It’s happening, just as she predicted!
Chris’ face gave away nothing, but his mind whirled in fear and blankness.
Say something, anything.
“Err… you look great tonight.”
“Chris, if you tell me I look great one more time, I’ll jump out of this car.”
Katherine said this without looking at him. She didn’t even take her eyes off the passing scenery. She was obviously bored out of her mind. This has to be the worst first date ever.
“I’m sorry.”
“Can you please stop apologizing?” Katherine snapped in response to his muttered apology. “Just find something else to say instead of how great you think I look.”
That’s it.
“Oh no, you don’t get to snap at me,” Chris said in the low voice he used when he was furious.
Katherine confirmed his fury when he parked the car by the side. It was one of the fascinating things about him. He was good with confrontations and gave everything to arguments. But Katherine avoided confrontations as much as possible, It was one of the many differences between them that made them best friends.
“You don’t have to park to argue with me; we can argue while you drive,” Katherine suggested. She doubted he’d do as she said, but she had to try.
“We are both on this date,” Chris began, ignoring her suggestion that he keep driving. “It takes two to tango, and if this date stinks, we are both to blame.”
"No, we are not. It is all your fault. I wanted us to leave the relationship at the friendship level it was, but no, you had to turn something great into a romantic relationship.”
Katherine took off her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. If he wanted a quarrel, fine. But there was no way she was doing that sitting in the car. She recognized the fear in her beating heart. She was scared, almost petrified, at the thought of losing Chris’ friendship. This is why she never wanted this stupid date. Everything changes when romance is involved. Chris has been her stable friend for over a decade. He remained while she dated one loser after another. Now he wanted to spoil things.
She was also afraid of what their fallout would reveal. She feared that it would be clear that she was at fault. For every bad relationship she had had, it was her all along—not the guys, just her.
As a friend, Chris was the best. It was only their first date, and they were arguing like a couple going through a nasty divorce.
“Where are you going? It is dark, and you can’t see in the dark!” Chris fumbled with his seatbelt and also got out. Even in his fury, he was still looking out for her.
Why did he have to spoil things by falling for her?
“Please get back into the car; let’s talk like the adults we are.”
“What are we going to talk about, Chris? Our ten-year friendship is at risk of collapsing just because you thought it was best for us to get romantically involved.”
What? "What are you talking about?”
Katherine looked at him in surprise. She was astonished that he was oblivious to where things were headed.
“Can’t you see it? First, we argue; next, we hate each other; and then we can’t stand each other. It was okay losing other guys because I had you, Chris. What would I do if I lose you?”
“Oh my God! Is that what you think is going to happen? I am going nowhere, Kat. I’m here. And we are not spoiling anything.”
“You have to fix this, Chris; I am scared. You are my constant.”
Finally hearing the fear in Katherine’s voice, Chris sighed deeply and went silent. The last thing he wanted was to scare Katherine. She was an overthinker and could see the ugly in the most beautiful things. Whereas he knew they would be better as lovers, she was afraid of all that could go wrong. He knew what to do.
"Alright, can we keep this argument to the side and go to that singing bar?”
The fear in Katherine turned to confusion. “I-Why-What... Chris, what is going on? You don’t sing.”
“It’s not that I don’t sing; I just...”
“Sorry, let me rephrase; you can’t sing.”
“Ouch! I can sing. I only…”
“Sound like a frog?” Katherine interrupted again.
“Oh please, get in the car and let me go show you what I can do.”
“Really? You are open to embarrassing yourself just to make me happy?”
Chris smiled. He knew she would catch his attempt to make her less upset. He was grateful that she played along.
“It’s not even my birthday yet!” Katherine did a little dance and hopped excitedly to the car.
Looking at her, Chris was reminded why he was in love with her. She lived fully. When she was angry, she was very angry. When she was happy, she was very happy. When she loved, she loved fully, and God help you if she hates you, you will know how much you were hated.
Having watched her love idiots for too long, he desired her full love directed towards him. That was why he let her know he was attracted to her. This was only their first date, and it had almost messed up their friendship. He would rather have her remain his best friend than do anything to jeopardize their friendship.
Chuckling at her excitement at the promise of seeing him sing as badly as he usually does, he started the car.
“So, are you singing together, or is it just one of you?”
“Together”
“Just him”
Chris and Katherine replied at the same time.
“Wait, you are not singing with me?” Chris said in mock surprise. “You are supposed to be my best friend. This is going to be my hour of humiliation. You should be with me.”
“Oh, I’ll be with you alright, just in the audience laughing my head off,” Katherine responded. Turning to the guy taking down the singers’ information, she continued. “The name is Chris.”
“What key will you be singing in so the pianist can accompany you?” The guy asks Chris, his pen poised to write.
“Off,” Katherine responded without missing a beat.
Chris hooted in laughter. “You are heartless!”
“With you, always,” Katherine replied with a soft smile as she held Chris’ gaze.
“I’m still waiting for the key.” The guy interrupted the moment with his bored voice, annoying Katherine.
“Don’t bother about the key; the pianist will play at whatever key my friend decides to sing in.” She said this with her eyes still locked on Chris’.
“Thank you,” she said to Chris after the annoying guy left to disturb another participant.
“What for?”
“For fixing things between us.”
After staring at her for a while, contemplating his next move, Chris said softly, “You know I still want to be your boyfriend and best friend, right?”
“I know.”
“Good. Come here,“ Chris said, holding his arms open.
As Katherine walked into the embrace, she wondered.
What is the worst that can happen if I become Chris’ girlfriend?
For the first time since Chris told her he wanted her as a girlfriend two weeks ago, Katherine wasn’t afraid.
Maybe this could work.
