Dan wasn't sure what to wear. He'd been very comfortable in how he dressed around Jo, until today. 'Why not just wear normal Dan stuff? She liked it yesterday. But, yesterday, we weren't going to have sex. I'd had some ideas about what we'd do, but this is so sudden.' He'd been waiting until the end of the semester to even think about approaching the situation. He settled on a long sleeve t-shirt and a pair of jeans. 'Yeah, not too formal.' He picked up the phone and dialed her number. It rang. It rang again. 'Come on, pick up.' There was the click of someone answering.
- -Hello,- - a quiet voice said.
"Hi, Jo. I'm gonna pick you up, instead of you coming over. We're going out."
- -Out? I thought we were gonna...- -
"Tonight won't just be about that. I'm taking you someplace special later. But, first, I'm gonna show you off a little."
There was a pause before she responded, - -What do I wear?- -
"A t-shirt and jeans will suffice."
*
The buzzer never sounded to give Jo warning he was on his way up. She'd taken what felt like years to pick out one shirt. She didn't know how Jesse ever left the house. Maybe, it was because this would be her first real...'Hook up?' The jangle of keys let her know that Jesse was home. When the door opened, Dan smiled, "Look what I brought with me." Dan was a mix tonight. He'd obviously taken care to shave his face and get his hair just right, but he had on an old shirt she'd seen a hundred times before and a ratty pair of jeans. She greeted him with a hug and held the door open for Jesse. Her roommate frowned but didn't say anything.
"I thought we'd get a burger , then we'd go dancing ..." He trailed of as he nuzzled her ear.
A low grumble came from Jesse's direction. The two looked at her as she dropped her bag heavily and opened the refrigerator.
"What," Dan raised his head and questioned her, "I thought you wanted us to date."
"You don't dress like that to go dancing," she popped a grape in her mouth, "and you don't just tell a girl what's gonna happen?"
"You do, if you don't have anyone to impress," he frowned. "The only one I'd ever want to take notice is right here." He pulled Joanne in closer and pressed a kiss on her forehead. She responded by putting her arms around his waist.
"Ugggh! I thought you guys weren't into that. What's making you all touchy feely all of a sudden?" Jesse growled as she eyed them both closely. "Nope. Still haven't seen it have you?"
Jo blushed, "Yeah, I've seen it." 'Well, the bulge, anyway.'
Jesse laughed, "Oh, my god! You have! Well? Come on. How was it? Details."
"None of your damn business," Dan griped.
"Damn! Somebody didn't seal the deal, yet. If you got some, you wouldn't be giving me some, right now. See, girl," Jesse looked at Jo, "that tension will disappear as soon as he..."
Jo felt Dan grip her elbow and opened the door. She went with him as he rushed her down the stairs. 'I didn't even get my keys.'
He quietly said, "I'm sorry. She just gets under my skin."
"Hey," Jesse yelled down the stairs, "Do something I would do. Please!"
Dan growled, "Just one more month 'til I get you all to myself."
They drove to the club after dinner, but Jo wasn't in the mood to dance. All through the dinner, Dan was quiet and critical. Dan couldn't leave the place without commenting on the poor quality of service. It was absolutely the most embarrassing moment of her life. She couldn't stand the way he pointed at the poor man and spoke condescendingly to him. He spent the entire car ride talking about how Langier's was so much better. When they got through the line of bouncers at the club, she made straight for the bathrooms. The music was way too loud for her. She heard Dan call, but she'd had about enough of the muttered negativity. She made herself take a few breaths as she washed her hands. She had to do something before he ruined the evening. 'What is wrong with that boy? He's gonna get what he wants, tonight.'
*
"Joanne," Dan called after her, but he figured the music was too loud. He kept an eye on the ladies side of the bathrooms while she was gone. Everything was going wrong. He hadn't had time to plan things out. The restaurant he'd picked sucked. He wanted to start things over, but he couldn't seem to stop spewing this stream of garbage. 'What is wrong with me?' He'd done this before with her. He knew she hated it. He knew what this was really about, but he couldn't tell her he didn't want to have sex with her as this planned thing. He'd actually liked this kind of thing with Candace, but this was different. Candace was ready at the drop of a hat. He'd tried to be like that to please her. He didn't want to hurt Joanne. That was the last thing he wanted to do. 'So, act like it, you dumb ass. Do whatever she wants.'
When she came out, she looked around the room. When she caught his eyes, she didn't seem all that happy to find him. She came over anyway. He went to touch her, but she kept out of reach. She looked up at him and said, "Why are you being such a jerk?"
He looked into her eyes, "I'm sorry. I don't know why."
"No, you know." She scanned his face, and he felt more and more guilty. "I think this date's over," she looked away from him, "'cause I don't like this."
She walked away from him. "No, Jo. Look," he caught her before she got to the door. "There's something wrong with me. I'm sorry. Just stay with me."
"Hey, man," a voice said in the crowd. A man walked over and asked Jo, "He bothering you?"
"Uh, no. He's okay." She frowned that beautiful frown up at Daniel.
"Stay with me, please," he tried to bring her back toward him by her hand. She didn't return his grip, but he saw something in her eyes. "Can we go somewhere and talk?" Her face showed she wouldn't go willingly. He crouched down to her ear and spoke so that she would hear every word. "I wanted to have a plan, okay? Because, if we go to that next step, it could go three ways. The first way, we feel good for a few minutes and you regret it. Resent me. Maybe, hate me for wanting to. The second way, we do it, and it's great, but you get pregnant. Your life plans go up in smoke. The third way, I could ..."
"Dan," she shoved him away, "Do you think I'm attractive?"
"Of course," he said a little louder than he'd liked. 'How could she not know that?'