My Next Door Bully

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9 - BINGO!

I WAS SUPPOSED TO meet up with Ben at our school after I finished working at the restaurant, where the Singhs needed me once again, but was late because of traffic.

When I got there I immediately went to the auditorium where Ben told me to go. I flung the doors open and was struck by darkness.

"The hell?" I muttered to myself, I reached into my backpack to get my phone and text Ben but as soon as I did so, the lights switched on.

And there, in the middle of the floor was Ben, he was wearing a dark blue suit and his usually gelled hair was combed to the back. There were some silver balloons behind him. He was even carrying a bouquet of white daisies in his hands—oh no.

I sneezed at them, "wow,"—I went closer to Ben—"what"—sneeze—"is this?" I stayed three feet away from him or my allergies would shake the building.

He was about to answer but I sneezed again and he frowned, "what's wrong?" he asked, coming closer but I took a step back.

"I'm, uh, allergic to daisies"—I tried to contain it but I sneezed once again.

"What? I thought that they were your favorite flowers," he stated. He probably asked one of my friends because they all know—as insane as it is—that my favorite flowers are daisies but I'm also allergic to them.

"I know it's weird, they're my favorite, I usually just get plastic, but I'm still allergic to them.

"Oh," he sighed, then he walked to the corner and shoved them into the nearby trash can.

I felt bad but still felt better. Instead of saying anything about them, I asked the obvious question, "what is this, Ben?" I sneezed into my elbow, which I hope was the last time.

"Well the plan was to ask you to the dance and tell you that they counted up the votes and masquerade wins, but due to the circumstances, I guess we should go outside," he finished.

"That's a good idea," I said. We walked side to side and exited the building.

We stopped in front of a tree that looks half dead, I spun around and we were inches apart. I breathed in the fresh air and my nose was loosening up, but I knew I couldn't feel fully well until I took something.

"Tess—or Tessa?" He asked.

"Tessa is fine," I told him. I'm not going to lie, I never was a fan of the nickname Tess but I didn't want to hurt Ben's feelings or anything like that.

"Well, Tessa? Will you go to the winter masquerade ball next week with me?" He smiled and took both my hands.

It was pretty chilly and I could feel cold air go through my scarf and down my back. But I blocked everything around me and threw my arms around Ben, "of course I would," I said in between kisses.

I could feel him smile against my lips and he pulled away, which made me kind of angry.

"I have to clean up inside the auditorium, then go over some stuff with the principal and then I have to go to this bingo fundraiser, it's pretty fancy, I had to wear my special suit." He smooths down his jacket and kisses my cheek, "I'm really happy, I'll see you later, okay?"

I nodded without saying anything and I felt my body deflate, he didn't even wear the suit for me. And I even began to wonder if he was ever going to invite me to his events, even though I wasn't a fan of bingo! (sorry I can never say bingo without saying it excitedly) I still would love an invitation from him.

I walked to my car and drove to the park where Ashton took me to play soccer a few weeks ago.

...

After Ben's semi-proposal I was already so busy photographing the sky, a couple lone flowers, and even a little bird, that I didn't hear a car arrive until the person spoke, "I knew I'd find you here," he said.