(AN) This idea popped into my head, when I remember my own 1st date, in the 6th grade, technically a school field trip, but it's always what I'll remember. I wrote this in 4 hours on my cell phone, and then emailed it to myself to edit LOL. I like the sensitive side of Beca, and this shows it! Review at the bottom.
Beca POV
Our 1st date was like any other 1st date, or what he calls our 1st date, at least. It was a regular 1st date, but this kind of a 1st date normally isn't with someone you end up marrying.
It was in high school, where too many 1st dates happen, but he didn't pick me up in his beater car and he didn't shyly kiss me goodnight before we part ways and I go and squeal into my pillow and call all my friends, though the last part isn't completely off.
It was 4pm, the time he had told me to be ready to go. I had my hair combed and way too much mascara on and eyeliner one, considering id only been wearing make-up for two years. I tied my converse and put on a lot of dark yet colorful bracelets, before answering the door for Jesse...and his mom.
Yep, I was barley 14, Jesse just a few months older, and we were freshman in high school. We were both obviously the others 1st date and I was your regular teenage girl, though I wouldn't admit it at the time, overly excited over a boy...even if he was a weirdo.
We got in his mom's minivan, with his little sister there; she asked me my name then told me I was pretty. Jesse, having not heard her, had told me to ignore the 6 year old. Yea, a great start so far.
Jesse pulled the seat forward and I climbed into the back third row, he climbed in after me. I bit my lip to hide my secret smile. I said yes to hanging out because Jesse's cute, a lot of the other girls liked him too because he's cute and funny, but he asked me out. I still wasn't so sure about boys, I no longer thought they had cooties but I didn't trust them, I knew little about them beside anatomy, which we learned in sex education in the 6th grade. Yea, yuck. But I couldn't help the butterflies, smile and sweaty palm when Jesse grabbed my hand into his as we rode.
We pulled up to the mall, where, I guessed the four of us were going to see a movie, since Jesse had asked me to a movie on the previous Thursday. I was apprehensive when he asked, at this point I was thinking of excuses to go home. I liked him but a movie with his sister and his mom? Seriously?
"OK kids, should we see that Hannah Montana movie...? OK, well Megan wants to see that one, obviously" she said gesturing to the over excited 6 year old "but I doubt you guys want to...why don't you guys pick your movie?" She said and then left as Megan was complaining about needing to go to the bathroom.
The second they were out of view, Jesse had my sweaty hand in his again and gave me that same look to ask if it's OK, I smiled and squeezed his hand, and then we looked back to the bored. Why did I agree to see a movie, when I don't really like them? I don't know, I just know that he had said, and I quote (don't tell Jesse I remember this or he will hold it over me forever) "We should hang out. Like this weekend. Maybe go see a movie?" And I was saying yes by 'weekend'.
"What about Jumper? It's the only one up there I haven't already seen, and I've heard good things." he said and my eye brows knitted together.
"You go see movies often?" I asked him and he smiled smugly before responding.
"Yea, I love movies. Mostly the music, I like how one scene could be completely different just by a different song playing, you know? Like if a couple is walking in a park and there's a sad melody, it makes you feel sad, that maybe there saying goodbye, but if there's a more upbeat happy melody, you feel happy and it says the couples probably in love...sorry, I sort of ramble when I'm nervous." he said, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand and looking away. I smiled, his discomfort made mine easier.
"It's cool, I can see it's something you're really into." I told him with a small smile, and he returned it before asking about the movie again, of course telling me about it when I asked and I agreed to it, since I really didn't care.
Our movie didn't start for another 45 minutes, so Jesse's mom said that we would meet outside our theater at 7, after the movie, and her and Megan left us to go to the Hannah Montana movie, the 6 year old skipping in excitement, spilling the popcorn she's carrying. Cute.
"So, want to walk around the mall?" Jesse asked, taking my hand again, I become used to the feeling of it wrapped around mine. I found out then that I liked it.
I shrugged in response and we left the theater. It was 4:30PM on a Saturday, so the mall was pretty crowded, and Jesse kept me close as we walked. Not that I minded.
