10 minute date - Short - 2014
Crush. Yep. That’s what Jordan Williams had. A BIG fat crush on Jezebel Sloane. Not that she had ever noticed, however. Or maybe she had… oh god how embarrassing. For over a year, Jordan used to stumble over his words… or even physically stumble when he was in her presence. Yeah… let’s just say that time he tripped over his own feet on the bleachers during that soccer game wasn’t… a great look. Especially as it brought laughter from most of the student body and just a slight look of pity from Jezebel Sloane. God the embarrassment within Jordan couldn’t be fathomed that day.
But those days were over… the days where he used to eat coconut desserts knowing he was allergic just to have a moment… a split second where he could talk to Jezebel. No… now they were friends. Real friends. Though the circumstances of their friendship were… probably one better kept in the safety of his own head - the way she let him hide in her house still bringing a soft smile to his lips. Not to mention that… well… incident in the bathroom that perhaps was better left forgotten. Though the fact that Jezebel’s mother had a strong dislike for him still presented some issues. Either way, with more than a little encouragement from his best friend, Elodie DeLoughrey, Jordan was finally going to do it. He was finally going to ask Jezebel Sloane out.
Well… let’s just say that didn’t turn out like he hoped - as seen by the way he was sadly slumped against the wall thinking about how Jezebel gave him a sad look and told him how… she just didn’t have the time to date… words soon followed by her schedule as she explained she barely had 15 minutes to spare nowadays as her mother basically packed her schedule with extracurriculars and a curfew of when she had to be home by.
Perhaps in another life - Jordan Williams would have given up that day. Though, saddened in that hallway - Jordan was soon graced with the company of his best friend who seemed to be checking up on him and how it went. It went terrible. Which is what Jordan had told Elodie - though she simply retorted that technically, Jezebel hadn’t said no. Which… okay fine, Elo was right. Jez hadn’t said no but she also hadn’t said yes.
What formulated the idea that cultivated over the next week was, without a doubt, Elodie’s doing. Because over that next week, Jordan watched Jezebel - attempting to figure out when her longest break was and found that it was during her walk home - a departure which took exactly 10 minutes and 43 seconds (give or take). And the second he knew that - he set his plan into motion.
On a fateful Friday afternoon, the minute the class bell rang for his Algebra class - Jordan was off, walking next to his friend Jezebel with a soft smile and a twinkle in his eyes. “Let me take you on a date Jezebel, please.” Jordan asked, a single rose in his hand which he found brought a soft smile on her lips. He could see Jezebel start to argue, though he stopped her in her tracks. “Just… trust me okay. Give me the next 10 minutes of your time while you walk home,” Jordan asked. Perhaps it was the whimsical nature of Jordan’s question… or maybe something else… but thankfully she… agreed. The moment he did, Jordan took her hand and he was off, walking her towards the streets she usually took home - but instead of walking straight there - Jordan had prepared various stops along the way.
The first of these stops was a small little family-owned restaurant who, with Jordan’s boyish begging, had agreed to his outrageous request of placing a small curb-side table for their date. Pulling Jezebel’s chair, he ushered her to sit down before taking the seat across from her smiling as she tried to tell him she really only had 10 minutes. “I know” he said with a small grin. The moment they sat down, a survey immediately came with a cobb salad for both of them. "So debate team tournament next week right? How are you feeling? Jordan asked as the server came to take away their plates after Jezebel had no more than one bite and Jordan hadn’t taken any. Within another second, another server came with their next plates - telling the two it was chicken parmesan. Jordan grinned at his date as she told him about the upcoming tournament, though pausing with the appearance of the server to ask the man “Do you mind if we have the check? We have a movie we’re trying to catch in…” Jordan started, checking his watch “23 seconds” . The waiter said of course, with a knowing smile, and Jordan took the check “So you had the cobb salad and the main course and I really just had water so do you have this” he asked jokingly before pulling his wallet out as he placed the money inside “I’'m joking Jez,” he added as Jezebel laughed and took a few last bites of her food.
Standing up, he thanked the waiters as he took Jez’ hand and walked forward - calling for a taxi that happened to be near them and opening the door for her as he ran to the other side. Jordan ran to the other side telling the driver 876th Ballen street which was a few feet from where they stood - leaving them in front of a technology store with TVs in glass cases and two chairs sitting outside of it with popcorns on the seats. As the two sat down, the trailer for Mean Girls started playing. The instant it did, Jordan started giving commentary on the movie, TINA FEY she’s from MICHIGAN," he laughed, raising his eyebrows at the cafeteria set up which kind of reminded him of their own school. “I think I have ESPN or something, Jez”. he added, quoting the movie. As the trailer came to an end, Jordan joked about never having seen the actual movie before calling for the taxi again - having them drive back towards the restaurant they had been at a second earlier, however, now there was dessert set out for the two of them - Jordan, once again, opening Jezebel’s door so they could sit down and eat for approximately 10 seconds before the waiters came out with two doggie bags for both of them. Finally, Jordan lead Jezebel back to the taxi as the driver took them a few feet from Jezebel’s house. This time, however, once the two were out - Jordan looked at his watch with a soft smile muttering “And that’s… our date… had to cut out some time for dessert so I had to drop the first kiss from the itinerary,” Jordan joked as he walked her closer to her door, though after a second with Jez explaining she could be maybe… a little late, Jordan leaned in softly and kissed the girl he had a crush on for more years than he could fathom. And honestly, the kiss they shared that day didn’t dissipate those feelings… if anything, his feelings felt stronger. Feelings that stayed with him for the next few years as the two became a couple and even after Jordan left. The honest truth about all of it being that Jezebel Sloane truly did have Jordan’s heart and perhaps she always had.