I had to bail on him last night to make it to a special showing one of my friends was doing of his music. I don’t know, loyalty became a really big thing for me after I had many experiences of throwing away friendships for a stupid fling.

Well, anyways, we still saw each other for about 15 minutes after I finished work. He brought me strawberry boba! Yum yum.

The small “concert” I went to was really fun. I’m glad I was able to make it. I don’t know what the genre of the music was but it was very… avant garde. Each piece was about 5-10 minutes long. Well, it definitely FELT that long. At first I was thinking, “Oh wow, this is really different” and wondered what the composer had in mind. Well, I enjoyed the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th pieces I listened to. The first just sounded like a cacophony of brass instruments and I didn’t know how to appreciate it. And after the fourth piece, I started dozing off, which was pretty bad because my friend wasn’t even up yet. But when it was his turn, I was fully awake. His piece sounded like some things were missing and he explained later at In-N-Out that the flutist made grave mistakes. I look forward to listening to his next composition, hopefully with much more talented musicians.

Well, back to “HIM,” we met for dinner tonight to make up for yesterday. I didn’t take my camera with me because I thought it would seem a bit rude if I was clicking away on our first… date. KYAA IT FEELS WEIRD SPELLING IT OUT.
I thoroughly enjoyed our time together. We went to the Cheesecake Factory. I’m not much of a fan of the atmosphere there because it’s just much too dark and noisy with all the diners’ conversations. I think it’s the only place I’d allow someone to sit next to me while eating, but I didn’t ask him to. And, this is really strange to write out, but I really felt like we were in this bubble apart from everyone else. I don’t think he ever looked away from me. And awkward me just couldn’t look back into his eyes like a normal person. I was looking around EVERYWHERE I thought I was going seasick or something.

Still, it was really fun. We had salad for appetizer and then he ordered Hibachi steak for me. I was impressed that remembered that I liked eating vegetables a lot more when being served steak.
We had champagne! I forgot which he ordered but it felt really nice. But I still don’t really understand the taste… It kind of added to me feeling kind of kiddish and uncultured.
And cheesecake for dessert! Holy cow, I didn’t know so many different kinds of cheesecake existed. We had chocolate something. It was good, enough said.

He asked me what I wanted to do after eating.

I told him my ideal kind of date was just driving by the sea while listening to music. And he said he was fine with it! I almost fainted when he agreed. I have never had any male say he was fine with just driving around.

AND OH. He opened the car door for me! I told him it was fine and that I’m pretty low-maintenance. But he smiled and raised my chin with his index finger and shook his head. Ugh, I wanted to stop right then and there for all eternity.

He drove north on the Pacific Coast Highway. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the way I had always imagined it to be. It was always sunny and breezy in my imagination. We couldn’t even see the horizon separating sea and sky. I apologized for thinking of such a boring and time-wasting idea. But he grabbed my hand and reassured me. HE GRABBED MY HAND. AND LIKE STROKED IT WITH HIS THUMB. I’m surprised my heart managed to make it out of that situation alive. He said he’d love to do this again when the sun was out. “If this is your ideal date, you definitely aren’t high-maintenance,” he said. God, I’m so glad I didn’t meet him like 2 years ago or something. I realized I’ve changed a lot.

We sang for each other. He told me I have a lovely voice. He’s not bad himself. He liked the strange dances I do, which is more like movements of a crazy person with dislocated limbs than a “dance.” We laughed and had fun. I really like it when he laughs.

But I had to make something clear. I asked him to stop seeing me as some sort of love interest. I asked to be friends because it’s the best way for me to become comfortable with someone and really get to understand them. I’m still really easy to manipulate as a girl and I may have been charmed by his words without seeing the entire picture. He didn’t answer for a bit. Then he finally said, “But can I stay as number one?” Truth to be told, I am strangely attracted to this childish side of him. I laughed and told him, “You hardly have competition.”

He opened the door for me again when we got to my house. We stood in front of the porch, neither of us really wanted to say bye. I told him I really enjoyed tonight and thanked him for taking me out. “No problem,” he said and grabbed my hand again. “You’re not a fan of first kiss on first dates, I remember. And though you’ve said so clearly you’d like us to be friends, this was a date.”

AND HE FLIPPING KISSED THE BACK OF MY HAND.
MY GOD.
HE MADE MY DREAM COME TRUE.
HOLY COW, I CAN DIE A HAPPY WOMAN NOW.

“Good night, Indie girl.”

All I could do was wave my hand dumbly as I watched him walk toward his car. His gentleman ass wouldn’t leave until I got inside.
I’m really tired from all the excitement from today. And the huge happy victory dance I did as soon as I came in.

So I’m going to sleep now. Nothing I dream will be as fascinating and glorious as tonight.