My eyes went wide when I saw Aubrey and Chloe from school; they were two of the biggest gossips in school. They were talking avidly to each other, until Chloe's eyes found us, she gasped and grabbed Aubrey's arm to stop her and then they were both starring at us and I didn't know if I should have been scared or proud so I let it fall and ended up proud I guess because I smirked, but kept my eyes straight, as I leaned into Jesse and asked him what else he loved about movies, he smiled, completely oblivious to what had happened as he goes on about music in movies.
I smiled as he talked, actually listening to the passion in his voice. I put in my own bits about music and we started on about our likes and dislikes. We ended up in the food court, and shared a large Cinnabon and Orange Julius, 5-o-Clock rolled around and we headed towards the theater again, since the movie starts at 5:15, we were holding hands still, as became the norm in the last hour, I was used to it, but my hand was still sweaty.
There was a lull in the conversation, and a thought popped into my head, I had been able to talk freely through the date, and so my thought jumped out of my mouth.
"Why me?" I asked, unintentionally cutting him off, causing him to look at me with a confused look.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you." I said, hoping he would drop what I said and continue talking, but of course not.
He pulled me over to a bench and sat to my right, grabbing one of my hands with both of his.
"Beca, what do you mean 'why you'?" He asked but I kept my eyes on our hands, of course not exactly wanting to talk about my stupid insecurities.
Ever since I gauged my ears in the 7th grade and started liking black over pink, I hadn't had that many friends. Jesse got on the basketball team this year and since then a lot of the girls had been noticing him. We had known each other since 4th grade, when I had moved to Georgia.
We had been friends I guess, he was one of the boys other girls and I chased at recess, and vice versa. He was one of the friends I kept after my little Gothic phase, my ears were still gauged, but only a 4g and easy to hide with my hair, and I wore other colors, though I normally stuck to darker ones.
It's just what I felt like doing, he didn't judge me for it, just made a joke about the scary ear spike. It's not like we were close, we knew each other and would talk in class, though mostly sarcastic quips, but I never over thought him, considering that we were on different social ladders.
Him asking me to hang out happened when his friends had decided to leave campus for lunch, though freshman aren't suppose to, Jesse didn't join and instead sat at the table I was sitting at, causing one of the few friends I have, Marry Ellis to squeak a goodbye and walk away, she was shy when it came to guys.
"Beca, why would you ask that?" Jesse had asked me, and I gulped, again not meeting his eyes, and he moved his hand to grab my chin and force me to look at him. "Beca, I like you. I like that you can throw any sarcastic comment I give right back, I like that you don't care what other people think about you, that when Mrs. Francis tells you to take your headphones off you just switch to your hidden ear buds." He says and my eyes go wide, he knows about that?
"You saw that?" I voiced my thoughts, and he laughed with a nod, I blushed when he pushed a strand of my hair off my face and behind my ear, looking back to my hands, but I listened when he asked me to look at him.
"I asked you out because I like you Beca. It's really that simple." he said as he brushed my cheek with his thumb, biting my lip, he swallowed, and his eyes landed on my lips, then mine were on his, then we were looking at each other and he leaned in, and I'm thinking this is too fast. I stood suddenly, causing him to close his eyes and sigh in defeat.
"We should probably get to the theater." I said and he nodded, standing. We walked a few feet and I noticed my hand was empty, and I didn't like it. I swung my hand over and grabbed his, resting my other hand on his arm, he looked over and gave me a slightly sad soft smile, I returned it and leaned up on my toes to kiss his cheek, which turned a rosy red after I pulled away and he gave me a full blown smile.
We entered the theater, which was near full since it was almost 5:30 by the time we got there, so Jesse pulled us to the back, considering that only the back 4 rows and the front 4 rows were empty.
"Rather not see it perfectly then have neck cramps." he joked and as I laughed I thought that I was happy that the more comfortable atmosphere had returned.
The movie goes on, and it wasn't horrible, Jesse rolled his eyes when I said the main guy was hot. He pointed out the music at the beginning, causing me to notice it throughout the movie. We talked quietly about different song choices, only getting shushed once.
The movie ended, and Jesse and I exited the theater talking about the credit music, when a small hand slipped into mine, I looked down to see a smiling Megan, I gave her a look, and then looked to our hands for an explanation.
"I wanna hold your hand too Beca" she smiled and I smiled back, squeezing Jesse's hand back and nodding an OK when he gave me a questioning look.
