With much struggle and persistence, through the hazy and crowded streets of New York City on a Friday night, Damon and myself managed to weave our way through the hordes of people to somehow make it to the restaurant where we would be having dinner tonight. We battled people who seemingly did not know how to walk (an extreme pet peeve of mine), traffic filling the roads and as empty stomachs, yet the whole time what I seemed to be worrying about the most was the way that Damon and myself did not know how to behave around one another.

We weren't completely new to each other like we would have been had we been set on a blind date but then again we had only met a few times so we weren't exactly completely comfortable with one another yet. That would leave us with this odd state which we currently floated idly in, knowing but not really knowing one another.

We definitely weren't at a point where we would hold hands whilst we struggled through the busy pathways but it was slightly awkward when we stood apart, especially since I walked quite fast so I would end up losing track of him as I walked. We seemed to reach a conclusion that Damon would have his hand rested on my back at times so that it wasn't completely intimate but could rather be like he was simply leading me through the crowd.

With my past two relationships we had interacted each other a handful of times before finally going on a date. With my first boyfriend, Sam, back in Australia, we had been friends before we went out on our first date. We weren't the closest of friends but it helped to make us quite comfortable around each other.

Whilst with my most recent relationship with Derek we weren't friends first, we had met more than a few times through mutual friends and spoken to each other a fair bit before taking the plunge into the dating world. I believe I had only been on a date once, to the best of my recollection, outside of those two relationships so I wasn't exactly accustomed to this peculiar state which we drifted in right now.

Once we have finally made our way to the restaurant, with Damon's guiding hand having led the way, we're quickly seated at our reserved table and promptly provided with menus. Our clear state of hunger completely distracted us from any need to be polite or make conversation- food was the biggest priority at this moment, something which seemed to be a recurring theme throughout my life.

I swiftly scan over the menu and decide on the Tortellini Boscaiola and a glass of wine to go along with it, telling myself I needed the wine to warm up my insides on this cool night. Whilst I wasn't the fondest of the cold, preferring to sit through the blazing heat of summer rather than the chill of winter, I was grateful that this temperature gave me a chance to put my coat back on and hide myself under its fabric after my rash outfit decision this morning.

Once the waitress has taken our orders and our menus away, we are left exposed to one another, timidly smiling at one another and waiting for one another to fill the void of silence lest we be left to wait until our food arrives without a word to be uttered.

"So, I take it you had a busy day at work since it's the end of the year and all?" he remarks, making polite conversation and saving me from having to be the one to think of something.

"Yeah, busy is definitely one way to describe it," I respond, not really sure what else to say about my day at work. "Is it really busy for your work at this time of the year?" I ask.

"Well, not usually. People don't really want to start any big projects around this time of the year. They either want everything finished by now or they completely disregard everything until the holidays are over," he explains, "But things are a bit different this time around thanks to Theo's decision with the hotel."

Right, that. I had forgotten about that rather crucial announcement he had made that first night at his party, having been caught up in a tornado of conflicting thoughts and a whirlwind of mayhem in the short amount of time since then.

"Oh right... that." I simply reply once I recall how Damon hadn't seemed particularly satisfied with it all the night of the party, "I hope I'm not stepping over any lines, and if so, please don't be offended, but am I right to say that you didn't seem to be too happy with that decision?" I wonder, praying that my assumptions aren't too wrong or anger him so that my curiosity may be relieved.

He seems to make a slight scoffing sound once he takes in my remark, making me move to take the salted peanuts provided for us so that I may nervously nibble on them. I was a nervous eater. Well actually, I was a happy, tired, angry, nervous, and any other emotion, eater. But nerves especially brought out my equivalent of the munchies.

"You're not wrong," he answers me, adding along a soft chuckle which relieves me of my anxieties of offending him, "Let's just say I'm not particularly fond of this whole idea. We make the buildings. That's what we do and we're good at it. The company has been doing it for decades and that's what it's good at. But that's where it ends. We don't hold any say in what we create and we most certainly don't go on to continue running these things."

"You don't think it's a good decision to venture into this new area?" I question.

"I just think that if there is something you're good at, you should stick to just that. If something isn't broken don't try to fix it. And what we're good at is just making the buildings.  The senior Mr. Harrington, my boss, wouldn't be one to make such decisions which aren't in the best of everyone's interests if it wasn't for Theodore." he tells me, confusing me with this last remark.

"But Theo's father is the boss though, even over Theo, right?" I check with him.

"Yes, he is." he answers cautiously, not sure where I was going with this. 

"So, surely Theo is not completely to blame if his father is the one making the decision to go ahead with this project." I suggest, even thought I really shouldn't be putting my nose into a situation that I don't know anything about. I have no idea why I'm even defending Theo right now when he's nowhere to be seen and I've never even heard his perspective on the topic.

"Yes, but if Theodore didn't decide to make this plan of his then Mr. Harrington wouldn't have had to follow." he tells me, thankfully not seeming angered by my remark.

"Wait, so Theo didn't even plan to make this a company decision then?" I enquire.

"Well no, he apparently planned on doing it all by himself, though I don't see why he'd suddenly start doing things without his father's help all of a sudden. When Mr. Harrington learned of Theodore's plan he immediately bought himself into the plan and now we're all stuck making all these sudden adjustments." he explains.

Not wanting to make any further responses to his explanation, in case it may irritate him or seem as though I was siding with Theo whilst I sat here on a date with Damon, I decide to make a related remark.

"You don't seem to be too fond of Theodore if my observations are correct." I comment, taking another sip of my ruby liquid courage.

