Hita (10 page)

After spending time with my family at Savi’s wedding, I decide to stay in California for Thanksgiving. Meredith and Sam live in an apartment located in the back of a garage. The apartment is kind of run down, but the garage and backyard give them the space they were looking for. This year they’ve invited a lot of people. Sam’s been busy brewing holiday beer while Meredith is taking care of the details. All the princesses plan on showing up.

As the guests arrive, Isabelle, Olivia, and I, the three single princesses check out Sam’s friends. They’re all the brothers we already know from his fraternity. Isabelle gets an annoyed look on her face as she watches Ben, one of Sam’s friends. Back in college they dated. He always ran hot and cold telling Isabelle he wasn’t interested in having a girlfriend, though now he shows up with his arm around some bottle blond.

At one point I finally voice to my friends what I’ve been mulling over, “I’ve been thinking about online dating.”

Olivia and Isabelle both stare at me with a horrified look. I tell them, “I watched a Ted talk by this woman, she’s a math girl like me. She said she wrote down the traits that she wanted in a man. She then wrote down her traits. She did research on what made a compelling listing. Of the guys who responded to her listing, she gave them points for each of the traits she was looking for. The guy who came out on top she went on a date with, and wound up marrying.”

“Do you think it’s that easy?” Isabelle asks.

“Are you ready to get married?” Olivia questions.

“She didn’t say she got married the next day,” I tell them.

Isabelle ponders what I said, finally coming back with, “I guess we can try it. I sure would like to go out with a guy I like who likes me back. I’m spending way too much time with the Beatles these days.”

Olivia rolls her eyes before questioning her, “You’re not going out with Paul again?”

Isabelle puts her hands up before answering, “No, but I’m afraid that Paul will come out as my perfect guy. We sound so good on paper, but in reality we’re a disaster.”

“Then you know more of the characteristics that you like and those that you don’t,” I tell her.

Isabelle gives me a long look as I can see the wheels turning in her mind. “Okay, I’m in. I’m not meeting any guys on my own. Let’s work on it this weekend.”

Olivia shakes her head as she tells me, “I’m too busy with school to start that kind of dating.”

Isabelle and I agree. “Tomorrow, let’s write up our lists.”

***

Heading over to Isabelle’s at noon, it takes us no time to raid her kitchen. Her parents are back east at her grandparents for Thanksgiving. Her mom cooked up a storm, leaving Isabelle with a refrigerator full of food.

Sitting down at her kitchen table she asks, “Where do we start?”

Taking control I reply, “Write down what you want in a guy.”

Watching Isabelle stare at the blank sheet of paper, I realize in her mind she’s probably drawn a picture of Paul. Figuring I need to change tactics, I decide to interview her in the hopes of helping her figure it out.

After a couple hours of this inward analysis, we’re so mentally exhausted we head into her garage where she pulls out a couple of skateboards. I was afraid of this. Isabelle and Juliette get along well since neither of them can sit still. I might be good at ping pong, but skateboarding looks like a disaster waiting to happen. After about ten minutes of sketchy skateboarding on my part, I sit on my board while Isabelle shows me the tricks she’s been working on. At some point she joins me as we both sit on our skateboards while we talk about life.

After dinner I convince Isabelle to join me at Game Kastle. Once there, we head past the rows of computer games and comic books to the counter in the back of the store where I hand Hal, who mans the back counter, a couple of complementary tickets I’ve received for winning and placing in tournaments. On a white board affixed to the wall behind the counter the following choices are listed: Star Wars, Star Trek, Friday Night Magic Booster Draft, or Friday Night Fragfest.

I tell Isabelle, “I’ve watched Star Wars with you, so it’s the safest bet.”

We walk through two rooms before I see the sign, “Star Wars X-Wing open play bring your squadrons and test your skills against the ace squadrons.”

We pass a couple of guys I’ve played against. They tip their heads as I say, “Hi.” I was wondering if Brian might show up, but I guess he went home for the holiday. I’ve played with this guy, David, a couple of times. He’s cute, nice, and totally into science fiction. When I’ve played against him in the past, he’s taken defeat and winning well. Depending on the game we play he’s usually good at throwing out some funny Star Wars or Star Trek lines.

Choosing an empty table in the middle of the room, I pull off my backpack and start pulling out my miniature Star Wars ships and a deck of cards while I explain to Isabelle, “It’s easy, we play against a partner who has their own ships. Think of it as the Star Wars version of you sunk my battleship.”

