Realistic or Modern College RP.

[RockNRollAllNite82]

Elitope RockNRollAllNite82


Class had let out on a Friday afternoon and the students flooded the hallway and campus of Grove State University. Some going home because they lived close to the school, some making plans with friends to go places and others went to the dormitories to unwind for the day by doing whatever they felt. The halls were filled with noise from the dorm rooms as some had their doors wide open. Even the feint smell of Marijuana pervaded the air. It was a hot day with a clear blue sky. The temperature was 88°F. Perfect weather for fun.


One student in particular, Adam Clarke, who had been up half of the night cramming for a test, walked into his dorm and went straight into his bedroom falling face first into his pillow. He wore black adidas sweatpants with white stripes and a black shirt that had Deadpool on it. He had a toned muscular body due to there being a gym on campus. His shoulder length black hair was tied back in a ponytail. His plans were simple. Eat, shower, sleep. He was exhausted from the studying and wanted nothing more than sweet, sweet slumber. He closed his eyes and was just drifting off to sleep when he heard the door close.


Adam's roommate Nick walked in setting his things on the couch and turned on the TV which woke Adam up from his sleep. Nick walked in seeing Adam laying face down on his pillow and raised an eyebrow. "Adam...Um... Are you still alive, mate?" He asked with a nervous laugh. He wasn't prepared to see his roommate dead. Adam gave a moan and lazily moved his hand ensuring Nick that he was still among the living. Nick let out a sigh of relief and walked into the kitchen to make something to eat. Adam decided to get up. There was no use in trying to sleep. He was hungry and wanted to do something since it was Friday.

 

[Elitope]

The end of the week was always the best. Naala loved the atmosphere of the flooded hallways and everyone preparing for their weekends. She never had anywhere to go for them but it never bothered her. It was girl’s night every Friday and she looked forward to it every week. The temperature was perfect, she was even tempted to change her evening plans to something outdoors but she had been looking forward to this all week, so her plans would stay the same. Naala was amongst the crowds, socializing and making out the details with her friends for the night. Movies and snacks. They were planning on binge watching Scream 1, 2, and 3 before the 4th one hit the theaters.


Despite the lack of sleep she had gotten studying for her organic chemistry class, Naala felt awake and lively. She wasn't one to let her social life take a hit because of her strenuous studies. She did have to give up her athletics. She was swimming for the school's team but the hours were demanding. She still made time for the gym to keep her lean muscular structure. As she arrived at her room, she was surprised not to see Charlie back yet. Her roommate was introverted but made her best attempts to spend time out of her comfort zone. Naala yawned as she got changed into something more comfortable, a pair of black jeans, an aerosmith shirt and a grey jacket. Her hair was down, as it always was and slightly astray. She looked in the mirror and realized it was almost time for a re-dye but that could wait.


Her stomach rumbled, deciding it was hungry. As she grabbed a quick microwaveable meal she fumbled with the microwave. By the time Gemma walked in, Naala was cursing and beating the machine. "It's broken Naala," Gemma said and Naala halted with a frown. "I had to go to the cafeteria to make my food." She added on and Naala let out an exasperated sigh. "That's too far," she pouted to Gemma. It wasn't far for Gemma it beat asking a neighbor to borrow theirs. "I am not walking down there." Naala huffed grabbing her meal and walking across the hall to knock on the dorm across from her. She wasn't sure who resided there but she didn't care as she was hungry.

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

Adam sat at the table with his head in his hands trying to wake up while the Keurig made his coffee. These all-nighters were getting to him. Who would have thought that studying to be a teacher would be so strenuous? Soon the coffee was ready and Adam got up to fix it to his liking which was milk and sugar. He took a sip of it in hopes that the concoction would give him the energy that he so desperately sought. I have got to stop doing this to myself.. He thought as he walked over the living room sitting beside Nick who was enjoying his cup of tea and watching the local news. Adam shook his head at the story which was about a robbery at a nearby gas station. "It's sad that we live in a time where people still hold up gas stations.." He said while drinking his coffee which was slowly starting to work its magic. Nick gave a nod. "People do it back home too. I once saw a bloke hold up a chip shop." He said with a chuckle. "He got the money but the cops came in shortly after and, when he tried to turn and run, he ran right into them. It was actually pretty comical."


Adam laughed lightly at the story and shook his head. The coffee had breathed life back into him. He looked over at what Nick was drinking his tea. "What kind of tea is that?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Nick held his cup proudly. "This, my friend is Earl Gray tea. English Earl Gray tea not the crap that you buy here. My Mother sends it to me all the way from London." He said sipping his tea. Adam shook his head. "Am I right in thinking that tea has less caffeine than coffee?" He asked as Nick finished giving a nod. "It's true. Why do you ask?" He asked as he put his cup in the sink. Adam shrugged finishing his coffee. He felt like a new man. "I was just wondering." He said as he put walked into his room to change into a pair of light blue slim fitting jeans with tears on the legs and a green shirt that had O'Reilly's Pub on the front which was local tavern that he frequented. He took his hair out of the ponytail and brushes it out leaving it down about his back and shoulders.


He came back out with his shoes sitting back in the couch to put them on just as the Meteorologist gave the weekend forecast which called for more sunshine. "I love this weather. It's perfect for going out and looking for women. Are you going to go out tonight?" He asked Nick who gave a shrug. "I might go to O'Reilly's later. Are you?" He asked as Adam finished putting on his shoes. "I'm not sure. I might go there or just stay around." He said just as a knock came at the door. The two looked at each other then to the door. They weren't expecting company so they were clueless as to who it would be. Adam walked to the door, looking through the peephole. There stood a girl from across the hall. Wonder what she wants..? He thought as he opened the door.

