AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hi there! This will be a continuation of one of my works, under a similar name, "The Perfect Date."
After rereading the story and the comments, I decided to polish the story a little, redesign it as a first chapter, and make a series! Kind of like a montage for Stacy and Warren's cheating adventures specifically on date nights.
If you have any recommendations for a certain activity you think would be hot to cheat in, drop them down in the comments below.
Thanks! Hope you enjoy.
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In a bustling amusement park, under the neon glow of the lights — a man and woman were standing by a machine as they watched people play. Or at least, they
appeared
to be watching. In reality, the two were secretly stealing glances at one another.
Sometimes, she looks. Sometimes, he looks. Yet strangely their gazes didn't meet once.
Stacy and Austin met each other a year ago.
In the lively halls of their school, amidst the young chatter of uneasy freshmen just like them, Stacy and Austin made an instant connection. They were both quiet people — from very different friend groups, but somehow words came easily when they talked to one another. For the next few weeks following orientation, the two frequently shared glances and greetings from across the room. Fortunately, they took the same exact classes so the opportunities were plenty. During free periods, Stacy often found herself staring at Austin's back.
He looked nice, sure, but what really piqued her interest was his warm demeanor. The woman was convinced she had never met anyone as kind and sensitive.
Likewise, Austin couldn't help but
notice
her. Everyone in school does.
Still, he knew there was
something
other than Stacy's appearance setting her apart from the rest. Her inner strength, maybe. The type of quiet that grew up in an environment where she didn't need to be loud to be heard.
Well, that and her impossibly huge appeal.
Stacy Johnson looked like the perfect poster girl for the perfect poster family. The embodiment of an American family — self-made, hardworking, and successful.
They looked like one of those celebrity family magazines his mom browsed through.
Blonde-hair, green eyes. A little on the taller side as well — he was just ahead by a few inches.
Surprisingly humble, straightforward, intelligent, if a little sheltered. Stacy had rich parents who were actively present in her life (you'd be surprised by how rare that is).
Austin had to admit he liked the way she applied make-up too. He had never really been fond of them, but her lightly-applied tint and mascara suited her perfectly. On top of that, she dressed well. Austin knew nothing about fashion, but even he knew she had a great fashion sense, which served her well because she wanted to be a cosmetologist, despite majoring in Psychology with him.
And that wasn't the best part about Stacy. You'd think someone like her would be stuck up, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. Stacy got along with everyone — and he meant
everyone
. If you needed something from a school club or a faculty member, she was the one you went to.
All that and more rendered Austin incapable of tearing his eyes away from her. Unbeknownst to him, the feeling was mutual.
Their eyes would always dart across rooms until they found each other. It came to a point where their friends knew what was happening before they did.
It wasn't until a few months later when they themselves started to catch on. During Independence Day, the red, white and blue colors decorated the campus just as much as crowds did. Desperate to move away from all the excitement, the two found themselves working together on a project in the library, side by side.
Quite possibly the most stressful and rewarding thing Austin has ever experienced.
The incessant flirting despite the nerves that gripped them, the words that hung in the air because neither of them dared to voice out their feelings — it was all overwhelming. The occasional silence made it even more unbearable.
When the few people that were in the library finally left, it was Stacy who finally found the courage.
"Hey, can I tell you something?" she asked, her voice hushed and steady despite her racing heart.
Austin looked up, his eyes meeting hers for the first time that day. "Yeah, sure."
"I've liked you for a long time," she confessed, her voice barely audible despite the total silence in the room.
His jaw dropped. "Come again?"
Stacy stared at him seriously before laughing uncontrollably. The look on his face was priceless.
Austin grumbled, "Is this a joke? Because it's not a very funny one."
The beautiful girl shook her head with a smile. "I'm not joking. I've liked you for a long time... and I heard from my friends that you might like me a little too. Is that true?" she asked.
Austin took a minute to get over his shock before shaking his head sideways.
"I don't."
Her head slowly dropped, green eyes visibly disappointed, "Oh..."
" — I like you a
lot
."
Stacy's drooping gaze abruptly rose to his before she rolled her eyes. "You know, you could've just said yes."
"I'm sorry. I just had to make sure you knew how much I liked you," Austin sincerely replied.
And boy did that make her blush.
The words poured out of their lips much easier after that. Amidst the silence that made them think louder and the occasional giddy laughter, they found comfort and peace in the honesty of their feelings. The unspoken words for the past few months were finally spoken.
Their initial awkwardness slowly faded too, replaced with this... palpable anticipation. They discovered their shared interests — the things they believe in, and the things that wake them up in the morning.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months and their bond only grew stronger. They finally decided to try dating six months ago.
Today was their third date, and unlike the previous two where there was so much pressure to make it romantic, Stacy and Austin seemed to have found a little balance, relaxed and nothing but themselves in this neon world of casual whimsy.
"We should go somewhere else. It's getting a little hot in here," she said, glancing at the crowd gathering around them. It was understandable, really. The men playing in front of them can shoot those golden hoops really well.
The boyfriend nodded. "Okay."
Children's laughter echoed through the theme park as Stacy led Austin by the hand and skillfully maneuvered through the crowd.
She grew up with four unruly older brothers, so she knew how to manage chaos. Especially after she invited Austin to the house for the first time — they only stopped bothering the two when the sun literally set and Austin had to leave.
Thankfully, Warren, her brothers' friend, reined them in a little. He was also a senior from her school — majoring in Business, though. So Austin and him didn't see much of each other.
She was broken out of her thoughts when she felt her boyfriend suddenly taking the lead. "Hey, let's go there. I want to get you something."
She followed his eyes, which were fixed on the crane machine. She never really had the penchant for stuffed toys, but her heart skipped a beat at the thought of getting one from him.
With a steady hand, the man led her to the machine and inserted a few coins.
"Do you have anything you like here?"
"Not really..."
