I was in the store, picking up fruit. I decided to make a fruit salad to go with dinner. I was picking out a cantaloupe, and then I heard a voice, a very nice voice.
"They say the way to tell if they're fresh is to smell them." said the person, and I could see them lean against the counter.
How many times was I going to be hit on in this store? Right now, I didn't feel like thinking about women. After dealing with my last girlfriend's bull, I was ready to take a break. I sighed and turned to see who it was this time, but looking at the face that greeted me, I decided I didn't mind being hit on today.
The girl that was talking was cute, real cute. She had the cutest face and the cutest smirk, her dimples were deep. Her eyes were a beautiful dark brown and they smiled at me as brightly as her lips, which were absolutely kissable. Her dark skin was smooth, and creamy. She was tall, about five seven or five eight. Her hair was cut close into neat Caesar that suited her nicely. Her air of confidence turned me on, and I decided to play along with her.
"Oh really? And just what is a fresh melon suppose to smell like?" I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"To be honest, I really don't know. It's just what I've heard," she said, and her smile widened, deepening those dimples. She was definitely my type.
"How are you going to give me advice when you don't know what the advice is?"
"Hmm...you're right. But I tell you what, the next time I see you, I'll tell you what a melon should smell like, okay?"
"How can you be so sure you'll see me again?" I said.
"You're too beautiful to overlook, you'll be hard to miss." I couldn't help but smile at that one.
"Well, then. I guess I'll see you later."
"I'm going home right now to learn all that I can about cantaloupes."
"You do that."
I thought she was adorable as she walked away from me. Once she left, I kicked myself for not getting her name or number. She was definitely one I wouldn't mind going out with. But I didn't really know the first thing about her. Well, at least we had something of a standing date. I hoped I would see her again.
I finished shopping. I'm sure I was smiling the whole time. Then, I went to the checkout line and paid for my groceries. Just as I was about to go, I looked up and saw her. She smiled, and I smiled back, trying not to blush. She had a girl with her, I looked her over, but I had no interest in her. She was cute and all, but not like my new friend. She was something else. I walked out of the store and couldn't wait to got tell my sister about it.
I got home and started fixing dinner. My sister Jamie came downstairs, saw me cooking without asking her for help and sat at the table.
"What are you so happy about?" she said.
"What makes you think I'm any happier than I usually am?" I asked, wondering how she knew already.
"Terry, you're cooking dinner by yourself, and humming while you do it. What happened?" she paused. "It's a girl!" she hopped up from the table.
"What?" I turned to her, trying to hide my face. I knew she'd be able to read it a mile away.
"It is a girl! Tell me!" She said, hopping up on the counter where I was chopping my newly purchased cantaloupe.
I told her about the conversation, described the girl from the store to her, and told her the whole story.
"Cute! But how you gonna know when she's at the store again? Do you know her name?"
I just shook my head, and she looked incredulous.
"You should have asked. If you liked her so much you should have gotten the digits!"
"I know, but I wasn't thinking. She had me a little flustered."
I couldn't believe the words coming out of my own mouth. Aisha, my last girlfriend, had put me through enough mess. I had told myself that I needed a break from the super macho stud type to get my mind off things. But this girl was different. Something about her made me want to put my hiatus on hiatus.
"So, how you gonna see her again?" Jamie asked.
"I don't know."
For the next few weeks, I shopped at only that grocery store. I made sure to go to the produce section on every visit. But, she was nowhere to be found.
Then one day, I was picking out cookies when I saw someone walking up to me. I looked up and saw her. She was just as cute as she had been before. I smiled as she approached.
"Y'know, cookies aren't that good for you. Maybe you should get something a little healthier, maybe a cantaloupe." She said. Damn she was cute.
"You're right, but I never know which one to choose. I can't tell which one's are ripe," I said, proud of how witty I had become.
"Oh, well that's simple. Just pick one with tan skin, and when you smell it, it should smell sweet." There was that smile again and those dimples I could swim in showed themselves.
"Oh. Well, thank you. You seem to know a thing or two about melons." I said. "And to whom do I owe this wonderful piece of advice?"
"I'm Kimber, but everyone calls me Kim," she said, offering her hand.
I took her hand and shook it. "Well nice to meet you Kim. I'm Terry," Her hand was warm. I looked at her and wondered what it would feel like to kiss her. I bet it would be wonderful I thought to myself, but then she spoke and brought me back to reality.