 

[Elitope]

Naala wasn't shy, which is why she had no problem going to a neighboring dorm to ask them to use their microwave. That was not the same for Gemma, which is why she walked all the way down to the cafeteria to use theirs. If Naala had been home she would have asked for Gemma but she had already gone and come back before she even realized that the microwave was in turmoil. It was all rather tragic, or Naala was just really hungry. She had very little patience once hunger struck, the stereotypical girl who gets hangry but the moment she has her food she was once again a delight. Naala enjoyed school and meeting new faces every day. She had worked hard to get there because home life was near non-existent for her growing up. She was even emancipated from the state when she was 16 after proving she was capable of raising herself instead of being tossed from foster care home to foster care home, each one worse than the last.

She swayed upon her feet as she waited for the door to open. Part of her wondered who lived in that dorm. Why hadn't she seen them before? Naala wasn't known for being the most observant individual, so she chalked it up to that. She hoped they were friendly, it would be a disappointment if she was unable to heat up her frozen burrito. Naala flinched as she heard her stomach rumble, once again. She tapped her foot and fidgeted with her hands as she grew antsy. It didn't take them long to answer the door, but while hungry time seemed to move much slower. As the door opened, she greeted the guy with a bright and broad smile written on her lips.

"Howdy!" She said, maybe a little too enthusiastically but it was right in character for her. "Do you have 2 minutes of your time to allow me to heat up this deluxe frozen burrito?" She held it up like Vanna White, showing off her prized burrito. "Oh I'm Naala by the way, I live right there." She stepped to the side to point to her dorm. "Our microwave has decided to be uncooperative, even after several beatings." Again a smile was written on her face, she had a tendency to ramble before allowing anyone to speak. She didn't do this intentionally, she just didn't know when to stop. "I always wondered who lived here, was starting to think it was a ghost. Also ghosts terrify me and I shouldn't joke about them." She looked around as if spirits might actually be listening to her. Naala had always been superstitious, she was wary of many things. "Did I say my name? I'm Naala." She said just in case she had missed that part in the midst of her rambling.

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

When Adam answered the door he was met by a cute girl brandishing a burrito. A deluxe burrito at that. He watched her ramble on about how the microwave wasn't working and how ghosts scare her which made him chuckle slightly stifling an even bigger laugh. He didn't want to be rude and laugh at her. She was just hungry and he could relate to that. "Sure, come on in. The microwave is all yours. Not to take, of course." He said with a laugh. They walked in and Adam introduced himself to the young lady known as Naala. "By the way, my name is Adam and the guy sitting over there is Nick." He said as Nick gave a friendly wave. " 'Ello there!" He said cheerfully while watching TV. He glanced at Naala wondering why they'd not met prior to this. They'd passed each other in the halls hundreds of times without even as much as a glance. It's funny how people seem to be invisible to each other even while sharing the same building.


Adam took the bread and peanut butter out to make a sandwich. Reaching in the silverware drawer to get a butter knife and a fork for Naala even though she would likely eat the burrito by hand. He sat the fork next to the microwave. "Just in case you need it. The plates are in the cupboard right above the microwave." He said and started making his sandwich. He suddenly had a thought just as unscrewed the lid on the jar of peanut butter. He could save them both a lot of trouble and get to know this random woman by taking her out for dinner. It surely sounded like a much better plan than spending the evening in their respective dorms eating frozen food and sandwiches. They could both have a hot meal, a couple of drinks and have a good time together. He screwed the lid back on and put the items back in the cupboard, giving a light sigh.


"Would it be too imposing for me to ask you out for dinner this evening?" Adam asked while leaning against the counter. "It would be better than your burrito. Not that I'm putting it down or anything. The deluxe part had me sold." He said with a light laugh. He had to admit that it was a nervous laugh even though he'd never allow himself to admit that he was anything less than confident. Nick watched quietly from the couch, smirking at Adam's bravado and how quick he asked Naala out. He had to admit that he was impressed and thought that he was doing the right thing. Shaking his head he went back to his show.

 

[Elitope]

Naala's hair moved as her head turned, forcing her to brush some of it back as she was greeted hospitably. How nice. She thought to herself because she had met plenty of unfriendly people and some people just had a natural distaste for her rambling nature. At the end of the day she couldn't blame them, she did talk a lot. Her phone buzzed, and her eyebrows furrowed as she went to read it, "Sorry, sorry I know this is incredibly rude." She said as she looked at her phone briefly. A light huff escaped her lips as her friend had canceled their plans to binge-watch the Scream movies. Naala shoved her phone back into her back pocket as she would respond later to it. "Sorry, again." She apologized profusely, she hated opening her phone in front of people she should be getting to know. As she was welcomed in, her smile grew brighter. She had a vibrant and loud nature to her but her heart was in the right place and she really did mean well. There were very few people she had a distaste for and most of them were from her background in the foster care system.

"Adam and Nick," she repeated, in efforts to not forget their names but she was awfully terrible at them. "Don't worry my thieving days are over," she chuckled at her own little joke. "Besides, if I stole your microwave, what excuse would I have to come over?" She gave a playful wink as she scanned over his features. Naala was naturally flirty but she liked Adam's friendly demeanor already. She was surprised by the fact that she hadn't seen him before. Sure, she had probably passed him in the hallways from time to time but now she would recognize him if she did. "Thank you so much, y'all are lifesavers. My roommate went all the way down to the cafeteria to use their microwave and I could not be bothered. Though she is wicked introverted." Naala briefly explained as she stood on her tiptoes to grab a plate. She was just about to unpackage her deluxe burrito when she suddenly halted at his inquiry.

