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When it came to auditions, Melanie knew that the most important thing was first impressions. The way you present yourself, from the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you look. This was no audition though, this was a simple date in a diner she loved with the guy she loved since she was a teenager.
There was simply too much to pick from in her wardrobe, almost overwhelming. Could she text someone?
Sammy, maybe? Not an option.
Kevin would be no help.
Gary, maybe? Doesn't have a clue on women's fashion.
Not one option to help her out besides asking Luke - but she really wanted her outfit to be a big surprise. Some bullets you just have to bite.
hey, what you thinking of wearing 2night?
struggling to pick something, huh?
just say what your wearing pleaseee :)
fine. one of my old band shirts, pair of jeans, and my so-called "shitty windbreaker"
sammy really hates it but I think you look good in it, thank youuu cya l8r 💕
cya lover girl
That helped, it helped a lot. She took a huge sigh of relief and tucked her nicer dresses and formal wear back into her wardrobe. If Luke was wearing one of his band shirts, then it wouldn't be too frowned upon for Melanie to do the same. So that narrowed things down even further. One of the maroon band shirts, a black skirt, tights, and her boots. There wasn't a jacket that could really go with it, but it wasn't too cold out anyways, so that didn't bother Melanie much.
~
The diner was a small place, 20 minutes drive from both their places, the perfect middle ground. The jukebox played songs they both knew from their younger days, the food was awfully greasy but tasted great, and the memories formed were even better.
They spent all evening chatting over dinner, catching up on the smaller things, arranging future meetings, talking about when would it be best for Luke's daughter to meet Melanie. Everything was picture perfect, every smile, every laugh, every little glance at each others eyes then each others lips.
But all good dates must come to an end, after all, Luke's mom wasn't signed up for a granddaughter having a sleepover - only a nap on the couch if she needed it.
~
"Shoot that was the last taxi for a while," Melanie sighed.
"I could take you home, I drove here myself after dropping my ray of sunshine off at my mother's," Luke smiled, holding his keys up.
"Still got the same crappy car?" Melanie had recognised the keys from all those years ago.
"Hey, she's been fixed up now, thank you."
"Damn, I missed the part where you became a hot mechanic."
They both started wondering over to Luke's car, tucked into the corner of the gravel car park - the same burnt orange 4 seater that the six of them would all cram into. Well, the other 4 crammed into the 2 seats in the back, Melanie was always given the front passenger seat and the aux - and she did play theatre stuff a lot, but she switched in somethings for everyone, like Blink-182, or some of Luke's favourites.
"Well, if you do learn to drive yourself, you can buy a so-called shitty car, and then I can fix it up again."
"That's a bit tempting. But I wanna get a proper acting gig first to get a bit of money."
"Is that just code for I prefer having a personal chauffeur in the form of the super amazing handsome Luke?"
Melanie laughed hard, and Luke laughed harder. The car was running better than it did back then, no janky start up or weird engine rumbles - he really wasn't kidding when he said he fixed it up.
"Does the radio work yet, or still relying on using the aux?"
"Oh, I just stick to the aux, easier that way to appease small troublemakers and gorgeous women."
Melanie had found herself flustered many times across dinner, but that small flirt had her completely speechless too. Hell, she spent 4 hours picking an outfit, had little to no makeup on, only brushed her hair, and yet she was still gorgeous to him. That's a small win for the day if anything.
She did take the aux for herself after composing herself, throwing on some of their favourites that they realised didn't play at the diner.
~
It had been almost the full drive, there was enough time for one more song to sing along to before their goodbyes.
"Can I make a request?" Luke questioned.
"Go ahead, bard," Melanie giggled.
"Hey, I'm a musically influenced swashbuckler!" Luke quipped back, before following, "But its that one song where its like Take me to your best friends house, I loved you then, and I love you now ."
"You do sing well, and I do know that song." Melanie was almost giddy hearing him sing the song she had been listening to all afternoon getting ready. If anything, she wanted it to be their song.
~
They had gotten to her apartment before the song had finished, so they sat in the car to finish belting the song together before moving on with the evening. After all, they simply couldn't leave each other tongue tied post the most amazing first date ever.
"You really can sing, ma chérie," Luke affectionately stared at her, as if she was starlight.
"So can you, sweetheart," her stare just the same, he was her starlight.
"Shall I walk you to the door?"
"Ooo, what a lady's man." She poked him jokingly, making him giggle, "But seriously, that would be sweet, but you don't have to if you've gotta get back to your daughter."
"My mom said she's asleep on the couch, so I've got a bit of time," Luke climbed out his side, then rounded the car to get the passenger door for Melanie.
"God, you really don't have to do all this."
"Well, too bad, you are too worth it. Plus at least it's not as bad as the train wreck of prom."
They chortled at the memory of the car door handle breaking off.
"Now, that was a train wreck, and proved the car was awful."
"But now she's all okay," he carefully shut the door he was holding and lightly tapped the roof of the car.
"I'll give you that one, she really did fix up well. My apartment is in that block." She gestured to the block of apartments with the walls painted red.
"Lead the way, warrior," he gestured forward, and she used the opportunity to take his hand in hers.
"I always will."
"Cocky much?"
"I prefer to call it confidence."
"Sammy would kill you for that."
"Well, she's not here, it's just me and you, and none of her and Kevin's bickering."
"True," he looked at the silvery keypad to the building's door, "here's your stop. I'll see you soon."
"You act like we won't text non-stop."
"Yeah, that's true, but face to face is different."
"Really?"
"It means I can be bold and do things I would never consider."
"Like what? Take your dream girl to dinner?"
"That, and this," he gently wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss.
It was soft and gentle, her lips tasted like a mix of the brownie she ordered for desert and her strawberry lip balm, his tasted like the salted caramel cheesecake he had for desert and not much more. The taste was like the feelings, pure bred fireworks, blessed by the stars themselves. It was slow and careful, not rushed at all, no clashing of teeth. It was straight out of a movie.
They broke apart after a little while, and while staring deeply into Luke's eyes, all Melanie could really say was a small "Wow, thank you."
"You're welcome, now I really have to be going, as much as I'd love to come in with you."
"God its a mess in there, I spent way too long picking an outfit, I have to try put like half my wardrobe away before I can dream of you all night."
"You never have to impress me, you woo'd me already, you passed the audition years ago!" He yelled from half way to his car.
And that was truly what Melanie needed to hear all this time, framing the perfect night she had in a golden frame.