*At the cafe

“Hi”

“Hey” Chris responded and got up in an almost immediate motion putting out a chair for Max.

“Did you wait long?” Max awkwardly sat and tried to start a conversation but his head was going blank on him. He had originally planned a lot that he would say but he presently couldn’t remember shit.

“No, not really”

“Oh ok… Uhmm you look good today. Not that you don’t always look good, I mean ugh… just forget what I said” Max babbled not knowing how to stop himself and he felt his cheek flush from the embarrassment.

“Haha thanks, you look good too” Chris replied despite the situation, looking rather cool.

Max blushed even harder and looked away shyly. It was quiet for a while before Chris spoke again.

“what would you like to eat?” He said looking at Max hoping that he wouldn’t seem too impulsive as he noticed Max’s attitude.

“Well anything you choose”

“Ok I’ll be right back” Chris got up and left to get their food while Max immediately brought out his phone.

M: It’s so awkward, I’m dying

C: LOL I know, U guys are so confused

M: are you watching us? Go away

C: geez I just wanted to make sure that you’re ok

C: well I get it, dates before mates LOL

M: whatever

C: U need to break the ice tho, it’s so painful to watch

M: yh I guess

M: later, he’s back

C: ok ;) just call me if you need a pick up

Chris dropped the food trays and sat down with a small smile staring at the red-faced Max who refused to look up from the floor. He found it cute the way Max acted.

“I hope you like chocolate” Chris said dropping a cup of chocolate ice cream in front of Max who immediately whipped his head in the direction of the ice-cream.

“Who doesn’t?” Max replied and he scooped in without much thought mostly to distract himself from the awkward moment. “You didn’t ask about the pizza though” Max continued with a mouth full of ice.

“I just thought no one could resist pizza”

“I guess you’re right but don’t you think that I would have wanted a different topping” Max shrugged but continued stuffing his moth with the ice cream.

The smile on Chris face fell immediately and was about to stand up. “I’m sorry, do you want a different one”

“haha you’re so funny, I don’t mind” Max laughed for the first time and Chris sat down relaxing a little “I love a lot of cheese though”

“Sorry, I was just really nervous”

“ I am too but I think that’s pretty obvious” Max took a big bite out of a slice of pizza this time, trying not to embarrass himself “so pizza and ice cream huh?”

“yeah” Chris smiled awkwardly “Do want anything else”

“Well no, I did say I’ll eat anything you chose”

“haha you’re right”

-------------------------------

“Ha, I guess he won’t be replying for a while” Caroline mumbled to herself as she started the car. She was parked in the drive way of the café for a while just to make sure that Max was ok. “oh well” She finally said and drove to her mom’s salon to help her with the customers. Sometimes she would usually help out with hair dressing if there were a lot of people and sometimes she just stayed at the reception.

“Good morning mom” Caroline said as she walked into the salon

“Good morning dear, I thought you went out with Max” Mrs. Owen was busy with cleaning some of her tools she worked with when Caroline came in.

“No, I just helped him with a couple of things and dropped him off”

“Hmm?”

“At his date” Caroline said looking around the salon. Her mom had owned it for a while now and it had helped a lot with their finances and it always gave her a sense of accomplishment when she helped out.

“Oh that’s ok. I guess that’s why his car is here”

“yeah” Caroline sat lazily on a chair close by before asking “ is there anything that I can help with today?”

“Well there’s just that lady over there but what she wants is a bit too complicated for you”

“Then I’ll just watch you so that next time I can do it”

“Haha, just looking at it once won’t make you perfect”

“Mom, you underestimate me, I’m no beginner” Caroline said with her hand placed on her chest. This made both her mom and the customer she was now attending to at the moment laugh. Caroline was about to say more when her phone buzzed in her pocket.

M: I’ll call you

C: ok then

“Caro, did Ethan say if he’ll be coming home this weekend?” Her mom asked from where she stood.

“No he didn’t” Caroline replied with her face still glued to her phone.

“That’s alright” Mrs. Owen said. She was already done with the customer and called on the last person there.

“Why aren’t there any more people? Will you be doing home service?”

“Oh no, not really, I wanted us to to see Fiona today so we’re temporary closed”

“But why? I already said I don’t want to” Caroline said frustrated by what her mom said and tried to coerce her mother into not going “Besides I haven’t had an attack in a week now”

“That’s good but we still need you on therapy”

“Ugh but I don’t like her, she’s weird” Caroline not really mumbling, grumbled over again.