A shade of blush awoke on her cheeks as she thought of what to say. "The deluxe part always sells people. Little do they know I paid a whole dollar for this thing." She laughed a bit, not yet giving him an answer. She was impressed by how fast he asked to take her out, flattered even. "It would be better than my burrito," she agreed with a small smile hinting at her lips. She wasn't the most confident when it came to dating, most grew tired of her pretty quickly, to the point she had never been in love. She thought for a moment, knowing no harm could come from it. She felt a little bad she was taking so long to make a decision. "I'd love to," she finally blurted out.

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

"Great. I was thinking about the steakhouse down the street. I'll buy." He said with a friendly smile. His stomach soon growled as he put his hand on it. He was starving. "We could grab a beer there. That is if you drink. Are you old enough, little missy?" He jokes giving her a serious look as if he was an undercover cop before giving a light chuckle. He was quickly starting to feel comfortable with Naala. She seemed like she would be fun to be around. Maybe even have as a girlfriend. He was definitely going to take this one slow as he had a penchant for leaping headlong into a relationship. He still regrets dating Gina. She used him then broke his heart. He had a hard time getting over it. So much so that he didn't date for a longtime. Only he and a couple of his closest friends knew the whole story.


Adam smiled "We'll leave here in a few minutes. That'll give you a chance to get ready." He said walking back to his bedroom to get his wallet and car keys. He couldn't believe that his completely random thought had worked out. It literally came out of nowhere. While in his room he grabbed his sunglasses resting them on top of his head then walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth. A few minutes later he finished and came back out back out putting his wallet in his back pocket looking to Nick. "Are you going to O'Reilly's later?" He asked thinking that he and Naala could meet him there afterward. Nick simply shrugged. "Probably. I'll have a shower and see what the lads are doing. You two have fun." He said with a smile. Nick kept to himself for the most part. He only associated with Adam and few of his countrymen who attended the school. Adam knew next to nothing about him despite living with him for a year.


He looked at the time on his phone then checked to see how much money he had. He had plenty but he always liked to double check. Especially when going on a date. The last thing that he would ever want to happen is to be short and have to ask a possible girlfriend to pitch in. It was alright with his friends but not so much with women. He started wondering where the night would end up and was thankful for the cup of strong coffee that he'd had just a few minutes prior. He would not have met Naala had he opted to sleep. Though his mind and body would have thanked him. He would likely crash hard when he got home.

 

[Elitope]

Naala was nervous but her features did not show it. She couldn't remember the last time she had gone on a date. She grew up with the fear of abandonment and disappointing those around her. She had some baggage she definitely wasn't ready to share, but she knew she needed to put herself out there. "Steakhouse sounds great, I am able to pay too if you like." She offered, though she knew he was unlikely to agree to it. "I am 23, so yes I am capable of drinking beer and whiskey. Just don't ask me to shoot tequila," she smiles. He was charming, and was already enjoying his personality. Most of the time people were taken back by her loud and vibrant nature. Sure, she had been asked out from time to time but she usually avoided it to avoid the rejection that seemed inevitably to come. Perhaps this case would be no different but she needed to put herself out there more, at least that's what her best friend was constantly telling her. She'd have to call him the moment she left to get ready. Mostly, to get the panic out of her system.


After a few moments of standing there she smiled as he said they would leave shortly, she was thankful because she didn't think the aerosmith get up was appropriate for a steakhouse. "Sure, I'll be back in 10." Naala smiled, hiding all her inner worries with her sweet smile and bubbly nature. It never took Naala long to get ready, she was already showered so it was just putting on a different outfit, running a brush through her hair, light make-up, and a frantic call to Travis. She had his number dialed and was calling him by the time she got back to her room. He answered with a video as he always did. His lightly freckled face smiled at her. "Naals!" He called her as he flashed his charming smile. "Travis I am going to dinner with some-" before she was finished he was already chanting. "With whooo?" He asked a stupid smirk on his face. She explained the whole thing to him and he was proud of her for making a decision on a whim and a yes decision for that matter. Travis and Naala grew up in similar circumstances. They were old friends now at school together. They spent most of their time together talking about guys since that's where Travis' interests lied as well, though one wouldn't be able to tell. "Okay. I got to go." She half smiled. "Details later!" He chimed as she hung up.


She wasn't sure what to wear, she felt like she couldn't go wrong with her little black dress. It could be semi-formal or casual, it seemed like a good in between for a steakhouse and whatever the night might hold. Naala stepped into the dress and pulled it up as it hugged her frame. She ran a brush through her hair and applied eyeliner and mascara, along with a garnet lipstick. "This should do," she told herself as she looked in the mirror. Two of her tattoos are now visible on her shoulder blades. On her left was a depiction of the battle over Athens between Athena and Poseidon, on the right and intricately drawn version of Medusa. She had always been a fan of Greek mythology. She brushed her teeth and with one more glance in the mirror she decided she was ready. She grabbed a bottle of perfume and sprayed lightly to have a faint but not overpowering scent. She grabbed her clutch and made her way back across the hall, knocking on Adam's door again.

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

Adam laughed at the tequila shots as he had never touched the stuff but once and he hated it then so he knew for a fact that they wouldn't be doing that. Nor would he be drinking whiskey. He was strictly beer and the occasional Cuba Libre. He had seen what certain types of alcohol does to people. How their mood changed after having one too many so he avoided it though he was prone to smoking weed occasionally when he could get it but at the moment he had none. He was starting to get a little nervous about the date. What if he did something stupid? What if he blurted out something incredibly apropo during dinner? Or worse got caught staring at her chest? He was a guy after all and guys did that sort of thing. So many what if scenarios raced through his mind that it was almost maddening. Nick looked over at him and let out a light sigh. He needed advice. Pronto.


