Previous Chapters
Close
Chapter 1 - Trying To Help A Student In Need4,118 words
Chapter 2 - Interventional Investigation/Rescue and Comfort4,901 words
Chapter 3 - Mental Health Day1,834 words
Chapter 4 - Bad Bloodstained Guilt5,012 words
Chapter 5 - Quality Time5,669 words
Chapter 6 - The Confession5,562 words
Chapter 7 - The Very First Date3,735 words

Chapter 7 - The Very First Date

The next day, Gregory was already in a hurry.

’I can’t leave a single strand of hair out of place!’ Gregory thought as he combed his hair after applying a little bit of gel. ’So many things can go wrong! Ah, shit!’ Scanning through the mirror, he thoroughly checked himself of any and all blemishes or any other types of disturbances. None were there on his face, not even a hair out of place or any zits or pimples anywhere, and his teeth were all white as snow and reflecting like diamonds. Since it was the day of his very first date with Fleur De Lis, the most beautiful and gorgeous girl of his dreams, he didn’t want to leave anything out of ordinary to chance. First impressions have the most impact for most boys or girls on their first dates. Just as he was about to fret or make some self-complaints once more, a set of knocks was heard on his door.

“Hey, Gregory,” Anton called out, “Can I come in?”

“Uh, sure!” Gregory answered as his new mother’s boyfriend walked in. He looked at the junior high school student as he stressed about his appearance like someone gone completely mad or insane.

“Still going at it, aren’t ya?” Anton asked with a smirk, “This date with Fleur, it’s starting to make you nervous.”

“More than you can believe, sir,” Gregory replied. “I just want to be looking at my very best. I combed my hair, brushed my teeth, washed and moisturized my face, and doing anything in between.”

“If you want my advice,” Anton placed a hand on Gregory’s shoulder, “Women are usually, or well, normally attracted to confident men, but also dig those who be themselves, even though if it’s as cheesy as that sounds.”

Gregory chuckled, “Heh, you do have a point. But still, this is something really new to me. What if I somehow screw this up?”

“Gregory, trust me when I say this: You have nothing to fear. When I heard that conversation you’ve had over the phone with her, it seemed to me like she’s been wanting to date you for quite a while since you two met during these “Friendship Games.” Just play it cool, take it nice and slow, by beginning with a few easy baby steps, and you’ll be alright.” With a quick moment of thought, Anton thought of a way to calm him down, “How about this? Just repeat after me, okay? Count to four, and then inhale. Count to four again, and then exhale.”

Doing as Anton recommended, Gregory took the deepest of breaths he could ever take, and started counting to four before he exhaled with a nice soothing deep breath. Bit by bit, during every breath, he felt his anxiety starting to fizzle out of his body like steam. After a few more cycles of deep breathing, Gregory felt completely relieved, but yet a shredded piece of his anxiety somehow remained. All he could really do was bite his lip and give the date his best efforts.

“Better?” Anton asked.

“Yeah, I guess so.” Gregory replied. Just as he was about to walk out the front door, Anton took his hands in his, depositing a set of keys. “Really? You’re letting me drive your ride?”

“Why, yes.” Anton nodded in reply, “When Celestia and I go out later, we’ll be taking her car. I know you know how to drive but-”

“I promise I won’t scratch it or nothing. Besides, pissing someone off is the last thing I wanna do.”

Sharing a chuckle, Anton bid Gregory farewell as the boy got in his car. Though he’d been in it before, driving it was like a brand new experience for him. Automatic shifting, functional AC, and a road map system with a GPS, it was almost like piloting a space shuttle to him. Still, he’d handle the loaned vehicle with the utmost care he can provide. After typing in Fleur’s address, all that was left now was picking up his date.

Pulling up to the driveway, Gregory gave the horn a few honks before he got out, opening the passenger door. It didn’t take long for the Crystal Prep student to walk out, but damn, was she something. A beautiful and gorgeous girl the same age he was, but with semi-long light magentaish gray hair with heliotropeish white streaks and a fleur-de-lis hair clip on one side, and beautiful pale, light grayish violet eyes with a matching eyeshadow. While displaying black double buttoned khaki shorts that hugged her thighs and reached over them, black t-strap high heels over purple striped socks and black nylon pantyhose, a white buttoned blouse tucked underneath her shorts, two gold necklaces and a pearl bracelet on one wrist, a tan trench coat with black buttons and a belt with a silver buckle over a maroon jacket, and packed with her purse, and Gregory felt his jaw go nearly slack.

“Hmmm, nice to see you, Monsieur Bryant.” Fleur softly spoke. “Holding the door open for me? My, my, quite the gentleman you are.”

