The Summer I Changed | The Summer I Turned Pretty Fanfic

My Dinner Date

I checked my watch, of course, she was late. I tap my fingers on the steering wheel, parked outside Amanda's apartment. She told me to wait in the car and she'd be out in asecond, I knew that was a lie. I wanted to text her to hurry up, knowing she was probably still in Pajamas before I called to let her know I was pulling up.

But ... I have lied a lot the past week.

I think she's going to find it funny when I tell her the whole Fisher family thinks we're dating and in love, maybe even cackle when I tell her they want her to come with me next weekend ... I hope.

The door swings open and I think my heart stops for a second when I look at her. She'd taken what I said seriously, wearing a short black dress and heels, and pulled her chocolatebrown hair into a long ponytail. She looks smoking, like usual. Man, so many guys are going to be staring at our table tonight.

"Someone looks hot," I say putting a hand up for a high five.

She rolls her eyes, "Whatever."

I shrug, "Someone is also in a stinky mood."

"I mean just because I don't want to high five to my 'hotness' doesn't mean anything."

I look at her and she looks ticked off, her nostrils flaring and eyes on the road. "What's wrong?" This clearly isn't the time to tell her about what happened in Cousins.

"Nothing, it's that guy." She took a deep breath. "He'd call me hot too, but you know Jere," She gestured to herself. "All this hasn't gotten me a decent guy, who I like."

I gesture to myself, "You're talking to a single Greek God over here."

She half heartedly smiles at me. "You told me you had something funny and something juicy to tell me?"

"Let's save that talk for dinner," I say before hitting the gas.

Our favorite spot is this little uptight Italian place, not far from where we use to hang out after study sessions. We sit down at the white linen table and wait for someone to take our drink order. I watch Amanda fidget with her hair and her ponytail, she's nervous and I can't figure out why. A short, kind and very Italian man takes our wine order before smiling at us weirdly.

"I need to talk to you," I say with a sigh.

She looks at me like I read her mind. "Me too."

"You go first," I say with a smile.

"No, you go first."

"I'd rather I leave mine for last, it's kind of either going to be funny or an argument."

She looks at me confused, her green eyes puzzled. "Well, mine can either end bad or good too, so you first."

"Well the gossip part was that Belly and Conrad have been sleeping in different rooms for half a year!" I slap the table, waiting for her mirrored reaction.

"Sounds sad, don't they have two kids?"

"Yes, but obviously something is going wrong."

She doesn't really say anything, just stares at me. "So what does that mean?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to tell you ... I tell you everything," I say with a pout. I don't know why she's so quiet, but it's not like her. She's usually talks so much people around us shush her.

"What's the part that might make us fight, Jeremiah?"

I nod, feeling like this might actually make us argue now seeing how she's acting. "So, remember when we were on the phone yesterday and I told you to wear something sexy." I gestured to her dress. "Great fit by the way. looks amazing." Amanda smiles at me and I am hopeful she takes this well.

"Thanks."

"Well Belly, overheard us talking and thinks we're dating," I say with a forced laugh.

Amanda's eyes open wide and her mouth gapes open. "What?"

"Right, funny I know." I smooth the table cloth down for no reason. "She asked if we're dating and I never technically said yes or no, but then at dinner everyone asked and I just went with it," I am now talking with my hands and I don't do that. "Conrad apparently was not shocked since he's been rooting for us," I laugh again.

She takes a minute before speaking, I can see the gears in her head turning. She's not mad .. yet."So, you told them we're dating?" Her voice had a heightened tone, I think she's about to laugh.

'Yeah, which I know is crazy and would never happen!" I scrunch my face, "That's not all though."

"Yeah," she nods. "Crazy."

She's avoiding looking at me, I can only imagine she hates me right now. I tangled her up in my ridiculous lie. Our wine arrives and I wave the waiter off, he can wait another few minutes for our order. She tilts her head to the side, deciding if she's going to kill me. "Go on."

"I also maybe said you'd come with me next week," I put my head down. "Please don't kill me." I put a hand up to shield me from her slap. I wait for it, nothing happens. I peek at her through my fingers. Her eyes darted from me to her hands folded in her lap. She took a deep breath. "Was this a make Belly jealous thing?"

"No, I swear. I felt cornered and then the whole house asking for you to come- including the children! The children, Amanda ... "

She cracked a smile. "So, you want us to go pretend to be together for three days?" I'm shocked. Is she willing to? I was really waiting for her to give me some therapist speech about how this is childish and manipulative.

"I mean, it would be for the children." I give her my charming smile. "Would you be willing to do something as childish as pretend to be my girlfriend for the weekend?"

She makes a weak laugh, looking at her hands. "I mean if it's for the children, Jeremiah." She takes another deep breath.

"If I feel like even for one minute this is to make your brother's wife jealous Jeremiah Fisher!" she threw her hands up. "I will kill you, right before I leave in your car."

"I swear, this was me just feeling way too single in a house of married people."

She takes a gulp of the wine. "Only you could end up in a situation like this and drag me along for the ride!"

"You're the best friend an idiot like me could have," I squeeze her hand. "This might be fun you know."

"Doubtful."

'Well at least you get a free vacation," I say trying to sweeten the pot.

"And dinner."

"And dinner," I repeat. Though I had always planned on paying, I would never let a lady pay. Even just my lady friend.