When Naala left to get ready Nick got up and walked over to Adam, sitting on one of the barstools. "Look, mate.. I can tell that you're nervous but just play it cool." He said looking at his roommate who looked like he was about to be lead to the gallows. Adam gave a sigh. "Is it that obvious?" He asked pushing some hair from his face. Maybe he should call it off. But then he'd look bad. Nick smirked. "It's as obvious as the nose on your face, mate. Listen, you've got this one by the tail. You made a good impression now seal the deal." He said crossing his arms. "And, most importantly, be a gentleman." He had a point. If anyone knew how to be a gentleman it would be Nick. He was English after all and they were renowned for class. Adam let out a long sigh nodding in agreement. "As usual you're right. I've got this." He said Nick got up and patted Adam's back. "Just be yourself and she's as good as yours."


Soon the knock came and Adam walked to the door and opened it to see Naala standing in a dress looking beautiful. It made Adam's jaw drop just looking at her as the intoxicating aroma of her perfume played with his nostrils. He could tell that it was going to be a good night. After shaking off the initial shock he smiled. You look absolutely stunning in that dress, Naala." He said honestly. He couldn't tell anything but the truth at this juncture. Nick even raised his eyebrows when he saw her. Letting out a silent but audible "Bloody hell..." He was slightly jealous of Adam but also proud of him. Adam looked back at him. "Well I'm going. If you leave please lock up. See ya later." He said walking out into the hall with Naala and shutting the door. "I almost feel underdressed. You look great." He said walking towards the elevator and pressing the down button. "So what are you hungry for? Anything in particular?" He asked making smalltalk. "Oh and you're not going to help pay. I said that it's on me." He said with a smile. He felt like being generous tonight.

 

[Elitope]

She was nervous as she stood at the door. What if she looked ridiculous? Had she overdressed? Naala had to remind herself she had worn the dress into bars, it could be casual and formal. Part of her wanted to dress to impress too. What if she scared him away with all of her chatter. "Just be yourself," Travis' voice in her head reminded her of just that. A small smirk crossed her lips as she remembered the multiple times she had gotten broken up over her friendship with Travis. The two of them were close and some people didn't believe that he was strictly into men because he didn't act like he was. Naala had never been sure what that meant. Was he supposed to act a certain way? He dated and hooked up with men, that was proof enough to her. She inhaled and exhaled, straightening out her dress one more time as she waited for the door to open, praying she looked okay. She didn't want to disappoint, which was often a fear of hers.


As the door opened, her worries ran from her features and she greeted him with a bright smile. It was likely he would be unaware of her nerves because of her bubbly facade. "Howdy," she gave a slightly awkward little wave as her face flushed a bright red. Naala stood there for a moment with wide eyes as she tilted her head slightly at the brief silence. Her cheeks turned a brighter red as he complimented her, a breath of relief escaping her as her outfit seemed to be alright. She even blushed when she heard his roommate but didn't focus on it. "Thank you," she finally said, feeling awkward for having been silent for so long. "I was actually worried it wasn't right for the occasion and had a mild panic attack before coming back over." She laughs a bit as she nervously admits. "I am actually very nervous, so sorry if I am awkward. Just gonna get it out of the way and admit it," she began to ramble before catching herself. "Sorry I shouldn't have said that. It's nothing to do with you. I simply just get nervous about these things. I just called my friend for a pep talk!" She blushed as she admitted her inner monologue. Her honesty had an innocent nature to it and she never hid things very well when she began to talk.


"I am sorry," she apologizes sheepishly. Part of her wondered if she was going to be seen as a crazy person, but she tried to stay optimistic. Naala gave a wave to Nick, "Bye have a good day!" Her enthusiasm drove most of her being. She stepped out onto the hall with Adam and smiled. "Nonsense, you look great. Like your outfit, your face, everything," she chimed sweetly. As they walked to the elevator she was quiet, trying not to over talk like it felt natural to do. "I am good with anything really. If you take me to a place I am certain I will find something I like. Except Indian food, not a big fan of it." Naala offered a brighter eyed smile his way as they waited for the elevator. She lit up as she heard the ding as the doors opened. She stepped inside, still a bit nervous but she was certain if she were to butcher the date it would have already happened. "Okay, won't offer again. Just didn't want you to think I was one of those girls that just naturally assumed a man should pay. I am not by the way. After this I will have to take you on a date." She blushed as she realized she had made the assumption of a second date. "I mean you know if you want to if this goes well."

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

Adam stepped onto the elevator after Naala and pushed the button for the lobby. He felt better knowing that he wasn't the only one that was nervous about the date. When Naala complimented him he gave a slight blush. "Thanks. I like everything about you too. You look beautiful." He said with a kind smile. "And I can't eat Indian food either. Too spicy for me." He said wrinkling his nose at the thought of going to an Indian restaurant. He was already having a good time with her and they hadn't even left the building. He felt his heart flutter when she mentioned them having a second date. In a roundabout way. He nodded. "That sounds great but please don't feel like you have to immediately." He said wanting to keep things going slowly for the time being. "Let's just focus on tonight. I'm really interested in you, Naala." He came right out and said it. That was stupid.. what the hell was I thinking?! He thought to himself.


