The past few weeks have been slightly...how do you say it? Turbulent. Lots of things have changed, lots of things have developed and one thing has died a horrible death.

First of all, why didn't anyone tell me that computers crashed? The reason I haven't been onto my precious blog is because my computer contracted a virus of some kind. Now, getting a cold once in a while is alright - you get to take a few days off work, pretend you're worse than you actually are and have loads of Tunes sweets! But that's me. A human. When did computers start catching virus's? This baffled me, so I called up the store that sold me the computer and they were all like "Oh, yes, you didn't buy any anti virus protection off us, and because you are buying it separately now, we can't give you a discount..."

30 pounds!!!! That is how much it cost me to buy this stupid software. Not to mention the further £25 for the guy to fix it. The computer business pays well! I'm in the wrong line of work!!

Anyway, I got my computer fixed about 4 hours before I was supposed to meet Nick. I was excited. Was this is? Could this be the start of a new relationship that would make me insanely happy forever? Or would this simply be another meeting of one normal, classy woman (me) and one boring as mud, freakish man? I was full of anticipation for the whole day...eventually, 5pm rolled around and started getting ready. I decided to go through my normal ritual of having a really relaxing hot bath. I shaved my legs, my arm pits, and washed my hair twice - using some conditioner, made from papaya extract thank you very much! I got out of the bath and scrutinised my body in the mirror before me. I could've sworn I never used to look this...rubbery. My skin looked, well, dull. No life. I looked at my bum - the same down there. Note to self - treat oneself to a luxury spa weekend with girlfriends.

I did my hair and make up. Not a bad job! My outfit took me longest of all. I couldn't decide what style to go for - casual, smart, classy, a tad slutty or sweet and innocent? I guess I've never been one to flaunt it before, but it has been known, on the odd occasion, for miss Annie Ball to display what god gave her!! But, something inside me told me that tonight was not one of those nights. Instead, I just decided to kick back in jeans and a faded tee-shirt. No worries.

By about 7:10 I was ready. Will came over at about twenty past and he told me I looked like something out of the Breakfast Club. What a lovely guy! I playfully punched him in the arm...only playfully though because I happen to love that film!

7:25 rolled around and it was time for us to go. We grabbed our coats and stepped out into the cold March evening. Will told me to walk ahead, and he'll follow me about 1 minute behind, just so we didn't arrive together.

When I got to the pub, I stepped in and looked a guy about my age sitting by himself at a table. He said he would be wearing a black shirt and to look out for green shoulder bag covered in badges that would be residing on the floor by his side. These were the only clues he gave me. Were they meant to help me find him? Yes. Did I? No...

I walked from one end of the pub to the other, and could see noone fitting this description. I checked out a couple of students laughing at their table, engulfed my smoke. I saw 3 women, about my age, all looking deadly serious as they hunched around their table, protecting their drinks and discussing something top secret. Weirdo's. The token old guy was drinking his token pint of Guinness in his token corner. It was only the fact that he wasn't wearing his token Wellington boots and anorak that ruined the image!

I walked up to the bar, deciding to buy myself a drink in the hope that Nick would show up late, saving myself from the utter rejection that is being stood up. I noticed will had already bought himself a pint and was happily sat on his by the door, reading the paper!

I ordered a rum and coke, and as I was waiting for it to be poured, I noticed a great big fat girl in the far reaches of the room. She was huge, no word of a lie. She actually made me feel good about myself, which never tends to happen these days. As I was about to pull my eyes away from the rolls that were playfully teasing her under her shirt (gross) I noticed something. A slight flicker of someone, sat behind her. I couldn't quite make it out, thanks to the planet that was sat in the way, but after my drink was ready, and I had paid, I moved over to investigate - discreetly at first.

Sure enough, at the table behind hippo-girl was a man with medium long chocolate brown hair. He was wearing a black shirt that was fitted against his body, and baggy, faded jeans. He was reading some kind of magazine, and with his sleeves carelessly rolled up, one hand over his drink and the other on the magazine, I could see two very strong looking forearms, decorated with some rather interesting bracelets followed by two massive, very powerful looking hands. I checked under his table for the green bag - I wanted to be sure. No green bag covered in badges, but a red one was present. It was certainly covered in badges, but not the ones I thought! I visualised lots of badges with novelty sayings and pictures of old school cartoons, but nothing of the sort. Instead, they were depicting what looked like different countries, and different parts of countries. Mountain ranges and forests and deserts. Very interesting.