I’m not even done setting up my side of the board when I can feel a presence on the other side of the table. Looking up I see David. Thinking this should be a good night, he tips his head and asks, “You playing?”

In an attempt to be cool, I give him an easy, “yeah.”

David’s a tall thin Asian guy with short cropped hair, an American accent, dressed in a T-shirt with an Intel logo and jeans. I can tell Isabelle is checking him and the other players in the room out. Gamers are like poker players, we have a cool attitude when we play. We don’t talk much, and we don’t want to give out too many tells.

David and I start playing. I have to hold back my smile because after a few good moves, I start pulling ahead of him. I’d like to explain to Isabelle what I’m doing and show her my strategy, but I’m way too competitive to tip my hand. As I get closer to annihilation, I take another of his ships. I can’t hold back as I say in my attempt to sound like Luke Skywalker, “It’s not impossible. I used to bullseye womp rats in my T-16 back home, they’re not much bigger than two meters.”

After taking a few more of his strategically placed ships, David shakes his head and scowls. Then responds with, “Why, you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking Nerf herder.”

Unable to control myself, I feel a small smirk break out on the corner of my lips. I respond with, “Who’s the more foolish; the fool, or the fool who follows him?” Another win for me is eminent as I proceeded to take a few more of his ships.

He shakes his head and scowls again. With a frown that turns into a smirk he flashes me eye contact as he says in a Yoda voice, “Ready are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained. A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one, a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away…to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. …hmm? On what he was doing.”

With one last move I relax back in my chair, folding my arms over my chest as I say, “Yoda, I think I won.”

David shakes his head, leans back in his chair, finally giving me good eye contact and a smile that shows off both his dimples. Finally he says, “How about we play another game. I needed some time to warm up.”

Trying to maintain my cool I casually respond, “Okay, two out of three.”

We start setting up the board again as Isabelle breaks in, “Hi, I’m Isabelle, and you are…?”

David looks up at me with a miffed look, then flashes Isabelle a look before stuttering out, “Ahh…David.”

“Hi David, you’re playing with my friend here, Hita.” She tips her hand at me.

David gives me good eye contact and a slight smile as he says, “Hi, uhh, you ready to play?”

I ask Isabelle, “Are you going to get your own board and start playing?”

She looks around the room. By now there are probably another ten to fifteen players. “No, I’m cool watching you.”

David and I try to rattle each other by quoting Star Wars scenes, though it doesn’t work as I barely squeak out another win.

A determined David says, “Three out of five.”

Giving him a long look, I respond, “Seriously? You lost twice in a row to me. Don’t you want to try someone else?”

He shakes his head.

With a shrug of my shoulder I tell him, “If you don’t mind loosing again.”

Isabelle gets up as David and I play another game. Our Star Wars quotes turn into casual banter with a hint of flirting thrown in on top. Isabelle returns with a big box of Milk Duds. As she asks us if we want a Milk Dud I can feel an energy pass between us; an energy that’s been missing in my life since I played with Brandon.

Hal, from the front desk, announces, “Tournaments are starting in fifteen minutes.”

Isabelle gives me a questioning look as I explain, “Winner’s play winners until there’s only one left.” The losers can play against each other; they’re out of the running.”

“What do you get if you win?” she asks.

“Tournament passes, game cards, fame pieces.”

“It’s more reasons to come back here and play,” she says annoyed.

“Well of course,” I explain. “People that come here to play like having a reason to come back. I think you’re enjoying game night as much as I enjoyed skateboarding.”

“You didn’t enjoy learning how to skateboard this afternoon?” Isabelle says in surprise.

With a chuckle I wonder out loud, “How can we be friends for so long and not like each other’s favorite activities?”

David’s been patiently watching this exchange. Finally he says, “Hita, you taking off or are you going to finish playing?”

I look at David and shake my head. “I think I’ll take off.”

In a cool voice he asks, “You going to be online later?”

I look at him a little longer finally telling him, “Yeah, Minecraft, I have my own server.” Figuring I’ll now put it in his hands, I write my IP address down and hand it to him. With a wink I tell him, “I’m Pocahontas.”

David shows both of his dimples and says, “I’ll see you later, online.”

As we walk out the door, Isabelle asks, “Did he ask you for the equivalent of your phone number?”

Giving her a sly smile I answer, “Maybe.”

Arriving home, I immediately get on Minecraft. I’m on for about an hour, about ready to give up on David when an avatar shows up with a David Tennant skin and the name David10. My command line lights up with, Hita, is that you?

