I have never had to get a bus after five o'clock before. You can imagine, then, that I was feeling pretty nervous as I waited to get the first bus after eight so I could take Jason up on his pub quiz offer. I knew the buses became hourly after a certain time, so it was either be on time or be very, very late.

I was stood at the bus stop for nearly forty minutes. If anything, I could have gone home for a quick cup of tea but I didn't dare leave my post, should a bus turn up before the normal time. Which they have a tendency to do.

My iPod and Soft Machine's 'Third' helped to pass the time somewhat. The skies darkened and it was dusk when I got the bus. In St. Helens, I arrived to the deep blue of a young night. It was a quarter past eight and a few stragglers were about the town; most of the activity was in the countless pubs and restaurants. The streets lacked people but an ambience filled the air; traffic, the sound of a security alarm shrieking and church bells going wild - melodic, near, yet out of place.

Naturally, I was worried about what I would do when I arrived at the Running Horses. It's a big pub, with a tendency to get crowded. If Jason was in there, would I find him easily? If he wasn't and I got there first, would he find me? Finding the pub itself was easy enough - I remembered it was somewhere near Cineworld. I decided to take things step by step and get there before I panicked about finding Jason.

My first look inside the Running Horses wasn't promising when I arrived. I didn't recognise anybody, and it was insanely crowded. A group of ladies sat at the table we'd been sat at yesterday. They waved in my direction as I passed the bar but they were waving to somebody else. Overwhelmed by the crowds (it was worse tonight!) I went up the steps to their left and chanced a look back along the pub.

I saw Jason, and he saw me. I made a grateful beeline towards him. He looked surprised to see me, but glad all the same. I took a seat and he introduced me to his brother (Lee, I think his name was), as well as the rest of the pub quiz team. They seemed like a nice bunch and I should have talked to them more, but I was suffering from an unfortunate combination of feeling ill, being exhausted from the previous day and being terrified by all the unfamiliar people around me. It was almost like I'd never been on the Prince's Trust - I was probably very quiet that night, even with Jason and Lee. I feel a bit bad for that, in hindsight.

We bantered for about half an hour until the quiz began. I'm pretty sure their Mum joined us shortly before the quiz began - I know she turned up at some point, but my brain's been frazzled this past couple of days so I can't remember exactly when.

Pub Quizzes, for me, are actually stupidly hard. I could ace a Science test, even a Maths one if I tried. But pub quizzes require a different kind of intelligence; knowledge of popular culture, often going back through the ages, and a collection of random trivia. I'm academically intelligent and creative, yes, but ask me to name an assortment of pop songs by simply playing a one-minute extract... well, I'll be stumped. On this particular quiz, I did get a few answers... well, about six of them! There were only about two that I got right that nobody else knew... so not a particularly epic contribution!

To be blunt about it, our team got flattened. They'd won last week, but this time round we got about 37 out of a possible 60. You couldn't fault the absolutely genius team name that Jason came up with, mind: 'Quizzically Acclaimed' - I thought it was rather clever! Anyway, there's always next time - if I'm allowed to come back, that is!

Pretty much everyone on our team left after the quiz was over, but for Lee, Jason and myself. We just ordered another round and talked, really - well, as much as we could talk over the music in there. My hearing's pretty naff so when loud music's playing I find most conversation impossible. Meanwhile, I was watching the clock leap forwards by five minutes at a time - it was frustrating how quickly time seemed to be going; I had to be back at the bus stop for 11:25 but I wanted more time than that.

Unfortunately, though, time had other ideas. At 11.05, I decided I really had to get going. I didn't much fancy the idea of missing the last bus and having Jason step in to help like he did last night - a sweet gesture it was, but I still get that nagging guilt whenever people help me out expecting nothing in return. All three of us left the Running Horses but Lee said his goodbyes and went the other way, leaving just Jason to walk me to the bus station.

I can barely remember most of what we talked about on the way there. All I know is I babbled drunkenly, enjoying what remained of the night and his company. I just kept talking about all this pointless rubbish, trying to be funny, I suppose, and he laughed where appropriate and chipped in with the odd comment.

One moment of the walk back is perfectly clear in my head, probably because it's the most important part of the night. We were near the bus station, crossing Victoria Square. The sky above was pitch black and the pallid streetlights illuminated the square as if it was broad daylight. We were passing the cenotaph.

'Have you got any plans for Wednesday?' Jason asked.

Being slightly inebriated (but only slightly as I'm a good child who only had 1.5 Magners), I responded 'why Wednesday in particular?'

Said the Jason, 'Orange Wednesdays - we could go see a film.'

Said the the Kelza, 'Cool, free stuff!' - thinking heeeee, bonus points for subtlety, sir!

At the bus station, he asked me for my number. I gave it to him, and just as the bus was here I realised that he hadn't given me his. I told him to text me, boarded, took my seat (well, fell rather dramatically into it, but shh) and waved farewell. He had the biggest grin on his face; it was actually quite adorable.

I got his text on the bus: 'Glad you came tonight. I'll check the cinema times and contact you soon. Goodnight.'

So, cinema on Wednesday with Jason! I'm looking forward to it - if only Wednesday wasn't so far off!