dinner date [201]

[chadwick]

Chad rushed around his apartment, trying to get everything ready as quickly as he could. Allegra was coming over for dinner tonight and Chad was freaking out a little. Hours ago, he had started setting up. He'd been living out out of boxes since he moved in, too busy to really unpack everything but then he realized what it would look like when Allegra saw all that. Chad had cleaned, unpacked and hidden some boxes that he just didn't have time to empty. He'd run around his apartment trying to set everything up and tripped over his own feet several times. Chad could only imagine what a mess he would be when Allegra actually showed up.

Chad quickly showered and changed his clothes, putting on some dress pants and a nice shirt, unbuttoning the top few. He looked in the mirror at his hair now, realizing how much it had grown. Chad had always had short hair but now it was longer and he had no idea what to do with it. For a good 20 minutes, he fiddled with it, fumbling and trying to make it look good. He couldn't remember ever being so nervous about having a woman over. But Chad really liked Allegra and he really didn't want to mess it up with her. He hoped that tonight would be perfect.

Finally, after spending the entire day rearranging his apartment, Chad was finally ready. He set the table in the dining room, complete with candles and wine, if Allegra wanted it. Dinner was sitting in the kitchen, staying hot for when she arrived and now all Chad could do was wait. He fidgeted with his hands, his hair and his shirt, undoing it and then doing it up again and then undoing it one more time, just for something to keep his hands busy. Standing in the dining room, Chad lit the candles with a flick of his wand and slide it back into his pocket, waiting.

[closed]

[Allegra Thornton]

Allegra was nervous herself, but probably did a better job of hiding it. After spending all week in somber work clothes, she decided she wanted to look nice and had sought out a Muggle nail shop to get a manicure and a pedicure. As relaxing as it was, half way through she started to worry that it would look like she was trying to put on airs. As a compromise, she opted for a subtle shade of peach polish, probably more suitable come Monday anyway.

She wasn't about to go so far as have her hair professionally done, but after a long warm shower she spent a good amount of time in front of her bathroom mirror, getting her boring brown locks to curl. After a sufficent job on her hair, she slipped into a pair of black wool pants, a white cotton blouse, and a violet sweater that was snug in all the right spots. She fussed with her hair a bit more, swiped a raspberry flavored gloss across her lips and slipped into a black pair of loafers before grabbing her coat and heading exactly one floor down to Chad's place.

She paused in front of the door, not hearing anything on the other side and wondering if she really wanted to do this. Alone in a man's apartment? Good thing Chad was a nice guy. taking a deep breath she knocked and waitied.

[chadwick]

Chad had taken to sitting at the table, playing with the candles. He swiped his finger through the flame, getting a dark line of burnt whatever it was on his finger. He did it several more times until he actually burnt his finger. With a yelp, Chad jumped out of his seat and dashed to the kitchen, running his finger under cold water. Now he realized why his mother told him not to play with fire.

Swearing under his breath at the sudden shock of cold, Chad heard the knock at the door. He swore again and then yelled over his shoulder.
"Just a minute!" he called, not wanting to keep Allegra waiting. Chad assumed it was her, for he wasn't expecting anyone else.

Even though his finger still hurt, Chad couldn't let her wait any longer. He stuck his burnt finger in his mouth and slammed the tap off, splashing water all over him in the process. He groaned, towel drying himself while sucking on his finger. What a mess he was.

Finally, Chad made it to the door, opening it and smiling the minute he saw Allegra standing there.
"Herro," he said, only then realizing his finger was still in his yap. He yanked it out quickly, wiping it off on his pants as his face turned bright red.
"Sorry, I was just...burnt myself..." he stuttered in explanation, "Come on in."

[Allegra Thornton]

It had been quiet on the other side of the door before she knocked, but then she heard something... grumbling, stumbling, and Chad's voice calling out.

She jumped a little when he opened the door, but smiled mostly out of excitement, but also with a little bit of humor over his finger in his mouth.

"You burned it?" she asked, instantly concerned and reaching for his hand to look at it. "How'd you manage to do that?" She'd feel really bad if it was on the dinner he had made.

[chadwick]

The colour in Chad's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red as Allegra showed concern. It really wasn't that big of a deal.
"I uhh...was playing with a candle..." he admitted in a soft voice, not making eye contact as he spoke, like a child who knew they'd done something wrong.

Pulling his hand away from her, Chad inspected it himself.
"Its not really that bad," he concluded, wiggling it around, "See? I'll live." Chad flashed Allegra a smile and ushered her in, closing the door behind her.
"Here, I'll take your coat," Chad offered, not quite sure why she had one anyways, "Are you a wine drinker?"

