The Ten Dates

6. The Second Date.

I closed my eyes, my hand centimeters away from the bell "I got this" I whispered to myself. I've never been this nervous.

The door opened suddenly without me having to ring the bell. Ray stood there with his hands folded under his arms. He had a defensive stance.

"You never asked for my address" were his first words.

"I saw your ID remember?" I said smoothly.

"You have a very good memory" he countered sarcastically.

"I do" I simply agreed. It is true that we have photographic memories but that doesn't mean that's where I got his address from.

He didn't look like he believed my words. I wouldn't have believed myself if I was him.

"Come in" he said moving away from the door. I followed.

He gave up too soon for my liking. There wass something different about him today. I don't like it.

He led me to a bright red couch "Have a seat"

"Thank you" I said looking around. His place was just like him, it felt like home. It was nothing like the lifeless house I live in. The living room was cozy and spacious. The kitchen and dining room are attached to the living room. The walls were painted off-white except for one of the walls that had lots of weird colors, yellow, blue, green, violet and other colors to it. It looked more like a kid destroyed the wall but someone tried to fix it without wiping the entire thing out.

"Dan felt left out" Ray explained after her saw my attention wasn't wavering from the wall "So we let him paint it"

I hated listening to the words coming out of his mouth. How does Luke expect me to be there for him when all I want to do is rip him out of that woman's life?

There were a few pictures on the wall. Some of them were family pictures, his mother, father, siblings. They looked related. Thankfully, there was no picture of that woman on the wall. Although I think that has more to do with the woman not wanting her picture on the wall than the other way round. Had it been up to him, she would be all over the walls and his life.

"Is that him?" I asked nodding towards a picture of Ray bending down to hold a toddler with wide green eyes and an infectious smile. The toddler's little hands were wrapped around Ray's index fingers. It looked like he was teaching the toddler to walk.

"That was the day Dan took his first step" I could feel the affection in his voice. How long has he known the kid? Did he raise him? But she has a mate.

I hate not knowing things.

"How long have you known him" I asked.

"Long enough" he replied briskly "Would you like to drink something? Sit"

I turned to look at him in question. He pointed to the couch. I sat down but continued to look at him.

He sighed "I'm not giving my life's details to a stranger and it's impolite to ask Jean" he explained politely

"Sometimes it's easier to talk to strangers" I repeated the words Luke taught me. I felt really stupid. But I guess it worked because his eyes deflected from me to the wall a couple of times before firmly settling on me.

"No" he said flatly before moving to the kitchen.

He came back with two glasses of juice and placed one in front of me. He took a seat across me.

Taking out his phone he said "I'm marking it as the second installment of my debt" he showed me the screen "Here". It was a calendar.

I nodded and grabbed the juice "People talk about their lives and likes on dates don't they?" I asked.