Road trip

7- suprise after suprise

For over three years I had rode to school with Austin. Of course when we started riding together Molly was with us, but unless one of us was sick we have always rode together since she died. So, Imagine my surprise when my phone chimes ten minutes after he is suppose to be here.

"My car broke, dad is going to drop me off, you may need to find a ride."

Lucky for him my dad is working from home today or I would be super late. Thankfully he seemed thrilled to get to drop me off at school.

"Have a good day Anna" he smiled as he dropped me off in the parking lot. I scanned my surroundings and was annoyingly surprised to see Austin's car, parked in its usual spot.

He, on the other hand, was no where to be found.

It was strange not to see him all day, especially since we had the same classes. I swore I had seen his truck this morning but maybe I was mistaken? I mean there is not way he simply ditched most of the school day, unless he had some baseball thing going on?

When lunch finally rolled around I made my way to the baseball field as promised. I wasn't exactly sure why I was going there or why it seemed like a million other people were here, but it seemed like it probably had to do with whatever surprise was planned.

I saw the rest of the team standing together with their backs facing the crowd. Jessica and her group were standing a few feet away as the captain of the baseball team turned to the crowd.

"This is it, my epic promposal!" Jessica squealed to her possy.

I rolled my eyes as the captain, Luke, began walking towards us, an air speaker in his hands.

"Your my go to girl, my home base when Im playing the bomb, but any dance without you would certainly be wrong. You're my best friend, I've known you so long." He suddenly cut off as a familiar voice took over.

I turned around to face my dork of a best friend holding his baseball bat in front of him.

"So Anna Phillips, be my date to prom?" Austin eyes me nervously as he turned his baseball bat around.

I smiled at the inscription molly had written on it. 'Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game'

It was her favorite quote and Austin had never replaced his bat. What surprised me was under the quote he had a small written 'prom?' With a box drawn beside it.  He held the pen out to me as I raised my eyebrows at him and squinted playfully towards him.

I guess his other girl date turned him down, but this was what I wanted anyway. I could feel everyone staring at us as I walked towards him and in big letters I wrote 'yes' on the bat.

He kissed my cheek before he lifted me up and squeezed me tightly to him.

"A simple, hey let's go to prom, would have worked too?" I grinned at him.

"Maybe you deserve the extra effort Anna." He smiled down at me and for the first time I felt something new and foreign in my chest.

I don't know what exactly it was but it made me appreciate my best friend so much more.

"Well it was a nice surprise." I replied, "but we do still have one more class to get to." I shrugged before pecking his cheek and running to class.

I was lucky to have him. Lucky that Molly made sure that I had someone to take care of when she left. In a strange way my promise to her made it easier to heal after she died. Almost as if I had a purpose bigger than myself- and I did, Austin became my new purpose.

"I still have one more thing to show you, but I guess it will have to wait until after school." He pouted as he sat beside me in English.

"Good thing your truck is fixed so you can take me home." I teased.

"Hey don't be mad, I spent all morning at a game, to come back and put together that epic promposal. We both know you would have squeezed the surprise out of me."

"True." I chuckled as mr Bleckley came in to start teaching

We didn't talk again until we were in the corridor walking out to his truck.

"So what happened with the girl you were going to ask? I can't imagine anyone turning you down?" I said casually.

"Huh?" He snapped out of a daze he was in.

"The girl?"

"Oh." He kept walking clearly not answering the question and instead getting in to start the car.

We drove to the park and once he had parked, bought us both ice cream and walked us to a bench we sat down.

"My dress is dark purple by the way." I announced out of no where.

"I know, your mom sent me a picture." He smiled back as my stomach knotted up.

"My mom texts you?" I questioned him, "wait she didn't make you ask me to prom did she?"

The silence was almost everything I needed to hear and I suddenly felt the need to tell him that I wasn't going to go. He deserved to be able to move on and go to prom with whoever it was he wanted to ask.

"Austin, I love you, but you need to ask whoever it was you wanted to go with. My mother will be fine and I can go by myself. It's not even that big of a deal and what if you miss your chance with what's her name..?" I rambled as he grabbed my hands and pulled them into his lap.

He pulled one hand out and reached into his pocket taking out a small locket. He handed it to me as I flipped the small clasp open and glanced inside. One side was Mols and I our first day of high school and the other was Austin and I last summer at the beach.

"I, I wanted to get you something you could wear to keep us both close to you. If you don't like it I could..."

"I love it Austin." I cut him off. "You're just full of surprises today." I smiled as he wrapped his arm around me.

"Yep, by the way, I was going to ask you to prom the whole time. I wouldn't go with anyone else but you." He added.

"Love you Austin." I smiled settling into his embrace.

"Love you more Anna."