Pokemon Cards (2022)

    Second date.

    It was only the second date. Sure, I was already comfortable with having Lucas around me after talking to him for months at the aquarium. The aquarium was my safe haven because I was shielded from the horrors of the world and the idea of social interactions. But, this wasn’t the aquarium anymore. Having to decide on a place to go was possibly the most nerve-wracking decision I have had to make in a while. It also didn’t help that Lucas didn’t have a place in mind. Now I actually had to make a decision and I was still trying to get my bearings on the new world.

    He said that he would like the place we would go no matter what place I chose, but the primal urge to impress him was what kept me driving by possible date locations. He didn’t seem like the type to sit at an internet cafe or go to a comic book store [those were things I enjoyed]. What was I going to do?

    “Cody, you know, if this is really stressing you out we can just go to a park.” Leaning forward from the backseat, he holds the back of my chair so that he could get a better look at my face. Upon first glance, his face falls. “Oh yeah. You’re definitely sweating. I’m sorry-”

    “What, me? I’m not stressing out. I’m just- I’m just thinking.”

    “Thinking doesn’t involve your sweat glands, honey. I just wanted you to have an opportunity to choose where to go this time. I want you to have fun too.”

    “I-I’m just worried that you won’t like the same things I do- which is stupid because you said you would try and that’s the whole point of a date- but I don’t want to disappoint you. Ah-sorry, Lucas.” After stopping at a red light, I turn back to see Lucas giving me worried eyes, his arms crossed. I knew that reaction was going to happen.

“It could be worse, Cody. You wanna know what place my ex took me to on our first date? A cheese museum. The cheese was good. But a cheese museum.”

“Damn, I love cheese- didn’t know that existed to be honest- wait, that's not my point. I-I’m just nervous is all.”

“Ok. On the next green light, go to the first place that interests you. I don’t care if it's McDonalds or Six Flags. I promise I will enjoy it.” Lucas places a hand on my shoulder and he gives an understanding smile. Immediately I could feel the anxiousness melting away from my chest. Even just for a little bit, that was the boost I needed.

As I drove us down the main boulevard of the quiet, suburban city, my eyes darted across the windows, trying to find a decent place to have our date. Burger King. Barnes and Nobles. The Mall. A Hawaiian restaurant. They were enticing but my brain rejected the idea of boring Lucas to death, let alone breaking his “strict” diet of no fast food. He had a surfing competition next week and wanted to remain fit. I couldn’t object, but I would be lying if it made me extra cautious about what we were eating.

    

I was running out of options and I really hated the idea of us just eating McDonalds in the car. I wanted this to be nice. Nice, damnit. I was fucking this up. Major time. He’s probably going to think I’m a loser. A nerdy, pathetic, loser-

I make a right and pull the car into a small parking lot space. The building in front of us was a small strip of stores. A massage place, a rag-tag donut shop and a post office that is barely holding up. On the far end of the strip, a card game shop. That was where my mind pulled me to. I remember visiting this place several times on my way back home from the aquarium, but I never imagined myself bringing Lucas here.

“Are we going to get a massage?” Lucas asks, looking at the sun-bleached sign and the faded prices on the window store. “I could use one to be honest. Surfing has made my body sore.”

“If you want to go there, I don’t mind! The prices look a little pricey though.” I blurted, looking at the sign and calculating how much it would cost for one. Lucas stops me before we walk inside, and I freeze.

“Hold on. This is not where you wanted us to go, right? ” He asks quietly.

I gulp. “N-No. But if it makes you happy, I really couldn’t care less. Promise! If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

“Cody, I’m not happy if you’re not happy. Sure, I could use the massage, but I could always get one another time. This day is for you.” Lucas’ eyes were soft, his hand giving my shoulder a comforting squeeze. God, I wish I didn’t have to bring out this part of Lucas. The thought of him having to console me only made things worse. He shouldn’t have to babysit a grown man like me. 

“Sorry, I’m sorry. I…”

“If I had a nickel for everytime you’ve said sorry ever since we started dating, I could probably buy myself a new car, Cody. You really don’t have to be sorry. I’m here for you. Honest.” Lucas says, his words a tonic that swept over my body. It was intoxicating.

