As soon as we settled at the table, I complimented her appearance immediately. I may have been a dating noob, but I grew up with two women in the house and learned a lot about what women liked. She blushed, playfully asking me to stop, saying I was doing too much. See? Simple and elegant. She picked up the menu to hide from me, and I told her to order whatever she wanted and not to be shy. But she placed the menu down and gave me a concerned face instead, and everything inside me tensed up. What have I done now? Am I too late??
“Luca… Why are you doing all of this? I mean, I appreciate it and everything… I’m just a little overwhelmed.”
Drat! This gesture was too big, and the whole simple elegance thing was a common thread which weaved together her entire life. I took a deep breath, desperately trying to steady myself and find the right words to explain my intentions and fix this.
“I… I understand if it’s too much,” I stammered. “I just wanted you to know how special you are to me. We both know I haven’t really done a good job of showing you, so I just thought… Sorry to overwhelm you. That is the opposite of what I wanted to do tonight.”
Her eyes softened, and a smile tugged at the corners of her lips that was a mixture of gratitude and relief, as if my words had reassured her that my intentions were pure.
“Awww Luca! I don’t know what to say!”
Thank the Watcher! I’m not sure what I would have done if I couldn’t salvage the moment.
“You don’t have to say anything. Just enjoy.”
The server came and saved us from an awkward yet very tender moment and took our orders, and I was happy to hear she accepted the gesture despite being uncomfortable and ordered something interesting.
I asked about her day, and she began telling me a wild story about a man who had been rushed in for emergency surgery. They thought he had triple threat based on his symptoms and prepared to operate. But before they put him under, he began to yell and writhe in pain. They asked where it hurt, and he said his stomach. He kept yelling, “Get it out! Get it out!” The doctors didn’t know what to think or what was happening. Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream blared throughout the operating room, and an alien burst through the man’s stomach!
She laughed so hard she couldn’t sit up straight.
“Oh my Watcher, you should have seen your face!”
Her laughter was so infectious, I couldn’t help but join in. It seemed we both had a dormant goofball trait hidden somewhere.
“Wow. You really had me on the hook,” I said, still laughing.
Her eyes sparkled with mischief.
“I couldn’t resist!”
“You’re a really good storyteller, you know that?”
“Thanks. I love stories. I wanted to be an actor when I was a kid, and I wrote wild tales all the time and acted them out with my toys… Guess that’s still in me.”
“Sounds like you were quite a character.”
“I was an only child. I kinda had to be.”
I couldn’t imagine being an only child, going through what I went through alone. My sister was my best and only friend, even though she annoyed the hell out of me.
The food arrived quickly, and Sophia squealed in excitement about whatever she had ordered. It looked good enough to snap a picture and hang it on the wall. My dish looked incredible too, but hers had a little extra something special.
As we ate, we continued our conversation, sharing laughter and stories. Despite the time we had already spent together, seeing her smile, observing the expressions on her face, and hearing her voice after only knowing her through words and a static image was an almost surreal experience. I could have watched and listened to her all night. Her presence had an intoxicating effect on me.
Once our bellies were full and our abs couldn’t take anymore laughter, I paid for the meal and prepared to leave. I had two things I wanted to do, but one I refused to do at the restaurant.
I pulled out a rose and handed it to her.
“I’m sorry this date was such short notice, but I’m happy you could join me tonight. Uhhh…I’m glad you’re in my life, and…I’m looking forward to spending more time with you.”
Her twinkling eyes and wide smile were so rewarding.
“Luca!! You’re so sweet! It’s so funny you did this because,” she too pulled out a rose, “I was gonna give you one!”
“No way.”
“I’m looking forward to spending more time with you too, and you are also special to me.”
What were the chances that two sims arrived at a date carrying not only gifts for each other but also the exact same gift? The feeling of being on the same page with someone was like finding a missing puzzle piece. Just imagine if this one-up behavior continued. The relationship would become a never-ending race to the top when both parties always tried to out-do each other. We’d never stop growing, and progress would never get stagnant. I’d say we were positively laying the groundwork for a strong and stable future.
For the second thing I wanted to do, I asked if I could escort her home. And, no, it wasn’t for that. I just wanted privacy. Plus, I wanted to make sure she got home safe.
“I haven’t laughed so hard in ages,” I said. “Thank you.”
“I should be thanking you! That meal… It was fantastic.”
“Sophia… Can I kiss you?”
“I was hoping you would.”
Although I had already experienced my first kiss, this one felt like a genuine first because I mustered the courage to initiate it, and my nerves were unexpectedly jittery. As I approached her lips, my heart raced, pounding in my chest. The same kind of hunger I experienced with Yasmine was there, but it wasn’t as intense. Sophia was like a plate of warm comfort food, something you want to savor and enjoy. And I did.
“That was nice,” she said with the prettiest smile.
We stood at her front door, our eyes locked in a silent exchange before I realized she might misinterpret my lingering. I mean, if she was down, that would be another story. But we didn’t have to do everything in one night. Comfort food, remember? I could come back tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. We had all the time in the world.
“I think I’ve hi-jacked your night long enough, heh. I know you have to wake up early.”
She nodded, though it looked reluctant. I didn’t want to go either, but I gave her hand one last squeeze and tried to say goodnight.
“Luca, wait…”
My eyes widened in surprise, and I held my breath as my ears eagerly awaited whatever she’d announce.
“Do you trust me?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said much quicker than I imagined I would.
“Do you trust us?”
I froze for a second. This was it. This was the moment I leveled up in manhood. No more scared little boy.
After some hesitation, internal pep talks, sweaty palms, and deep breaths, a yes stumbled out of my mouth, though weak and non-committal. My goal for that night was to convey my readiness to upgrade our friendship, and that poor excuse for a response did not come close to doing that. I had to try again.
“I believe in us,” I said in full confidence.
“Then stay.”
“Okay. Yeah. Sure, I’ll stay.”
She held my hands.
“I don’t mean just for tonight. I don’t want to be apart from you anymore. Come home to me.”
Home…
That word reverberated within me, echoing like a chamber. I was seriously taken aback, as if someone had thrust me into a time warp. It wasn’t until I quieted my mind and relaxed my body that I understood why it affected me so deeply. That’s what she felt like – home. Comfort food! I’d been confessing it all night, yet I was oblivious to what it meant. This was sheer madness and filled me with fear, but I was grateful that she would be there to face it alongside me. It shouldn’t have surprised me that the first step into the next chapter of my life would be a leap as big as the Strangerville crater. Earlier, I reminded myself I shouldn’t feel pressured to enter into a relationship right away. We could remain friends until I felt comfortable pursuing something more, and living with her would accomplish the exact opposite of that. But to be honest, I didn’t care. All my dreams revolved around being with her, and now, that dream was within my grasp. Despite being consumed by fear, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride for daring to take the leap. That’s what a man does.
