"Oh man, what hasn't been going on?" Nathan leaned back in his seat and ran a hand through his hair. "There's the spring recital coming up, so we've been spending a lot of time on that. Plus school and graduation in a few months... Michelle's got all this stuff going on with dance and sports and school too, and I usually go to all her stuff since our parents are busy." Probably shouldn't go into too much more detail there, lest all the little unpleasant things start spilling out and wreck the mood they'd just managed to save.
"I'm really excited for the recital, though. We're doing more contemporary stuff and it's supposed to be all abstract and artsy. It's pretty cool. A bit more exciting for some people than classic shows, you know?" Talking about dance was good, it was safe. No risk of letting his neuroses run wild all over the date. "I don't think I've asked before - have you ever gotten into any kind of dance?"
Nathan glanced up with a smile as their plate of fries was delivered, taking advantage of the lull to take one. And to immediately wince as he bit into piping hot potato. Smooth move, Lovegrove. "Careful, they're really hot."
Death of a Bachelor
i mean it's a song title but not a schmaltzy cute one
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Mia leaned back, and drank in everything Nathan was saying. Gosh, it really did sound like he was going to be having a busy few weeks. Not to say that she wasn't going to be busy; balancing schoolwork with swim or BMX or soccer practice every week was always gonna keep her rushed off of her feet and stressed every few days, but this had been her life for a while. She was used to it, in a sense, even if she didn't appreciate it. She didn't know how busy Nathan normally was, but she knew that when people spent a long time without much on their plate, whenever they got handed a lot of important stuff in a short space of time, they tended to fare worse off than normal.
Bleh. Thinking about all that was bringing up unpleasant thoughts, starting to make Mia stress again about the balance between her academic future or her sporting future. She'd just gotten away from that. That was what she was here to have a reprieve from.
Their order of fries being brought over was a welcome sight, and enough to prevent Mia's smile from faltering. She gave a couple words of thanks to their server, before she noticed Nathan's reaction to his first bite. She giggled slightly, reaching across to the plate and carefully taking a fry of her own. Of course they were going to be hot, silly. Not that she could blame him in the slightest for being so eager to chow down.
"Well, so am I, so I should be able to handle them!"
Mia had the biggest grin on her face as she said that. It was cheesy and dumb, but hey, it would be fun to see Nathan's reaction! And, most importantly, she was clearly comfortable enough around him to actually say it.
"Anyways, uh, I've never really gotten into any kind of dance, no." Mia idly gestured with the fry dangling between her fingers as she spoke.
"I've dabbled in a bunch of stuff before! I mean, if it's even vaguely active, I've probably tried my hand at it at some point! I think I tried ballet at some point, actually, but I guess it just wasn't... my thing, I suppose. I guess cheerleading's the closest thing I have to any kind of 'dance' right now. But hey, your recital sounds super cool anyway! I'm glad you're excited for it."
Mia finally took a bite out of the fry she was still holding. Still hot, but after a good few seconds away from the plate, much more manageable and delicious.
Bleh. Thinking about all that was bringing up unpleasant thoughts, starting to make Mia stress again about the balance between her academic future or her sporting future. She'd just gotten away from that. That was what she was here to have a reprieve from.
Their order of fries being brought over was a welcome sight, and enough to prevent Mia's smile from faltering. She gave a couple words of thanks to their server, before she noticed Nathan's reaction to his first bite. She giggled slightly, reaching across to the plate and carefully taking a fry of her own. Of course they were going to be hot, silly. Not that she could blame him in the slightest for being so eager to chow down.
"Well, so am I, so I should be able to handle them!"
Mia had the biggest grin on her face as she said that. It was cheesy and dumb, but hey, it would be fun to see Nathan's reaction! And, most importantly, she was clearly comfortable enough around him to actually say it.
"Anyways, uh, I've never really gotten into any kind of dance, no." Mia idly gestured with the fry dangling between her fingers as she spoke.
"I've dabbled in a bunch of stuff before! I mean, if it's even vaguely active, I've probably tried my hand at it at some point! I think I tried ballet at some point, actually, but I guess it just wasn't... my thing, I suppose. I guess cheerleading's the closest thing I have to any kind of 'dance' right now. But hey, your recital sounds super cool anyway! I'm glad you're excited for it."
Mia finally took a bite out of the fry she was still holding. Still hot, but after a good few seconds away from the plate, much more manageable and delicious.