“Thank you.” I mutter. I accept his words rather than reject them. If I didn't, this date would probably spiral into an unwarranted therapy session. The last thing I wanted was turning my boyfriend into my makeshift therapist. 

I grab Lucas by the hand and I walk him to the end of the strip. He follows expectantly, eyeing down the store at the very end. His expression of eagerness slowly shifted to mild curiosity. We enter the store, and I inhale the familiar scent of cardboard, metal chairs and rundown fans. 

Several men sat on the farside of the store, hunched over their benches and flipping over cards in excited murmurs. The owner of the store greets me and I give them a wave back. Lucas, whose head was two feet away from touching the ceiling, observed the store with awe.

Glass cases surrounded the store and peering into them, packs of multiple card games laid adorned. Each case had its own game. One case was for Magic the Gathering, one case was for Dungeons and Dragons, one case was for Yugi-oh, another one Pokemon, and the rest were card games I couldn’t bother to look into. I shuffle to the pokemon case, pointing downwards at the display. On top of the case, figures and packs ready for buying were also laid out and let Lucas ask his questions.

“Is this a store for card games?” Lucas hushed his voice, realizing the store was small for his loud voice. “How often do you come here?”

“Mm. About twice a month. The owner is nice. I went here a while after I first re-emerged from the lab and entered therapy. It was a culture shock to see the things I liked ten years ago still alive and strong.” I admit. The owner from behind their glass-shelf counter comes up to us and inquires about anything I wanted today. I point towards a box of unopened card packs and they hand me two. I pay them and take Lucas to an empty bench.

“What did you just buy?” Lucas asks as I hand him one of the booster packs.

“Pokemon cards. You’ll see. Just follow my lead.” Once we were seated, I turned the booster pack backwards and ripped it from the tab. I take 3 cards from the back and move them to the front. Lucas studies my movements and mimics what I have done. Then, we go through the cards one by one.

    I shuffle through the ten cards, anticipating the possibility of a rare card. When I reached the end, I was rewarded with a dragonite card. With a sign, I leave my cards face down on the table.

    “Is that good? Or is that bad?” Lucas asks innocently, taking the cards and looking at the dragonite. It wasn’t even a holograph.

    “It’s not bad, but it’s not rare. I’m shooting for an EX card. Those are the good ones.”

    “Ooohhh I see. I want to see my cards.” As Lucas slowly flips through his cards, I lean on his shoulder. He recites the names of pokemon he has no clue how to pronounce and I giggle at his accent. He keeps flipping through.

    On the ninth card, he slides it down slowly to keep the anticipation high. When I see the glint of a holographic shimmer, my breath catches in his throat as he reveals a Salamence EX. “Oh my god! It’s an EX right?! That’s the card you want right?!” 

“Yes! Yes it is!” I exclaim. Lucas throws his hands in the air at the sight and I throw mine up too, laughing and cheering and hugging him as I hold the card in my shaking fingers. The men at the far side of the store turn to see the ruckus before quickly turning around over. I couldn’t stop smiling. “You’re so lucky!”

“Haha.” He blushes, glancing at his stack of cards. “It’s yours after all. You bought it.”

“But you opened it! That changes the game entirely.” I explain, tilting the card and watching the patterns on the card glint. Salamence wasn’t my most favorite pokemon, but it was an extraordinary card nonetheless.

“There is a game too right? Wanna show me how the game works?”

“Oh. Okay. Here is how it goes.” I explained to Lucas the card game. I even had the card store owner get in on it too. After all, they had the cards to set up a proper game. He was definitely not used to playing card games, but him trying to learn the game for me made my heart flutter with every second passing. When we had finished our second “unofficial match”, the store had to close down and we eventually had to leave.

“That was so fun!” Lucas says, getting into the backseat of the car.

“Really?” I asked, unsure to trust his words.

“Yeah! I didn’t know something like Pokemon could be so complex!”

    I crease my brows with embarrassment. “Thank you Lucas.”

    “Yeah! Tell me the next time you go buy pokemon cards. I want to open one with you again.”

    “Of course.”