Patience (closed for EndHits)

[LovelyLuna]

Angelina was nervous for the first time in a long time. She paced the length of the sidewalk in front of the small cafe that the two of them had decided on. It had been a long time coming, this day. She had arrived at her aunt's house a week ago, and had spent the next five days trying to tell him that she was in town. When she finally managed to blurt the words out, he was a little annoyed that she had waited to say anything. But the fact of the matter was, she had been scared.

The day Angelina had met Cory in an online chatroom, she had been looking for a quick fix for her sexual frustration. She hadn't wanted to make any connections with anyone. She was a cynic about love in public.. but in private, Angelina had always been a hopeless romantic. Somehow, Cory brought that out in her. Their conversations had started as merely a sexual outlet, a source for mutual masturbation and pleasure. But soon enough, the two were talking about much more than that. Intimate details of their lives began to work their way out. Angelina learned that she and Cory had much more in common than she had first assumed. On top of all that... she really, genuinely liked him.

And so, they had discussed meeting. For months, it was all the two of them could talk about. Ironically enough, he lived in the same area that she had family members in. The possibility of seeing each other in person one day seemed real and probable. And Angelina jumped on that opportunity when summer rolled around and she traveled out to visit her aunt.

No one in her family knew her reasons for wanting to be at her aunt's house. They assumed she was just missing a close relative, but there was so much more to it. Angelina knew it was dangerous to meet men online... but Cory was only a few years older than her. He was so kind, so sweet to her. And he made her feel alive, for the first time in years. She was young, at 19, but she knew that she was making the right choice when she hopped on a plane.

And now here she was. She and Cory had been texting all last night, gushing about how excited they were to finally see each other. She had barely been able to sleep, and when she woke up she had trouble focusing on anything. It was only noon now, and he had agreed to meet her for coffee at 12:30. Angelina had been ready since 10 though. She had showered and scrubbed and fixed her hair and her makeup. She had thrown on a pair of jeans and a tshirt, then decided she wanted to dress up. She had thrown on a dress, then decided it was too much. Finally, she decided on a pair of lace shorts and a tank top, something casual that wasn't too trashy.

The sun was getting bright, and Angelina decided it was now or never. It was okay for her to be early. Cory knew what she looked like, so he would be able to find her as soon as he walked in the door. Running a hand through her dark waves, she stepped into the cool, dark atmosphere of the cafe. It was a place he had recommended, and she could see why. It was exactly what she had pictured for her first meeting with him. Taking a seat toward the back of one side of the restaurant, she shooed away the waiter after requesting just a glass of water with lemon, and tried to busy herself with the menu. Tapping her nails on the table, crossing and uncrossing her legs, and playing with a few strands of her hair, Angelina waited.

 

[EndHits]

Cory stood in front of the floor length mirror that hung from the wall in his small, but comfortable bathroom. His nerves were on fire. He had tried on seemingly a dozen outfits (although he doubted that he actually owned a dozen outfits), pouring over the details, desperately hoping to impress the woman he had agreed to meet. Finally. But ultimately Cory settled on a pair of frayed jeans and a black t-shirt with the image of Chief Joseph emblazoned on the front, the word "Disobey" scrawled underneath. This was who he was, the man he had finally become comfortable with. And even though he was deathly afraid of being rejected by the woman he had come to adore, Cory couldn't bring himself to present any sort of false pretense. Angelina would have to take him as he was.

Frankly, this was all strange for him. Cory had given up chasing after the affections of women, deciding instead to devote his life to work - particularly the creative work of music and film. He had spent so much time in his office, stirring over ideas, making things, that the idea of anything more than a one-night-stand had seemed almost silly.

But Angelina had changed all of that.

With mere words on a computer screen, she had reawakened his romantic impulses. She was all he could think about. What had started as a game of erotic back-and-forth had turned into true admiration. Angelina was strong, intelligent, and beautiful in a totally unique way. She was often self-deprecating, her esteem often waning. But Cory had helped build up her confidence, to show her new sides of herself. She had shown him her true self and he was in awe.

When the phone call had arrived earlier that day, Cory had been a bit perturbed that he hadn't known sooner. He could have plans. But the joy of having her close to him was enough to overcome that. He called out of work, cancelled all of his plans. Cory would devote his all of his attention to her.

