"I'm sorry, What?" I sputtered out, shifting out of her reach. I was not expecting that at all and I could feel a fog of anxiety start to block any coherent thoughts from forming in my head.
I watched as Luna looked a little shocked at my reaction but composed herself quickly. She reached out for my hand and held it firmly in her to keep me from backing away any further. She rubbed a soothing circle onto the back of my hand with her thumb.
"I said, will you go out with me tomorrow night?" Her eyes danced with humor and she looked so hopeful my heart tried to physically reach out to her.
But I pulled away. Why do I feel like cheating on Lali.
I looked back down at her shoes and was instantly reminded of Lali. What if Luna wasn't her?
I had no evidence other than a common pair of shoes that at least a thousand other girls could own. I couldn't betray my best friend like that, not after all the years of friendship and promises we have made.
If Luna was Lali, then I would know within 3 weeks and I could wait.
I had to.
"No," I concluded, "Thank you though."
I couldn't bring myself to look her in the eye so I turned to leave. I needed to get away from this situation.
She gently grabbed my hand again and pulled me back so that I was facing her again.
"Wait, no? Why not?" She asked with confusion etching her face.
Raising my eyebrow, I gently slipped my hand out from her and shoved both of them into my pockets to avoid it happening again. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves before speaking.
"It's just that, I, well I barely know you. We only just talked this morning so that hardly dignifies a date," I explained. Judging by the look on her face, she has never been turned down before, which there is a very high chance that she hasn't. I've noticed how girls look at her at school.
However, if she was Lali, then this was going to be payback for all the years of her relentless teasing and flirting. Plus, she is asking someone out three weeks before we are supposed to meet, so the idiot is going to have some explaining to do. Saying no right now is a win-win situation.
"Well isn't that the point of a date? To get to know each other?" She tried to reason.
I shook my head no. I wasn't going to change my mind on this one. Now that it's finally hit me that I will soon be standing in front of the girl of my dreams I didn't want to risk doing anything that might mess it up.
Lali means the world to me, and it terrified me to no end that I could lose her.
Saying yes to Luna now could mess up the most important relationship in my life. I was strong and I could stop myself from developing feelings for anyone right now.
If she and I are meant to be then it will happen in three weeks. We can go get coffee and laugh over it then, but for now, I'm letting her down easy.
"I just don't think it's a good idea. I don't know you well enough to say yes. Maybe ask again in three weeks?" I timidly smiled up at her, trying to read her reaction.
All I got was more confusion. Luna smiled at me and leaned back against the wall, "I don't think I can wait three weeks, but trust me when I say that I am going to charm you into saying yes before then. You'll see, Chaeyoung. You'll see," she smiled warmly at me, handling the rejection with grace as she tucked another curl behind my ear.
