chapter 4

We pulled into the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant. He had picked me up twenty minutes ago. I offered to meet him, but he said it wasn't a problem coming to get me. We went into the restaurant and we were seated. The menus were in front of us.

I wanted to tell somebody. I wanted to be all excited with somebody. My mom was off on one of her trips. She goes on business trips a lot and sometimes they lasted for weeks.

But it was not like I'd tell her anyway. My mom didn't understand me. I just didn't think she'd even care I was going on a date. I was going on a date! I was going on a date with Toby!

"Are you hungry?" he asked me. I wasn't. I was too nervous and excited to think about food.

"Yeah, are you?"

"Yeah." He looked at the menu. I did too. I was going to get a tamale and maybe some rice.

"Hello guys, ready to order?" Sandra, our waitress, had returned from before with the drinks we ordered. I had gotten a glass of water and Toby got a lemon lime soda.

"I'll have a chicken tamale and a side of rice please," I said.

"Mild or Spicy rice?" she asked.

"Mild please," I requested.

"Okay." She turned towards Toby. "And you?"

"I'll get four tamales and, uh..." He glanced at the menu again. "I'd also like three fajitas, and a side of rice." She was writing quickly.

"Type of tamale?"

"Two chicken and two beef."

"Rice mild or spicy?" she asked.

"Spicy."

"Okay . I'll put that in for you two." She walked off towards the kitchen. Oh my god! He was going to eat all that? I mean, I guess he could. Toby was gigantic. He was buff, with a bit of a tummy, and I guess a guy like him needed to eat a substantial amount.

He did eat it all. I was full looking at all the empty plates. I mean, that was a lot of food. He didn't even act like a full person when he was done eating. Like, leaning back in his seat and unbuttoning his jeans or rubbing his stomach. It did look much bigger. Maybe he hadn't eaten as much as he could have. I blushed thinking about it. I liked that he was bigger.

I told him we could split the bill. He wouldn't let us split it. He said he ate more so I shouldn't have to pay for all that food he ordered.

I didn't mind splitting the bill between the two of us. Two guys going on a date was so different than a boy and a girl. It was a lot more confusing. I was not a girl so he shouldn't have felt obligated to pay for me.

We left that place a little after seven. He asked if I wanted to see a movie. I said that'd be cool and we made it just in time to see White Flamingo. It was about a crazy ballet dancer.

We found seats and Toby lifted the armrest so I moved closer to him. He was so warm. I liked how he smelled. Like a guy. It was a really light natural scent and something like aftershave.

I just thought about being next to him the whole time, looking at his face throughout the entire film. I had no clue what the story was when we left the theater.

He drove me home. I wanted to kiss Toby. I wanted to be with him. I asked if he wanted to come inside. I didn't want him to leave yet. I loved being near to him. I just loved us being in each other's presence.