forum “I wish we never met.” “No you don’t. Please don’t say that.” (Closed)

Started July 14, 2023 by @emilyevewrites group

tune

(Aww. Here it is, let's go!)

"You did what?!"

As hard as Farah Dowling tried hard to keep the snarl out of her tone, it still gave her words a sharp edge. Her anger was shooting toward the surface of her naturally calm persona and aimed at the man lounging across from her in one of her office chairs. He was supposed to be her friend, but after what he'd just told her, she wasn't so sure anymore.

"I told you, Farah," Saul repeated casually as if narrowed brown stare coming from the woman across from him wasn't completely homicidal. "I took the liberty of setting you up on a date tonight since you don't do anything for yourself. I thought you'd be happy. You're the one who told me about your need for companionship."

Farah scoffed. "Oh my God, Saul, I was talking about maybe a pet. A cat or something for my apartment, I don't know. Not another person."

"You're not becoming a crazy cat lady on my watch," Saul teased.

Farah's pen was being held hostage in her fist, her fingers in a tight death grip around it. "Saul, I haven't been on a date in years!" she countered and immediately noticed the glint in his eyes. She quickly added, "Which I've been perfectly fine with."

Saul only laughed and straightened his jacket, causing her irritation to grow. "Relax, Farah. He's an old college buddy of mine. Kind of a romantic if you ask me. So make sure you look good enough to do." Farah drew back the pen clutched in her fist and threw it at Saul's head. He blocked it with his hand and chuckled again. "I'm only kidding, Fa."

"Were you?" Farah bit back. But as much as she wished she could disappear into the ground to avoid it, she had a date with a stranger tonight. How lovely.

––

Farah's heeled foot tapped impatiently on the ground outside the restaurant Saul had texted her the address to. She wished that whoever she was supposed to meet would just show up already and get this date over with. Against her own better judgment, she'd done her makeup and selected a form-fitting black dress to wear that showed off her curves and height. She was on the taller side for a woman, and it was her favorite thing about her body.

Her earrings swung around her face as she looked around yet again. Hopefully, her date wouldn't show. But she also had no idea what he looked like. Saul had kept it a surprise, only divulging Farah's picture to the man who was supposed to meet her. The woman had nearly strangled him at that bit of information.

She glanced again at the time on her phone and triple-checked the address. If he wasn't here in two minutes, she was leaving. And never letting Saul play matchmaker for her again.

When Isaac had learned Saul had set up a blind date with someone, he'd panicked.

He was broke, after all. He'd want to pay but wouldn't have the money. He'd feel like a freeloader.

He started panicking more once he learned where they'd be meeting. Out of all the places, Saul had to pick the plaza.

Not that he exactly minded, but he knew t would make the date shorter since he had a small social battery to start with. That was being drained even as he was just thinking about meeting up with the stranger, in the plaza of all places.

What really baked his biscuit though was how gorgeous she was.

Saul had shown him a picture knowing full well what kind of person Isaac was.

He was sure Saul does this shit on purpose.

He looks at his bare closet with no small amount of distress.

He didn't even have anything nice to wear. The closest to fine clothing he got was when he'd looked into the windows of a boutique, and even then, he'd been across the street.

He settles on a pair of sweatpants that kind of looked like slacks, a closer fitting black t-shirt and his usual oversized hoodie. He pulls on his beat up shoes and sighs, running a hand through his dyed hair in an attempt to comb it.

It fails.

He grabs his key and steps out, heading to the address Saul had given him.

---

Once Isaac reaches the destination, he looks around cautiously, not making eye contact with anyone.

He spots the woman fairly quickly. It was hard not to, really, with the dress she was wearing and how he towered over the crowd.

He blinks.

She was actually taller than most women he'd been with.

He lopes over and gives the woman a small wave.

"Hi. Isaac Vanitas. I'm the one you're supposed to be going on a blind date with. . ." he says, his words getting quieter and quieter as he spoke, which was really a feat considering how light and soft his voice already was.

Farah's thin lips were pursed. She was counting down the seconds until she could go home. And that was of course when she spotted someone waving in her direction. Well, shit. She obviously wasn't that lucky.

