Russo liked to consider himself a simple man. He had a nine-to-five job at a grey cubicle, lived alone. He went to the gym once in a while. He considered the hottest date he’s ever had to be when he burnt his tongue on his coffee a week ago. He was nothing special.

Average was what every woman he’d ever seen said.

On par was what his boss said every time he dropped a report back on his desk.

Russo felt like the same words always left their mouths.

“You’re a good person, honest,” they would say, “but you don’t have anything interesting that makes you stand out.”

His sister, Trudy, was the worst of all. She had arranged that they have weekly dinners together after work when their parents died. He loved Trudy, but the meet-ups were about as fun as the funeral had been.
This week it was the diner.

Trudy leaned on her elbows. “I’m just saying, you should get out. Do that five-minute dating thingie at Romano’s,” she said.

Russo groaned, “You know what happened last time I did that.”

Trudy waved him off. “Not my finest judgement. You just had to get sick,” she whined before digging into her sandwich.

“It wasn’t my fault your kid gave me pneumonia.”

Trudy pointed her sandwich at him, “Leave Ricky out of this.”

Russo just shrugged, taking a bite out of his burger.

They sat in a comfortable silence, slowly eating their meals. They had been playing this game for the better part of a year. Trudy would talk about her kids and how much her hated her husband for leaving, but soon the conversations drifted to Russo and his love life.

“In all seriousness,” Trudy said politely, “I really just want you to be happy.”
Russo sighed

“But,” She continued, “you have to put the effort in too. Go out more, get a different haircut; do something! You’re twenty-five. You should have a girlfriend already.”

Trudy’s phone buzzed. Her eyebrows knitted together.

“I got to take this. Looks like Jaime’s gotten herself a broken leg again.” She tossed a twenty onto the table, “That should cover my side and the tip.”

Russo nodded, trying to look engrossed in his food.

Trudy left in a hurry, leaving Russo alone in the diner. He stared at his food, poking the soggy food with a limpid fry.

“You good, man?”

Russo looked up. A waiter sat at the counter, polishing a glass.

“Its my turn to take the night shift,” the waiter continued, “I gotta close up in about ten minutes.”

“I’m fine,” Russo said, “I’m getting up in a second anyway.” He began to gather his things.

“I didn’t mean that I was kicking you out,” the waiter chuckled.

Russo sank back into the seat, leaning his head back.

“The name’s David, if that offers any comfort,” the waiter called out.

“Russo”

“Why’re you here anyway? Date gone wrong?”

Russo had to laugh, “I was having dinner with my sister.”

David smirked, “I’m surprised. I thought a guy like you would have a lot of them.”

“Excuse me?”

David’s smirk broadened, “I’m sure your dates practically throw themselves on you.”

Russo flushed, stuttering, “I haven’t had a date in a year.”

David’s eyes lit up, “I know just the person you can date, you’ll love them.”

Russo narrowed his eyes, “Why should I trust you.”

David shrugged.

“Whatever,” Russo replied, “I don’t have anything to lose.”

David cheered, rushing to place a phone number in Russo’s phone.

“You’ll love ‘em, I swear,” David said, before asking Russo for his, then ushering Russo out the door.

When Russo checked his phone in the car, he had to messages.

(Unknown number)- Hey, David gave me your number.

(Unknown number)- My name’s Jaime. It’s Russo, right?

(Russo)- Yeah. It’s nice to meet you.

(Jaime)- Same here.

Russo stared at the messages. He typed out a text, asking about what hobbies Jaime might have, but erased it.
“Goddamit,” he mumbled under his breathe, “I can’t do this.”

His phone rang.

(Jaime)- I’d like to get to know you better. Can you tell a little about yourself?

(Russo)- I work in an office for a lawyer. I mainly sit at a desk and do customer service. The guy’s got a lot of clients.

(Jaime)- I’m an art major.

(Russo)- Are you in college?

(Jaime)- Last year, I’m getting my bachelors.

Russo looked at the screen. That made Jaime around twenty-four, younger than him by three years.

(Russo)- That’s interesting. I’m out of college. I got a Master’s in mathematics, but never had anywhere to use it. What type of art do you study?

(Jaime)- Watercolor, acrylics, and sculpting. I mainly do clay and marble statues.

(Russo)- That’s amazing!

(Russo)- Have you ever thought about putting something, what do you call them.

(Jaime)- An art show lol.

(Jaime)- And yes, I did put two in an art show in the Smitz Art Display, and one of them was bought.
They continued like that for hours, texting about their lives. Russo told Jaime about his parents and how they died in a car crash. Jaime has a single father, mother died during childbirth. They both liked the same movies, the same actors, same everything. Later on, when Russo returned to the diner, he said, “Jaime and I just clicked right away, and I loved it.”

Russo popped the question two hours into their conversation.

(Jaime)- Of course! I was just about to ask. Do you want to see a movie?

(Russo)- Which theater?

(Jaime)- The one by the stadium, in the giant mall.

(Russo)- Acorn Mall?

(Jaime)- Yes, that it.

(Russo)- How will I know it’s you?

(Jaime)- I’ll wear a yellow scarf. We can see a movie at 6:00.

(Russo)- Deal. I’ll wear a baseball hat.

(Jaime)- I’m really sorry, but I have to go, I have a huge project I need to finish.

(Russo)- Goodnight!

(Jaime)- ‘Night <3

Russo could feel his heart fluttering in his chest. He felt himself blush and he couldn’t stop smiling. He smiled so much his cheeks hurt. Russo couldn’t sleep he was so happy.

The mood continued into the next day. His cubicle neighbor even asked if he got laid.

“Not yet,” Russo replied, laughing.

“Got yourself a hot date?”

“Maybe.”

His coworker just looked at his funny, and went back to working on a report.

When Russo clocked out, he all but ran to his car. He sped home, almost driving into his garage. He put on his best clothes, even slightly styled his hair. The last time he did that was in high school during prom.

He arrived early, and stood outside the theater, two tickets in hand for an Alien reboot. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man wearing a pastel yellow scarf. The man’s face lit up when he saw Russo, and began to towards him. Russo had gone on dates with multiple women before, but never a man. As Jaime came closer, Russo found that he could care less about his gender, his heart still beat against his ribs when Jaime smiled at him and uttered a hello.

“What’re we seeing?” Jaime asked.

“A-alien,” Russo stuttered.

“A classic,” the other man chirped, “I’m swooning.” Jaime giggled.

Russo offered his arm, “I believe we have a movie to watch.”

Jaime just continued to laugh, and clung close to him.

Russo found that he couldn’t focus on the movie. He kept glancing at Jaime’s face and his heart did somersaults when Jaime’s face lit up every time the Alien showed up, or when Sigourney Weaver did something cool.

After the movie they promised to do something together next week. Russo left the theater with a kiss on his cheek.

*One year later*

“See, I told you.” David smirked.

“Shut up,” Russo flushed deeply.

“Guys come on, we’re adults,” Jaime said between snorts, “its not as crazy as it seems, all you have to do is connect the two pieces and then you’ll have the cage made.”

“I’m trying, but I keep getting a lap-full of dog,” Russo exclaimed as their dog, Pastry, tried to lick Russo’s face.

“Whatever. All that matters is I told you so.”