The pretenses of this date were absurd, improbable, unrealistic. That I could actually enjoy the company of a woman I didn’t know, and frankly didn’t care to know, was an almost ludicrous idea on Isaac’s part.

She wasn’t that bad to look at. A short, perky little woman with naturally blonde hair and brown eyes. Her outfit consisted of nothing but pastel colors, a light pink skirt, pale blue shirt and a teal button-down shirt over it. No, she wasn’t bad to look at, quite pleasant actually.

The date went well, as well as it could considering my attitude. I picked her up at her apartment building, making me regret still living at home with my parents. I took her out to dinner to a restaurant that Isaac had picked out as her favorite restaurant. She was a pleasant person to converse with, refreshingly intelligent. I had a nice time, but it wasn’t nice enough to forget Gya.

It felt strange to go home alone. I hadn’t been on many dates in my life. Taylor Hanson didn’t need to date to score. But I wasn’t the same person. I was no longer that seventeen-year-old brat with an ego the size of a small country and a different girl every night. I was different. I’d grown up. I no longer needed a quick fuck to feel fulfilled. I think that’s what made me agree to that second date. I didn’t tell Ike about it. I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of being right. Aubry and I dated for a few weeks but I could never get myself to even kiss her. We eventually broke apart. She returned to the dating pool and I returned to my moping over Gya.


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