Page 20 of Between the Boards
My datewith Brandon Dingalo is nothing like my practice date with Colton. In fact, on a scale of one to ten, they’re on completely opposite ends. The main reason being that Brandon never showed up.
We’d agreed to meet at Burger Shack for something casual, but it’s been thirty-five minutes and he’s still not here.
How embarrassing.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, pulling me out of my self-pity spiral.
Colton:
How’s the date going?
I stare at the text, trying to figure out how to answer without humiliating myself further. I exit our chat and open Brandon’s messages instead. He still hasn’t replied to the three texts I’ve sent while waiting—even though I can see they’ve all been read.
“Another shake while you wait?” the waiter asks, looking at me kindly.
I look up and force a small smile. “No, thank you. I’m going to head out now. Here—keep the change.”
I slide him a five-dollar bill and he gives me a sympathetic look but takes it anyway and walks off to the next table while I grab my things and leave my half-finished milkshake behind, noticing the weight of people’s stares as I go.
I wish I could pretend I’d just come in alone for food, but I’m too dressed up for that to work. My hair is still straight, something everyone knows I only do for occasions, and I’m wearing jeans.
I never wear jeans.
Everyone in town knows I never wear jeans.
But today, I did.
“Must be bad luck to wear jeans on a date,” I mutter as I walk down the long stretch of road toward the town square as the sun begins to set.
I never thought I’d get stood up on a date. Why even ask if you’re not going to show up?
Was it to humiliate me?
I was always nice to him in high school. We never really talked, but whenever we crossed paths I made sure to smile and wave.
Maybe he just got cold feet…I think to myself…Maybe.
My phone buzzes again when I reach the bottom of the hill and I yank it out of my pocket thinking it’s Brandon calling with some sort of explanation, but when I unlock my phone I see that it’s Colton again.
Colton:
Are you still at Burger Shack?
I groan as I stare down at the message, knowing I can’t ignore him any longer or else he might worry and come looking for me.
Kairi:
Still here, the date is going good!!
Colton:
Then why did Brandon just post a picture of him out with his friends to his story?
Mortification hits me instantly, and before I can even decide how to respond, my phone vibrates and the screen lights up with a call from Colton.
“Hi,” I say quietly.
“What happened?” he asks immediately, sounding tense.
