Kellan
I am at Barry’s place. I came here straight after work. I had dropped his present off to him. Now we were having a beer.
“Did you finally get your date with Cassie?” I ask.

He had liked her for a while but had no luck trying to get a date with her.
“Yes, we finally got it arranged,” he laughs, “Good,” I chuckle.
I was glad they had finally arranged something because he really liked her. My little brother had a heart of gold and was a hopeless romantic. He was a good man, but women seemed to walk all over him for it, but Cassie seems different. She appears as smitten with him as he does her.
“So, what was up with you and Elsie last night?”, “Meaning?” I ask.
Elsie had been plaguing my thoughts since I met.
“Meaning, there was something between you both,” “I wouldn’t say being attracted to her means there was something between us,” I laughed.

“It was more than that. Did you even ask for her number?” he questions, “No. But, I am hoping you could help me with that?” I ask hopefully.
“How can I help?”, “Get her number from Cassie,” I say sweetly
“I can do that, but only on one condition,” I didn’t like the smug look that was presently on his face. I can only imagine what his condition will be.
“Which is?”, “You take her on an actual date, not just jump straight into bed with her,” he said, “I don’t want you upsetting my girls, best friend.”

My brother knows I am not one for dating much, but I think if he knew the truth entirely, he wouldn’t look at me the same way. He has always looked up to me. Why I don’t know, but he has. That is why I hide most of the truth from him because I don’t want to let him down.
“Fine.” I groan.
He grins proudly because he has won. He grabs his phone, and I see him looking for Cassie’s number.
“You are going to do it now?” I ask, “Yes, before you change your mind,” he chuckles, hitting the call button.
I could hear the excitement in Cassie’s voice when she answers the phone.
“Hey, beautiful. I know we aren’t supposed to talk until later, but I need to ask a favour.”
I heard her reply on the other end, asking what it was.
“Kellan is here, and he wants Elsie’s number,” he says, “Hmm, it depends on why he wants it,” she responds, sounding cautious.
Barry looks at me with a smirk, “To ask her on a date.”
It took a few minutes, but Cassie agreed to give it to me. They said goodbye, and she texted Elsie’s number through to Barry.
“There you go,” he said, showing me, and I put in my phone, “Don’t make me regret doing this for you,” he warns, “I will try to behave myself. Thank you.” I reply brightly.
I stay at his for an hour before heading home. I pour myself a scotch and sat my ass down. I smirk and take my phone out. I open a text to Elsie. I hope that Cassie didn’t tell her she gave me her number.
Hey, kitten. Are you still thinking about me? X
She may click it is me with the word kitten in it. I set my phone aside and took a sip of my Scotch. Only a moment later, I got a text back.
Where did you get my number, Kellan? And I think you are the one that is still thinking about me X
Sorry, I can’t tell you where I got it. It is a secret. What are you doing? X
Nothing X
I was hoping for a little more than that. Maybe she doesn’t want to talk to me. Yes, that isn’t going to happen. So rather than texting back, I hit the call button. If she would answer, I don’t know. It rang one, two, three times, and she finally answered.
“How can I help you, Kellan?”
“Hey, kitten, I think you should come and see me,” “And what makes you think I would want to do that?”
“Because I know I have been on your mind, and a kiss like we shared last night isn’t something that can be easily forgotten.”
I swear I hear her groan when I mention the kiss, or maybe it was what I wanted to hear.
“Yes, the kiss was something else, but it doesn’t mean I want to see you again. You and I aren’t a good match, Kellan, and you know it,”
“I didn’t think you were the judgemental type,” I counter, “How does that make me judgemental?” I could hear in her voice that she was annoyed.
“Because you are refusing to give me a chance based on your first impression of me,”
“I am not! You fuck around. I don’t. That isn’t a judgement; that is the truth,”
“Hmm, if you say so.”
I was pushing her on purpose. It is what I do. I push people.
“You know what, screw you, Kellan. You don’t know me, and I am too busy to deal with your shit.”
And with that, the line went dead. I laugh to myself. I would give her time to calm down. I don’t want to ask her on a date, not an official one, but I told Barry I would, so I will.
***
I had passed my day doing, well, nothing much. I was getting bored now. It was time I tried my chances again. I decide to send her a quick text.
Hey, I am going to call you. Please answer. I promise to be nice X
Elsie didn’t text me back, but that didn’t stop me. I call her, and to my surprise, she answers straight away.
“Hello, stalker,” snickers, “Stalker? I have been called many things in my life, but never that,” I chuckle.
“Yip! You got my number without asking me for it. You keep calling and texting me, so I would say that are signs of a stalker.”
She seemed in better spirits than when I spoke to her earlier.
“I would call it making an effort, not stalking,”
“If you say so,” she replies, “So, is there a reason you are calling me again?”
I may as well get straight to it before I go in a completely different direction and ask her if she wants to fuck, instead of going on a date. I can’t remember the last time I ever asked a woman on a date. I took a deep breath.
“I wondered if you want to go out with me on a date?” I ask nervously, “What? You are messing with me, right?”
“No, I am being serious,” I say firmly, “Go to dinner with me tomorrow night.”
She fell silent on the other end. She was either thinking about it or trying to work out if she should hang up.
“What is the catch?” she questions, “Nothing. Just dinner and drinks.”
And possibly a kiss at the end of the night, but I will keep that to myself.
“Um, OK then, but if you act like a jackass, I walk away,” “Deal. I will be on my best behaviour,”
“OK, then pick me up at seven.”
“See you then, kitten,” “Don’t be late.” she giggles and hangs up.
I can’t believe I am going on a blooming date! This isn’t how this is supposed to work, but I guess I need to suck it up and get on with it. It is only one date. What harm can it do? I will use it to my advantage to finally get what I want.