When a 14-day dating challenge erupts between skeptical Blossom and her secretly smitten best friend Hunter in the waning days of 1999, their easy friendship is plunged into a maelstrom of teenage angst, unrequited affection, and the terrifying poss...
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~ ~ ~ 1999
The year was 1999, a world of dial-up internet, scrunchies, and the undeniable allure of grunge music. For Blossom, a sixteen-year-old with a skeptical heart, love was a concept relegated to the realm of cheesy movies and saccharine pop songs. Her best friend, Hunter, however, was convinced otherwise. Armed with a charming grin and an unwavering belief in romance, he'd devised a plan—a 14-day bet date challenge designed to prove to Blossom that love wasn't just a fairytale.
So far, the dates had been...well, a mixed bag. There had been a semi-romantic dinner date, a couples 5K run Blossom enjoyed more than she let on, and lastly the technically acclaimed date where Hunter did MMA with her, he wanted the date part to be going out to eat afterwards but was injured in class so it was cut short. Each time, she found herself simultaneously annoyed and secretly charmed by Hunter's efforts.
Today, however, felt different. Instead of Hunter pulling up in his beat-up truck after school to whisk her away to some pre-planned adventure, he'd surprised her with a text message. "Meet me at 421 Elm Street," it read, followed by a simple, "It's a surprise."
Blossom, intrigued despite herself, turned to her other best friend, Janet, for a ride. Janet, a bubbly whirlwind of energy, was always up for a bit of gossip, and the drive quickly dissolved into a detailed dissection of Hunter's romantic motivations.
"Okay, so he's clearly into you, right?" Janet asked, her eyes wide with excitement.
Blossom scoffed, leaning her head against the car window. "Don't be ridiculous. It's just a dumb bet. He wants to prove me wrong."
"But why does he want to prove you wrong?" Janet pressed, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "Maybe...just maybe...he wants you to believe in love so you can believe in his love."
Blossom rolled her eyes, hiding a small smile. "Janet, you watch way too much TV."
"I'm just saying! The signs are all there! The way he looks at you, the little things he does... like, the fact that he's taking you on all these elaborate dates."
Blossom had to admit, deep down, that Janet had a point. Hunter's efforts had been undeniably extravagant, though she tried hard not to read too much into them. "It's a bet, Janet, he has to try. He's probably just trying to win."
Janet laughed. "Okay, okay, play it cool. But don't say I didn't warn you when you're both walking down the aisle to your favorite Goo Goo Dolls song!"
They arrived at the address, a rather nondescript building in an industrial part of town. "Well, this is it. Knock 'em dead, I guess," Janet chuckled, pulling to a stop.
"Not him though! You do you understand I don't mean him right?" Janet joked, knowing full well what happened on their last date.
Blossom stepped out of the car, flipping Janet off with a smile. A mixture of apprehension and curiosity bubbled within her. "Thanks, Janet. I'll...I'll tell you all about it later."