"Hey kids, having fun?" Jesse's mom asked as she walked up. I smiled at Jesse's responding glare.
"Sorry sorry, it's none of my business and you are not kids, your teenagers. I know hon-Jesse" she corrected herself slightly sarcastically and I smiled.
"Whatever. Where are we going for dinner now?" Jesse asks, and I knitted my brows together, I hadn't been expecting dinner.
"I have to be home my 9." I said and Jesse's face flashed with sadness, before morphing back to an easy smile, saying we still have time.
Jesse's mom asked if I like buffets, and I joked that everyone does. We ride the same way we rode to the mall, Jesse and I in the back, holding hands, and his sister jabbering on about the movie she'd seen, as their mom humored her by simply agreeing with everything the girl said.
Jesse and I were more comfortable though, as we spoke quietly. He asked if I brought my iPod, and I nodded and he asked for it, quickly scrolling through the music, his facial expression changing as he sees different songs.
We reach the restaurant, and after putting our stuff at a table, we part ways to get our food, meeting back at the table. Jesse's sitting across from me, and once were sitting and eating; his legs weaved with mine, unsurprisingly. I just locked my ankles around one of his; mirroring his movement and he smiled at me.
I felt like it should have been strange, feeling so comfortable with a boy so quickly. It's Jesse though, and even though I rolled my eyes at his pathetic jokes, and slight hostility when his mom asks me basic questions, I couldn't help but find him cute. His mom seemed overly calm with this and I asked if Jesse has other siblings, finding out he has two way older brothers, which makes a lot more since.
Dinner ended and once we stood for the door, Jesse grabbed my hand as if 2nd nature, not even bothering to hide it from his mom this time; I bit my lip to keep in the way to girlish squeal, and squeezed his hand back. We get back in the van, and I expected Jesse to hold my hand like the last 4 or so hours, but he surprised me by, swinging his arm up and around me, resting it on the back of the seat and my shoulders, but he grabbed my hand with his other and smiled at me, I smiled back and rested my head in the crook of his arm, the nerves and overall energy of the day had gotten to me and I let him rest our joined hands in his lap as I rested against him.
I must have gotten lost in the feeling of the soothing circles he was rubbing on the back of my hand, because he nudged me back to reality 15 minutes later, we were at my house. He helped me climb out, and followed after me, surprisingly, I had never been happier for having a side driveway, the front door being out of view.
When we got to the porch, I stopped, turning my back to the front door to face him.
"I had a great time." I told him with a smile, and he nodded back, grabbing my hand again, to rub circles on the back of it, like in the car
"Me too... maybe we can do this again?" He asked and I smiled, the idea of seeing him again, outside of school, causing it. I wanted it.
"Yea, of course." I say, and then the air got thick with anticipation as we looked at each other, my eyes dropped to his lips first, slightly regretting not letting his kiss me earlier. I wanted Jesse to be my 1st kiss, and I already knew he wanted it, so what was the problem?
"I'll, uh see you on Monday?" He asked awkwardly, probably thinking I still didn't want to kiss him. He leaned in and to the side, to kiss my cheek, but I turned at the last second as I put my hand to his arm, his lips touching mine softly, before he pulled back, shocked, then smiling as he leaned in again, it stayed chaste of course, but it lasted long enough for us to be out of breath when we pulled away, but stayed close.
"I'll see you at school, nerd." I said, with a smile, and he returned it, peaking me once more before he stepped away, walking backwards down the curved walkway.
"See you weirdo." he called back and I laughed as I entered my house, a big smile on my face.
OK so, I might remember that a little too well for it being nearly 10 years ago, and yes I think of that when I think of Jesse's and my 1st date, but he thinks I think of the night nearly two years after, the Friday after Jesse got his driver's license, but that's another story completely.
It cheesy, and doesn't match my intended rough exterior, everyone around me, sometimes excluding Jesse, see's me as a bad ass, and I like it that way. So, don't tell Jesse that that day, March 22nd 2OO8, is the day I know my life changed, for the better.
(AN) So? I know, pure fluff, but might turn into a two shot…I'm not sure at all, but it leaves it open for another chapter/outtake, maybe even three…I need help.
PLEASE REVIEW!