"Listen, I hope it's not too forward of me, but would you like to get some coffee or something with me?"
"No." I said. I liked how sweet she was being, "It's not too forward, but how about dinner instead?"
She smiled. Oh, that smile.
"Sounds good. As a matter of fact, my roommate and I are having a barbeque this weekend. Would you like to come?"
"Sure. Where and when?"
"Saturday at seven."
She gave me her address and told me that they would play volleyball and to come prepared if I wanted to play. I told her I would. I got my cookies and walked away, hoping she was watching me. I turned to smile at her and was pleased to see she hadn't moved. She was watching my ass, so I put a little extra swish in it for her.
I had come with Jamie this time, and went to go find her. She saw me smiling when I walk up and asked what was going on. I told her who I had just spoken to.
"Really? What's her name? Did you get a number? What if she asks you out?" she was a flurry of questions. "Her name is Kimber, but she told me to call her Kim. Yes I got her number. And, I'm already going to her barbeque on Saturday." I said, smiling big.
Jamie looked at me and her smile widened.
"Ooooh! Hot mama! Who'd have thought my sister had that much game? I mean picking up girls in the grocery store!" she joked with me, but I could see she was happy about it. I couldn't wait until Saturday.
*
Saturday arrived and I was so nervous. I spent an hour deciding what I should wear.
"You are going to a barbeque. And you're going to play volleyball." Jamie said, "Just put on some shorts and t-shirt."
I knew it was simple to her, but I was nervous. I couldn't believe that I was so wound up over a girl I had spoken to only two times! Finally, I decided on a pair of shorts and a cute t-shirt. I pulled my hair into a pony tail and looked into the mirror. I thought I looked cute, and Jamie said I did too.
I drove to the neighborhood and found the house quickly. Her house was nice. It fit her. I pulled into the driveway, and I could hear music coming from the yard, so I walk around the house to where I assumed the party was.
I saw her, and thought she was scrumptious. She had on some cute gym shorts and a muscle shirt. She really did have muscles. I wondered how if would feel to rub them, to feel them under my fingertips. I stopped myself from thinking that way.
She was telling her friends a joke, and they were all laughing. Then, she looked up and saw me. She the look she gave me made me feel beautiful, Aisha never looked at me like that. She walked over to me and brought me over to where everyone was.
"Everybody, this is Terry. Terry, this is Mike, Veronica, Tee, Tanya, Vince...She introduced me to everyone and they looked at me like I was the new girlfriend. I didn't mind. I didn't hate the idea of being the new girlfriend. Besides, they all seem to like me.
We all sat around and talked, started a volleyball game, and played around. Then her housemate, Tee, the girl she was in the store with, announced that we could start eating. Everyone lined up, grabbing plates. We sat down and I made sure to sit next to Kim, though everyone seemed to leave that spot open just for me.
"So, when did you two start dating?" the guy she called Vince said. I knew they thought I was the new girlfriend. I blushed a little.
"We're not; Terry's a friend," said Kim.
"Oh, okay. So how'd you meet?" he asked
"In the grocery store; she helped me with my melons." I said, liking everyone's reaction. "She explained to me how to pick out a ripe cantaloupe."
Everyone looked a little confused, but then I told the story of how we met, and everyone seemed to think it was cute.
The rest of the meal went as would be expected. Everyone talked and laughed and joked. I got to know all of her friends. I liked Tee and her girlfriend Tanya, they looked happy together. Everyone seemed to be paired off. Tee with Tanya, Mike with Veronica, Vince with Lisa, everyone seemed to be with someone, leaving Kim and I, but I think they had paired us together already. Everyone looked at us like we were two high school kids. I guess we were grinning at each other just a bit more than everyone else, and we were looking at each other just a little differently than we did everyone else. So I guess their opinions were justified. The thought made me smile.
Later we sat and talked over drinks. Everyone told stories. I was sitting next to Kim, and I leaned over to put my head on her shoulder. She put her arm around me, and I snuggled closer. It felt good to be in her arms. I noticed that her friends gave us little "awwww" looks, but didn't say anything. I didn't mind.
Everyone was leaving, giving me, "nice to meet yous," I smiled and hugged all of them. They were such nice people. I made sure to lag behind a bit so that I could get Kim to myself. When I got up to leave, Kim stood to walk me to my car.
"I had a great time tonight." I said. I really had.
