Enlivened Dreams Pt. 01

"Yeah, he is damn fine. To me, at least." I chuckled.

"He got a big dick?" I rolled my eyes while she laughed like a damn chicken head.

"Girl, bye! We just made the date." She is always so blunt.

"Girl, you better hope not. You still ain't had nobody have you?" I could hear her snickering.

"No! I don't think about sex that often." I was being honest.

"Says the girl who ain't never had anybody make her toes curl." I mean, I guess it's kinda true.

"Whatever! Anyway, how you doin' up there so far?" I got changed into my pjs since I didn't plan on leaving my room for the rest of the day.

"I mean...it's okay. Went to the bookstore to get my textbooks today. They cost like $400! I'm glad my parents are paying for everything. I also went shopping for some outfits today. New school, new me!" That made me think about getting a new outfit for the date.

"I need to go shopping for some food. Need to get my books too. I'm tired though... So, I'll just go tomorrow." I got more comfortable by the minute.

"So, where are you guys going for the date?" I could hear her whispering to herself.

"Girl, what are you saying?" I knew it was gonna be some dumb shit.

"I was saying a little prayer that he isn't taking you to no dumb shit!" She chuckled but I didn't find it funny.

"No! He is taking me to dinner, as a matter of fact!" I oddly felt proud to prove her wrong.

"Well, damn! Go, bitch! Maybe he'll be a good one. I have a pizza coming and they supposed to call, so imma get off here. I love you, girl!" I told her I loved her too and we hung up the phone.

I laid in my bed, suddenly crazy nervous about the next day. I guess it'd been so long since I had a date that I didn't know what I was supposed to say or do. What if he wanted to kiss me after the date? Would I let him? Would I want him to? All those ideas were whirling through my head, when my phone rang; it was my mom.

"Hey, Ma! Whatcha' doing?" I sat up in bed.

"Hey, sweetie! So, how was your day?" I didn't want to tell her about the date just yet. She would think I'm crazy for making a date with a guy so soon after getting to the school.

"It was good. So, what are you up to?" I asked.

"Your Father and I just got back from the store. We needed some more groceries. Did you do anything interesting today?" I went back and forth with the idea of telling her before I finally decided.

"I... actually I got a date today." There was a long pause and she was making me nervous.

"Ma! I said I got a date." She scoffed.

"Isabel, you've only been there for two days! Barely two days! Who is this guy?" She never wants me to date.

"Oh my god! I knew I shouldn't have told you!" I could hear her taking deep breaths over the phone.

"Okay... okay. So, who is this guy?" I thought about lying and saying he was younger than he actually was but I decided against it.

"He is a grad student here..." and before I could say anything else.

"Isabel! How old is he?! You haven't even started school yet and you're already focusing on boys? Or grown ass men, I should say!" She is always trying to keep some bit of control over me.

"I don't know how old he is. That's the kind of thing you learn on a first date. Already?! I haven't had a boyfriend in three years and I want to be with someone at some point in my life." There was a long pause.

"Okay. You're right. I think you should be focusing on classes, but you worked really hard and you deserve to be like any other girl your age. And you're grown, so I guess I can't tell you what to do. Where are you guys going?" I started getting nervous again.

"He is taking me to dinner but... I'm nervous. I don't know... what am I supposed to say...or do?" She chuckled.

"Sweetie, there is nothing wrong with being nervous. It's your first time dating a man. It's understandable." She seemed to be softening up.

"I've dated a guy before." Did she forget? She couldn't have.

"No, I said a man. That boy in high school was just that, a boy. Sweetheart, this is gonna be different. Whatever happens, just don't do anything that you are not comfortable with. I don't want you to sleep with him anytime soon, but when you do, you both need to make sure you two are safe. Don't let him talk you into anything that isn't safe. Always, and I mean always, make him wear a condom." This took me aback and made me a little uncomfortable.

"Ma! I just met this guy. I'm not really thinking about sex." Not too much at least.

"Sweetheart, you are both adults and we both know it'll come up sooner or later. You are a beautiful girl and I just want you to be safe. Speaking of safe, does he know you're transgender?" I already know what she is going to say.

"No, it hasn't come up yet." I heard a long exhale on the other end.

