there’s me stood beside him on the phone talking about my date. “I’m just going to head into this shop for a second. Is that ok?”
Zac was fiddling with her flowers so she didn’t seem too bothered. Then her eyes flicked up and nodded. “I’ll wait here.”
I opened the shop door and walked to the back and called Ted whilst searching for something to buy.
“How’s it going, you handsome devil?”
“I think it’s going really well. She finds me funny, I think, and she’s funny, too. She’s kind of like a tortoise. One minute she’ll poke her head out of her shell and be funny and excited, then the next she’s all shy and quiet.”
“Does she like Star Wars?”
“Thanks for listening. I haven’t asked her if she likes Star Wars yet.”
“It’s an important question, Will.”
“I don’t have much time. I’m quickly came into this shop to update you with how it was going.”
“Just make her laugh. Making a girl laugh is probably the most important thing. But don’t try too hard, just make it natural.”
“Surprisingly help
ful advice. Thanks, man, I’ll see you later.”
“I’m going to bed now, so you can tell me about it in the morning.”
“Ok, bye.”
“Bye.” I stared at the magazine rack and grabbed a magazine about movies. It seemed like a sensible thing for me to enter the shop for. As I pulled out my wallet and looked up at the shopkeeper, I noticed a stack of blue beanies behind him, hanging on the wall. And they were almost the exact same blue as Zac’s eyes. I instantly knew I had to buy it for her. She was cold, too, so I had two reasons to buy it for her. And when we get married she can tell everyone that I bought it for her on our first date. So I bought the magazine and the beanie.
When I made my way out of the shop and returned to Zac, she was on the phone, too. “I’ll speak to you later,” she said. “I have to go. Bye.”
“Everything ok?” I asked.
“Yep,” she answered.
“I bought you a beanie,” I said.
“You bought me a beanie?”
“You were shivering and you wouldn’t take my jacket so I thought it might warm you up a little. It’s also a similar colour blue to your eyes.” She smugly raised her eyebrow and examined it. “Will you please put it on? I don’t want you to catch a cold.”
“Ok, ok. Whatever feeds your panda,” she said, taking the beanie from me.
“Feeds my what?” I asked.
“Panda. I should explain that it’s my saying. You know how people say whatever floats your boat? Well, I decided to make up my own.”
“Right…so whatever feeds your panda? Is that correct?”
“Yes, that is correct, Will.”
“Can other people say it?”
“Absolutely not, make up your own saying! You can’t steal mine!”
“Ok. I was only enquiring.”
She removed the bobble from her hair, allowing her tied-up hair to fall, then placed the beanie onto her head and wiggled into place. “Have I put it on right or do I look like an elf?” she asked.
I took a step forward and adjusted it marginally. “Now you don’t look like an elf.”