Huey Freeman's Guide to Dating

Chapter Seven: The Non-Negotiables

Step Seven:
Dating is a contract.
Outline your conditions and stick to them.
Set the standard for a change.
No more waiting for someone to do it for you.

Jazmine hated Thursdays.

They always made her restless, reminding her there was just one more day of her being stuck doing something she really didn't care about, in a place she really didn't want to be in.

Which was why she continued to ignore whatever their Latin teacher was talking about. Instead, doodling in her notebook, creating imperfect stars with the I'm-Totally-Listening-To-You face she'd mastered back in elementary school.

"Note for you from the foreign exchange student." Her friend Casey tapped her on the shoulder with a grin, gesturing towards her. "If you don't want him, I'll happily take him off your hands." Casey continued talking as she eased the note into Jazmine's hand. "He's from Europe. His name's Liam."

Jazmine glanced down at the note, silently reading the cheesy message on it:
I hear you're in the market for a dinner for two.
Are you available?
What say you?

Jazmine turned back to glance at her suitor, completely prepared to turn him down.

After all, according to Huey's book, she wasn't supposed to accept a date until she'd completed step seven of Huey's process. And she'd had yet to do so. She honestly hadn't been too sure where to start.

But none of that mattered now. Not anymore, not when Liam was way too beautiful to turn down.

Not only was he tall, which was a total plus, he had perfect tanned skin and piercing green eyes. He was serious but still approachable, he clearly worked out, and he looked like he belonged on the streets of Greece.

A real life Clark Kent straight out of Smallville, a complete 180 from her usual type.

Jazmine didn't have to think about it for long. Scrawling a 'Yes' onto the sheet of paper, she passed the note right back to Casey, turning to face him as soon as it landed back in Liam's hand.

"Wow." He gasped, looking up from the paper to meet her gaze. He rustled his hands through his short black hair and smiled at her. "You said yes."

"I did." Jazmine smiled back at him. "We can meet at Blake Hall's on Saturday. 8:00. Don't be late."

He pressed his lips together and nodded appreciatively, clearly impressed by her forwardness. "You're the boss."

She turned back around, shrugging.

"I sure am." Jazmine kept her composure despite Casey quietly squealing behind her, low enough that it wasn't drawing anyone's attention but hers before going back to her doodling.

Maybe dating wouldn't be so bad after all.
_______________________________________________

Cindy was already waiting at her locker when she strolled down the hall, grabbing her math book for her next class.

"So, you're into white guys, now." Cindy leaned on the locker next to hers, making a playful kissy face while Jazmine ignored her. "I'm not mad at it. Just let me be the one to break the news to Mr. Afro Love."

"Shhhhhh!" Jazmine glanced around, nervous he'd pop up at the worst possible moment. "Shut up, Cindy!" She glared at her. "We're just going on a simple date this weekend." She turned to look at her friend for a moment before fluffing out her curls in the mirror. "Besides, he was way too cute to turn down. Have you seen Liam?"