Jackie Morgan
This Time Will Be Different
Two hours until showtime. I showered. I scritched curl shampoo into my scalp. I coated the ends of my hair in conditioner. I lathered myself with soap. I shaved my legs. I shaved them again just to be sure. I got out of the shower and dried off. I threw my hair up in a towel. I opened my phone and reviewed his profile. I scrubbed my face. I brushed my teeth for two minutes with an electric toothbrush. I flossed my teeth. I scrubbed my hair with the towel. I applied lotion to my nose and elbows. I clipped my fingernails. I clipped my toenails. I spritzed myself with perfume. I applied deodorant. I cleaned my ears with a Q-tip. I dabbed concealer along my jaw. I applied foundation to my face. I filled in my eyebrows. I drew on black eyeliner. I added a wing to my left eye. I added a wing to my right eye and flubbed it at the last second. I used makeup remover on my right eye. I waited a minute and re-applied the wing. I stabbed myself in the eye again. I blinked back tears. I wiped away the eyeliner streaming down my cheek. I applied it a third time, forgoing the wing. I wiped away the wing on my left eye with a tissue. I added mascara and pale pink glossy lipstick. I stood up straight and planted my hands on my hips, Wonder-Woman style. I stared at my reflection for ten seconds and channeled my most confident self. I ran the towel through my hair again. I didn’t own a blow dryer. I combed my hair back and parted it to the left. I opened my phone and reviewed his profile again. I thought of more questions to ask him. I went to my bedroom. I put on matching undergarments. I picked out a purple summer dress with white polka dots. I stuck faux diamond earrings in my ears. I went to the foyer and laced up my sandals. I ran my skirt over with a lint roller. I patted down my hair. I inspected myself in the mirror beside the door. I used the bathroom. I added the eyeliner wings after all. I reviewed his profile one last time. I grabbed my keys and locked the door to my apartment. I ran down three flights of stairs and out to my car. I dabbed my armpits with a tissue from my bag. I glanced at myself in the rearview mirror. I started the car. I drove to the restaurant, and it was showtime.
He met me outside the restaurant. He wore a t-shirt, khaki shorts, and sandals. He was 5’7” at most, though his profile had said 5’9”. He led me into the restaurant. He told me about his favorite dishes there. He loved the fish and chips, but the pub pretzels were a close second. He ordered them both. He answered my questions about how long his drive was, how his day had been. He answered my questions about his job. He answered my questions about his family. He answered my questions about his dog. He answered my questions about what he was studying in grad school. I told him I was in grad school, too. He told me about the male loneliness epidemic. He told me it was trending on Reddit. He told me about his stint as a weather forecaster in San Diego. He told me about his recent trip to Bali. He told me he enjoyed talking to me. He said I was the best listener. He asked the waitress to split the bill. He led me outside the restaurant. He asked me if I would kiss him. He stuck his tongue in my mouth when I said sure.
We walked in opposite directions to our cars. We returned to our homes. I scrubbed off all my makeup and tossed my dress in the hamper. I donned my PJs and crawled into bed. I had a new notification on Hinge. Another guy was asking me out for tomorrow. I remembered that my mom said I was too picky. I messaged the guy and said yes.
He met me outside the restaurant. He wore a t-shirt, khaki shorts, and sandals. He was 5’7” at most, though his profile had said 5’9”. He led me into the restaurant. He told me about his favorite dishes there. He loved the fish and chips, but the pub pretzels were a close second. He ordered them both. He answered my questions about how long his drive was, how his day had been. He answered my questions about his job. He answered my questions about his family. He answered my questions about his dog. He answered my questions about what he was studying in grad school. I told him I was in grad school, too. He told me about the male loneliness epidemic. He told me it was trending on Reddit. He told me about his stint as a weather forecaster in San Diego. He told me about his recent trip to Bali. He told me he enjoyed talking to me. He said I was the best listener. He asked the waitress to split the bill. He led me outside the restaurant. He asked me if I would kiss him. He stuck his tongue in my mouth when I said sure.
We walked in opposite directions to our cars. We returned to our homes. I scrubbed off all my makeup and tossed my dress in the hamper. I donned my PJs and crawled into bed. I had a new notification on Hinge. Another guy was asking me out for tomorrow. I remembered that my mom said I was too picky. I messaged the guy and said yes.
Jacqueline Morgan is an orange cat enthusiast based in Minneapolis, MN. Follow her work on Instagram @jgmorganwrites.
