The Misadventures of Endora Pan | First Date Fiascos
Chapter 22
You are reading The Misadventures of Endora Pan, a romantic comedy exploring the unpredictable nature of love and the chaos of everyday life. Set in the world of a young Taiwanese-American woman, this story delves into themes of self-discovery, cultural identity, and finding connection in unexpected places. Written in a witty, self-aware style, this novel is for readers looking for a light-hearted yet emotional read.
The Tototea parking lot was surprisingly packed for a Saturday afternoon. Endora circled twice before finding a spot wedged between a minivan and a motorcycle. As she squeezed out of her car door, careful not to dent the motorcycle, she caught sight of Dominic through the shop window. He was already inside, sitting at a small table by the corner, two drinks in front of him.
She checked her reflection in the car mirror, noting her still-slightly-puffy eyes, but hoped they wouldn’t be too noticeable.
The bell jingled as she pushed open the door, and Dominic looked up, his face breaking into a warm smile that made her stomach do a little flip. She tried to ignore it.
“Hey,” he said, standing as she approached. “I got you taro milk tea, extra boba. That’s your usual, right?”
Endora blinked in surprise. “How’d you know that?”
“You ordered it yesterday.” He pulled out a chair for her. “No spilling this time, okay? I don’t have another hoodie with me.”
“Ha ha,” Endora said dryly, but she was smiling as she sat down. “I left yours in my car, by the way. I can go get—”
“Keep it,” Dominic said, waving away her offer. “It looks better on you anyway.”
A blush crept up Endora’s cheeks. She took a long sip of her tea to hide it, the sweet, creamy taste bringing immediate comfort before the same creamy liquid went down her windpipe. She coughed, tried to hide it, but a choking, hacking fit soon had her in its murderous grip.
Dominic jumped up and thumped her on the back. She could hear him as from a distance yelling at a server for some water. The coughing eased up enough for her to take some sips from a water cup, and she took a few uneasy gulps of air. Slowly, the world around her came back into focus: Dominic’s concerned face, the chatter of the cafe, the whirr of boba machines.
“Are you okay?”
Endora nodded, not trusting her voice yet. This would happen to her.
She cleared her throat. “Sorry about that.”
Dominic shook his head and smiled. “I’m glad you’re okay. Boba went down wrong?”
“Just another day in my life.”
“So, how was small group?” Dominic asked, sitting back in his chair.
“Oh, it was good. Mostly good.” She hesitated, wondering how much she wanted to share. Her natural affinity for oversharing took over, however, and she plunged ahead. “Yeah actually, we talked a lot about relationships and how to find the right one, or how to avoid the wrong one. And I ended up sharing about my broken engagement…”
As soon as the words slipped from her tongue, she wished she could lap them back up. Of course I’d be the one to talk about my ex on a first official date. Good job, Endora, she thought to herself.
To her surprise, Dominic didn’t look alarmed. His expression softened and he leaned forward. “I didn’t know that. I’m so sorry, Endora. That must have been really hard for you.”
Endora felt a prickling behind her eyes. This was so not how a first date was supposed to go, but she did bring it upon herself. “Yeah, it’s not really a secret since the whole church kind of knows about it, but it’s not my favorite thing to talk about, obviously.”
“I get that. We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” Dominic took a sip of his milk tea, still looking at her. “But I’m here to listen if you do.”
Endora studied him. He didn’t look at her with pity, unlike many of the aunties at church and some of her peers. He also hadn’t asked probing questions about why she and Jacob had broken off their engagement. There was no judgment in his eyes, only patient attention.
An awkward laugh escaped from her. “I do want to tell you, but maybe not right now.”
“That’s fine. Can I admit something then?”
Endora tilted her head in curiosity and took a sip of tea, too—
“I’ve never dated before—”
She spat her tea across the table. “What??”