The Making of MeaKen, chapter two.

The First "Date."

When I first moved to St Louis, I spent most of the first summer being single and having fun. I dated a bit, made some questionable decisions, and pretty much enjoyed myself a lot ... all of which culminated on Halloween, which I spent downtown with a couple of girlfriends, dressed as a flapper in a bright red wig. And also where my purse was stolen ... including ID, camera, cell phone, and favorite lipgloss. I flounced home in tears, lamenting my bad luck the entire way. It was the last in a series of bad luck occurrences that had left me wondering if taking the leap and moving to the big city had been the right choice for me. I was at a crossroads.

Who knew the answer I needed would come via Facebook? I posted an all-points bulletin to my friends for cell phone numbers to replace the ones I had lost. Who should be one of the first responders but The Boy Who Would Someday Become The Fiance. He suggested a dinner the following weekend to catch up. Harmless, no? The night of the meet-up, I called a friend frantically, a friend who also knew The Boy Who Would Someday Become The Fiance.

Me: I think I am going on a date with The Boy Who Would Someday Become The
Fiance.
Her: Nooooooo, it's not a date. Surely not. You're just friends. No date there, no sir. No how.

But I was still nervous, so I agonized over an outfit and changed my shoes three times. The Boy Who Would Someday Become The Fiance was right on time and we headed out ... to no where. Neither of us had planned on a particular destination. We ended up just about as far from my apartment as you can get and still be in St Louis county, at an Italian bistro. Dinner went well, no breaks in the conversation and no real signs of flirting, just what you'd expect from old friends, right?

Well, then something changed. The Boy Who Would Someday Become The Fiance suggested a drink before heading home, and we ended up at a Japanese restaurant closer to my apartment. Of course, being the super fun single girl that I was, I suggested saki bombs. We actually high-fived over it. Who high-fives on a date? THIS GIRL. The shot gave me just enough courage, I suppose, and I turned it ON. I flirted my pants off. I tossed my hair. I put my hand on his leg during a story. I laughed at all of his jokes. I smiled, giggled, batted my eyelashes. I pulled out the big guns, folks.

And then he drove me home. We said good night ... I smiled at him, leaned over ... and received the most awkward one-armed in-the-car-with-a-seatbelt-on hugs ever. Epically awkward. He promised he'd call. I went home, still in the Friend Zone, obviously. Flirting FAIL.

I called my friend before I even got in the door.

Me: Yeah, I think I just went on a date with The Boy Who Would Someday Become
The Fiance.
Her: *gushes* OMG I know! He's so in love with you! He always has been! I've been hearing about this for YEARS! He has such a HUGE CRUSH ON YOU!
Me: But then WHY DIDN'T HE KISS ME???

So that's nice and confusing. Apparently he has big mushy love feelings for me, and yet no kiss. Flirting, yes, but a platonic good night at best. Subtlety is lost on me, obviously.

But guess what? He did call, the very next day too. He was genuinely pleased to talk to me, in spite of being at a Mizzou football game with a friend. He wanted me to hear the cannon that's fired off after a touchdown. And he wanted to make plans to hang out again the next day. I actually jumped up and down silently in my apartment. A movie date was made.

He brought over Knocked Up, quite possibly The Most Awkward Date Movie of All Time. We sat 3 feet apart on my couch, laughing uncomfortably at the sexy bits. After the movie was over, he got up to leave. We're still in the Friend Zone. I felt my friend had mislead me. I am not a patient person, so I decided to find out for myself. No more waiting for The Boy Who Would Someday Become The Fiance to make a move. As he put on his coat and went to leave, I grabbed him and planted a kiss on him. By the look on his face, you'd have thought I shot him. But then he kissed me back.

"I've been waiting to do that for a long time," he said. And we've been together ever since.

How was your First Date? Did it go as expected? Were there sparkles and fireworks?