Nice Guy Chronicles V

Getting take outs is an art
As much as all the places sell similar food
You just know that if you want this meal
You prefer to go to store A instead of store B
 
My friend and I knew this one burger place
It was a bit of a walk as we had to pass the closer stores but hey  
These ones were worth the extra footsteps  
 
As we walked up,  
I noticed two people a few paces ahead of us.  
 
'Look at her' - I whispered to my friend.
He nodded in response.
As we unspokenly agreed that we're both mesmerized.  
 
As it turned out they walked into the store before us. They ordered first and moved to the side as they waited for their order to be up. With us completing the same task afterwards.
 
As we stood there she walked up to me, leaving her friend behind and struck up a conversation.  
I was honestly at a loss for words
But I had to suck it up and say something
 
She was gorgeous
Not in a 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' fashion
But one of those  
'she's out of my league' scenarios
 
My friend instinctively walked away
Leaving us two to talk  
I've never felt so shy in my life
But I kept going
 
Her order got called
 
'Do you own a phone?' she asked rhetorically
 
'I believe this is what the locals refer to as a phone' I replied jokingly whilst taking out my device
 
She entered her number but I did notice her scrolling through my contacts before hand. Quality checking I guess.  
 
As they left my friend returned:
 
'What just happened' he asked
 
Still a bit shocked:
 
'I really do not know'
 
Later that day I was back in my own space. Still rehashing what had happened earlier. I was wondering if it would be too soon to call her today?
 
I sent her a text instead:
 
'Hi it's.... we met earlier today, I just realized that I didn't give you my number'
 
She responded immediately  
 
'Hey Love, how are you?'
 
She must be one of those people who call everyone love I thought to myself.  
 
'Well to be honest I've recently been going through a lot and things are starting to turn for me. Look at that today I even met you' message sent
 
I then realized I just came off too strong, snap I think I just blew it.  
 
She didn't respond at all
 
The next evening I tried my luck again, this time making a call:
 
'Hi I am at work right now and we are about to have a meeting I'll call you back when we're done'
 
Clearly I'm being blown off, I thought.
 
I followed with a 'No problem' before handing up.
 
She didn't call back until the next day, in fact her call confused me. In my mind I already took an L here:
 
'I'm so sorry about yesterday, we had a very important meeting at work so I really couldn't talk'
 
'A meeting in the evening?' I wondered but didn't articulate.

I just kept the conversation going.
It was really pleasant actually.
Towards the end I found myself asking her out:
 
'Well we should do lunch sometime, how does Wednesday sound?'
 
She was free then, it would be a week after we first met. I had one class that morning, afterwards I'd prepare to go see her.  
 
The days passed, her and I exchanged texts but there were days when she'd just stop responding. We seemed to be able to keep up the conversation in person or over a call but with texts things were mediocre.  
 
Wednesday came, this was one of the classes I had in common with 3 of my close friends. Afterwards one of them suggested we go grab something. I declined with the friend who was with me last Wednesday remarking
 
'Well guys someone has a date today'
 
This situation was kept close to my chest, so I was tight lipped about it. However today was the day. I felt really good.  
 
Later I found myself waiting for her to show up. She's just running a bit late, I said to myself knowing how time conscious I can be.
 
Eventually even the fashionably late category was not being met. So I called her, hoping to hear some kind of excuse:
 
'Oh snap, can you please give me 30 minutes I'll be right there?'
 
I could hear a group of people talking in the background. Yet for some reason I still waited.
 
She never showed up.
 
Here I was sitting there, knowing that for the first time in my life I got stood up.