The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. As Adam stepped off put on his sunglasses turning to Naala. "What kind of beer do you like? Aside from an open one. That's not an answer." He said with a light laugh. He normally threw a couple of jokes out just to lighten the mood. Not that there was any tension but it was just him. He had a good sense of humor. "I usually drink dark beers. Like Irish beers. But I like domestic beers too." He said as they walked out towards the parking lot. Adam drove a black 2020 Dodge Charger. It was a graduation gift and he took great care of it. It was his baby. He pressed the button to unlock it with a smile. "And this right here is my ride." He said proudly. He took Nick's advice and opened the passenger side door for Naala waiting for her to get in. He didn't know that Nick was watching. He gave a nod. "Good man... Good luck mate." He said to himself before walking away from the window.

 

[Elitope]

Naala stood nervously inside the elevator, she wasn't a fan of them. In fact, secretly they terrified her. She had the fear that one day she would end up stuck in one, or the doors would crush her. She usually tried using the stairs, as much as possible but it wasn't pleasant with how many floors the dorms had. So she was starting to push her fear to the side in hopes none of her fears would actually happen. As he complimented her again, she blushed looking up at him with her woodsy hues. "Thank you, you're sweet." As he agreed about the Indian food she laughed a bit as he spoke of it being too spicy. Naala liked spicy food and used hot sauce for nearly every meal but Indian spicy was different, she also was not a fan of the smell in general. It was extremely pungent of curry and she didn't like curry. As he spoke of being interested in her she smiled happily. "I'm not real great at the whole dating thing after a couple of bad eggs. I just get really nervous. I just admired you having the guts to ask me out to dinner after five minutes of meeting me." She smiled sweetly again. "I could be a crazy person." She laughed lightly as she joked. "Jokes aside, I'm interested in you too." She quipped.

She couldn't get out of the elevator fast enough, relieved that once again it had touched the ground safely. Naala walked beside Adam and smirked as he asked her what her favorite beer was. "I like Ambers a lot. 90 Shilling being one of my favorites, usually, I just find whatever Amber is on draft." She said as she continued to walk with him. It was nice because there felt like there was no tension. It felt easy. Naala's eyes widened at the sight of his car, thankful she wasn't the one driving because what she drove was on the opposite end of the scale. "Nice car," she said smiling, wondering if it had been a gift or if he had purchased it himself. She didn't mind either way but it did strike her curiosity. Naala drove a 1974 International Scout that was clunky and a pale beat-up yellow. She loved her car even though she had been given shit for it in the past.

As he opened her door, another smile drew on her lips. "Thank you," she blushed as she slide into the passenger seat of the car.

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

Once Naala was in Adam closed the door and got in on the driver's side buckling up and starting the car. It purred like a kitten when he revved the engine. "This girl will go. She was a grad gift from my parents." He said as he driving off heading for the restaurant. "So tell me a little about you. Like what kind of hobbies do you have?" He asked while he drove. He wanted to know more about her. He rolled the window down slightly to get some air. He didn't drive too fast but he did drive a little over he limit. They passed a car that had been pulled over by a state patrolman and Adam shook his head slowing down. "I've been there... It sucks." He said with a slight frown remembering when he and a friend got pulled over back home due to having a broken taillight and they were both stoned. He still to this day didn't know how they avoided getting arrested. It was a mystery.


He stopped at a red light and sat back waiting for it to change, looking at Naala with a smile. She was really cute and had nice legs which he glanced at for a second for looking at her face hoping that he didn't catch him. His stomach growled again causing him to bite his lip. He hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and even that was brief as he had to rush off. He gave an impatient sigh at the red light taking a longtime. "This has to be everyone's pet peeve." He said holding his hand out at the light. "I like to think that it's a universal annoyance." He said with a light laugh. Soon the light turned green and he was moving again. "We're almost there. It's not much further." He said with a smile.


In ten minutes he pulled into the parking lot of Stacy's steakhouse and he parked the car shutting it off. He got out and walked around to open her door for her with a smile.

 

[Elitope]

Naala wiggled comfortably into the seat and buckled her seat belt. She watched as Adam got in and closed the door. The car sounded nice, most cars did when they started right away. The Scout turned hard and was sometimes temperamental in the winter season upon starting. It drove like a dream in the snow though. It also wasn't fast but it got her to and from places so she couldn't complain. "Well I'm Naala," she smiled brightly as he asked her to tell him a little bit about her. "I don't know where to start. One day I was born, after a few months my mother left and I never heard from her. My father got really sick and passed away when I was 7. Then it was foster care and those years were rough. I got emancipated from the state at 16, proving I could live and provide for myself. I dropped extracurricular in school so I could work. I did really well on my SATs and my ACTs and graduated at the top of my class, despite living out of my car for part of it. That's how I got a scholarship for the pre-med program." She gave a brief synopsis, normally she would be a little shyer about her background but it was who she was and she didn't go into details about the horrible foster care system. "I'd say I'm pretty resilient. Tortoises are my favorite animals, I like the color yellow because it's happy, I hate flowers except for daffodils." She put in some more fun facts.

Hobbies were hard for her to think of. She had spent so much time working when she was younger she forgot what she liked doing but she had a few. "As far as hobbies go, I like writing, being outdoors, and swimming." She watched as they drove by the pulled-over vehicle and raised her brow as he talked of having been there before. "I have a led foot but I don't think my car goes fast enough to get pulled over." She giggled a bit as she thought about her clunky machine speeding away from a cop. As they came to a halt she smiled brightly when he let off an impatient sigh. As he spoke of it being a pet peeve she just laughed. "It's a safety thing, what else would happen if there were no lights." She didn't mind it, she found it amusing. "I'm in no rush," she lied as her own stomach growled, maybe she should have eaten the burrito to hold her over.