I was looking at this guy for about 3 minutes before he looked up and locked in on my gaze. His face was hard and pointy - not in a bad way mind. Almost as if he had been statue in a past life. He looked like he had been hammered out of marble, but once he saw me, all the hardness seemed to vanish instantly, and instead, a gentle softness appeared in it's place. He was unshaven - that'll have to go. I don't like stubble. Does nothing but hurt!! (god, already I was thinking of ways to change him!) and he has piercing blue eyes - and I mean piercing.

Before I knew it, I was moving over to him. Was I stood on a conveyor belt, or was he some sort of Jedi Knight, pulling me in with the force? Goodness knows, but I was moving towards him.

"Hi, I'm Nick. Confirmed. Right there. This amazing piece of mankind before was the stranger that called me up at work and sent me a random email out of nowhere...this was him. I had imagined he would've ended up being some 40 something bald guy, just out to get a quick thrill...but no. Nothing of the sort. This guy was actually, dare I say it, cute?

I sat down and took a sip of my drink. His opening line to our first conversation was a strange one. "Rum and coke drinker, huh? Can't deny that I used to enjoy that. But then I decided that coke was bad for you. I just stick with the rum now."

What kind of thing do you say to that? Oh, so you're a drunk then? or Rum? Neat? You must have a liver of steel...no, none of those things. I just decided to hit him with the universally acceptable laugh.

And that's how it went. For about 3 and a half hours. We just sat and chatted about all kinds of things, but mostly about lives. And he has lived the most amazing one. He has travelled all over the world, mountain biking and hiking across forests and deserts, through valleys and mountains. All the badges signify places that he has been. He talked me through them all and I listened with fascination.

Of course, when it came to my life, I talked about sod all. I had been to this uni, got this mickey mouse degree and worked at this crappy little place and had no life outside of my flat. I hadn't travelled anywhere, apart from the annual family holiday to Cornwall...talk about lame.

It was rolling on for 11:30pm and last orders had been called. People were going home, and the room becoming more and more quiet. Our conversation was still alive though. I could listen to him to talk all night. But then I remembered Will. Shit! Will!! He had been sitting for HOURS in this pub, just in case anything had gone wrong for me. I bet he had gone home by now though. He was round the corner, on the other side of the pub, so I couldn't actually see him.

As we called it a night, we stood up and put our coats on. We exchanged the typical "It was nice meeting you" and "We should do it again sometime" before I watched him walk out. That was it. No kiss, no walking me back to my flat. He didn't even drop a flirtatious hint that he would be up for a one night stand...what was this? Had I actually met a nice man?

Oh, and the bag? He said it was green but it turned out to be red...turns out, he's colour blind. I was surprised that he told me that, but I guess it's not that important.

I walked around the bar and in the corner, sure enough, I saw Will. He had waited for me. The whole night. He was just texting someone on his phone I think. I walked up to him and asked him how he was. He was tired, and lets face it, slightly drunk! A whole night in a pub by yourself? That's going to happen.

I told him briefly that the night went really well and that Nick was amazing.
"Really? Great, well, I'm pleased for you. At least he didn't turn out to be the bald guy you were fearing."
That much was true. Nick was certainly not what I had been expecting.

We got up and I gave Will a hug and thanked him for being such a great friend. He waited all night for me and he didn't even mind. What a guy!

So that was my first ever date with Nick. It was crazy! Surreal and slightly unexpected, but in many ways, wonderful. Oh god, I sound desperate don't I? I bet I sound like I'm falling in love with him? Well, in all honesty, I'm not. I'm just glad to have finally met a nice guy.

At least, I thought he was a nice guy...

We met on Saturday the 10th. It's now been over 2 weeks and NOTHING! He said he would call me because that's what he liked to do, but he hasn't even dropped me a line. Not one. I mean, you would've thought that after such an awesome date, he would've called me once, even just to say "Annie, I want nothing more to do with you, you are boring old frump. That would be fine, just as long as he called...okay, forget that. It wouldn't be fine. If someone said that to me, even the milkman, I would want to cry for about a month!!

Well, it's 10am, and I am not working today. I worked all last night, answering phones to the morons who feel it necessary to call at midnight to find out about their paint order. Three words....GO TO BED!

*sigh*

I'm grumpy because he hasn't called. Why hasn't he called? I don't know. I am going to call Will. I haven't actually spoken to him since my date, so I think we need to catch up. I'm sure he would be interested to know that Nick doesn't keep his word...