“H-Hello, Fleur,” Gregory said, with butterflies in his stomach. “You look beautiful today.” She got in the passenger seat, closing the door behind her. When he got in, his nose was beset by a pleasing aroma. Roses, lilacs, and french vanilla, it briefly made his mind wander a fair bit before snapping back to complete focus. “That’s a nice perfume you used.”

“Why, thank you.” Fleur giggled, “I thought it would be nice for our date.”

“That it is,” Gregory said. “So, the showtime is at two-thirty, so we should have time for some lunch, if you’re hungry.”

“Wonderful. Lead the way, Gregory,” Fleur replied.

Pulling out of the driveway, Gregory drove into town with Fleur in tow. The restaurant, Di Lorenzo’s Italian Villa, is a large and wide, but reputable place to catch a quick bite, especially for romantic dates or casual family hangouts, including friends of family. Walking in, the two were quickly seated as they scanned through their menus until they found what they hungered for. Once their menus were taken from them and the orders were made, nothing obstructed their respective gazes while having a few glasses of water and their own drinks with Fleur’s being unsweetened iced tea before adding the sweetener, and Gregory’s being Coke, and a bowl full of breadsticks and another bowl full of mozzarella sticks along with some dipping sauce. Gregory was somehow captivated by her beauty.

“How nice of you to take me to this place.” Fleur said.

“Well, it’s not that far from the theater, so we’ll be making good time sooner than later,” Gregory replied, “Plus, I didn’t really want to shortchange our first lunch together.”

“You didn’t need to worry about that, mon ami. Just spending time with you is enough,” Fleur said.

“Yeah,” Gregory sighed, as he then remembered what he said over the phone earlier in the week, “So, I think you deserve an honest explanation about why I’ve been obliviously absent, due to your advances, or that we don’t go to the same school together.”

“Gregory, you don’t have to if it makes you uneasy. I unders-“

“No, I want to be honest with you on our first date.” Gregory then placed a hand on Fleur’s, “You deserve an answer.”

“If you want, my friend.” Fleur said, while stroking his hand with her polished fingernails colored like her hair but darker. Sighing deeply, Gregory prepared to speak his peace.

“For years, my parents struggled with a drug and alcohol habit my dad’s been having. As time passed, it eventually got worse to where I had to work multiple jobs on the weekends.”

“So, that’s why you looked so tired back then, like the students at your school and my school were saying?” Fleur asked.

Gregory nodded, “I used to have a car to go to and from those jobs, often crashing at my friend’s place afterwards or just to drive on home. Yet, he didn’t snap out of their vices, or even his cocaine or meth. He just kept indulging himself.”

“What exactly happened to your car?” Fleur asked.

“My dad sold it for drug money. After I found out, I got into a fight with them to where he kicked me and my little sister Maisie out. We didn’t have anywhere to go until Principal Celestia brought me in to live with her. I’ve been at her place since then, before he killed our own mother with a gun,” Gregory replied.

“Mon Dieu…” Fleur’s voice shuddered with her fingertips on her lips. “It all makes sense. Mon ami, I’m so sorry you had to go through all that.” She had her hand on her chest.

Like her recently new friend Rarity, Fleur was one to recognize the generosity in people, even in herself, before her campus had a change of heart before Cinch was fired. To hear Celestia give her crush a place to live didn’t come as a big surprise to her. Yet, Gregory’s attitude about his abandonment was unusually calm.

“It’s okay.” Gregory reassured, “After living with her for weeks now, I can breathe more easily now that I’m away from all that, and that Maisie can have a safer childhood. I truly have Celestia to thank for pulling me and Maisie out of the fire.”

“She’s a compassionate lady for sure,” mused Fleur, “Ever since the Friendship Games, we’ve been doing so well before Principal Cadance took over. So, if she brought you in, she must have a level of care for you. I would’ve done the same, but it would be too soon since we’re now dating and such.”

“I know. I can certainly see why she’s earned the respect of so many. Even though she’s already expecting her own, she already treats me like her son. Heh, can’t believe that I consider her, the principal of all people, to be the mother I never had, and so does Maisie.”

Both parties shared a laugh just as their orders came out, briefly interrupted from their conversation. They thanked the waiter and they began eating their lunch, consisting two plates of spaghetti and meatballs for each of them. All throughout their time eating and conversing, Gregory learned new things about his date. As he suspected, she and her family hailed from France, all born in the town of Paris, the city of love. After a new job offer, her father moved them to Canterlot where they stayed ever since. They both shared their dreams of one day being an astronomer and a fashion designer respectively. Both had plans for the future when they graduate their high schools next year.