As they pulled into the parking lot she felt one step closer to getting food in her stomach. A blush crossed her cheekbones as once again he opened her car door for her. "Thank you, such a gentleman," she quipped playfully. Without much warning, she linked her arms with his to walk in with him.

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

Adam closed the door and was surprised when she linked arms with him. He smiled and walked in with her giving the number of people and his name to the girl at the front as she checked the seating chart. "It'll be about 15 minutes. Is that okay?" She asked as Adam gave a nod. "That's fine. We'll wait." He said as he was handed a buzzer that would go off the moment their seats was available. Adam walked Naala over to a bench sitting down with her. Another fifteen minutes wouldn't kill them though the sound of his stomach would certainly state otherwise. Thankfully there was a lot of noise in the place to cover it up. He put an arm around Naala giving her a smile thinking about how lucky he was to had met her. He sighed happily thinking about what she had said in the car. Deciding to tell her a little bit about him.


"I'm Adam. I grew up in a small rural town with two parents and an older sister named Erica." He said with a light sigh thinking about his sister. Wondering what she was up to. "We didn't have much money because Dad lost his job and we had to go on welfare." He said blushing a little at the thought of telling someone that. He was glad that Naala was the only one that could hear him at they were sat in the corner. "Christmases were tough..." He said with a sigh. "As for hobbies I like to go skating and play video games." He said as he got up, patting her back gently. "I'm going to go get us a beer. I'll be right back." He said and walked off to get them both a drink


On the way his phone went off. He took it from his pocket checking it. It was a text from Nick asking how the date was going and that he went out with Gavin and Eric. Adam responded. It's going well thanks. Have a good time and we'll meet you guys at O'Reilly's later. He sent it and ordered the drinks. Remembering the kind that Naala liked. After paying he walked carefully back handing one glass to Naala while sitting down with his, taking a drink. The buzzer went off causing him to give a sigh relief. Finally one more step towards eating. He stood up following with Naala at they were taken to their booth.

 

[Elitope]

Naala was hungry so the fifteen-minute wait seemed like it was going to last forever but she was patient so she didn't show any sign of it. She was thinking of her deluxe burrito and how she should have eaten it to at least hold her over. Still, she appreciated Adam for taking her out. It was rare when she went out. The girl was on a budget, despite her scholarship, she still had to make ends meet to be able to stay. She worked after her classes, which proved to be difficult with her pre-med classes. Still, she held competitive grades because she wouldn't be able to get into medical school if she didn't. Naala smiled as they went to take a seat on a nearby bench with their buzzer. She relaxed into him as he put his arm around her, the warmth of another person being almost foreign to her as she had never made much time for relationships, not many wanted to give her a chance when they learned she was homeless. At least she was no longer homeless, in fact, the dorms had been the best living she had done thus far in her life.

Naala smiled as he began to talk about him and his family briefly. She wanted to get to know him, after all, he had been bold enough to ask her out in under five minutes. She was still very impressed by his boldness. She stayed quiet for the time being because she was listening to him. She noticed the sigh after mentioning his sister, it made her curious what their relationship was like. Naala had met a few in foster care who were like siblings but unfortunately, she got split from most of them and it was difficult to reconnect. A couple of times she had done checks, only to realize that they had gone off the deep end or died in rough areas. Part of it made Naala feel guilty and she had to remind herself that she worked hard to get to where she was. It helped she was emancipated from the state at 16 so she didn't have to be tossed onto new foster homes for the last two years of her adulthood.

As he dismissed himself to go and get them a beer, she nodded and offered a sweet smile. She took the time to check her phone, Travis already curious about how it was going. "I think it's going well, seems like a perfect gentleman." She responded and Travis only responded with the heart-eyed emote. She rolled her eyes before putting her phone away. Naala made an effort to be off of it when she was in Adam's presence because she didn't want to seem rude. As he returned, she smiled when he had brought her back an Amber, "Thank you," she spoke sweetly. A breath of relief as his buzzer went off, one step closer to getting food.

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

When they were seated Adam took a drink of his beer. It was a Guinness. His favorite. Giving a content sigh he sat the glass down looking her over. He put his phone on silent setting it aside to give her his full attention giving a light laugh. "Nick and I like to play a game when we go out. Where we set our phones in the middle of the table and not touch them for the duration of our meal." He said with a smile. "And whoever touches their phone first buys. We're tied at the moment." He was having a good time with her and the night was still young. He hoped that they would be a couple by the end of it. He had his fingers crossed.


"So, what is your major?" He asked changing the subject to her. He had been told everything about her except for that. "Mine is General Education. I'm studying to be a middle school teacher. It's been tougher than I thought.." He said taking another drink of his beer. Soon their waiter came and handed them their menus. Adam looked at his trying to decide what he wanted. He wanted steak but chicken sounded good to. Anything was good to him. He ordered them an appetizer e which was mozzarella sticks. Hopefully that would tide them over until their entrees came. "Is mozzarella sticks okay as an appetizer or do you want something else?" He asked as the waiter walked off.

 

[Elitope]

As they sat down, Naala took a sip of her beer, an excellent choice. Naala pulled out her phone and set it on top of his. "I'll play but you're going to lose. I have like no friends." She laughs and it wasn't true but she didn't have a lot of people contacting her. "Oh wait, so if I touch it first you'll let me pay for the meal?" She smirks, wondering if she could get away with it. Naala liked the concept of the game, she hated when she saw families out and all on their phones instead of speaking to one another. "I think that's one of my biggest pet peeves, when people go out and instead of enjoying one another's company they're just on their phones the whole time. It's like what was the point of going out if y'all are gonna ignore one another." She said with a slight huff.

