Blind Date

Lauren was really not looking forward to this date. She would rather stay home and read or write. But her older sister, Bella, was always in her business and decided that she had been single for too long. And since Bella decided that she set Lauren up on a blind date, which she insisted would be good for Lauren. But Lauren hated blind dates, and she protested this to her sister, but the complaints fell on deaf ears, as they always did with Bella. So here she was, getting ready for a date she didn’t want to go on.

“You look fabulous.” Lauren heard from the doorway as she was checking over her outfit in the mirror. She turned to find none other than her meddling sister standing there.

“Thanks.” Lauren smiled. “But I still hate blind dates.”

“C’mon. Just give this one a try.” Bella whined from the doorway. “He seems like a great guy.” Bella insisted.

“I am.” Lauren gestured to her outfit. “I would still be in sweatpants if I wasn’t going to go.” Lauren would much rather be in sweatpants than a skirt right now.

“Fair point.” Bella conceded.

“Do I at least get to know his name now?” Lauren asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“His name is Alex. That’s all I’m giving you.” Bella crossed her arms back at her and Lauren sighed.

“Does he know my name? I would hate to look awkward if he didn’t know my name, but I knew his.”

“Yes. Now stop fussing and go.” Bella moved out of the doorway just to push Lauren through it.

“I need my phone.” Lauren argued. Bella picked it up off Lauren’s bed and handed it to her.

“You have it, now go.” Bella shooed Lauren away.

Lauren walked into the restaurant and up to the hostess stand. Hoping that she didn’t look like an idiot. She always felt like she looked like an idiot going on blind dates. And that was a feeling that she hated.

“Hi. I’m supposed to be meeting a blind date here; his name is Alex.” Lauren told the hostess, Jessica, as it said on her name tag.

“Alex. I’m guessing you’re Lauren. Right this way.” Jessica said and gestured for Lauren to follow her. So far so good on her not looking like an idiot. That was points in this guy Alex’s favor.

Jessica led her back to a table where a young man with messy, curly brown hair sat at a table for two. He was wearing a dark purple button up and what appeared to be black slacks, it was hard to tell under the table.

“Alex?” Lauren asked after Jessica left.

“Lauren?” The man answered her question with a question. He stood up to greet her as Lauren confirmed who she was. It wasn’t slacks, but just a nice pair of black jeans.

“You look nice.” Lauren commented as they both sat down. Lauren continued and started to look over the menu.

“Thanks. You look lovely.” Alex responded with a smile.

“Hi my name is Liz and I’ll be your server tonight. Can I get y’all started with some drinks?” An average height woman with blonde curls introduced herself.

“I’ll have a coffee.” Alex ordered.

“Alright and for you?” Liz turned to Lauren.

“Just a water. Thank you.” Lauren smiled.

“Alright. I’ll get those out and give you a minute to look over the menu.” Liz walked away. The two of them sat in silence as they both stared at the menu. Lauren was having a hard time deciding between getting the French toast and the chicken and waffles. Lauren always loved breakfast food, she was so glad that this place served breakfast all day.

“I’m torn between the French toast and the chicken and waffles.” Alex said like he had read Lauren’s mind. “I love breakfast food, it’s my favorite.”

“Me too.” Lauren looked up from the menu and smiled. “It’s such a tough decision.”

“I’ll get one you get the other and we share?” Alex offered.

“Sounds like a plan. Which one are you ordering?” Lauren agreed.

“I’ll get the chicken and waffles.” Alex decided. “You get the French toast.” Lauren nodded her agreement right as Liz approached with their drinks. The two of them ordered and Liz walked away again, taking the menus with her.

“What are your hobbies?” Alex asked.

“I like to read and write. Are we at the part of the date where we play twenty questions already?” Lauren laughed.

“It’s a good question to get conversation flowing.” Alex defended. “I hope we don’t have to play twenty questions to have a conversation. I hate that.”

“I do too.” Lauren agreed.

“But you said you like to read and write.” Alex reminded her.

“I do. My book collection doesn’t fit on my bookshelves anymore, but I have no more room for bookshelves at my place.” Lauren smiled, thinking of all her unread books at home. She wished she could be cuddled up with a book right now.

“What do you write?” Alex asked.

“Fiction, fantasy mostly.” Lauren smiled.

The conversation continued like this, even as their food arrived. They talked with their mouths full of food from each other’s plates and laughed about it. There was never a dull moment in the conversation. None of the awkward silences or weird delays in responses. And Lauren decided that maybe it wasn’t so bad to go on this blind date. So much so that at the end of dinner, Lauren wasn’t surprised or offended by Alex’s next question, like she would have been on any other blind date.

“Do you want to come back to my place? We could chill and watch a movie if you want, or whatever else you might be interested in.” Alex suggested and Lauren found herself agreeing.

The two of them travelled on foot back to his house, making Lauren regret the heeled boots she had worn. Lauren offered to drive but he insisted that it wasn’t far and it was a nice evening for a walk. So Lauren left her car at the restaurant for the night, she had even double checked that it would be okay before they left. And honestly, Lauren was just impressed that he had a house and not an apartment that he shared with roommates or was even still living at home like she was. They cuddled up in his bed, watching some movie Alex picked out on the television. Before Lauren knew it, she was dozing off.

When she woke up the next morning, Alex was nowhere to be found. Lauren was startled that he had just left her at first, but then she thought she heard sounds in the kitchen and assumed he was making the two of them breakfast. It was both of their favorite kind of food after all. She smiled and went to go join him in the kitchen but found that she could not open the door, the handle not moving like it was locked. That’s strange, she thought to herself. She looked down at the handle and found that it had no lock on the inside. She tried again, but the handle still didn’t budge like it was locked. Which meant that Alex had to have locked it from the outside.

“What the fuck?” Lauren asked herself. “Why would he lock the door?”

Lauren looked around for another place to leave the room but found that there were no windows to be found. Okay then, she would just have to call for help. Lauren looked around for her phone but came up empty-handed. Alex must have taken it while she was sleeping. This was bad. Like really bad.

“I’m gonna die here.” Lauren started to panic. She felt so stupid for going home with a man and not texting her sister. But maybe that was smart. Bella would have been expecting her home last night and is probably trying to get ahold of her right now. When Bella can’t reach her, she’ll reach out to the authorities. Lauren would do that if roles were reversed, so that had to be what Bella was doing. Her car was still at the restaurant where they expected her to pick it up this morning. When she doesn’t show to do that, it will raise a red flag, right? Lauren just had to stay calm and appease her kidnapper, who was peacefully making breakfast downstairs like he hadn’t locked her away. Just then, the sounds in the kitchen stopped and there were footsteps on the stairs. The door opened and Alex walked in.

“Oh, good morning. Hope you weren’t planning on leaving. I made breakfast.” He smiled, holding up French toast and chicken and waffles.