The Perfect Promise

Chapter 27: Midnight at the Magnolia:

~Chapter Song: I think I'm in Love, Kat Dahlia~

"Well, it all started when your parents were out of town, so David came to pick you up from the cinema. You had forgotten your purse and rushed inside to get it. David put his phone number on my cell, against my knowledge, and texted me every day, until I finally agreed to go out with him. The first date was a disaster, but he didn't let it go until I agreed on a second. I finally gave in and we went on a second date. That one was actually pretty good, but I ghosted him for days after because I tried to make you talk about him a bit and you told us about the reputation of a player-"

"Thank by the way.", David jumped in.

"Was I lying?", I shot him a look.

Christine cleared her throat to get our attention back. "Anyway, I really didn't want that in my life. He made a few very romantic gestures and I slowly opened up to him.", she made a long pause waiting for my reaction.

"Yeah, but why hide it?"

"Because, my dad, found out about him, and let's say they didn't like the bad boy he seemed to be. They had forbidden me from dating him, or even seeing him which I did anyway. For a while at least. And then we started dating, secretly from the world. I'm very sorry we didn't tell you, but things have their way of getting out. So, we hid it from everyone we knew."

"Okay, I guess, I get that.", I said, "Why all the jokes then about me dating him if you were already seeing him? I mean, wasn't it uncomfortable for you?"

"I imagined them us two different people. From the one there was the David, that my best friend has known since they were kids, and then there was my David."

David took her hand and held it tight.

"Winter, your silence is freaking me out. Please say something.", David spoke.

I didn't like that they lied to me, but who was I to judge them? I would be a hypocrite if I was mad at them for doing exactly what I am.

I looked right at Christine, "Are you happy?"

She nodded.

"Then I'm happy for you.", I said, and she finally relaxed.

"What should we order then?", Cameron said, "I'm starving."

"Let me just text Mark and Ben to get in real quick.", she grabbed her phone and typed a text.

"Did you have them waiting outside all this time?"

She made a guilty nod.

"Christine."

"Thank God, I was so close to becoming an ice cube out there.", Ben's high voice screamed into my ear.

"Hello to you too, Ben.", Christine said, "How are you, Mark?"

"Hey everyone. How are you? David nice to finally meet you. Ben yelled a lot about you the last two days.", Mark said and sat down.

"Hi guys.", I said choking a laugh.

They both waved at me and Ben finally took a seat.

We ordered fast and started talking about school. We had a lot of tests coming up, so the usual teachers' burns were happening at an intense level.

After a few minutes, I realized that David hadn't said anything. He didn't go to our school, and he definitely didn't have many things in common with my friends, so he was a bit left out of the conversation.

Mark must have had the same thought as me because he turned to David and asked, "So David, what school do you go to?"

"I go to the other school in the district."