"General education is great, and an underappreciated job sadly," Naala acknowledged his major. "I am majoring in biochemistry, pre-medicine." Naala began, "I really want to go to medical school. I haven't decided but I want to be a trauma surgeon or an orthopedic surgeon. Surgery seems cool." She began to ramble but she was patient. "I think I'll be going into the military though so they can pay for medical school. An officer program at least. Unless I can get grants and scholarships." She explains. As the waiter came she was a bit more comfortable and quiet, she liked talking with him. "Are you kidding me?" She said as he asked about mozzarella sticks. "How can anyone turn down fried cheese." She laughs briefly.

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

Adam gave a light laugh when she sat her phone on top of his. "I'm not letting you pay for anything, babe." He said with a smile not even realizing that he let 'babe' slip out. "Tell you what.. If you want to pitch in for the tip then I'll let you. How's that?" He said as he wasn't about to let her pay. This was his treat. He gave nod at her comments about people constantly being on their phones. Sipping his beer he gave a shrug. "I totally agree with you. People are so lost in their own little world. I mean if you go out to any crosswalk and watch the pedestrians I guarantee that some, if not all, of them will be on their phones." He said with a sigh. It was nice to have a conversation with her. She was easy to talk to about everything. He was totally loosened up.


When she brought up her major and how she wanted to be a Surgeon he gave a smirk. "Do you think that you could stand looking at the blood and guts and that? The various injuries and accidents?" He asked jokingly. He knew that that was something that she had to have been asked a million times but he didn't care. "I've seen the hospital shows and there are some things on them that make me gag and I've seen a bunch of horror films. Granted those are fake but still" He said with a laugh. When she mentioned going into the military it made him frown slightly. He didn't like the thought of her possibly going away even though she only said that she might go.


He smiled at the fried cheese comment. "I know right?! There's literally nothing better than that!" He said looking into Naala's eyes, getting lost in them. He almost felt like leaning across the table and kissing her but he fought the urge to. Though it was hard. Soon the appetizer was brought and Adam smiled. Food was finally in front of them. There were eight sticks so they would both get an even total of them. He picked up his menu and looked it over again ordering steak and mashed potatoes and Mac and cheese. He handed the menu to the waiter who then turned to Naala.

 

[Elitope]

Naala smiled as he seemed to agree with the phone predicament. Naala didn't have time for apps or that nonsense. She didn't even have social media, she didn't like the idea of people being able to find her. She had a paranoid nature, though she was unlikely to admit it. "You know, up until a few months ago I had a flip phone, but when I went to buy another one they didn't have one." She slightly pouted as she explained. "So now I have this touch screen monstrosity. I hate it, and I already cracked the screen." She huffed slightly displeased with herself. As the talk of the bill came she shifted, "Okay, I'll help with the tip doll-face," she gave a playful wink to tease him slightly about his 'babe' comment.

She tilted her head as he asked a question she had heard a million times, truth was that she was desensitized to that kind of stuff. "I shadowed several surgeons to make sure the efforts of medical school would be worth it. I grew up pretty roughly. I have quite a few scars," she admitted. The worst was the time she was shot, she had also been stabbed once by a foster sibling with a pair of scissors. Naala didn't really admit to her rough nature of growing up. She had to learn to be scrappy and she had to learn to fight. She still took boxing classes at a nearby gym. Self-defense had saved her a time or two. "I like horror movies, and medical shows are often very inaccurate." She giggled.

As he looked into her eyes, the light flickered in them and she smiled as she got distracted by his enticing hues. "It's the way to go for an appetizer," she smiled and fell a bit silent, her eyes still on his. As the appetizer arrived she clapped her hands excitedly. When it was time to order she thought for a moment. "I will have the same but for sides, I would like a Caesar salad and the seasonal steamed vegetables. Thank you," she said to the waiter, wanting to be as polite as she could.

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

When Naala called him 'doll-face' he blushed smiling. He was sold on her right then and there. He would ask her out when they exited the restaurant. He didn't want to rush things since they just met. When she mentioned her flip phone he stifled a laugh. Not making fun of her but rather because he wasn't expecting it. Especially when she that she had already cracked it. "You were forced to upgrade. I can understand your annoyance. The smartphone can be a pain in the ass sometimes but they're good at the right times." He said reaching for his phone and bringing up his contacts. "Like giving a guy your number." He said with a smile wanting to put her in his contacts.


"Without going into much detail can you tell me what kind of things you saw while shadowing? Or is that sort of thing confidential?" He asked remembering that the medical field had the HIPAA law. When she mentioned the scars he gave a frown. "I'm sorry to hear that, baby. I'll stop asking if you want." He said not wanting to bring back painful memories that she had suppressed so instead be brought up horror movies. "What kind of horror movies do you like? Me, I love me a good psychological horror. Something that makes you think, you know?" He said catching a look at her eyes again. The way the light played with them was almost hypnotic. He shook it off and smiled.


Naala's manners impressed him as well. He was a stickler for good manners and being polite. That was a major selling point. He took one of the cheesesticks and started eating.

 

[Elitope]

There was something about his blushed smile that made her cheeks blush. She was really enjoying his company and Naala often grew bored easily but everything was exciting right now. There was no lull in the conversation. As he stifled a laugh about her phone she smirked, it wasn't the first time. "I just don't get it there are so many things." She fake pouted slightly. A brief fit of laughter left her as he picked up his phone. "I was able to program numbers in my flip phone," she teased because she knew what he wanted. "Okay, here it is," she proceeded to say her number with a smile. She didn't mind the idea of him having her number.