"bryony and alba would definitely join the terrorists quote me on this put this quote in signatures put it in history books" - Cicada Days, 2017
Mia's retort startled a laugh out of Nathan, leading him to cover his mouth with his hand and inadvertently smush more hot french fry against his face. Wow. He was really pulling off this whole "smooth guy on a date" thing, huh.
Giving up on being discreet, he quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth off. "Sorry about that. Cheerleading's cool, you guys definitely don't get enough credit for how demanding it is. Dance is kind of like that too, I guess." He plucked another fry from the plate between them once he was relatively certain enough time had passed for it to not scald him. Speaking of the recital, should he invite Mia? Would that be a weird thing to do - "hey, since this is going pretty well, want to come out in a weekend or two and watch me jump around on stage in tights?"
Though he did look pretty good in them, he supposed.
No, probably better to wait and see if Mia expressed actual interest before going and doing that. Nathan didn't want to come off as overeager for anything, as much as he enjoyed her company. Sports was a safer topic, and one she was clearly enthusiastic about. "So, do you have a favorite sport out of all the ones you do? I know BMX competition is a pretty big deal."
Giving up on being discreet, he quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped his mouth off. "Sorry about that. Cheerleading's cool, you guys definitely don't get enough credit for how demanding it is. Dance is kind of like that too, I guess." He plucked another fry from the plate between them once he was relatively certain enough time had passed for it to not scald him. Speaking of the recital, should he invite Mia? Would that be a weird thing to do - "hey, since this is going pretty well, want to come out in a weekend or two and watch me jump around on stage in tights?"
Though he did look pretty good in them, he supposed.
No, probably better to wait and see if Mia expressed actual interest before going and doing that. Nathan didn't want to come off as overeager for anything, as much as he enjoyed her company. Sports was a safer topic, and one she was clearly enthusiastic about. "So, do you have a favorite sport out of all the ones you do? I know BMX competition is a pretty big deal."
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Mia covered her mouth and giggled at Nathan's reaction, which was absolutely what she'd been hoping for. Her plan had worked to a tee, because Nathan had very clearly not been expecting it. Any veneer of 'smoothness' he might have had before the date had long gone, but Mia didn't care at all about that. He was definitely on the right side of dorky and easily flustered to be cute.
His hands also didn't burst into flames when he tried to take a fry from the plate again, so Mia figured they were now at that prime point of still being hot and tasty, but not to the point where she'd be prone to burn the inside of her mouth. She reached over, meaning to just grab one, but picking up another two that had been caught in the crossfire. Oh well. As stated; it was obvious that all essence of 'smoothness' had gone straight out the window by now.
Plus, it had been literally eons since she'd last had fries. There wasn't room for them in her fairly strict diet, and whenever she did allow herself a treat of some sort, she never instinctively decided to go for fries as her cheat of choice. You always kinda overlooked them until you were actually having them, and then they were a godsend.
Midway between two of the fries, Nathan decided to ask one hell of a question, and she paused mid-chew, trying to digest both fry and query. She made a 'hmmmmm' noise, still with half a fry poking from her mouth, but despite how hard she thought, she couldn't come up with a concrete answer before she'd finished off her handful of fries.
"Jesus, wow, um, you realise you're asking me to choose my favourite kid, right? Damn."
Mia grinned again to show she wasn't being totally serious, running her fingers through her hair as she tried to think.
"You're right though, BMX is a super competitive and really tough sport. I've seen plenty of people take their first fall and they just can't handle it. You really gotta be into it to carry on with it."
Mia's smile broadened.
"Luckily, I am either super into it, or a complete masochist. 50-50, really! Even so, I think if I did have to pick a favourite sport, it'd probably be swimming, honestly! It means a lot to me, I just feel so free and happy whenever I'm in the water. I could literally stay in there for hours! Plus, if I do end up going to a sports college, then it's probably the sport I'd be looking to do..."
Mia gave a little involuntary sigh, unable to catch it before it escaped from her mouth, and her heart jolted a little, as she hoped that Nathan hadn't caught it. It was the 'if' in that statement that had brought up all the uncomfortable thoughts and realisations again, that she might not end up doing what she loved for a living, that she might have pursued this path for all of her childhood and teenager-dom, only to have to give it all up very soon.
In short, not exactly first date discussion material.
His hands also didn't burst into flames when he tried to take a fry from the plate again, so Mia figured they were now at that prime point of still being hot and tasty, but not to the point where she'd be prone to burn the inside of her mouth. She reached over, meaning to just grab one, but picking up another two that had been caught in the crossfire. Oh well. As stated; it was obvious that all essence of 'smoothness' had gone straight out the window by now.
