The walk to Sunny's house felt much longer then It did yesterday. Maybe the old saying is right time does go faster when your having fun. As I walked past the florist it hit me I shouldn't turn up empty handed. I stepped into the store hesitantly, looking to see if anyone was at the register. The place was empty so I waited a few minutes. From the back room I head someone shout.
"Just a moment! I'll be right with you", a voice bellowed from the back of the florist. Moments later Peter appeared from the back room, he was a friend of Al's and I'd talk to him at work. He was a tall husky man in his 40s with a slightly wild ginger beard. "I say I've never seen you in here before Ben!", he looked shocked and a little disheveled. "Are you passing on a message from Al and Layla?", he reasoned a plausible conclusion.
"No, I er … want to buy some flowers", I spoke nervously, I was new to this and hadn't bought anyone flowers before. His eyes were wide and a pleasant smile rested on his face.
"Oh ho, I see, I see", he chuckled placing his hands on the counter waiting expectantly for an order. "No need to be shy now, what sort of thing are you looking for", he gestured towards all of the flowers on display and I was feeling very out my depth.
"Er flowers?", I shrugged with the confusion plastered across my face. "I've never done this before so I have no idea what I'm doing", I sighed almost pleading with him to take pity on me.
"Don't worry", he said in a reassuring tone, "firsts things first, may I ask what is the occasion for the flower."
"A.. a first date", I said avoiding eye contact, it wasn't a secret but I was feeling a bit exposed. He nodded thoughtfully and stroked his tangled beard whilst he considered. I looked at him and away again feeling like a little kid in trouble.
"Ah delightful, for a first date you can't go wrong with a single red rose", he gestured to the roses all in full bloom. I scrunched my mouth to one side and thought about a red rose. It didn't seem to fit, I must have been obvious with my lack of enthusiasm because Peter was already on a second option. "Hmm no your right that does lack a personal touch", he rattled off as if I had dismissed his first suggestion myself. "Do you know her favourite flower?", he prompted as I shook my head starting to feel defeated. "No bother, what's her name? Maybe we can do something with that", my eyes lit up at the suggestion because that's a question I could answer.
"Daisy! Uh hm, her name is Daisy", I cleared my throat to bring my voice down in excitement. He hurried to get a bunch of daisies into a pile. He paused as he placed them on the counter.
"Daisies are a loverly delicate flower but we need something else to go with them I think", he spoke cautiously, perhaps worried I'd give up at the sign of anymore obstacles. I looked over at the wall of flowers quiet overwhelmed by the choice. Just then as I thought of Sunny a flower stood out amongst the rest.
"Would sunflowers work?", I said hesitantly, worried I'd sound dumb. He beamed an infectious grin from beneath his beard. He hurried out from behind the counter to grab my suggestion.
"Sunflowers, what a fabulous idea those will go perfectly with your daisies", he nodded vigorously in approval as he scooped up the flowers and brought them back over to the counter. "Shall we do a small bouquet as this is a first date", he looked at me for guidance and I nodded appreciating he knew what he was doing. He trimmed and wrapped the flowers in a silver sheet of paper securing it at the bottom with an elastic band. I looked on in amazement as he made them look so well put together with seemingly such little effort. "Now one last touch what colour ribbon should I use", he turned as he spoke pointing to the reels of ribbon colours. He was about to make a suggestion when I replied almost immediately.
"Yellow ribbon please", I spoke confidently, which threw him off after all the hand holding I needed thus far. He pulled down a length of ribbon and cut it from the reel. Wrapping it around the bottom of the bouquet he made and tied a delicate bow.
"Yellow huh, seemed like you had that choice made before you even came in the door", he laughed quietly as I blushed to myself about to speak.
"It was the colour she was wearing when we first met", I could feel my cheeks turned redder and I was avoiding eye contact completely now. He told me the price and I handed over the money feeling very embarrassed.
"That's such a sweet idea Ben, yellow because of how you met, never knew you were such a Casanova", he handed me the flowers, I took them as I shook my head no whilst smiling nervously. "Good luck on your date, maybe I'll see you more often now you've got a girlfriend", he called to me as I was walking out the door and flushed pink cheeks facing away from him as I waved behind me.
I set off again to Sunny's house checking the time to make sure I wasn't running late. It was already 9:55 but luckily I was at the top of her street. As I walked towards her house I thought about what Peter had said, 'now you've got a girlfriend'. How long are you suppose to wait before you ask someone to officially be your girlfriend. I had gone on a few dates but always group dates with friends so this was uncharted territory. Shooing the complicated questions away I reached her front door.
I knocked twice anxiously waiting for her to answer the door. I took a few deep breaths calmed myself as the door opened painfully slowly. Stood in the doorway was Sunny smiling adorably in her bee shirt and yellow shorts. I went to speak but nothing came out on the first try, clearing my throat I started to speak again.
"Ready for our date Sunny?", she smiled so wide her eyes scrunched up and her nose wrinkled. "Oh, these are for you", I took a deep breath as I presented the flowers to her. She looked surprised and took them with both hands hugging them to her chest. She raised them to her nose and took a long deep inhale of her flowers.
"I love them thank you Sweet", she held them in one hand as she crossed the distance between us in an instant, gently placing a kiss on my cheek. Giggling she looked up into my eyes, my heart pounded at the sight of her enticing green eyes. "Would it be okay with you if I leave these here? so I'm not worried about losing them", she asked with a softness that melted me like chocolate in her hands.
"Of course, they are your flowers, probably a good idea to leave them behind", I reassured her, I watched as she took them inside and came back out to me quickly. "Shall we go?", I held out my hand for hers and within an instant she had interlocked her fingers with mine. She cuddled herself up to my arm as we walked and I was starting to feel nervous again, it seemed to come in waves especially when we weren't talking.
"So where are we going?", she asked cheerfully pressing her cheek more firmly to my arm. I had called my friends last night in a panic asking them where they took their girlfriends on dates. Since I hadn't seemed interested in getting a girlfriend they had a million things to ask. Once they had burned through all their questions and I had convinced them Sunny was in fact real, they helped me plan a perfect date.
"I can't tell you", I tried to keep a straight face as i replied. I could feel her inquisitive eyes burning into my cheek.
"Why can't you", she huffed, her gorgeous eyes pleading with me to give up the information. Her pleas almost worked but I had to stay strong.
"I seem to remember yesterday you told me to surprise you", I smirked cheekily at her. "So that's exactly what you're going to get", I spoke softly, whilst playing with her ponytail. She huffed again pretending to be annoyed with me and trying not to smile but failing.
I had one goal in that moment and I was to take Sunny on the best date ever. I was worried but she was happy and I planned to keep it that way.