Unease is an empty seat, waiting to be taken. That’s what Daniel thought as he counted the seconds that ticked down to his date’s arrival.
He felt on edge for many reasons. One, he spent an excessive amount of money to reserve this underwater dining experience for a date. Two, he hadn’t been on a date in years. And three, he was terrified the date would go wrong somehow, just as so many had years before. That’s why he hadn’t stepped out of his comfort zone in years, because he’d had way too many bad experiences.
Daniel watched the waitress come over to offer him some water.
“Oh thank you! Yeah water’s good, thanks. No, I don’t want to order yet, she should be here soon…”
The waitress had a sort of condescendingly skeptical look on her face as she walked away.
Daniel looked at the clock for the third time in 2 minutes as he sighed, realizing that the possibility of his date not showing up was increasing by the second.
It had been 20 minutes since their agreed upon time had occurred.
He chuckled as he thought to himself, “Well, at least the date can’t go horribly wrong if there’s not a date in the first place…”
After a few more minutes passed, Daniel gloomily climbed up the stairs and walked out of the underwater restaurant, depressed and lonely. He swore to himself he wouldn’t make this mistake again and that he would avoid dates for another long while.
The restaurant was quiet until a woman named Evelyn opened the door, panting and sweating.
“Sorry I’m so late, my car wouldn’t start and then I got a flat tire and then… Daniel?”
Evelyn realized with a growing frown that Daniel must’ve abandoned her and stood her up, like so many others had before. She swore to herself she wouldn’t make this mistake again, and that she would avoid dates for another long while.
And so the underwater restaurant sat, empty, alone, and beautiful with coral in the window and the turquoise sea illuminating the room with a soft, tranquil glow.
Written by Noah Heinz
Noah is a junior at BBHHS. He listens to EDM, plays volleyball, participates in the school’s plays & musicals, plays the piano, and is glad to be writing for his creative writing class, where he writes stories that he’s pleased to share with the Hybreeze and hopes you enjoy them.