He had selected Atwater's because it was one of his favorite spots in the city. Tucked away in a cute neighborhood with the oldest movie theater in the United States only a block away. His nerves hadn't calmed yet, even as he felt his grip tighten around the steering wheel of his Oldsmobile Ciera Cutlass. The car was old, battered by the years, but decorated with a plethora of curious bumper stickers that he had collected over the years. Friends' had always told him that the car was an almost perfect representation of his attitude and personality - and as such, as he closed-in on the cafe he began to settle down.

Still, this was the craziest thing he had ever done: to meet a woman who by all practical definitions was a complete stranger, but whom he felt he had known for a lifetime. Cory wasn't feeling practical.

He parked his car in the parking lot across the street and meandered over to the Atwater's. It was technically a market, all of the food served there was fresh, with new menus almost every day. The smell overtook him from across the street and he knew that if nothing else, he would eat well. With slight trepidation, Cory placed his hand on the doorknob and turned it. Directly to his right - sitting at a table, playing with her hair - was Angelina.

Cory smiled. She was as beautiful as he thought she would be.

 

[LovelyLuna]

Angelina had been sitting there for ten minutes now, waiting. She knew that Cory would be there. There was no doubt in her mind that he was as eager as she was to finally meet. And besides, she had shown up absurdly early. Now all she could do was wait. Angelina busied herself with the menu at first, scanning the paper for something that she could enjoy when Cory finally got here. It seemed as if the food was fresh and different every day. And it smelled absolutely divine in here, so she knew she would be happy at least on that front.

Absentmindedly twirling her hair around her finger, Angelina occasionally looked up toward the door to see if Cory had arrived yet. The first four times she checked, he wasn't there. Of course, when you glanced up every minute or so, the odds of seeing who you were waiting for each time were significantly lower. When she looked up again, however, there he was. He stood in the doorway, looking at her, smile spread across his lips. She realized that he had probably been watching her for a few seconds now, and this thought made her blush deeply. Swallowing hard, trying to squash the nerves and anxiety rising up inside of her, Angelina smiled back. Then she couldn't help herself, and her grin widened. She was nervous still, yes. But now those nerves were tinged with excitement.

Beckoning him over to her with her fingers, she stood from the table to come around and meet him on his side. When he finally reached her, she took a moment to take in his appearance. Laid back, comfortable.... but so gorgeous. His hair was down, a bit shaggy but all she wanted to do was reach out and touch it. Instead of doing that, however, she placed her hand on the table to steady wobbly legs. "Hi." It was just one word, so simple and short, but it was the first time she had ever said a single thing to Cory in person. It was a special word... it felt like the beginning of something. Even after she spoke, the smile wouldn't fade from her face.

 

[EndHits]

Cory was instantly happy that he had chosen to be casual, to be himself. Angelina stood in front of him, as achingly beautiful as he'd expected - a twinkle in her eye, a smile on her face. Her lace shorts and tank top could have been a cocktail dress or a ball gown for all he was concerned, it was simply intoxicating to be standing so close to the woman he had been longing to meet. It was difficult to keep his eyes from scanning over the bare skin of her legs - the image that had drawn him to her in the first place - but the smile on her face was so welcoming, so filled with joy, that he couldn't look away.

Angelina's one-word introduction was said with a kind of awkward profundity that he found absolutely adorable. Could she possibly be as nervous as I am? Cory pondered. There was no doubt that she was. He could see her tremble a bit as he approached. He was actively settling his own nerves, hoping to come across as the charming man that Angelina had been expecting online. Still, he could feel his knees quivering just a bit.

He smiled, staring down to meet her gaze. "Well, what brings a gorgeous woman like yourself to a place like this?" It was a cheap line, but it was the first thing he could think to blurt out. But he wasn't Humphrey Bogart or Cary Grant and he could tell it landed kind of flat. They stood in silence for what felt like an eternity. Finally, Cory blurted out honestly, "It feels so good to be standing here right now, do you know that?"

Before she could answer, they were abruptly interrupted by a young woman - her hair up in thick dreadlocks, wearing a long apron with assorted utensils dangling from wide pockets. She spoke up with a friendly voice, "Hey guys! Can I get anything for you?" There was a distinct moment of empty air, as if no one knew what to say in reply. The waitress had interrupted an intimate moment and it was obvious.