"I mean HIPAA states that you cannot give any identifying markers of the individual operated on but I can tell you the surgeries I've shadowed." Naala smiled sweetly. "I observed a brain surgery, an impalement, the individual had a tree limb through their abdomen, several various traumas, and a basic ACL procedure," Naala explained briefly but as he frowned and apologized she shook her head. "Nothing to be sorry for, it happens. I grew up with a rough lifestyle, the foster care system is really fucked. Most of the families just take you in for their government check. It's supposed to go to the child's well-being but it rarely does." She said with a light sigh. "I'm an open book though, so don't be afraid to ask me things. I'm not shy about it because look at me? I was broken, tossed around from home to home, homeless, and started raising myself at 16. Now I'm in medical school. I wanted to prove that just because I was brought up differently didn't mean that I couldn't accomplish my goals." Naala offered him a smile.

She grabbed one of the cheese sticks and dipped it in the ranch dressing, passing up the marina because she wasn't a fan of it. "As far as horror movies, I love the 80's slasher films. Not really scary but obsessed with them. I have my room themed to it. I like a bunch of stuff though, psychological is always good. I also love the Saw franchise, even though it's like how gross can we get." She laughs.

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

When Naala pouted he couldn't help but find it adorable. He had seen a lot of girls do the fake pout but to try to look as cute as possible but a lot of them overdid it. Naala pulled it off right down to the bottom lip. He couldn't believe how much he was liking her. She seemed to do no wrong. She was cute, funny, smart and sexy. He typed her number in quickly when she gave it and put her name in his contacts. He shot her a quick text so that she would have his number. Hey babydoll. He sent it then sat his phone back on the table, taking a drink of his beer. He would need another soon. He wasn't going to get drunk. Not on the first date though he could tell that she would be fun to drink with. He let out a sigh of content. Nothing could take him out of this good mood.


When Naala explained the kind of surgeries she had witnessed he was left a bit wide-eyed. Especially the brain and tree limb story. He shivered slightly at the thought of seeing those in person and Naala acted like it was no big thing. "And you didn't throw up at the sight of any of them? That's pretty cool." He said impressed my her grit. He gave a smile as he reached across the table and took her hand looking her in the eye. "I'd say that you've more than proved that you can do it." He said rubbing her hand with his thumb. "You've made it, baby." He said sweetly giving her a wink. The want to ask her out was growing. He didn't want to miss the opportunity and have someone else scoop her up though there was very little chance of that.


Adam shrugged at the mention of 80s slasher films. He'd seen quite a few of them when he was younger and many of them were too over the top. "I like slashers but sometimes you get the ones that try to hard to be as gross as possible. You know that I mean?" He said while eating another cheesestick. When she brought up SAW he nodded. "Exactly! That's a perfect example. But then again that series, at least at the beginning, was good. But I agree that it had lost the plot at some point."

 

[Elitope]

Naala smiled as she saw the notification light up on her phone and the message from him. "Babydoll huh?" She perked her brow slightly but didn't yet save his number as she sipped her beer. She didn't want to bother with her phone while she had food and beer in front of her. Naala shifted slightly as she began to feel more and more comfortable around him. Her beer went down a little faster as she drank comfortably in front of him. It was about time for another one, she really did enjoy a good beer. However, she did keep it in the back of her mind not to get drunk on a first date. That would not make a good impression.

"No, I have an iron gut," she joked with him as he asked her about her reactions to the surgeries. "I am really passionate about it." She chimed, it was clear her mind was made up, it was what she needed to do, it pulled at her soul. "The hard work is going to be worth it one day," she smiled as they spoke about it. She returned his wink with a playful one of her own. She was really growing to like him, just in this encounter. As the waiter came back to the table she ordered another beer, the waiter waits to see if anything else is needed and says the food should be out soon.

"Like I said I like the corniness of them I didn't say they were good. I also just love the 80's the music the movies all of it." She laughed a bit as she grabbed another cheesestick and dipped it in ranch again.

 

[RockNRollAllNite82]

He smiled when she asked about him calling her babydoll. "Would you rather me call you something else?" He asked with a light laugh. He could think of a few things to call her but he would wait until they got to know each other better. His mind soon went back to Erica and how she was doing. It had been years since they'd last spoke. At least five years and he was starting to miss her. They had always had a good relationship but they grew apart and Erica had a boyfriend that she was living with. At least that's the last that Adam heard. He shook off the thoughts turning his attention back to Naala. He couldn't help that he missed his family. When the waiter came around he too ordered another beer, thanking him in the process before turning his attention back to Naala. when the waiter brought him another beer. "Thank you. " He said with a smile, taking a drink.


Adam smiled at her 'Iron gut' comment shaking his head. He wouldn't have been able to stand seeing someone's internal organs. He would have either gotten sick or fainted in the operating room. "You're stronger than I, baby. I'm not ashamed to say that." He said with a smile. "I know that you'll become a great Surgeon. I believe in you." He said as he took another cheesestick this time dipping it in the marinara sauce, eating it. He noticed that she'd not touched that. "Not a fan of marinara?" He asked changing the subject slightly. "I will commend you for the ranch dressing though. That's just as good." He said. He was a big fan of ranch as well. When she winked back at him he felt his heart flutter a little. He was starting slowly fall for her but had to be careful. He didn't want another Gina.


"You love the 80s too? Who's your favorite group? I love Madness. They're British group and they have a lot of good songs. Like Our House and Baggy Trousers." He said thinking that having an 80s night in the future wouldn't be bad. They could watch movies and listen to music. Soon the waiter brought their food setting their plates down carefully. Adam looked at the steak and let out a happy sigh. He loved it that much. After he made sure that their food was to their liking the waiter left them. He took a bite of his potatoes and smiled. They were perfect.