X minutes to smile

I’m shaking with nervous energy I can’t quite understand or explain, even to myself. I pull my phone out of my pocket for what seems like the millionth time since arriving …

17:50

Ten minutes … just ten minutes left. Will everything change? Will I foul this up like I foul up everything, one way or another? My throat is parched and I find my mouth starting to dry up, not now. If there’s one thing I understand about these types of meetings, being able to talk clearly is a must. There’s no emails, messages, or emojis to save me now … it’s all on me, make or break time young lady. My phone buzzes, I pull it out to check it, thoughts instantly in the realm of ‘they’ve cancelled’ and ‘they found someone else’ or ‘aren’t coming because “something” came up’. My eyes darted to the time first.

17:51

How is there still nine minutes! I got here way too early! I always do … so stupid. I look at the message, holding my breath and assuming the worst.

“How’d it go? 🥰”

(17:51)

It’s my BFF, she’s like my sister and is checking in on me like loving sisters do, at least I presume so, I never had a sister growing up, only a brother and parents who believed they had ‘two perfect sons’ until I threw an Uno reverse card in everyone’s life plans.

By the time I send my response there’s eight minutes left.

“Still waiting for them, haha. Meeting at 6 not 5 now, meant to update you. Super nervous! I’m shaking, not sure I can do this! 😬”

(17:52)

…

“Come on, you know you can! 🤗 You’ve done all the hard work to get to this point, now close the deal! 🥰”

(17:52)

We chat a bit more, my greatest friend and chosen sister supporting me like she always has, I feel she’s right here with me cheering me on, even now with ... seven minutes to go.

“You’ve been working towards this for what? Months? 🫶 You have to see it through! 💝”

(17:53)

“We should be meeting any minute now… I need to collect myself. 😳 I’ll let you know how it goes. 💜”

(17:53)

…

I’m pretty sure she intentionally delays her response to make me sweat a bit, or to keep me where I am and not run away.

“Okay babes, luv ya! ❤️”

(17:54)

Six minutes … I’ve never done this before. How am I supposed to look when they arrive? Oh god! What do I say? I practise in my head a few welcomes, they all sound so stupid now, and I’m convinced some of the words aren’t real anymore.

I move closer to the entrance of the cafe we agreed for the meeting … Their clock on the wall reads in bright digital font the time, letting me know how long I have to back out or not.

5:55

Five minutes, when I should have arrived … who arrives so early to things? Why is that something I just can’t stop myself from doing? Have to be early, even to a party. I become lost in my thoughts for a moment until a new phone buzz interrupts me, I recognise the custom text alert sound … mum. What does she want right now?

“Just checking where you are. Will you be home for dinner?”

(17:56)

Of course when there’s just four minutes left, she decides to message. I guess to be fair I didn’t tell her what I was doing tonight. Living with her due to unemployment was awkward enough, then dropping the ‘surprise, I’m a girl’ bomb just created a rift I’m not sure she’ll ever fully move past. So gradually I stopped telling her things about my life, because I got the sense she didn’t want to hear it.

“Out for dinner. Back later, please leave the back porch light on.”

(17:57)

Holy crap, three minutes … okay, breathe … just breathe … I wish dad was still around. He would have handled things better I think, I imagine he would have loved having a daughter. Although he might not be okay with what I’m doing tonight … then again he might be because of who it’s with.

“Okay, be safe. Love you.”

(17:58)

Mum replies with two minutes to spare. I realise thinking about dad has made me get emotional, and I cannot risk my mascara running … stop it! Stop it! I berate myself, and try to think of something else.

The wall clock ticks over and suddenly things feel so much more real than ever before.

05:59

One minute, 60 seconds … I do one last nervous hand brush of my hair, hoping my curling job looks okay. I neaten up my top making sure it’s centred on my still developing chest, damn I wish that would hurry up … and make sure my pride pins are even and visible, my necklace is neat and against my neck … and I enter the cafe. I thought I should try and get a table now, so when they arrive it’s all set to go, less awkward milling about.

This is it … no more waiting … no more time to change my mind. This meeting has to happen now … but the cafe doors remain still and are not opening. I face them and wait … Every second now starts to feel like an eternity, a pressure builds in my chest … My phone buzzes.

“Hey cutie 😘 … look to your right. 🩷”

(18:00)

Shock courses through my entire system, my heart skips a beat … this means … I turn. I don't believe it ... she's more on time than me!

Sitting at a corner table in the cafe, there she is … an absolute vision … Everything about her is more beautiful and perfect than I could have imagined. Seeing pictures online is one thing, how on earth did I get so lucky to meet her ... and on a dating app of all places! I had just about given up on them ... even just as an online presence she was gorgeous, captivating, and I felt way out of my league … but here … tonight … starting to stand and her full frame allowed to be seen … my heart skipped more than one beat, I’m sure.

She smiled wide as I walked towards her …

That smile … How on earth was it for me?

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Loved finding a story for this challenge! And thinking of a way to incorporate a countdown into it. While elements are based on reality, this story is a work of fiction (just don't want to get anyone's hopes up about my chronic single-ness haha!) but really enjoyed imagining that first moment and meeting someone ... maybe one day it can become a work of non-fiction.

This is a short story for the first challenge in James and Oneg's August Summer Writing Extrav-again-za! The task is to create a short story that includes some sort of countdown. Either the countdown is happening for a reason as part of the plot, or you structure the story with numbers counting down in some form.

You can find out more about the Summer Writing Challenge Extrav-again-za below:

Check out Oneg's own entry to this challenge, it's so heartwarming and well put together!