Cory looked to the waitress, "Um...could you give us a few minutes?" The waitress quickly excused herself and Cory broke out into a stiff bought of laughter. The incident had completely broken the tension, at least on his end. "Why don't we sit down and I'll tell you what's delicious?" He smiled, pulling his chair from beneath the metal table and sitting down.

 

[LovelyLuna]

Angelina didn't know what she had expected upon this first meeting. Her own word to him was awkward and short and now that she had said it, she flushed a deep red. Was it possible for her to be even more of an embarrassment than she already was? But Cory didn't seem to care how silly Angelina sounded. In fact, he seemed to embrace it, his smile warm and inviting. His next line was almost as corny as hers, and Angelina wanted to giggle, she did... but she was too nervous to give him more than a silly smile. He knew it had been a bust, though, because his next question was honest and real. No lines, no corny jokes. He meant what he said. She opened her mouth to respond with an earnest "Yeah... it feels just as wonderful for me..." But before she could get the words out, a friendly, bouncy waitress appeared beside them. The two were still awkwardly standing, not even sitting down at the table yet, and that should have tipped the dreadlocked woman off. It didn't, however, and she launched into waitress mode, asking if she could get them anything.

The next few seconds were silent, and Angelina wanted to break that silence with her own voice, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. God, you're so fucking awkward, Angie... seriously, pull it the fuck together... Her thoughts were tormenting her and just as she was about to flee, Cory spoke up. His words saved the moment, and as the waitress excused herself, he broke out into sweet laughter. This brought the smile back to Angie's lips and she nodded as he suggested they sit down. Settling herself down into her seat, Angie slid the menu over toward him. "So... I was looking it over earlier, and it all sounds so delicious.... you'll have to tell me what you recommend..."

At this, Angie slid her chair in a bit, almost imperceptibly bringing herself closer to the table and, at the same time, closer to Cory. She looked up at him now, smile on her face as her eyes met his. He was still watching her with that sweet look on his face, and she blushed yet again. It seemed this day would be full of embarrassment for her. Cory started to talk then, about the menu and several of the items on it, but Angie was distracted. She knew she had the whole day with him... that she could spend as much time with him today as she wanted, he had told her himself. But she was still determined to make every second last.

This second was spent observing his face while he talked. His eyes were down, scanning the menu, and as such he didn't see the way she was staring. Her gaze took in the line of his jaw, or what she could see of it from underneath a healthy beard. She smiled at the way his mouth curved up when he spoke, a small smile spreading across his lips even while he talked about mundane things like food. Angie was glad she had done this. She was glad she had decided to come.

 

[EndHits]

Cory barely needed to glance over the menu. He was a regular at Atwater's; it was the kind of tucked away joint that had managed to remain a local gem without being soiled by national attention. They had arrived just before peak hours and soon they were surrounded by market-goers, who wandered the aisles in search of fresh fruits, homemade ice cream, and imported coffee blends. Cory loved the sights and sounds of this place, but his attention couldn't be drawn from the woman in front of him.

The smile on her face, the way her hair draped over her shoulders, the wanting glance in her eyes; Cory had to hold himself back from staring. He had been staring at photos of her for months, some innocent, others achingly erotic. He had seen so much of Angie's gorgeous body, he couldn't help but to undress her in his mind. He felt sleazy for a moment, but he knew that she was probably doing the same. Even online, their budding relationship had been overwhelmingly passionate. He had spent hours and days fantasizing about her. But despite the sexual tension that reverberated in the space between them, he was interested in more than her body. Cory truly cared for her. He wanted to delve into her mind and her soul. Her body could wait.

Cory pointed across the table, attempting to show Angie the best items on the menu. His hand casually glanced across hers. "If you're feeling adventurous, try the Ham and Apple Panini. It's phenomenal. But their Shepherds Pie is pretty amazing too." He looked up to the expansive market before them. "There's also a great soup stand in the back. Whatever you want." He paused. "It's yours."

A wide smile spread across his face. "So, how are you, Angie? How do you like my state?"

 

[LovelyLuna]

Angie felt her tummy grumble at the mention of a ham and apple panini. She was, in fact, feeling adventurous. The very fact that she was here, sitting next to Cory in a restaurant in Maryland, was enough to prove that. She nodded at him, feeling her face get hot as his hand grazed across hers for a split second. The butterflies now rising in her stomach had nothing to do with her hunger, of that she was sure. She smiled and pointed to the panini on the menu, agreeing to it.

