Just Another Cinderella Story

ME AND THIS LAUGHING BUFFOON OVER HERE ARE ON A DATE.

I passed through the rest of my classes in a haze. Kathryn looked at me weirdly. "She looks so calm... But so disturbed at the same time." Kylie said. London looked at her weirdly. "She looks like she just got flashed to me." She said, shrugging. I glared at her. "What's the deal, Carrie?" Rose asked.

"She's looked weird since she and Zach came out of the cafe..." Kathryn observed. A look of apprehension passed over her face. "Oh my God... What did he do??"

I rolled my eyes and said, "He kinda probably maybe just asked me out." London let out a squeal of excitement. Did I mention she was hanging out with us? No? Oh well.

"Where is he taking you?" Kathryn grabbed my arm and looked at me expectantly. I shrugged. "It's a surprise."

"Then how do you know what to wear??" London exclaimed. I shrugged. "Something casual, but trendy too." Rose decided for me.

Kylie added, "Light makeup too."

"With that outfit, you could do anything from laser tag to fancy dinner!" Kathryn stated.

I rolled my eyes. "What would I do without you?" I asked sarcastically. "You wouldn't be alive of it weren't for us." Rose reminded me.

"Thanks for the optimism, Rose." I said flatly. She laughed. Now for the rest of the day...

***

I just got home with the girls (including London) when they dragged me to Kathryn's closet. "I have the best clothes," she explained. Kylie and Rose just looked at her like, really bitch?

After an hour, the girls found the perfect outfit for me. It was a light pink lace top, white jeans, gold flats, gold dangly earrings, and a bunch of gold necklaces. For my makeup, London finally convinced me to wear pink lip gloss and brown eye shadow. After about thirty minutes of playing with my hair, Rose just let it fall around my shoulders. By the time I was done, Zach was at the door. I got a brown leather purse, put something in it, and sprinted out the door.

"Thank God you're here. London just tried to make me wear stilettos. Do I look like a person who would wear stilettos?" I said. Zach looked at me weirdly. "You look... Beautiful." He said. I just looked at him.

"Thanks, i guess? Anyway, where are we going?" I replied. He smiled.

"It's a surprise." I rolled my eyes. A surprise? Why? Grr. We got in his car and drove onto the highway. We got into LA and he stopped at a cafe.

"So nothing fancy?" I teased.

"What? Do you like fancy things? I thought you wouldn't." He said nervously.  I laughed at his nervousness.

"Well, lucky for you, I hate fancy things." I said. "Including these flats." I kicked the flats off and got the white Converse out of my purse. "Kathryn and London would kill me," I explained when he looked at me weirdly.

He laughed. "You look much more... What's the word?"

"Normal?" I suggested.

"No. Much more Carrie." With that, he led me into the cafe.

My breath hitched. The art in that cafe... There are no words to explain. There were murals all over the walls. Each tile on the floor was different and unique. Each seat had different quilts used as padding. You could tell they were all made by different people with different beliefs and different... Well everything.

"Whoa..." I said, inspired by everything around me. Zach smiled at my obvious excitement. 

We sat in a booth at the back of the cafe, when a peppy looking woman asked us what we wanted to drink. "I'll take a sweet iced tea," I said politely. Zach ordered blue raspberry lemonade. When the woman came back with our drinks, I could examine her closely. She was about 60 years old with a grey updo and bright makeup.