Steeling herself with a deep breath, she took a few steps of her own to approach him. Her initial plan was to let him down slowly, but the way he spoke stilled her. He was so quiet and stood out from the crowd around them as much as she did.

Despite herself, a small smile pulled at her lips in greeting. "Hi, I'm Farah," she replied. "Though I'm sure you already knew that. Saul didn't tell me who I'd be meeting." Her eyes scanned him up and down before inclining her head towards the restaurant doors. "Shall we head inside?"

Isaac chuckles, embarrassed.

"I, uh. . . yeah," he nods, not sure what to really say.

What does one say in this situation? I mean I've been on dates before but at least I had time to prepare. . .! he thinks.

He realizes that Farah is checking him out and he pretty much just dies on the spot. He was all too aware of how he looked. Having this beautiful woman check him out like that didn't do much for his self-consciousness or ability to be able to carry on a conversation, much less actually go on a date with her.

But, despite his inner panic, he manages to keep his face from showing most of what he was feeling, and holds the door open for Farah.

Farah noted the nervousness in his body tells and the way he hesitated. She sighed quietly as they headed for the door. She hadn't intended to intimidate him away. But that was just her, never quite knowing how to present herself to someone new.

Halfway through her motion, Farah realized what she was doing, and flushed lightly before looking away. She hadn't meant to do that. His clothes had peaked her curiosity though. To be honest, he didn't look like he was ready for this date. Saul probably had given him about the same amount of warning time as Farah. She'd kill him at work the next day.

Her steps slowed, and she glanced over at Isaac as he held the door for her. "Thank you," she murmured quietly before entering the restaurant.

Apparently, Saul had also made them a reservation. Perfect. They were led to their table, and Farah slipped into her seat before looking at the man across from her. "Listen," she began hesitantly. "Please don't feel as though you're obligated to be here. This doesn't have to be a date. It can just be dinner."

As soon as Farah realizes what she'd been doing and becomes flustered, it embarrasses Isaac some more. He hides his face slightly behind a sleeve.

"Um. . . sorry for not dressing better. . . if I had better clothes I'd be wearing them. . ." he murmurs as they walk to the table.

The moment of silence after seems to last forever. Right up until Farah speaks. Isaac startles, his hands hitting the table, hard, drawing attention from the people around them.

Isaac seems to shrink slightly. He'd been considering taking off the hoodie but that idea had just gone out the window.

"S-sorry. . . I've never done this type of. . ." he starts before going quiet again. He could tell that Farah didn't want to be there. He'd nearly called it a date, but Farah didn't seem to think it was.

Farah was a bit surprised by his comment about his clothes. Questions rose one by one in her mind, and— She froze at the realization that getting to know someone on a date meant asking questions. They were both clearly stressed with each other as it was.

As Isaac’s hands hit the table, Farah jumped in surprise. She blushed heatedly at the stares from other people before looking back over at her “date.” God, she was going to kill Saul. But… at the same time… this man was rather attractive. Even wearing a hoodie and sweatpants into a fancier restaurant.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I shouldn’t have said that. May I ask you, what is it that you do for a living?” Well, at least she was trying.

Isaac blinks, pulling his sleeve from his face slightly. His face was still quite red however.

"No, don't worry. . . Saul told me you might kill him over this so I just assumed. . ." he explains, trailing off.

He stops his sentences a lot.

"I uh. . . work as a waiter uptown. . . in a bar. . ." he replies quietly.

Farah, much to her own surprise, laughed at his words. “Well,” she began, shaking her head with a casual smile, “he’d be right. Multiple different ways have crossed my mind, not because of you, of course. Saul knows that I haven’t been involved in dating for years.”

She looked up, nodding at his answer and noticing the way he continually trailed off his sentences. “You don’t need to be shy,” she offered kindly. “Which bar uptown? I may know it.”

Isaac's eyes widen.

"Really? I thought, as gorgeous as you are-" he starts before realizing what he was saying. His face turns scarlet, a look very quickly hidden behind a sleeve and a stammered apology.

"It's called the Hound. . ." he murmurs, naming a hole-in-the-wall bar in the slums.