[Allegra Thornton]

"If you're sure," Allegra answered, raising an eyebrow at his explaination. It was a silly excuse, but kind of cute in a way. The fact that he truned pink over it made her like him even more.

She handed over her coat with a small thanks, not sure herself why she had brought it. It just hadn't seemed right going out without it, even if it was only one flight of stairs.

"Wine?" she echoed, not sure one way or the other. She was 19 and leagally could, but she still wasn't used to the idea. "I suppose... just a little?" Shees, she sounded like a baby. She was sure of it.

[chadwick]

Chad looked back over at Allegra as he went to have her coat up. He smiled at her, forgetting how much younger she was than him. Perhaps wine hadn't been the best choice. Once Chad had hung up her coat, he turned back to the girl with a smile.
"If you want, I've got a case of butterbeer in the kitchen," Chad offered, walking backward toward the room.

[Allegra Thornton]

She had come off like a little girl and the proof was that he was now offering her soft drinks. Why couldn't she be more sophisticated like her friends? She would bet that Shay or Beni never had this problem. And of course the situation just got worse when she tried to act mature. Maybe that's all she was, a silly little girl...

"I'll have whatever you're having," she finally said, smiling back at him and feeling like that was the best answer. Even if he wanted to shoot fire-whiskey, by george, she'd do it.

[chadwick]

Chad admired what Allegra had just said. If he wanted to, he probably would have shot some Firewhiskey, but he really didn't think Allegra was up for it. He wasn't trying to be condescending, he just didn't want her to do anything she wasn't comfortable with. He bent down and grabbed a couple bottles of butterbeer for both of them and carried them back to the table. Chad set them down and pulled out the chair for Allegra to sit.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.

[Allegra Thornton]

Her nerves had taken over her stomach, so she really wasn't sure if she was hungry or not, but whatever Chad had made smelled good and she figured he was probably ready to eat even if she wasn't.

"What did you make?" she asked with a smile as she took the bottle and the offered seat. At least she wasn't a picky eater.

[chadwick]

"I made some chicken stir fry for us and some vegetables," he told her, "I hope that's okay." Chad made his way back into the kitchen and looked at the stove, his face dropping immediately. Running toward it, Chad turned it off just in time to see everything fried to a crisp, smoking and all stuck together, black as tar. Swearing again, Chad picked up the frying pan and looked at it, defeated. Alfred always cooked for him but Chad had thought he could pull something off. Apparently not.

Then he realized how hot the handle of the pan was.

"AHH!" Chad hollered, dropping it quickly. It clattered to the floor and once again, Chad found himself with his hand stuck under the cold water.
"Ugh, Allegra!" he called out to her, "Change of plans!"

[Allegra Thornton]

It had smelled good when she came in (but maybe Allegra liked her meals slightly overdone), but once Chad went into the kitchen and she heard him fussing with the pots, she smelled the distinct odor of charred something.

The yell and the clatter caused her to jump and rush to the doorway just in time to see Chad at the faucet. "You okay?" she asked, figuring he burned himself again.

[chadwick]

"I'm sorry," Chad apologized, "I'm so...ugh, I'm sorry. I left it on to keep it warm but..." He sighed and turned back to the water, cursing himself in his head. Finally, he pulled his hand from the water, looking down at it and seeing the bright red colour it had turned. He groaned and tried to look at her, his face as red as his hand.

"What are we gonna do?" he asked her, "I can...you know, try and whip something else up, or I can take you out or...whatever you want to do." He spoke quickly, running his hand through his hair and sighing. This was definitely not the way tonight was supposed to go.

[Allegra Thornton]

"Can I see it?" she asked, holding out her hand for his and again finding the color in his cheeks endearing. It was moments like these that reminded her that he wasn't all that much older than she was. She wasn't an expert on healing, but she thought she might be able to wrap up a burnt hand.

"What we do for dinner really isn't all that important," she said with a small smile and she felt her own cheeks pink up. "I just came down to be with you."

[chadwick]

Chad reluctantly reached his hand out so Allegra could look at it and his face deepened in colour. He kept his eyes down on the floor as she looked over his hand until she spoke again.

"What we do for dinner really isn't all that important, I just came down to be with you."

Chad looked up at that. He smiled at her again, unsure of what to say. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. For a moment, Chad just looked at her.
"I...really like you, Allegra," he said finally in a soft voice, "I'm...really...I'm glad you came down here tonight."