TANGLED PLANS

18

I spent the rest of the weekend worried about when Justin was going to text me. He doesn't text me the whole day on Saturday, and Sunday is a no-contact day either. I didn't know if he had grown busy or if maybe I hadn't given him my number. The latter seems to be out of the equation, seeing as though I did. He had called on his phone with mine to ensure that our numbers went through. The reason he didn't text me wasn't a big problem, though.

I was freaking out about the fact that there was a boy out there who wanted to, quote, hang out with me. What did people do on hangouts? Did they talk to each other the whole time, or were they flirting? If there was flirting, then how do I go about doing that? Since I didn't want to ask my older brother about it, I pulled out my laptop and started my research.

I knew that researching everything wasn't a good idea, but it was the only thing I could do. I wasn't close enough to ask Maria or Kielly about it, and it would be awkward to ask them an intimate question when we have been friends for only a week. I just realized that I was new to the whole friendship thing as well. This year was full of firsts for me.

The internet searches do not get me any farther. There is a lot of research that says to make eye contact while smiling at them, but that wouldn't work. I could barely make eye contact with a person on the street; how was I able to do it in front of a guy? My eye contacts lasted a few seconds with anyone, especially after I would stare at their eyebrows. Which led to me brushing up the said eyebrow in my mind until that fantasy went over my head over and over.

No, this was not good.

I sigh when more eye contacts come up and move my laptop away with me in defeat. This flirting thing wasn't going to be good for me. This wouldn't work for me—I would just stick to keeping a polite smile on my face, but what if that got a little too werid? Justin had said I was an odd girl a couple nights ago, and while it was probably a compliment then, he wouldn't think the same if I made things weird.

"Daisy and her research." I hear a teasing voice right behind my ear, and immediately I start to shout. My shouting gets worse when Max's arm comes into view and goes to grab my laptop. I'm laying my arms around him, hitting whatever I can, and Max's eyes turn to me, full of amusement. He looks at my face and then down at my hand, which was flaying at his arm. His voice is full of laughter when he asks, "You done hitting me, sweetheart?"

"No!" I shout and hit his arm again, which makes him scowl in pain. He moves his arm away from me but grabs my laptop. "Don't." I use the most deamnor I can muster in my tone, but it doesn't work. Max has grabbed the laptop and has it in front of his face.

"How to flirt with someone," he reads out, and as soon as the words come out of his mouth, I feel myself flushing in embarrassment. I couldn't believe that Max had caught me researching embarrassing topics twice now. I needed to start taking my laptops upstairs. I had only come downstairs in order to maybe find my dad here and talk to him, but seeing as though he wasn't here, I took it upon myself to do a little research.

Research that I would need, but now I vowed to never research my own life again. The possibility of Max catching me again was high.

Max is scrolling through the laptop as I bury my face in my hands due to the humiliation. I couldn't believe the stupid smirk on his face as he did so. So, I was hiding. Yes, I knew that that wasn't a good solution, but it was either that or running. I have run once, but that didn't go over well, and this time he had my laptop. I couldn't leave from here with his access to going through my history.

I didn't search for anything bad, but I still didn't want to risk anything.

"Daisy," I hear him say from his spot, and I peek a glance at him. He has a very big grin on his face when he sets the computer down. I reach for the device, shut it off, and find my opening. Yes, this was the perfect solution. I grab the computer, hold it to my chest, and go to make a run for it.