“Caroline this is the third time now and I won’t allow it again”

“I just said I didn’t like therapy then but this time the lady just creeps me out”

Mrs. Owen pondered and was quiet for a while

“Ok I’m going to talk to her about it so she could change her methods and if you still don’t like it then we’ll try an online service. What do you think?

“It’s ok mom you really don’t have to talk to her” Caroline said getting up. She hated to the idea of stressing her mom and decided to put up with it. “And you don’t have to go with me either. I’m all grown up”

“Haha really now”

“Of course. Thanks mom, you’re the best” Caroline kissed her mom on the cheeks and headed out waving to her mom. “see you later”

“Alright dear, remember to call me if you need anything”

“Yeah I will”

------------------------------

“I don’t understand” Max had a look of disappointment on his face. This was only a first date and he wasn’t even actually dating Chris yet and he already felt heartbroken, most of all he couldn’t get why things like this kept happening to him.

Although a lot of people knew him as homosexual, Chris was also poly and only few of his friends knew that. His mom already had an inkling of what his sexuality was, so it wasn’t difficult coming out to her but it didn’t go so well with his dad.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you” Chris drooped visibly concerned of Max reaction, he had thought a lot about telling Max but he didn’t expect this reaction. “I…I just wanted you to know”

“I know, its fine” Max didn’t mind Chris being poly but he felt a tinge of betrayal but he knew it wasn’t Chris fault and tried his best to acknowledge that.

“I just didn’t want you to misunderstand. It happened before with the person I was dating then and I don’t want you to think I’m cheating….but I really do like you and I don’t want the same thing to happen….” Chris was totally flustered about the whole situation now, with his original composure gone he didn’t have any clue what to do.

“But we aren’t even dating yet” Max said looking down “You don’t even know if I like you back” he mumbled to himself knowing quite well he did like Chris too.

“I’m really sorry, I went ahead of myself and concluded, I… I just thought that maybe you would get angry if we started dating and… I don’t know, I’m sorry”

Max didn’t know how to feel as he heard Chris speak. He really did like Chris back and also admired him plus if the opportunity came he would date Chris in a heartbeat but presently there was a part of him that felt scared and conflicted. A trauma that he hadn’t fully recovered from.

“I have to go” Max said, getting up at the same time

“Max wait …” Chris called and got up after Max

“Let’s talk some other time”

“But at least let me take you home”

“You don’t need to worry, I’ll just call Caroline” Max left the café not looking back trying to hold back the tears that were on the verge of falling, he brought out his phone and started calling Caroline.

“Come on Line I really need you” Max complained for the third time after getting no response. He tried again which was also fruitless. “Gosh I’m so stupid, why did I just leave like that” He walked down the street as he tried calling Caroline for the fifth time which still got no reply. “I even forgot my jacket. Shit, shit shit!” tired and frustrated and regretting his own actions he sat on a stoop set in front of a building on the side of the street. He was there for a while when he received a text from Caroline.

C: I’m really sorry I couldn’t take your call. What did you want to tell me?

M: where are you?

C: I’m with the therapist, I’m having a session with Fiona

C: how is your date going? Don’t tell me that you’re ignoring Chris, you shouldn’t be texting me.

M: I left

“Hmm?” Caroline gave out a confused remark as she looked down at her phone

“Caroline, I would need you to drop your phone now” Miss Fiona Peterson, the new therapist that attended to Caroline said almost agitated

“But it’s urgent”

“I don’t care. You need to focus, how do you expect to get better when you act like this?” Miss Fiona gave Caroline a non-caring look from where she stood opposite her

“Whatever, I always thought doctors were nice” Caroline mumbled incoherently to herself but went ahead and put her phone down.

“I need you to lie on the sofa now”

“Alright” Caroline sluggishly went ahead to lie down on the sofa

“Stay calm and try to remove all thoughts from your head”

“Remove all thoughts from my head? How am I supposed to do that” Caroline thought to herself when all of a sudden… “What the hell!” Caroline immediately got up when the therapist touched her just above her belly button

“What did you feel” Miss Peterson asked looking at Caroline carefully

“What am I supposed to feel? You didn’t have to lift my shirt” Caroline was clearly annoyed by this and left the sofa in attempt to pick her bag and also her phone that had accumulated a lot of messages that she hurriedly read

M: Line…

M: please come as soon as you’re done

M: I did something really stupid

Not looking back or waiting for anything Caroline rushed out of the office in anger and said “ I have to go” she went down towards the garage where she had left Max’s car and drove off

Meanwhile Miss Peterson walked to and fro her office. “I can’t be wrong” she said to herself thoughtfully not minding Caroline’s reactions “it has to be”.