After 4 years, 7 months, 3 weeks and 3 days...
...I went on a date. A real date. And it was perfect.
We had been talking online sporadically for about 2 weeks and he finally asked if we wanted to meet in person. I still wasn’t sure if we were compatible or not but, worst case, I could use this as a trial run.
So we planned to meet at Main Street Oceanside for the Sunset Market on Thursday at 6:30. I was so nervous. I legitimately had problems sleeping all week, which is completely out of character for me. On Thursday, I decided to dress down for work so that I didn’t have to worry about changing outfits and hating the clothes I picked out. So I threw on a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved black t-shirt and my classic black converse. I kept my hair down so that I would look as much like my profile picture as possible and that was it. Work was great, we were fed Thai for lunch and then 4:00 hit and it was time to leave. I had a few hours to kill before I met him and so I ran a few errands: got the car washed and then went to Michaels for work supplies. Then I headed out to Downtown Oceanside. I drove around for a bit looking for some good (and free) street parking and then made my way to the movie theater where we agreed to meet. It had just turned 6:00, so I sat down to wait. I know, I got there ridiculously early. But I’d rather be early than late.
Anyway, he had been sending me text updates that he was running late (traffic and whatnot), and I couldn’t help but think that he thought I might stand him up. Which, of course, I would never do. But he didn’t know that. Anyway, 6:30 hit and a guy sat down at the table beside me, opened up a pack of cigarettes and started smoking. And, of course, the wind carried the smoke directly to me. So I got up and walked over to a railing and decided to wait there. No sooner had I leaned against the railing that he came walking down the street. Honestly, I didn’t recognize him. He looked nothing like his profile pictures (but in the best way possible). I saw him look at me, look down at his phone, back at me, and smile. Then he started walking over and called out my name in the form of a question. I smiled, nodded and said yes. And then came the awkward side hug. I didn’t see that coming and it was super awkward but, honestly, this whole thing was.
We then started walking, he ordered himself some tacos and we continued to walk the market looking at all the vendors. After our second lap, we then headed out to the pier and it was absolutely beautiful. The sun was setting and we just walked and talked and got to know one another. I still wasn’t sure what this was. The word “date” had never been thrown out there...it was more “hey, do you want to meetup sometime?” Since this was my first in-person experience from an online dating website, I wasn’t sure how this whole system worked. Did you meet each other first, get a few drinks and if its not what you were expecting, you can just leave? Or is that the definition of a date? Honestly, I wouldn’t even know. I’ve never really been on a date before. My one prior relationship was from college and we just hung out in a group setting and then all of a sudden it was holding hands and calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend. That all happened really fast. So because I really had nothing to base this on, I didn’t even know what to call it. And then it happened. We were talking about his friends and about one friend, in particular, who was going through a rough breakup. So he said that he just wanted to message his friend really quick to explain that he was out tonight and that’s why he wasn’t answering his texts. Anyway, without intentionally trying to read someone’s personal text messages, I saw that he wrote his friend “I’m on a date tonight and can’t talk right now.” The word “date” came up a few more times after that and I couldn’t stop smiling. I was actually out on a date. And what’s more is that I was pretty sure it was going well.
We ended up getting kicked out of some chairs when a restaurant was closing up for the night and he walked me back to my car. We talked for a little while longer and every conversation we turned to, things just kept getting better and better. I really felt like we were hitting it off. I started to become nervous again about whether or not he would kiss me goodnight. How do these things normally work? Do people usually kiss at the end of a first date? Or is that just what happens in movies? Well, in my case, I just got another awkward side-hug goodnight and then he asked me to text him when I got home (which, of course, I did). That night, I had one of the best nights of sleep in a very long time. I even woke up smiling. =]
During work yesterday and then later in the afternoon, I would get so excited whenever my phone went off. And then I was so disappointed when I didn’t see his name come across my phone screen. I began to think that Thursday night didn’t go as well as I thought it did. Then I would convince myself that I was over-reacting and that he was just really busy. There were a few short messages late on Friday night and then, of course, I had an awful dream that he sent me a message saying that he just received this awesome opportunity to teach in Japan and that it was something he’s always wanted to do (which, from our conversations Thursday, I highly doubt that; I know, my subconscious is weird). So, needless to say, I didn’t wake up as happy this morning. I have had a few messages from him thus far but it is all just random chit-chat. No mention of Thursday or a potential future date. It is just all a little weird. If he wasn’t interested, he wouldn’t still be talking to me, right? I don’t know.
I really do like this guy but if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. I’m going to try and stop over-thinking everything in my life right now. It is becoming a bit ridiculous.
