Chapter 4.13

Dakota was browsing the internet on her iPad when she heard a knock on her door.

“Come in,” she said casually.

“Hey, I talked to…,” Trevor walked in and stopped in the middle of the sentence, “what happened here?”

“Oh this? I decorated a little. I got my first paycheck. Do you like?”

Trevor looked around the girly room, “yea, it’s nice. When did you do all this, though?”

“Last Sunday when you were at Leila’s. You were saying?”

“Right. So I talked to Dean about the weekend, you know, how you wanted to introduce him to your friend? He’s in.”

“You told him about Nora?”

“Not that you want them to get together. Just that we’ll all hang out on Saturday.”

“Cool. I’ll tell Nora tomorrow at work.”

“So,” Dakota started, she knew Nora will be hard to convince to a blind date, “do you have any plans this Saturday?”

“Not really, why?”

“No reason. Just that me and my roommates are going to the movies and then maybe dance so I was wondering if you wanna join?”

“I don’t think so,” Nora said and walked to the table in the break room with her cup of coffee.

Dakota joined her and kept trying, “why not? You said you have nothing better to do anyway.”

“I’m not really a party girl, Dakota. Plus didn’t you say your roommates are guys?”

“Yea? Really cute ones, too. Trevor is taken, but Dean…”

“Are you trying to set me up?”

“No, I just think you and Dean have a lot in common. He doesn’t know anything about this, so if you don’t like him, he’ll never know.”

Nora looked down on her coffee, “I’m not worried about me not liking him.”

“So what are you worried about?”

“I just…I don’t think he would like me.”

“What are you talking about? You’re beautiful, smart, what’s not to like?”

“Beautiful? Oh please…look at me.”

“I am looking at you. Maybe if you let your hair down and got out of the sweaters you keep wearing, you’d feel more confident.”

“Maybe, I have no sense of style.”

“I bet you do. How about I take you shopping? Tomorrow after work.”

“I don’t wanna bother you.”

“Bother me? That’s a good one,” Dakota laughed, “I love shopping. So tomorrow after work, ok?”

Just as she promised, Dakota took her friend to the mall the next day.

“This dress is pretty,” she said when they were standing behind the window, “you should try it.”

“You think?”

“Trust me, it will look amazing on you, come on.”

Nora walked into the dressing room and Dakota followed her.

“You…you’re gonna…come in with me?”

“Yea, don’t be shy. I’m a girl.”

“Alright,” Nora shyly undressed into her underwear.

“Nora, you have an amazing body, why are you hiding it in the clothes you wear?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugged.

One hour later, Nora was leaving the store with five bags of new pieces. They went to three more stores with similar results.

Dakota was hoping she gave her the confidence she needed. She was a very pretty girl with a heart on the right place and Dakota wanted to help her see it.

Dakota met Nora in her apartment couple hours before they were meeting Dean and Trevor at the movie theater.

“You have really nice place here,” she hugged her.

“Thank you, do you want coffee or tea?” Nora offered.

“Coffee, thanks,” Dakota sat down, “are you excited?”

“I’m not sure. More nervous than excited.”

“Don’t be. Dean is the nicest guy I know. Did you pick an outfit?”

“The flower dress we bought?”

“Nice, I was gonna suggest that. Let me do your hair and make up.”

Dakota played with Nora’s hair for a little bit while thinking what would suit her the best. She let it down and straightened it. Then she started applying a light make up on her face.

“You have very pretty eyes. Do you ever wear contacts?”

“I used to. I don’t even know why I stopped. Glasses are just easier I guess.”

“If I were you I would give contacts another chance,” Dakota smiled at her friend.

When she was finished, Nora changed into her new dress and the girls were ready to go.

“Oh my God, you look so hot,” Dakota gasped when she saw Nora’s full transformation, “Dean is gonna fall in love with you so fast.”

“Stop it,” Nora said shyly. She had to work on accepting a compliment.

Trevor and Dean were already waiting for them inside of the movie theater.

“Hi guys,” Dakota greeted them, “this is my friend and coworker Nora. Nora this is Trevor and Dean.”

After they shook hands, Trevor suggested him and Dakota go get popcorn and soda, giving Dean and Nora a chance to talk.

They watched a horror movie and the guys were picking on the girls for screaming during one scary scene. It felt like they all knew each other for years.

“Who’s up for a drink?” Trevor asked as they were walking out of the auditorium.

They found a bar nearby. Dean couldn’t keep his eyes off of Nora and Trevor couldn’t keep his eyes off of Dakota. She noticed it but pretended like she didn’t. It made her nervous though. For some reason she had a soft spot for him and he was sending very mixed signals every since they met.

Dean and Nora went to the bar to get more drinks.

“Didn’t I tell you they’d hit it off? They’re perfect for each other,” Dakota was praising herself.

“You were right. She is charming.”

Dakota reached into her purse for her phone to find a text message from Nate. They were texting since last weekend, when they got drunk together.

NATE: HEY THERE. WHAT ARE YOU UP TO TONIGHT?

DAKOTA: I’M AT A BAR WITH MY ROOMMATES AND NORA. DO YOU WANNA JOIN?

NATE: SURE. WHAT’S THE ADDRESS.

The bar started to quickly fill up with young people eager to dance, drink and have some fun. Dakota wasn’t facing the door so she didn’t even noticed when Nate walked in but Nora spotted him immediately.

“Isn’t that Nate?” she leaned closer to Dakota.

“Yea, I told him we’re here. He texted me when you two were at the bar.”

“So you guys are like…?”

“We’re friends.”

Dakota got up and gave Nate a friendly hug and turned around to face her friends.

“Everybody, this is Nate, Nate this is Trevor, Dean and you already know Nora.”

“Hi,” Nate waved at the three people staring at him, “wow, Nora, you look….different.”

Dakota was looking for a place where Nate could sit, “you’re gonna have to pull in a chair.”

“It’s ok, I’m gonna go to the bar, get a drink. Wanna come?”

“Who is he?” Trevor asked Nora.

“He’s our coworker. I didn’t know he’s coming,” Nora shrugged and went back to the conversation she had with Dean. They had so much in common. They both loved books, old movies and they both hated everything outdoors.

Seeing Dakota with a man made Trevor very uncomfortable and jealous. Sure, he was dating Leila, but they both knew since the beginning it wasn’t a serous relationship. Leila wasn’t the type of girl he would want to marry one day.

Dakota and Nate spent a while sitting at the bar talking and laughing before they moved to the dance floor. Trevor was watching them the whole time.

He saw how their slow dance turned into an intimate moment and how they kissed for the first time surrounded by fake snow flakes that were coming out from the party machine.

“Sorry, bro..” Dean said to him when he noticed where Trevor is looking and what he’s seeing.