Farah’s expression molded into one of soft shock. She obviously hadn’t been expecting him to say that, but she was flattered all the same. “There’s no need to apologize,” she assured him. “It’s just been a personal choice. I…” She thought a moment about her words before signing and saying, “I just don’t think I was meant to end up with anyone.”

She pursed her lips, thinking, before shaking her head. “I’m sorry, I haven’t heard of it.”

Isaac looks confused, before deciding against pressing Farah. She clearly had chosen carefully what she was going to say, and Isaac wasn't the type to get in arguments, especially not on dates. So he simply nods slightly, not meeting Farah's eyes.

"No, it's fine. . . not very many people have, outside of. . . well. . ." Isaac says abashedly, his words trailing off again. "Anyways. . ."

(Yes, sorry! Multitasking and getting distracted 😅)

Farah sighed quietly. Obviously she’d have to carry this conversation. Isaac wasn’t very talkative, and when he did talk, it was quiet and often faded out before he finished a sentence. Quite unlike Farah, who voiced her opinions and had learned how to project herself, being in front of a room of judging and inattentive adolescents.

“Isn’t there anything you wish to know about me?” she prompted. “I’ll answer any question you want to ask.” Then, almost as an afterthought, she added, “Is it really that much of a surprise that I haven’t dated in years?”

"Erm. . ." Isaac pauses, embarrassed by both the statement and question.

"Yeah. . . kind of. . . I mean, someone like you must have her reasons though, right?" he replies softly.

Farah frowned slightly at all his little nervous tells. “I do,” she answered simply. She was going to elaborate, and she still would, but she needed to confirm something first.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?” she asked.

Isaac looks startled.

"No, nothing like that!" he says at a normal human volume, which was nearly a shout for Isaac. He flushes and hides behind a sleeve for a moment before looking at Farah again.

"It's just. . . I'm not the best with people. . ." he continues in his normal tone.

Farah arched her eyebrows slightly as he spoke loud enough she could hear him without having to try. She nodded slowly, thinking to herself. “I understand that,” she replied sympathetically.

After a moment, Farah rises decisively to her feet and motions for Isaac to follow her lead. “Come on,” she says plainly, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Let’s go.”

Isaac looks surprised as Farah makes her statement.

"Really. . .? But, I thought. . . with how you are. . ." he starts before flinching back as the woman rises suddenly and starts to raise her hand.

After a couple seconds of shocked silence from him, he slowly stands up. He doesn't speak a single word as he trails behind Farah.

Farah let a small smile pull at her lips. "You'd be surprised," she answered simply. Though she immediately noticed his flinch and took a small step backward. "I'm sorry," she added apologetically. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Once he was on his feet and following her, Farah led them directly out of the restaurant. Saul might have been able to choose where they met up, but he had no say over anything that happened after. The woman led the way with confident strides until they reached a part of the small city that had significantly fewer people than the blocks surrounding the Plaza.

Farah let out a breath and glanced back at Isaac. "This is better, isn't it?"

Isaac laughs weakly.

"It's. . . fine. I'm easy to startle. . ." he replies.

He lets out a breath and smiles softly, looking at the streetlights.

"Yeah. . . much better." he nods. His voice sounded a bit more normal now, at least. Farah wouldn't have to go deaf trying to listen to him.

He glances over at her.

"So. . ." he says awkwardly.

"I'm sorry," she repeated genuinely. "If I had known, I wouldn't have been so rushed."

Farah smiled at his agreement. As they walked, they passed directly under a streetlight's rays. It illuminated Farah's hair like a soft, golden halo around her head before they entered a patch of darkness.

"Is there anything you'd like to know about me?" she asked gently.

Isaac shakes his head.

"There's nothing to know. . . at least, nothing that I haven't done my best to work through," he smiles gently.

He pulls off his hoodie, revealing a slim waist and narrow shoulders, yet it was clear that he at least lifted weights with what little was visible of his upper arms and chest. It also reveals his tattoo sleeve. The streetlights glint off something in his ears, giving away his piercings.

He glances over at Farah right at the moment she's surrounded by the golden light of the street lamp. His eyes widen, and he flushes slightly. She looked, in a word, divine. Like a goddess.

At her question his blush fades slightly, and he smiles.

"Why someone as beautiful and smart as you isn't married yet," he replies, almost as if he was teasing Farah.