"My relationship with Theodore is definitely complicated." he answers me, making yet another slight scoff or chuckle before he bites his lips and rolls his eyes slightly as though he is attempting to hold back the words.

"We actually went to university together," he surprisingly continues, whilst I ponder over how I had somehow brought the topic to Theo once again even while I sit here on a date with his co-worker; unable to escape him, "We had one or two classes together and seemed to have a few mutual friends so we hung out a bit. But then he moved overseas after that and I never saw him again until he rocked up to work for who I would find out is his father, someone he never mentioned all my time of knowing him."

"At first, when he arrived, I was thrilled to see my old friend from my uni days," he continued, "Then I learned about his connection to Mr Harrington and let's just say that I wasn't particularly fond of how he was able to just waltz into our office and get a job just like that after he had picked up and left his father after all those years. Within moments he was the talk of the office, and yes, he does have talent, but sometime it can truly be hard to work with him. Let's just say that he can be a very stubborn man and so can I, so we tend to clash at times."

"Right" is all I can say to that, a flood of pent up emotions seemly rushing out of Damon as soon as the lid to his full bottle has been removed.

"Anyways, we don't need to talk about Theo now. We have enough time for work to take over our lives throughout the week. I want to know more about you." he tells me, making me instantly blush as the attention is focused on me.

I look down at my glass, asking him "what do you want to know?" as we are launched into an conversation which would flow on for quite so time and lead to so many different topics. Dinner would come and go, drinks poured and practically inhaled between us, as we traded questions and answers about one another and attempted to learn a bit more about the other.

We would talk about our families, share stories of our upbringing, make complaints about life, praise similar treasures of our lives, and more. He seemed to possess an even more realistic approach to life than me, making some comments about my career and the level of competition in the industry that didn't make me feel better about the situation or his attitude to life. Nevertheless, I overlooked it as he'd quickly move onto another topic and was so kind in his interest in my life. We'd continue on talking until our mental note books would overflow with little facts and insights into the person that sat across from us.

Before I knew it I was checking my phone to check what had made it vibrate in my coat pocket, only to find a time waiting on my lock screen which I'd usually only see as I get ready to put my phone aside for sleep. Damon was able to make time flow past effortlessly and with enjoyment, a result I was grateful for after my hesitation and nerves regarding tonight.

We could have continued on interchanging little facts and stories with one another but even an additional glass of whatever drink I was now on or the dessert we just had wouldn't be able to keep me awake much longer. We both decide that it's getting a bit late, the fatigue clearly building up within both of us after a long day, and presumably week, at work so decide to draw an end to the evening. We ask for the bill and I try my best to split the bill but Damon is incredibly persistent about paying for it completely. After it is paid by him, with me having little input, we soon made our way out of the restaurant, me quickly slipping in at least a tip to the bill behind his back to make my contribution.

Once again Damon finds something to bicker over with as he assures me that he'll follow me along to the train station, adamant that he won't leave me to walk the streets alone at this time of the night. Whilst I've walked these  streets alone on many occasions, it was a bit later than usual and I was actually quite happy to have the company so I don't put up much of a fight.

Damon walks beside me, the both of us quite significantly more comfortable with one another than earlier tonight, happy to simply rest our hands in the depths of our warm pockets as we walked the streets laughing over our shared tales and remarks.

Before we know it we've reached the entrance to the train station and we've turned to look at one another as we bid each other farewell.

"Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?" he checks with me one last time.

"Yes, I'll be fine. I'm used to it," I reassure him, laughing at his persistent need to check with me, "Thank you though. I had a great night." I tell him honestly, a little sad that it had come to an end so quickly. Whilst it may not have been filled with an abundance of romance or chemistry between us, I had thoroughly enjoyed our time together and needed the chance to unwind after the week I had.

"I'm happy to hear that. I did too." he replies, giving me a glimpse of a cheeky boyish grin. "Good night Ella." he says moving in closer to me.

Instantly, the anxiety that we had managed to rid from me returns, poisoning my veins as I worry over how this goodbye could go. I don't want to seem presumptuous or conceited but I know how many dates that seemingly went well tend to end and I don't want there to be a mismatch of expectations. I had literally just been thinking about how I didn't necessarily feel much romance within our date tonight and didn't want to go against any feelings of mine just to affirm any typical expectations of a date.

Thankfully, as I hesitantly join him to move closer to one another he only embraces me and gives me a kiss on the cheek as his way to bid me farewell, saying in my ear "I hope to do this again some time soon".

I tell him "me too" before I move out of his embrace and turn to walk away. I look behind to check if he's gone as I walk away and he's still standing there, watching as I move further and further away before he turns around with an abash grin and leaves my sight.

On yet another occasion tonight I'm left leaving someone as they watch me disappear and I ponder over them, curious. However, the difference between the two males in these instances couldn't be greater; something I know will leave me quite intrigued and bewildered. But like a ravenous creature whose hunger can only be satisfied by tempting herself with a constant state of overthinking and wonder, I launch myself into my search to satisfy this hunger as I move further away from the city of Theo and Damon and make my way home. 

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So what do we think about Damon? Do you like him? Do you dislike him? What do you feel about the beef there seems to be between him and our boy Theo? Team Theo or team Damon?

Sorry for the lag, once again I'm using the uni excuse because these assessments are really gonna be the death of me. Had a bit of writers block too, possibly had to do with the fact that my boy Theo isn't in this chapter and I'm shamelessly team Theo clearly. Not the happiest I've been with a chapter but nevertheless I hope you enjoy it. 

Things are about to get really juicy in these next few chapters so keep an eye out. I can't wait to get into it all and hope you'll enjoy it too.

Vote/comment/share

TheFictionDreamer

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