Hita: Are you The Doctor or David that went down in Star Wars?

David: I was in the middle of my comeback when you left. If you stayed a little bit longer I would have eventually won. I’m a come from behind kind of guy.

We play for awhile. At some point David messages me.

David: There’s the new Star Wars movie out, I’ve already seen it but I’d like to see it again. Can I interest you in joining me?

I stare at the screen; I, too, have seen the movie. A big smile runs across my face, as I realize he’s asking me out. Rubbing my hands on my jean clad legs I put my fingers back on my keyboard.

Hita: Tonight?

David: I think it may be a little too late, how about tomorrow? We can go to a 4 p.m. showing and then grab a bite afterward.

My body shutters with excitement as I take a deep breath and respond,

Hita: Yeah, that would be fun.

David: I need more than your IP address.

I send over my e-mail, this is too open an environment for me to be sharing my address.

We go back and forth a couple times on e-mail when he tells me he’s off to bed.

The next day when I wake up, I lie on my back and feel a happy smile cross my face as I think about tonight’s date. I’ve been playing against David for the last month. I like his energy and attitude. He’s a strategic smart player, there’s a chance if we played longer he could have come back from behind. He also has a sense of humor. I bet if I served him a twenty-five alarm dinner, or his name was Dikshit, he’d turn it into a joke.

***

David picks me up at four, dressed the same as last night, sneakers, jeans, a hoodie over a work logoed T-shirt. I wear sneakers, jeans, a crew neck sweater, and the leather aviator jacket that we got last year from work.

We drive to the theaters. As we walk in he says, “I know it’s a little strange to go to a movie at four, but I find it’s the least busy time of the day. Going in the evening it’s too crowded.”

Nodding my head in agreement, I see that the movie is playing in three of their theaters. We walk right up to the door since David already purchased the tickets online. As we walk into the theatre, we both agree we like to sit about a third up in the theater. David leaves to get drinks and popcorn. I usually don’t eat in a theatre, but I figure it’s a date and he looked real anxious to get me something.

The movie is as much fun the second time as it was the first. The two of us leave chatting about the movie, what we think, favorite scenes from previous movies, and which characters we liked and which ones were annoying. We wind up eating at an Italian restaurant. Once of my favorite choices since there are always a lot of vegetarian options. After dinner he drives me back to my apartment.

As he pulls into a space, I get butterflies in my stomach as I tell him, “You don’t need to park. I can make it to my door on my own.”

He gives me the sweetest smile then says, “My mom raised me right. She told me you always make sure the girl gets in safely.”

The air feels tense as he walks me up the stairs. As I unlock the door he moves a little closer staring at my lips. It’s been so long since I had a guy who was actually interested in kissing me, I wonder if my kisser still works. My lips part in anticipation, both of his dimples light up as he moves a little closer and quietly says, “This date was as much fun as playing against you has been.”

I can feel a sly smile cross my face as he moves even closer, our lips lightly touch. It’s a small butterfly movement. He doesn’t move back, but brushes my lips with his again, softly. Then again, I place my hands on his shoulder as he gently takes hold of my upper arms. After about a dozen soft kisses he moves in a little bit more and his lips feel soft, but a little bit firmer. I feel his tongue against my lips, which causes my body to shimmer with sexual energy. My mouth relaxes as our tongues dance while we grasp each other just a little bit harder. My chest clenches while sexual energy winds its way down my core and my breathing increases. Our kiss gets hungrier and I can hear us each slightly moan. After a while he pulls away, he’s maybe an inch taller as he leans his forehead against mine, I can hear our breath running high.

He quietly says in a bit of a raspy voice, “This was even nicer than playing Star Wars against you.”

With a bit of a smile I say, “More fun than beating me?”

He lightly chuckles and slowly nods. “Winning is fun, but, yeah, more fun than winning.”

I tilt my head up and we kiss again, a little more confident this time, not as tentative. A tingle runs down my neck exploding across my shoulders. I back up a little to stay in control, causing David to take a step back. He has a sweet, shy smile on his face that shows both dimples.

“Hita,” he says lightly. Then he shakes his head before continuing, “I should get going. But we’ll do this again.” His look is questioning, before asking, “Okay?”

I nod. “Yes.”

He nods slightly before explaining, “I have to work tomorrow, but can we meet up online when I get home?”

I nod my head again, quietly saying, “yes.”