"I've never been on a blind date before."

Jess grinned at me as she continued to do my makeup.

"You've also never had a successful relationship before. So maybe this will be a first for two things."

I declined to reply, instead focusing on typing out a text without looking at my phone, as eyeliner was being applied to my eyes with the utmost precision. I knew if I moved at all, Jess would have my neck.

"Should I ask him the questions?"
"Good grief, no."

I had devised a series of questions to ask potential boyfriends that would weed out all the stupid or fame-seeking ones, and I had been determined to ask them to everyone who became a person of interest. But Jess had read the questions and informed me that if I asked them, I would look like an absolute psychopath.

"No one does stuff like that." Jess continued, "It's just an odd thing to do, especially on a first date."

"No one has my terrible luck with guys." I muttered.

Jess finished up my makeup and stepped back to admire her handywork. "You look gorgeous, per usual."

I looked at myself in the mirror across from me. My makeup had not a single flaw; Jess was a master and I had been trying to convince her for years to make a makeup channel on YouTube. My hair had been sprayed and styled until there was not a single chance of a strand falling out, and my outfit had been hand-picked by Jess, with help from Farah and Rachel on FaceTime.

I was ready for my first-ever blind date.

I was a bit nervous, but more on the excited side than anything; I had always dated people I knew, or had at least seen around before. This guy that Jess had set me up with, Tim Street, was her cousin's friend who Jess had never met, but from what she had told me about him, he seemed alright. I hadn't received any physical descriptions, but she had said that he was a basketball player who also played in his school's marching band, and he was a junior like us.

Hopefully he didn't keep up with pop culture and had no idea who my family was.

The doorbell rang and Jess let out a small squeal of excitement.

"He's here!"

She ran out the bedroom door ahead of me, opening the front door once I had successfully positioned myself on the stairs.

"You must be Tim."

I began my descent down the staircase, looking behind me as I went so as not to seem like I was too excited for this date, and like whatever I had been doing before was far more important than seeing my blind date's face.

I turned my head once I had reached the second step from the bottom, watching my feet as I landed on flat ground. I looked up to see an incredibly tall man with dark brown hair and blue-green eyes smiling at me and holding a bouquet of roses.

"Hello. Samantha, I assume?"

"Call me Sam." I replied, grinning and accepting the flowers. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine." Tim shook his head, "I have heard wonderful things about you."

I kept myself from asking exactly what things he had heard.

"Shall we be off?"

I nodded, taking his outstretched hand and stepping out of my home into the brisk March air. A light breeze passed by as Jessica waved from behind us.

"You two kids have fun now!"

She closed the door behind us, undoubtedly ready to go and raid my fridge while gossiping with my mother. We were hardly strangers in each other's homes.

Tim opened the passenger side door of his car for me like a gentleman, closing it after I had gracefully sat down and buckled in. He hopped into the driver's seat and started the car, reversing out of my long driveway like a seasoned pro.

"You're a much better driver than I am."

"I highly doubt that."

We talked a bit in the car on the way to the restaurant, making small talk about our semi-shared acquaintances: Jess and her cousin. It wasn't boring conversation, but it wasn't exactly riveting.

We arrived at the restaurant and we parked close to the building. I walked into the restaurant ahead of him and we were seated at a table close to the window.

And close to another couple eating together.

I sat down across from Tim and looked up to see Jason Watt eating a salad across from a girl whose looks alone could land her a star role in a featured film. She was absolutely breaktaking, and I quickly turned away, afraid of him seeing me.

"Are you alright?" Tim asked, looking at me with concern. "Did I do something?"
I shook my head.

"No, everything's wonderful! I just felt a chill."

"Would you like my jacket?" He offered, going to take it off.

"No, that's alright. Thank you, though." I silently berated myself for acting like a fool over a guy I had broken up with a month ago. A guy who had tried to rob me.

I was just worried he would try something.

"So tell me about yourself, Sam." Tim grinned at me after the waiter had taken our drink orders. "Aside from what I already know."

"What do you already know?" I asked, passing the question off with a quick grin.

"Well, I know that your best friend is Jessica Ward, cousin of my friend Jackson Briggs. I know that you are incredibly wealthy, seeing as your father is a famous singer. And I know that you're one of the most beautiful girls I have ever had the honor of laying eyes on."

I felt myself blush. He knew my father was Lincoln Carter, but he had said it in such a casual way that I doubted it made much of a difference to him inwardly.

Unless he had planned it that way.

Stop it. I silently told myself. You're becoming paranoid.

And one of the prime reasons for my paranoia was sitting just a few feet away.

"Well, you just about summed me up." I laughed, taking a sip of my water. "I'm a junior in high school, I like to work out and listen to music. I'm a terrible cook and a terrible singer, which my entire family finds hilarious."

Tim laughed.

"That is quite an irony." He grinned.

"So what about you?"

"Me? Well, I'm the oldest of four boys, all two years apart in age. I love basketball and music, since I play the trumpet in my school's marching band. And I couldn't help but notice that you keep glancing at the couple to our right incredibly nervously."

I felt my eyes widen at being called out and swallowed loudly.

"Yeah. That guy kind of robbed my house about a month ago. I'm a bit on edge around him now."

Tim looked shocked.

"He robbed you? That's insane! Why isn't he in jail?"

I shrugged.

"He's off on bail until his trial, which should happen relatively soon. Hopefully."

Tim shook his head.

"I'm so sorry, that sounds awful. Do you want me to request a change of table?"

"Yes."

The voice that answered was not mine, but Jason's, as he had finally realized who was next to him and his date.

I ignored him and kept looking at Tim.

"It's alright."

Tim nodded, his eyes consciously facing away from Jason.

"I said I wanted you to move tables." Jason repeated, his voice raising. "Did you not hear me?"

We both continued to ignore him, but I could sense Tim tensing up.

"I said, did you hear me? Come on Carter, don't pretend like you didn't--"

He was cut off by Tim's arm swinging around and punching him square in the jaw. Jason looked stunned for a second before his face began to grow red. Tim jumped out of his seat as the restaurant went silent.

"Want to run?"

I nodded, grinning as I sprinted out of the restaurant, Jason's angry yells echoing from behind us. I jumped into Tim's car and he sped off, both of us laughing.

"That was amazing." I finally managed to get out through bursts of laughter.

"I'm glad you thought so." Tim grinned, "It could have looked pretty bad to you."

"It didn't." I shook my head. "I punched an ex in the face a little over a year ago. He had it coming."

"I guess we just make a violent couple." Tim laughed, leaning over and kissing my cheek. I felt a blush creeping up my face.

This had been one spectacular blind date.

A/N: It's 10:57 PM on Wednesday night so technically this update is still on time.

Sorry it's so late in the day! I worked a seven-hour shift this morning and then went dorm room shopping and by the time I had worked out, showered, and eaten dinner, it was 10:00 and the update still wasn't written.

But here it is! Not super interesting, but I'm exhausted and my bed is right next to me and looks super inviting.

-Katherine