"Isabel, you know how dangerous it can be for someone like you to just go on a date like this." Well, I just thought that was bull.

"I don't have to tell him until I'm ready. I am my own person and I'm not gonna let people force me to spill my own tea." She chuckled and then got more serious.

"Well, I don't know what that means but you know about all these murders that have been happening. Trans women, especially black trans women like you, have not been the safest. Just make sure you're safe." I completely understood what she was talking about.

"Okay, Ma. I know what you're saying. I'll make sure to text you before and after my date." We said our goodbyes when, suddenly, the front door opened.

A short, chubby, brunette girl struggled her way through the front door while juggling her luggage. She had thick framed, round glasses and a slight acne problem. She was breathing so heavily that I thought she was near passing out. As she tried to keep the door from closing on her, she cursed up a storm under her breath. I quickly hopped up, propped open the door and helped her with the bags.

"Hey! Here, let me grab one of those for ya'. I'm Isabel!" I held out my hand for a shake.

She dropped the bags she was holding and doubled over, trying to catch her breath. Once she took a final deep breath, she stood up and had a big smile on her face.

"Hey! Sorry about that. Apparently, I've moved into the Overlook Hotel. Can you believe that hallway?!" We shook hands.

"The where? Yeah, that hallway is fucking ridiculous!" She looked puzzled for a second.

"No! There's no way you haven't seen that movie." She slapped my arm in a playful way.

"What movie?" I genuinely had no idea what movie she was talking about.

"Oh, do I have some educating to do! I'm gonna show you so many great movies. I'm Cecile, by the way." We quickly made our way through the door leading into her room.

"Well, thanks for helping me! I'm gonna get all of my stuff put away." I started making my way back through the door before hesitating.

"Did you need any help putting your things away?" She continued opening her bags.

"Naw, I'm good! Thanks though." She put her focus back on unpacking.

I went back into my room and hopped into bed. I couldn't stop thinking about the conversation that I had with my mom. Michael seems like a nice guy, but will he accept me? Will I have to throw hands on the first date? I haven't been with anyone since high school, but am I really ready to get involved with someone? All these thoughts were bouncing around in my head and I haven't even gone on the date yet. Suddenly, I heard a loud rumbling in my stomach; I hadn't eaten all day. I decided to open the laptop and order up some Chinese. About 20 minutes later, I was watching tv with a mouth full of Hunan beef. After three hours and a little too much Chinese, I decided to get ready for bed. I took off my makeup, took a nice hot shower and laid down in bed. I was a little less nervous about the date but still...

Before I knew it, I opened my eyes to a blinding amber colored light; It was already morning. After lying in bed for an hour, with thoughts swirling around my mind, I got up and went to take a shower. I decided to wear a knee-length black dress with a white floral print and military-style boots. At around 12 in the evening, I decided to find an arts store to pick up some desperately needed basic supplies. So, I quickly searched through Google and found a small local store less than three miles from the campus. I grabbed my bag and started the walk to the location pinned on the map. I walked through the doors and was immediately hit in the face by a cool breeze and the strong scent of 'store smell.' Once inside, I started my search for all of the things I needed. However, I couldn't find the type of crayons I needed, so I asked one of the employees for help.

"Excuse me. Could you tell me where the Conté Crayons are?" He smiled and lead the way.

"So, you a student at the school?" I followed him and took quick glances at the passing shelfs for items that I may need.

"Yeah. Thanks for showing me the way. Sorry to bother you." Don't know why I apologized for asking him to do his job.

"It's no problem at all. Here they are. There are a bunch of options." He stood there as I squatted to look at the different sets. From small sets of neutral browns, blacks and whites to large, expensive sets of bright, vivid colors lined the shelves.

"I must have passed by these a million times!" He didn't notice, but I was looking at his legs and wondering why he was still standing there.

"Yeah, this place is small but we have a lot of options. A lot of students come here for their supplies." He squatted down to grab a pack of metallic markers.

"A lot of customers buy these. Do you think you could get some use out of them?" He shoved them in my face.

"No, I don't think so. Thanks though." I continued looking.

"So, you want to be a famous artist?" He laughed at his own 'joke.'

"Uh...kinda, I guess. I want to work in animation." He smiled and just kept talking. I finally found a large set that included the neutral colors.

