The Nice Date

Layla walked along the banks of the river with her boyfriend Blake.  He was such a nice guy, he was warm and generous in ways she had never supposed.  They chatted about everything -  the weather, flowers, life, school;  it was a very nice affair.  

As the sun sank Blake told Layla that he had enjoyed her company, and she told him she felt the same.  Blake smiled; he hadn't expected her to say that she had had a bad time, however he did wish she would say something to tell him what she thought rather then just have her agree.  However he pushed his negativity away -  he was sure Layla felt a dozen emotions that were hard to express, he could see in her eyes that he shone in her vision.

“Would you mind a kiss as the sun sinks?”  asked Blake as he glared into Layla's eyes.

“I don't know;”  muttered Layla.  “I mean I like you, I like you a lot -  but a kiss?”  she asked.  

Suddenly Layla grew bashful and Blake could only smile.  He wanted to offer her a kiss still, however he settled down from his yearning and offered a hug instead.  

“If you wish to date me you might have to give me a kiss one day;”  told Blake as he held on to Layla's warm body as though it were a comfort.

“I know, but it is a little too soon;”  told Layla as she narrowed her eyes.  “Give it a while, then when the time is right we shall kiss;”  she told Blake.

“Good because I really, really, want to offer you a kiss often;”  told Blake as he petted her back in a loving way.

“That is nice;”  told Layla as she began to feel a tint of guilt.  “One day when the time is right we can kiss and then you can do it often;”  she muttered before she broke the hug.

Layla and Blake looked at the sunset for a short while as they held hands.  It was a lovely end of the afternoon, and afterwards they walked home together until they met the fork in the road.  


Blake looked to Layla and he smiled as he stared at her under the nearby light.

“Well it seems this is where we met today;”  he told Layla who smiled.

“Yes this is where we met today;”  told Layla as she grinned.

“I would offer to walk you home, but I have to get home to help set the dinner table -  it is a family tradition;”  he told Layla.

“Oh yes that is fine, I know the way home;”  told Layla as she covered the fact that she felt a little nervous having to walk home in the dark.

“That is good;”  told Blake before he dropped his hands.  “Well I'll see you around soon;”  he told Layla before he waved.

“See you;”  told Layla before she waved back.

Layla turned around, she was alone again.  She looked down the road and saw a range of haunting shadows, however it seemed nice and quiet and so she took her feet for a walk.  Layla walked down the road, and she held onto her basket as she did.  The basket had held food which her had Blake had eaten, however it seemed like a weighty nuisance as she carried it home.  

Layla stepped and stepped; she became lost under the shadows as she made further progress.  She pushed her shoulders back and made headway -  she would never be able to get home if she didn't bother to walk.  


Layla continued to step, however her feet began to drag as she grew tired.  Layla wished for a ride home, and she prayed so hard that when a car drove by with their lights on the high she considered it a sign that God had listened.  

Layla looked at the car as it parked next to her, and she smiled as the driver turned down the window.

“Hey there!”  cheered the driver.  “My name is Max!”  he told.

“My name is Layla;”  told Layla as she smiled back.

“It is an awful dark afternoon -  are you sure you should be walking home alone?”  asked Max as he smiled.

“I am not sure, but I am doing it;”  told Layla as she waited for the sign that invited her inside of the car.

“How about I offer you a ride?”  asked Max as he glared.

“Sure!”  gasped Layla before she moved to the car and stuffed herself inside.


Max looked to Layla as he continued to drive.  He smiled, she smiled -  it was the perfect moment.  Max drove and Layla smiled.  Max drove a little more.

“So did you want to tell me where you live, or keep it a secret and head to my place?”  he asked.

“I live on 5 Maple Drive;”  told Layla.

“Nice address;”  told Max as he grinned.  “How long have you been living there?”  he inquired as he glared at the road.

“All my life;”  told Layla as she shrugged.

“That is a nice place;”  told Max as he glared at Layla and saw she was quite an attractive young woman.  “So how old are you?”  he asked.

“Sixteen;”  told Layla as she glared at the road ahead.

“That is good;”  told Max as he grinned.  “So how long have you been sixteen?” he asked.

“Two months;”  told Layla as she continued to glare at the road.

“I am thirty-nine;”  told Max.  “That is quite mature, but I believe that I have held onto my youth;”  he remarked.

“That is nice;”  told Layla as she glared at Max and saw he did look well.  “Where do you live?”  she then asked.

“Out of town;”  told Max as he grinned.  


Max drove around a corner, and then he drove over a creek.  After a few minutes he made it to Maple Drive and he stopped at the street corner.  Max smiled to Layla who smiled back.

“I appreciate the lift;”  she remarked as she smiled.

“I appreciate offering the help;”  told Max as he smiled.  “So do you want to be walked to your front door?”  he asked.

“No,  that is okay I can manage;”  told Layla as she glared at the street.  “I really do thank you for the ride, my feet had been so sore;”  she remarked.

“That is okay;”  told Max before he took out his card and offered it to Layla.  “If you ever want to return the favour you can call me any time;”  he muttered.

Layla took the card with some reserve.  She liked Max, but she didn't know if she wanted to call him.  He seemed a little too old, and he seemed a little too different from the boys at school.   She didn't want to promise him the world, she just wanted to say thank-you.

“I will have to ask my parents;”  she muttered before she slipped out of the car.

“You do that;”  told Max.  “If they say okay tell them I would like to take you out on a date;”  he added.

“I will tell them;”  remarked Layla as she felt a queer empty feeling inside of her chest.

Layla knew she was never going to see Max again, so she smiled extra sweet with sugar on top and she waved.  Max waved, honked, and then he drove away -  it was a heartbreaking moment, and Layla shed a tear for the man in the car who had only good intentions on his brow.

“So long saviour;”  she muttered before she ripped the card in half and threw it into a gutter.  “I won't see you again;”  she added before she wiped her eyes and then took her shoes home.


At home the family were discovered in the living room.  Layla smiled and said a warm greeting, they smiled in return and asked her how her date was?  Layla told them that her date had gone well, and that she and Blake had a good time.  

“I hope this means less diary writing;”  told her father Jack as he glared her way.  

“Are you kidding, I have so much more to write about!”  gasped Layla as she glared at him.

“Don't tease your father;”  told her mother Sue.

“I am sorry;”  told Layla as she glared at Jack.  “But I do have more to write about;”  she added.

“Fair enough;”  told Jack as he glared at her.  “I hope the paragraphs run short since you will be doing more productive things with your time;”  he muttered as he smiled.

“No, I am sure they will run long;”  told Layla as she rolled her eyes to the ceiling.

“Layla, go to your room!”  quipped Sue as she began to shake her head.  “You are being a brat, you are grounded!”  she scolded.

Jack laughed with Layla's brothers and sisters and Layla moved to her room.  She almost wanted to cry, however she decided to write in her diary instead.  She had so many words to spill she couldn't waste a second!  


Layla wrote about her evening with Blake and Max.  She wrote how Max had given her his card, but knowing he was too old she had tossed the pieces in a gutter.  Layla stopped as she reconsidered her movement, and she began to wonder if she had done the right thing.  She was sure she had done the right thing, and she was able to smile as she signed her name to end her entry.

“This has been an involving day!”  gasped Layla as she placed her pen back inside of her drawer.  “I am going to bed!”  she then muttered before she turned the light off.

Layla undressed and tucked herself inside of her bed.   In her bed she kissed her pillow before she closed her eyes.

“Goodnight Blake;”  she muttered as she felt a blush upon her lips.  “Maybe we will kiss some day soon;”  she added before she settled down and began to dream.