"That's what I'll have.. Anything you recommend must be great, since you have such impeccable taste...." Grinning now, Angie crossed and uncrossed her legs as she leaned on her elbow, chin on fist. She chuckled at Cory's question, nodding slowly. "Your state? Well, I've been here before, ya know.... Although, I have to say... The view has definitely improved since the last time I visited...."

At this, she paused, her eyes sweeping across the expanse of Cory's broad shoulders and chest. She couldn't help herself... He was just as gorgeous as she had always pictured him. Pictures didn't do him justice, in fact, and Angie was grateful for the opportunity to sit here and gaze in wonder at such a beautiful man, at the very least. She shook herself from her daze, though, trying not to stare. It wouldn't do if Cory got skeeved by her strange habits and ran out before this little date was over. Despite this, Angie was done with small talk. She knew that the two of them were both thinking the same thoughts. Eventually one of them would have to speak on it. And so, she decided to be the first.

"How does it feel? For you? Is this weird?" For Angie it was great. Her nerves were subsiding substantially, her heart rate had pretty much decreased to almost normal, her palms were no longer embarrassingly sweaty. She was sure her cheeks had that young, excited glow about them. Now it was all on Cory. He seemed happy enough to be sitting in front of her, but what if it was all an act? What if he was plotting an escape plan at this very moment? What if she didn't look like her pictures? What if he was suddenly utterly turned off? Angie just wanted to know the answer to all her crazy questions.

Her ponderings would prove unanswered for the moment, though, as the waitress suddenly arrived on the scene. This girl definitely had a knack for showing up at the worst moments. Angie cleared her throat and gave the waitress her best smile, trying not to let her aggravation shine through. This girl was just doing her job after all. She scribbled down their orders on her notepad, asked if they wanted anything to drink (to which Angie replied "Water, just water") and then scurried off on her way. Sheepish, Angie turned back to Cory.

"As I was saying...."

 

[EndHits]

Cory wasn't good at this. He couldn't turn on the charm like so many of the men that he knew. In fact, he was known throughout his circle of friends' as a man of absolute independence. It wasn't that he didn't believe in companionship or romance; it was that he believed that life could be lived just as validly without it. Cory had always held women at a distance, at arms' length, but Angelina had come storming into his life like few ever had. And despite his own fears, she had convinced him to open up to someone new. Someone wonderful.

His eyes hadn't drifted from Angie's since she had arrived. Cory had been told over and over through desperate e-mails about the thoughts that drifted through her mind about this moment. He had had his own. But at this moment, in this place, all expectations were gone. He just wanted to get to know her all over again. To rediscover in person those things that had only been binary code. He smiled at her nervous questions. "I'm not sure how it feels yet. Comfortable. Like talking to someone I've known for an awfully long time."

His hand reached for hers again, this time firmly gripping the top, caressing her soft skin reassuringly. "There's no pressure here. None. We're just getting to know each other. What will be, will be. Just pretend this is a..." Cory ponders his words for a moment. "...second date. You know me, I know you, all of those awkward moments are over with, but we still have plenty more learning to do."

Cory retracted his hand, taking a sip of the glass of water resting on the small, circular metal table. "Second dates are way easier anyway." He chuckled slightly under his breath. "What about you? How are you handling all of this?"

 

[LovelyLuna]

Angie grinned at Cory's words, not completely reassured, but definitely feeling the butterflies in her stomach shrink down to a more acceptable pace of fluttering. Her eyes flitted down as he caressed the back of her hand, then flitted back up to meet his.

"Me? I'm ecstatic... and nervous. And surely making a fool out of myself...." Angie readjusted on her chair, perching carefully. "The truth is that you're... even more wonderful than I imagined you would be. I knew you were special, but... you're more than I could have ever dreamed..." Biting her lip and nervously running a finger down the condensation on her water glass, Angie glanced over to the right, spotting the waitress coming over bearing food. This conversation could be finished elsewhere... in private. For now, she was starving and she couldn't wait to try the deliciousness that Cory had recommended to her.

"So what is second date material? I can't say I've had many dating opportunities like this.... where do you go on a second date?" Angie grinned as the waitress reached the table, looking up at her with genuine enthusiasm as she set down the plates. When she was gone, she focused her attention back on Cory.