Plus, it had been literally eons since she'd last had fries. There wasn't room for them in her fairly strict diet, and whenever she did allow herself a treat of some sort, she never instinctively decided to go for fries as her cheat of choice. You always kinda overlooked them until you were actually having them, and then they were a godsend.
Midway between two of the fries, Nathan decided to ask one hell of a question, and she paused mid-chew, trying to digest both fry and query. She made a 'hmmmmm' noise, still with half a fry poking from her mouth, but despite how hard she thought, she couldn't come up with a concrete answer before she'd finished off her handful of fries.
"Jesus, wow, um, you realise you're asking me to choose my favourite kid, right? Damn."
Mia grinned again to show she wasn't being totally serious, running her fingers through her hair as she tried to think.
"You're right though, BMX is a super competitive and really tough sport. I've seen plenty of people take their first fall and they just can't handle it. You really gotta be into it to carry on with it."
Mia's smile broadened.
"Luckily, I am either super into it, or a complete masochist. 50-50, really! Even so, I think if I did have to pick a favourite sport, it'd probably be swimming, honestly! It means a lot to me, I just feel so free and happy whenever I'm in the water. I could literally stay in there for hours! Plus, if I do end up going to a sports college, then it's probably the sport I'd be looking to do..."
Mia gave a little involuntary sigh, unable to catch it before it escaped from her mouth, and her heart jolted a little, as she hoped that Nathan hadn't caught it. It was the 'if' in that statement that had brought up all the uncomfortable thoughts and realisations again, that she might not end up doing what she loved for a living, that she might have pursued this path for all of her childhood and teenager-dom, only to have to give it all up very soon.
In short, not exactly first date discussion material.
"bryony and alba would definitely join the terrorists quote me on this put this quote in signatures put it in history books" - Cicada Days, 2017
"Yeah..." Mia had inadvertently stumbled on something there, alright. Nathan at least has a pretty good idea of what he wanted to do after graduation; he had been looking into actual dance academies in the area, nothing too expensive or too far from home. Four years, or however long it took to get his certification as an instructor. Maybe he'd come back to Kingman, or maybe he'd head to a bigger city where there was more opportunity for a young person who had just gotten their degree. Either way, he didn't have too much pulling him in different directions when it came to higher education and a career.
Outside that, though...
There was no saying exactly how much longer Nana was going to live, but five, ten years down the line... well, that was it. She was old, and her mind was going, and that was how it went. Circle of life and all that. But until she passed away, they'd keep taking care of her, keep spending money, and his parents would keep fighting and dragging him and Michelle into the middle of it. Nathan didn't see a divorce in the cards until either Nana passed or Michelle graduated, but he did see it. Five, ten years down the line...
This was no train of thought that he needed to be pursuing right now, though. He shook his head to clear his momentary melancholy and smiled at Mia again, though it was a little forced. "Well, you've got some choices lined up, at least. I'm sure somebody will be willing to give you a good deal for sports or something else you're interested in."
Nathan racked his brain for some other topic to turn the conversation to, before they both got bogged down in their respective future worries. "Do you have anything fun planned for the end of the school year, or summer? There's stuff coming up at school too, like the last baseball games and Sadie Hawkins..."
Oh. Right. Nathan suddenly realized just how much it sounded like he was dropping hints for Mia to ask him to the dance. That hadn't been his intent at all, but it was out in the open now. Oops.
Outside that, though...
There was no saying exactly how much longer Nana was going to live, but five, ten years down the line... well, that was it. She was old, and her mind was going, and that was how it went. Circle of life and all that. But until she passed away, they'd keep taking care of her, keep spending money, and his parents would keep fighting and dragging him and Michelle into the middle of it. Nathan didn't see a divorce in the cards until either Nana passed or Michelle graduated, but he did see it. Five, ten years down the line...
This was no train of thought that he needed to be pursuing right now, though. He shook his head to clear his momentary melancholy and smiled at Mia again, though it was a little forced. "Well, you've got some choices lined up, at least. I'm sure somebody will be willing to give you a good deal for sports or something else you're interested in."
Nathan racked his brain for some other topic to turn the conversation to, before they both got bogged down in their respective future worries. "Do you have anything fun planned for the end of the school year, or summer? There's stuff coming up at school too, like the last baseball games and Sadie Hawkins..."
Oh. Right. Nathan suddenly realized just how much it sounded like he was dropping hints for Mia to ask him to the dance. That hadn't been his intent at all, but it was out in the open now. Oops.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."