The first date could be described as an awkward mess in Jeff’s eyes as to how it eventually turned out. Although the captain of the cheer-leading squad Ashley Tibbits would have disagreed with that notion. Ashley had been watching Jeff for quite some time as his star rose above everyone in the after school sports games played by groups of friends. How he moved and dodged his body in baseball and soccer and kept a good attitude throughout his breathless and at times stressful physical endeavors had her very interested from the get-go. Sometimes she found herself spending more time watching Jeffery Thompson then her own squad as they practiced and had to shake herself back into focus. Her teammates and friends giggled at this sight as they knew who Ashley really was falling for having already rejected multiple members of the football team for dates. Ashley really wanted Jeff to just come up and ask the question but it seemed like either he didn’t know she existed or he was contemplating his own reasons for delay in his own mind.
After several weeks of this mental torture Ashley had had it she would go up to Jeff and express her desire for a date with him. This action was out of the ordinary for her and her gender in general but she wanted to get to know Jeff and he wasn’t making the first move. Luckily for her that same day she decided to ask Jeff out herself he approached her instead. Walking up to the cheer squad after a particularly dirty and rough soccer match Jeff looking quite disheveled approached Ashley from behind as she talked to her friends oblivious of her surroundings. Ashley’s fellow cheerleaders saw Jeff approach and decided to play along keeping Ashley’s back turned with increased talking and focus directed at her.
When Ashley heard her name spoken by a male voice her heart dropped and she whipped around in quick succession. “There he is” her mind squirmed as a surprised smile lit up her features at having Jeff just feet from her. Awkwardly smiling back at her Jeff began his rehearsed speech not even knowing how Ashley was going to react and whether she would be reciprocal or not. “Hey Ashley I just got off of the soccer game and I’ve seen you over here practicing a lot so I thought I might as well ask you. Would you like to go out to dinner with me some time?” Without even thinking Ashley surprised herself most of all by immediately answering “YES!” in a high energy yelp that made not only Jeff’s eyes go wide but also her friends who now understood how desperate Ashley had been for a date with him these last distracted weeks.
The time and date was set and Ashley found herself agreeing with the first options thrown out by Jeff without even a thought as to whether or not she could keep the dates. They exchanged pleasantries and with a beaming smile and giddy demeanor Ashley said goodbye to Jeff as he turned to walk away. Ashley stood and stared at Jeff’s receding form for a long time before turning back to her smirking and giggling friends who piled on the ribbing that she couldn’t have made her attraction to him more obvious.
That Saturday night Jeff met Ashley at the Turntable Diner a small squat building in the middle of main street that had served the needs of high school dates and family dinners for over 50 years. Meeting outside the diner’s main doors Ashley who wore a red knee-length red dress with spaghetti straps approached the waiting Jeff who wore a simple collared shirt and dress pants. With hello’s exchanged Jeff invited Ashley inside holding the door open for her and then they sat down at a booth and began chit-chat while looking through the menu. The rest of the evening Ashley could barely eat her own meal or think of anything else as she became engrossed in the boy across form her and his stories. Jeff was so confident in how he phrased his wording and narrated his stories that Ashley found herself laughing and giggling to his stories. Still the awkwardness that Jeff thought dominated this date was in fact only a small portion of it and it actually had the opposite effect on Ashley. When Ashley asked how Jeff had become so good at sports and really was becoming a star to the after school program he became very awkward and half-talkative in his answers not giving full answers to anything. Where Jeff thought he looked awkward and pathetic to Ashley in fact his actions just endeared him more to her as she thought that he didn’t want to look too proud or superhuman in his exploits on the field. Where Jeff thought he oozed desperation to Ashley he oozed attraction.
Finishing their dinner and paying the staff Jeff again held the door open for Ashley as they left the diner and Jeff offered to walk Ashley home which she eagerly accepted. Continuing small chit-chat on the way home Ashley really hoped for a kiss to end the date but when they got to her house a mile away she got a hug instead. As Jeff leaned in Ashley thought it would finally happen and puckered up while closing her eyes but all she felt was his whole body wrapped around her. Still it was better then nothing as she hugged him back tight. Asking if she’d like to go on another date some other time Ashley eagerly answered that she would like that as each said goodbye to one another. Getting back into her house Ashley began hopping up in down with closed eyes and a smiling face at the wonderful memory of the date she had and how desperately she wanted to get to know Jeff better.