Once the bill was paid and they were off and away, Gregory kept his eyes focused on the road, keeping his eyes from focusing on her distracting beauty, while she sat on her seat with her gorgeously slender legs crossed over each other. That wasn’t to say that they never talked during the entire ride to the movie theater. Apart from some small talk, they both shot the breeze about their musical tastes. To Gregory’s sudden surprise, Fleur unexpectedly had an affinity for heavy metal, jazz, hip hop, and other musical tastes he enjoys. Surprising for sure, but it was an interesting aspect of hers.

Upholding his promise, as they arrived on time, Gregory paid for the tickets, and snacks, which were a big cup of popcorn to share and two soft drinks once they got to the theater. For the movie, it was one of those James Bond movies made solely for entertainment, where he is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica after leaving active service for many years. It was an hour and a half of the movie, leading to a mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist which turned out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond on the trail of a mysterious villain who was armed with a dangerous new weaponry of advanced weapons and technology. Nonetheless, Gregory saw that Fleur was having a good time and was actually hoping for it to have a happy ending.

Yet, all throughout the movie, the thought of Fleur dwelled on his mind ever so persistently. It was not just her naturally radiant beauty that drew him to her or the charm she uses. From within her radiated an aura of kindness with a soul that was loving by nature’s hand. It was there that Gregory thought that perhaps that his unexpected love for Celestia was a different kind, one based on his desire for a family that cared, including Maisie since she was the only one from his original bloodline. Fleur was now his true heart’s desire and his predicament blinded him into it.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Fleur asked as they drove through a wooded area.

“I assure you that we’re on the right path.” Gregory replied, “I used to come up here when things got bad so I can have some comfort, and a place to do some thinking or maybe use my imagination just to see if things are going well for me, but it’s something I always ask whenever I’m in a bad place.” Making another turn from the path, they found themselves at the head of a huge hill overlooking the local woodland park. The view of the trees and grass going for miles and the rivers was breathtaking, magnified only by the setting sun on the horizon. Fleur was at a loss for words for how beautiful it all looked from her point of view. “So, what do you think?”

“C’est m-magnifique!” She gasped as they both exited the car, “The view is absolutely wonderful!”

“It’s usually a view of nature that’s always unrestrained by the lights of the city over there. Nothing but the absolute peacefulness, the calm and quiet sounds of nature everywhere and the stretches of all this greenery to bask in,” Gregory then noticed Fleur enjoying the view before an idea popped into his head, so he pulled out his phone, pressing a few buttons on the screen, “Since we’ve got nothing else to do, how about if we did this?”

Pressing another button, a tune came from his phone, filling the ambient air with a pleasant melody. Piano, drums, violins, and guitar, a perfect musical combination, all are in perfect harmony. To his amusement, Fleur became enamored with the song, tapping her feet and humming to the tune, before he looked at her gorgeous eyes and asked, “So, what do you say, Fleur? Since we’ve never got a chance during the welcome party during the Friendship Games, how about if I make it up to you?” She knew what Gregory intended with his kind words since the song sealed the deal.

Taking her hands into his, and gently wrapping one around her back after gently grabbing and touching her petite waist, Gregory danced with Fleur to the rhythm of the music. It was a slow dance but it allowed them to enjoy the entire serenity of the beautiful scene around them. For Gregory, he somehow couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Her beauty and feminine charm were like the stuff of legends that only a few other boys like him were gifted. As the music started to die down, the two teens took one seat in the car with them sitting together but with Fleur sitting on Gregory’s lap as they both laid backwards but not all the way on the single seat, taking in the view of a setting sun before the sky began to show a nice view of the starry filled sky as they were also wrapped in a blanket due to the cold weather during the night.

“Incredible,” Fleur said, staring out at the horizon, “I fondly remember the sunsets I’ve watched when I lived in Paris as a little girl. Beautiful and full of life, it naturally lit up the city every night. Every time I see one here, it sometimes reminds me of home.”

“Yeah, It’s always a comforting sight from my personal perspective, if you ask me,” Gregory replied, while stroking her shoulder, “There were also times that I had dinner out here just to see this. It also relieved my stress for a time. But now, I think there’s something that makes this pale in comparison.”

“And what would that be exactly?” Gregory then slowly turned to face Fleur.

“I’m looking at her.”

“Oh, you flatterer. But, I love that you think I’m pretty.” As Fleur got closer and leaned her head on his chest and stroked his shoulder, she noticed Gregory growing increasingly uneasy, “Is there something wrong?”

