First dates are so awkward... | Source: ShutterStock

When I was a little girl, I spent way too much time daydreaming about my first date (that is, whenever I wasn’t daydreaming about being a very rich princess). In my mind, it was going to be perfect. We would walk on the beach (of course), he would tell me he’s madly in love with me immediately (obviously), and it would just be cute and romantic and something straight out of a Disney movie.

I’m sure you can figure out that none of those daydreams included the awkwardness of what actually happened.

First dates with anyone are awkward enough, and your very first date ever is even scarier. When I was 14-years-old and my major high school crush asked me out, I was so excited and nervous, I almost threw up – after I jumped up and down screaming and calling all of my best friends. But even though I was terrified, I had spent years watching gooey romantic movies, reading women’s magazines that I barely even understood, and creating the perfect date in my head – I was pretty sure I was ready for what would obviously turn out to be the best first date in history.

I mean, is this really too much to ask for?! | Source: ShutterStock

Despite the fact that we had never hung out outside of school, D and I were already boyfriend and girlfriend. We spent countless hours chatting on AIM, and I regularly got yelled at for being on the phone with him late at night. I felt like I knew him really well, so I didn’t think I’d have a problem feeling comfortable around him. But the night of our date (we were going to the movies – no sappy beach scene for me), I flipped. I spent hours throwing clothes around my room trying to figure out what to wear and simultaneously thinking of things we could talk about.

D offered to pick me up, but the thought of him coming to my front door while my little brother and sister giggled in the window made me cringe all over, so I said I’d just meet him there. That’s when the awkwardness really began – my dad and his best friend, basically my uncle, insisted on driving me, no matter how much I begged my mom to do it. The whole way over, they grilled me about D. When we pulled up to the theater and they attempted to come out for a “friendly hello”, I thought I was literally going to die.

Once the date really started, it was clear D felt just as uncomfortable as I did. All of our online talks and late night phone sesh’s hadn’t prepared either of us for the extreme awkwardness of being together without the sound of the bell ringing or lockers clanging shut. We both sighed with relief when the movie began and our small talk ended.

Happy pants | Source: ShutterStock

Luckily, the movie was funny enough to break the ice, and while we waited for our rides home, we sat together in the middle of the deserted parking lot (like the rebels we obviously were) and joked around. As I was laughing at something he said, D took a lighter out of his pocket and started lighting pieces of garbage on fire. Trying to act tough and super cool, I grabbed the lighter out of his hands and went to light the fraying bottom of my jeans on fire – only to completely burn my finger and start blushing like crazy.

D smirked and said, “I bet I can light your pants on fire better then you.” He leaned over, flicked his finger, and suddenly, the bottom of my favorite pair of jeans was literally on fire! I, being as calm and collected as I always am, shrieked and ran around in a circle while D used his sweatshirt to put it out. After we both stopped laughing, he leaned over and gave me my very first kiss.

As weird as it sounds, that moment in the dirty, cold movie theater parking lot became our bonding moment. Despite our super awkward beginning, me and D went on to date for years – and we never stopped bringing up the time he lit my pants on fire. And I know this sounds totally corny, but that was when I realized things don’t have to be fairy-tale perfect to work out – sometimes awkward and weird is even more perfect!

What was your very first date like? What’s your most awkward date moment? Share it in the comments!

Read about this girl’s very first kiss – and how it was totally worth the wait