"Awesome. I go to the community college just outside the city. You must be a freshman." My head snapped to attention and I looked at him in disbelief.

"How did you know that? Everyone seems to know that. Is it tattooed on my forehead?" We both shot up.

"Naw! I just have never seen you in here before, so you must be a freshman." He plastered a big smile on his face, flashing his bright teeth. He made me blush a little.

"Oh! Well, yeah, I am. So, what do you study?" I was getting a little curious about this guy. He was absolutely adorable.

I took the time to really study his appearance. He had a mess of black hair and dark brown eyes. He was a few inches taller than me with a strong jaw and rail thin physique.

"I study computer science. I'm a first year too, so I also have a while until I finish. If you're done, I'll ring you up." I agreed and followed him to the front.

"So, do you plan on going to a four-year school to finish your degree?" He began ringing up my items.

"Yeah, I think I will. What about your plans? What do you wanna do when you graduate?" He told me my total and I quickly inserted my card and punched in my pin.

"Well, I'd like to work for a small animation studio. What about you?" I grabbed my bagged items.

"I'd love to be able to work for a small startup, honestly. Seems like it would be a great way to break into the field and I'd get to work on something that is up and coming." He seemed really happy about what he planned on doing with his life, which is always a good thing.

"Hey! If you ever wanted to help each other through our first year, I'm always open for a chat. Maybe we could get coffee too...while we talk." We both chuckled a little at his obvious flirt.

"Yeah, that'd be nice. Did you want my number?" He looked a little surprised that I actually agreed to it.

"Uhhh...yeah, of course. Here, you can just put it in my phone." After adding my contact info, I shot him a quick smile and made my way out of the store.

I started the walk back to my dorm. I had been there a lot longer than I thought. When I checked my phone, I realized that it was going on three in the evening. When I got to my dorm, I noticed Cecile walking into the elevator.

"Hey, Cecile! Hold the door!" As I ran into the elevator, she asked me 'what floor?' as her hand hovered over the buttons.

"Uh... We live together." She laughed out loud as I stood there awkwardly.

"Oh my God! Sorry! Just a habit. My head is all over the place today. I'm trying to get everything ready before classes start tomorrow. I was supposed to get here Friday but my parents convinced me to stay an extra night. You know how parents can be." I chuckled and nodded my head in agreeance.

"I hear ya'. I love my parents but I had to get a little freedom. They're not too far away though." She took notice of my bags.

"What do you have there?" She took a look down into my bags.

"I just got some supplies that I might need for classes. What's your major?" The elevator door opened and we started our way to the suite.

"I'm not sure. I think I'm gonna major in English. I have always liked writing, so that seems like a good fit. I still have a little time to make a final decision though." We were in my room talking at this point.

"Yeah, I feel you. I'm majoring in art but I really wanna focus on character animation. I figure the fundamentals are always good to learn." Cecile seemed to agree.

"Well, I really have to take a shit. I'll see you later!" She ran to the bathroom and left me standing there, wide eyed. I immediately shivered in disgust as she left the room.

I picked out my clothes for the date later that night. I decided to take another shower and redo my makeup before the date. Once I got out of the shower, it was about five p.m. I noticed a text from Michael on my phone.

"We still on for tonight?" I checked the time and the message had come in about 20 mins before I got out of the shower.

"Yeah. You coming to pick me up or should I meet you at the restaurant?" I kinda figured he'd pick me up but you could never be too sure.

"I'm picking you up. You really thought I'd tell you to meet me there? What kind of a guy do you take me for?" Well, I took him for the kind of guy that would blow me off at a party just because I told him I wasn't looking for a boyfriend, but whatever.

"Okay. I was just making sure. When did you wanna pick me up?" For some reason, I felt awkward typing out the message.

"Well, I'm with a professor prepping for classes tomorrow but I should be done around six. So, I should be there no later than 6:45." I was glad that I had enough time to get ready.

"Okay, kewl." I started getting ready.

I picked out a slightly fitted, mid-thigh dress with my indulge-1026 boots. I sprayed the perfect amount of perfume to keep him wanting more. I decided to get on YouTube until some time had passed. At a little after six, I got another text from Michael.

"I'm on my way out the door. See you soon, sexy." I jumped up and quickly did my makeup. I did a full face with a dark smokey eye, but I was pretty quick with my makeup, so it took no time.