“Well uhhhh… no. *ahem* It’s nothing.”

“Come now, darling. I can see that look on your face. If you have something say, then say it.” With a sigh, Gregory knew that it was the time to say those three impactful words.

“Fleur, though this was originally our first date, we’ve known each other throughout our junior year before the Friendship Games started. During that time, I’ve begun to enjoy our friendship before we’ve lost contact for sometime, but I’m sorry for leaving you. Yet, there was that one part of me that yearned for more. I-I guess what I’m trying to say that I… *whew* I l- oohhh I can do this. I can do this. I’m trying to say is that… I… I lo-”

Before Gregory could speak his mind, his thoughts were suddenly cast away when a set of soft lips touched his, and a hand gingerly stroking his cheek and the back of his neck. His mind went blank for a few short moments as he processed what happened. Fleur was actually kissing him right on the lips, and pulling him in for an embrace as well. He never expected her to make the first move but the feeling… it was actually beyond exhilarating.

“Woah.” Gregory gasped as the kiss was broken, “Never expected that to happen.”

“I know you didn’t,” Fleur giggled, while crawling her fingers on his chest and laying her enormous soft rack against his chest too, “I honestly knew what you were going to say, but I thought I already made it clear over the phone this week when I called you ‘mon amour’. But I want to hear you say it.” Biting his lip and with a mighty gulp, Gregory was ready.

“Fleur… I love you.” Gregory said, with a hug which Fleur returned, “But I have to ask, can we do that again?” Fleur then wrapped her arms around his neck with her eyes half-lidded.

“Oui.” She then lowered their seat all the way down so that Gregory was laying flat.

Slowly diving in, with their lips locked together once again, they both enjoyed each other’s caress. Lips against lips, tongues wrestling each other, their passion climbed ever so higher than the first quick kiss. Gregory’s heart raced at a rate he never thought possible yet was steady, as he felt her laying but sitting and kneeling on top of him, before it soon became a make out session as Gregory moved both his hands from across her legs to her butt and fondled it, along with her waist, while she caressed his chest, along with hers pressed against him, causing them both to moan. As much as he wanted to press even more further into her, he couldn’t, not on the very first date. He just wanted to enjoy the moment as it lasted. After a whole minute of making out, they broke the kiss.

“Mon amour, huh?” Gregory breathed, “I’m somehow going to get used to that.”

“And that you will, Gregory.” Fleur breathed back. “As much as I enjoyed our moment, my parents would be absolutely furious if I don’t get back home soon on time.”

Nodding, they got back in their original car seats and returned to town. Though they enjoyed their special moment, Gregory and Fleur immediately recognized the family above all else. Yet, it was already a day that they both thoroughly enjoyed together. As for Gregory, it felt like life could only get so much better for him from that point on.

Pulling up to the driveway, and after dropping off Fleur back to her house, Gregory couldn’t hold back the goofiest of all lovestruck smiles he has never had before. Even as he walked through the door, greeted by Celestia and Anton, he still wore it. It was like his facial muscles were frozen.

“So, how did the date go?” Celestia asked as Gregory sat on the couch.

“S-Swimmingly,” he sighed.

“I can already only imagine how well it went for you both.” Anton mused with a sense of pride, “So… did she kiss you or anything?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“How was it?”

“I-I… just can’t describe h-how good it felt. Except… very soft, and… wet… like heaven. That taste… strawberries.”

“Well, there’s no need.” Celestia sang, as she saw Gregory’s face covered in Fleur’s lipstick, which she didn’t mind. “I can actually tell by that smile of yours that both you and her had such a good time. Oh, by the way, I did save you a plate of chicken parmesan in the fridge. Feel free to eat when you get out of that lover’s trance.” Before she and Anton disappeared into the hallway after her giving him a kiss on the cheek, the boyfriend placed a hand on Gregory’s shoulder and nodded.

“You did good, kid. Good job asking her out. Remember: Don’t ever let her go, no matter what. Just hold onto her very tightly, and you’ll both get somewhere very soon. Goodnight.” He and Celestia high fived and left the room.

Still in his trance, Gregory rested in the couch with his eyes glued to the ceiling. All he could think about was the date and how well it went. Most of the holes in his heart have been healed warmly and soothingly and genuine joy and love already filled his heart. Feeling mostly complete for the first time in his life, he could finally rest very easily. There was much of life already ahead of him and right now, he somehow couldn’t wait to embrace it all.

’Yep. Life is definitely good. This is already the start of something new.’

Author's Note:

This is what I chose for Fleur’s outfit: