Blind Date

Kasey POV

Checking my phone, I decided to be quick. My roommate gave me a skeptical look. “It has been a while since I went on a date. I am over Margaret and ready to move on!”

“Are you sure? The last time I checked, you thought sliding in her Instagram DMs was a good idea. Not that I am stopping you or anything Kasey, but I hope it’s not a rash decision.”

I huffed and turned around. Julie was coloring her nails while I was still deciding on my dress.

“I am over her. I have to. Also, if you didn’t notice, my life no longer revolves around her.”

“Sure, I believe you.”

I took a deep breath. “I cannot sit at the house and reminisce about the past. I have to move on. Maybe meeting new people will bring some perspective. Besides, you have a party to attend, Miss”.

“If you didn’t notice, I am on my way to look gorgeous. Also, these nails would look good with a red spaghetti dress.”

“You mean my red dress. I cannot wear that dress because you uploaded your pictures all over the internet.”

“How about you make it my birthday gift and accept your defeat?” She teased.

“Never, I shall not let you have your way with it.” I huffed in a heavy accent.

Shoot! I am late. I was supposed to be there at 8′o clock, but apparently, *someone* forgot their keys. Now, I am near the restaurant. It’s buzzing with people in and out. I have only talked to her online and didn’t want to be a victim of some crime. I knew this place better than anyone, and it’s good to meet strangers in busy streets. I decided to text her:

Hey, it’s Kasey. I am near Starlight, where are you?

Oh sorry! I am running late. I underestimated my traffic time. LOL

No problem. I just reached. Ping me when you get here. :)

Sure ;)

After five minutes, someone taps on my shoulder. I turn around and see her, in person, for the first time.

“Hey Kasey, let’s go in. We are already late.”

“Noire, you look beautiful.”

I lied. I had to. I don’t know what else to say. She is so peculiar. Her presence feels like a mirage. She is here, yet it feels so strange. I cannot keep a finger on what makes me so uncomfortable. I try to analyze her face, but it makes my head hazy. She has dark curls and an oval face. A pointy nose and dark eyes. It looks good. But then comes her mouth, it’s crooked. It’s weird in a way I cannot describe. Yet somehow, I know that’s not the weirdest part. It is something else.

I do as she says. I follow her inside the restaurant. I listen to her as she asks for a table for two. I am obsessed with her face. She asks me did I like her dress? I nod as she continues to smile.

Her lips are weird. I am not sure if I have seen something like that before. It feels like they don’t belong there. Her face is too close to perfection, but her crooked mouth is like a slap. It is like a combination of navy blue color with black. It is unsettling. Her pictures were, wait, I don’t remember them!

“You have beautiful teeth, Kasey. I was never a good kid, especially when it comes to sweet treats.”

I smiled and noticed her teeth. They were green near gums and very yellow. So ugly and dirty, ugh! I have no clue why I didn’t see that before.

Suddenly, her mouth and face are alright. I am not fixated on them. However, her teeth are bad. Unlike usual scenarios where I would ignore or take off, I am fascinated. I want to see more of it.

As dinner arrives, I am looking at her and nodding. She is talking about something about her roommate, but I am not interested in that. I continue to see her teeth. The more I see them, the more I am disgusted by them. This is not why I am here. I need to relax. I tell her that I have to use the restroom.

As I go inside the washroom, the only thing I can think of is how dirty my teeth are? How can I be so unhygienic? I should take care of myself. I will continue to nod and smile. Apparently, this is the best I can do with my crooked mouth. I go near the sink and look at the mirror. I have a disgusting mouth with yellow teeth. I need to do something about them. I guess Margaret left because she was disgusted by me. Well, so am I.

I walk outside and see Noire. She is sitting there, waiting for me. I think I should take off. She smiles, and we part our way. I don’t know what makes me so sad. My face, my teeth, my broken heart, or my inability to mend my broken heart. I take a cab, and small tears pool in my eyes. As I blink, I let my tears out. Noire and Margaret, both of them are so good. I don’t think I deserve either of them.

I didn’t realize when I reached my condo. I peel off my dress and take a cold shower. Now, I am standing in front of the mirror with a brush. I need to fix this. I cannot walk around like this. I clean my teeth, but it has no effect. I know that I will not get rid of my years of sweet munching in one day, but I have to try. I do it repetitively. My teeth ache, but it’s okay. I reach out for my tongue cleaner and continue to floss.

It is not good enough. I try to find the strongest cleaner I have. I pour it into my mouth and coat my teeth with them. Slowly, I can see my teeth getting clean. That’s a relief. I take a clean towel and pat my face.

“Kasey, Oh my God! are you okay? You are soaked in blood.”

I turn around and see Julie. She is with a guy, and they both look at me in horror. I smile even though it aches. Feeling light-headed, I head out to my bedroom. I am finally beautiful. Now, all I need to do is to fix my crooked mouth. I will do it in the morning. I am so tired.

The End