As they sat there admiring each other, John couldn't help but admit the truth to Gem.
"I am a bit nervous," he said.
"You are nervous?! You seem like such a confident guy, you have nothing to be nervous about, but me..." she said, thinking that he had probably been on many dates, while for her it was the first real date.
Some would find that strange, having in mind her age, but she guessed her emotional shield worked perfectly for so long. Pushing everyone away had worked so well in the past, that no one even asked her out, ever. The reason for that was that although she was a beautiful girl, everyone could immediately feel her defense wall, and bounced off of it.
"You are so perfect that I worry I might do something stupid and lose my chance of proving to you how special you are," John said.
His words came as a surprise to her, a pleasant one, but she was still relieved when the waiter interrupted their conversation to take their orders.
Even John could sense that she wasn't ready for the compliments. It seemed to him like she didn't hear them often, so he decided to change the subject.
Once they ordered their food and drinks and the waiter retreated, John decided to start with small talk. Although they had shared so much with each other, it was obvious that the fact they were on a date made Gem close up, he wasn't sure why.
It seemed as if the moment they labeled it as a date, she started doubting their special connection. The connection was still there, but she seemed to have become more cautious at the very mention of the word 'date'.
Instead of scaring her off with some deep conversations, John decided to soothe her nerves by chatting about regular things, small things people usually wanted to know about each other.
As they were chatting away animatedly, John was using his hands to explain things. It was a habit of his to use gesticulation to better paint the picture.
While he was moving his hands left and right, trying to explain something, he accidentally knocked over his glass of red wine, and some of it managed to trickle towards Gem's side of the table. Luckily, it didn't spill over the table, and on her beautiful dress.
"I am so sorry! I can be so clumsy sometimes." He said, worried that his lack of coordination might have ruined the romantic moment.
"That's completely fine. It happens to me all the time. Sometimes, I even spill food all over my clothes. You don't have to stress about it," she said, with a gentle smile of reassurance.
"I am so glad to hear that. In my past relationships, they made a huge deal when something like this happened. I am very glad that you are not overreacting. But, I guess there is a reason why they are exes, don't you agree?" he said, relieved that she didn't make a scene like some of his former girlfriends would have.
"I wouldn't know." Gem said, avoiding looking him in the eyes.
"What do you mean? You must have had some bad experiences with your previous boyfriends, otherwise, you would still be together," he said perplexed.
With a deep sigh of resignation, Gem decided that it was time to come clean.
"I have never had a boyfriend before." Gem said.
John was shocked by the revelation but did his best to hide his incredulity from Gem.
It was clear that she didn't want him to treat her any differently, or see her in a different light, but it was difficult not to do so.
In his whole life, John had never met anyone her age who hadn't been in a relationship, but he thought it explained her hesitance in accepting all he had to offer.
Forcing himself out of the shocked state he was in, John gently took her hand in his, and traced light butterfly kisses on it.
"How is it even possible that no one ever tried to win your heart? You are worth fighting for," he said.
Gem's only answer was a gentle blush that spread through her face and the lowering of her eyes in embarrassment.
"That! Look how perfect you are while you shyly look at me through your lowered eyelashes," he said, mesmerized by the pureness of her beauty.
Seeing that he was making her uncomfortable, yet again, he changed the subject.
"So what is your favorite romantic movie?" he asked in a not so subtle attempt to change the subject.
It worked perfectly. She became so engrossed in telling him about her favorite movie that she forgot all about the shyness that just moments ago colored her face.
He was trying to follow what she was telling him about the main plot of the movie, but he found it challenging.
His focus kept wandering off, to the way her eyes lit up, and a huge smile that spread across her face as she described her favorite parts. It was a sight to behold, and he wanted to listen to her speak forever.
"I am sorry, I keep babbling instead of just answering your question shortly," she said, regret obvious in her voice.
Her whole life she had lived in the belief that she wasn't interesting enough for someone to pay any attention to her. She especially didn't believe that anyone could care about her romantically.
That was the main reason she couldn't understand John's interest, and why she thought she was boring him with her unusual enthusiasm for movies.
"You never have to apologize to me, especially not for something like that. I love listening to you speak about your favorite things. You show such passion that it is a pleasure to listen to you," he said, honestly.
His honesty and patience helped her relax, and she had the most wonderful time on her first official date with John. He proved to be even more patient and caring than she anticipated, and she loved that about him.
The rest of the evening went by without a hitch. They enjoyed each other's company and delicious food. For both of them, it was the best night of their lives, and Gem felt a bit sad when they finally had to leave the restaurant. She thought that she would never again have such a magical evening.
John, on the other hand, couldn't help but think how he would love to take her on many more wonderful dates and try to show her what he saw when he looked at her.
As a true gentleman, he walked her back to her apartment building. Only then, did he manage to gather the courage to ask her what he craved to ask her since they left the restaurant.
"So how about a second date?" he asked.
"John, I had a fantastic time tonight, and you are a great guy but..." she started but was soon interrupted by John.
"No, no, remember you promised to let me help you overcome your fears. What I am doing is a scientific approach, remember?" he said, with an irresistible smile.
Unable to resist his breathtaking smile and pleading eyes, she smiled back at him.
"Well then, in the name of science, I agree." Gem said.
She couldn't help but laugh out loud at the silly notion, and it felt good to just laugh for no good reason.
"Great! See you tomorrow. You choose the place, and send me the details," he said.
"Okay, bye," she said, not knowing if she should shake his hand, hug him, kiss him, or if something else was more appropriate.
He saved her the headache by taking her hand in his and kissing it gently.
"Goodbye, Gem. Sweet dreams," he said, with a seductive voice.
That was it. After saying that, he let go of her hand, and left.
Gem couldn't decide if she was relieved or annoyed that he didn't try to kiss her. She was probably both in equal measure.
Nevertheless, that night she fell asleep with a huge smile on her face.
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