In arms

What an awkward start to a first date. I seriously have no luck. I will get my mom back for giving this stranger my address. Usually I would never allow a date to pick me up. Ugh, at least he helped me out with Sam. Maybe I'll go a little easy on my mom.

"Hey, you alright sweetheart?" The man stood at the bottom of the steps looking up at me.

"Yeah I'm alright but really sweetheart?"

" Ah yeah, I don't remember your name. See, my dad told me to come pick something up that he bought from a sale app he's got. It wasn't til I got here I found out what this was all about. I'm not the blind date type." He nervously rubbed the back of his head with his right hand. As he did so his sleeve lifted enough to see a part of Maltese engulfed in flame. Suddenly I felt more comfortable. It was like being with a coworker.

"Alright, to be fair my mom wouldn't tell me your name either. By the way are you a firefighter?"

"Something like that, yeah. You?" He answered in a quick deflective tone.

"Something like that? I am a firefighter paramedic. I work for the city." I probed him for more information.

"We got something in common I guess. I suppose it would be a shame if we didn't at least eat. Do you want to go somewhere?" Ignoring my question like it bug repellent. It not like fire fighting is the fucking CIA.

"That's fine but I have two requests. First, I drive my own car,"he raised his eyebrows, as if to say, am I that scary?, " And second, since we are both driving no alcohol. Drunk driving is not a skill." He looked pleased with the second request and his reaction put me at ease. I always hate bringing up my sobriety. Most people assume it's because I'm a recovering alcoholic but it's more simple than that. I just don't like it and no one ever understands.

" To your second request, I don't drink. To your first request, you don't know where we are going so just let me drive. Besides I can already tell you kick my ass if I try anything. Redheads are scary," he snickered at the end turning to the car, " Get in if you're going."

I stood shocked for a moment, I'm really gonna have to talk to my mother. At least she didn't give my number to the mail guy again. My feet started to move on their own, maybe my curiosity about this man was enough to push me into his car. Seriously Aurora, you don't even know his name! I'm so irresponsible.

"Um, I can't get in your car without knowing your name," I said standing at the door of his Beamer. The inside of his car still had that new car smell. The leather seats also looked new and the interior was sparkling clean. I could tell that he took great effort to get the car to stay this clean as the car was an older model.

"I think you can, I mean how do you know if I will give you a real name or not?" Deflected again.

"Jesus, what are you Serena Williams? We aren't playing tennis, you don't have to return serve ever fucking time," I said agitatedly. Then realizing I'd used my potty mouth a shrank back. My mother would be livid.

"Well damn, you got a mouth, I like it. Just get in and make up whatever name you want to call me. " He chuckled. He noticed my despair over my unladylike behavior. This seemed to make him laugh harder.

"Ugh fine. I swear to God, I'll end you if you are a shitbag for a person. Right now I'm too hungry to give a shit." I got in the car and off we went.

We drove in relative silence. It was awkward and I sat fidgeting in my seat. It's probably uncomfortable because he saw me naked. When we finally arrived to the restaurant I was dying in the silence. It was a placed I'd gone once before with crew. They had pretty decent burgers and shakes. The whole place was decorated in a vintage soda shop vibe. I immediately felt way to over dressed. Good thing I chose to avoid the cocktail dress. This place had a very casual atmosphere. I felt mor at ease here than I would any other restaurant.

"Hope you like burgers, you don't take me for a girl who can't eat." His voice broke the silence as he opened my door.

"I do like them. Um it's been killing me, did you happen to look in my window while you were at my house..?" I trailed off realizing, I should have just pretended it didn't happen. He was just trying to let me off the hook. His face turned flush for a moment as he turned his head towards me.

" You mean did I see your goods on display?" He snickered. His smile flashed brilliantly in the moonlit night. His full lips spread across his face gracefully.

"Oh god. I should have pretended nothing happened. Knowing you saw is so much worse! Ugh I'm just gonna call you Tom, you little perv." I covered my face in shame. My face went hot and I could feel his stifled laughter dig into me. I sighed loudly thinking this could not possibly get any worse.