Something About You

Chapter 11

I hear the garage door open and look out my window to see my dad pulling into the driveway. I look at the time and realize I haven't seen him all day besides him waking me up. I go downstairs to see him carrying grocery bags in from his car and go help out with the rest.

"Did you guys find something to wear for graduation at the mall today?" He sounds like he's broken a sweat from carrying all the bags inside.

"Yeah, Megan picked out a suit and I found a dress to wear."

"Well at least one of you will be in a dress." As we unpack the groceries it occurs to me that what if he finds out about my night at the club?

He knows people that work there, they know my face. Shit. I didn't think about anyone he knows seeing me dance with a girl. What do I say about tomorrow night's date? I'm not ready to talk to him about this. I'm about to dismiss all the scenarios in my head when he asks,

"So how was your night? I didn't even hear you come home; I was fast asleep. I see you picked up your car." He raises his eyebrow at me with a towel over his shoulder getting ready to chop up dinner on a cutting board.

"I had a few drinks, so I thought it was best not to drive; but it was fun. We didn't stay out all too late." I decide to skip the part about me meeting a girl, taking her around the city and holding hands in the back of a SUV.

"No trouble at the club?"

"No everything was fine," I keep my cool.

I help him cook dinner and we sit down at the dining table with a baseball game on in the living room.

Afterwards, I go upstairs to my phone on my night stand and see a group text with Tayler and Jamie asking if I wanted to get a drink tonight since Kara is out with her family.

I turn them down and decide to stay in. I figure I should catch up on some sleep before having another night with Claire. I need to prepare myself for the possibility of another all-nighter.

I wake up as the sun peeks in through my blinds and decide to go for a warm morning run. I can't stop replaying my night with Claire over and over again, and how she said things like, "there's something about me" or the fact that her heart tells me I'm important. Any imagery or thought of Sean has completely disappeared and has been replaced by the haunting smile and lips of Claire Emerson.

I run back home, shower, and check the time. 8:34. I don't pick her up for our date tonight until 7. I think to myself, "Now what?"

I nearly spend the whole day cleaning the house and for each wall that has a mirror, I stare in it wondering what the fuck Claire Emerson sees in me. Of all the people in the club that night, why did she pick me to dance with? I get to my bathroom mirror and end up having a conversation with myself like a lunatic.

"She obviously sees something in you."

"But what could that be? I'm just an average person. An average college student with an average internship and average family."

"But there is something to you, idiot. Go with it."

The rest of the day, I find little tasks to occupy myself with and jump at the opportunity to join my dad to take a trip to a home goods store. This day couldn't fly by fast enough.

As the evening approaches, I spend way too much time for how little make up I put on. I throw on a pair of blue jeans, a nicer shirt and a pair of white leather shoes; I wear the same things all the time. It seems underdressed for a dinner with a famous actress, but I hope she understands for the activity taking place afterwards.

I told my dad that I was going to one of the minor league baseball games here with Kara and her family to give me enough time for a long date with Claire; and a decent excuse. I hop in my car and drive towards the strip, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel filled with anxiousness. I hope she likes what I have planned.