I went downstairs to wait for him. I didn't know what kind of car he drove but I figured I'd either see him through his windows or he'd honk the horn. After about 20 mins, I saw him pull up in a silver Toyota Camry. I walked over and got into his car.

"Hey! Can I get a hug?" He asked with his arms stretched out.

We embraced each other in a hug and then separated. He smelled so good and I hoped he thought the same about me.

"You smell really nice. So, how's your day been?" He asked as we pulled out of the parking lot. I blushed at his compliment.

"Thanks! It's been okay. I just bought some supplies for classes tomorrow. What about you?" With being new there and all, I looked out of the windows as we made our way to the restaurant to get a good look at the town.

"Ehhh...It was okay. Just a lot to get prepared for before classes." He seemed pretty upset.

"Is everything okay with the classes? You're a TA, right?" I was kind of annoyed. If he was gonna be in a mood, I didn't wanna go on the date.

"Yeah, just a lot to do. Sorry, If I seem... weird. You look gorgeous, by the way." He smiled at me. I, of course, blushed at his words.

"Thanks. You look nice too." He was dressed 'very comfortably', but I felt the need to give him a similar compliment.

"Thanks. Okay, we're here." I looked out of the window to see a small burger restaurant.

"Is this place good?" I'm not a huge burger fan but I figured I could deal with it for the date.

"Yeah, the place is great. Come on, let's go!" He got out of the car, ran around to my side and opened the door for me.

I thought that was a little corny but sweet. We made our way inside and Michael was acknowledging some people with head nods and others by name. He seemed to know just about the entire staff. We sat down at a booth near the front, which I liked because I loved watching the setting sun through the front windows. One of the waiters quickly came to take our order.

"Michael! What's up, man? How you been? How was your summer, man?" He held a small notepad and pen that he tucked into his apron pocket so he and Michael could shake hands.

"Nothing much. Did a little vacationing over the summer. What about you?" I just sat there while they carried on this conversation. I felt a little awkward just sitting there.

"Just been working. Amanda and I are trying to move out of her parent's place, so I've been working my ass off. Oh, damn! My bad! I'm Nathaniel." He stuck his hand out and we shook hands.

"Yeah, Nathaniel and I worked together here while I was an undergrad." Nathaniel pulled the pen and pad back out and prepared to take our order.

"Okay, so what do you guys want today?" Michael ordered a bacon burger with Cajun fries and water.

"And I will have...the...fried onion barbeque burger with fries and a coke, thanks!" Nathaniel smiled before leaving with our orders.

"So, how long did you work here?" Nathaniel came back with our drinks and we thanked him.

"Well, I worked here from my junior year and up until I started grad school. I haven't been here in a while, though. What about you? Do you plan of working while you're doing your undergrad?" We both sipped our drinks intermittently.

"I'm gonna try, but I just don't want to get bogged down with work and school." He nodded in response.

"Yeah, I feel you. You know, I kinda expected you to get the veggie burger or something." He laughed.

"Why would you think that?" We were getting a little low on our drinks so I signaled for Nathaniel.

"Well, I know a lot of girls who are like you—small—and they barely eat anything. Not like an anorexic thing, they just tend to eat salads and veggie burgers and shit." I thought that was kind of a weird little tangent to go on but I tried to joke to play off the awkwardness.

"Well, I ain't small." Nathaniel made his way over with our refills.

"The food will be out in a few minutes, guys." We both nodded, thanked him and continued our conversation.

"What are you talking about? You look amazing!" I took a drink to hide my smile.

"Well...glad you think so. So, what made you want to study drama?" He beamed with pride. The change of subject seemed to work.

"Well, I have always had an interest in video and media design. And, I would spend hours in high school filming, editing and designing videos. I even helped in some shows in my freshman and sophomore year during undergrad. I didn't actually choose it as my major until my junior year." He looked so passionate while speaking about it.

"You seem like you really like it. Why did you wait until junior year to declare it as your major?" He chuckled and shook his head, as if the story was too long to tell.

"Let's just say that I spent a lot of time trying to do something that just wasn't for me. Oh, good! Here comes Nathan with our food. I'm starving!" Nathaniel placed our food on the table and Michael immediately started digging in.