A Sky Without Stars

Part 15-My Happily Ever After (October)

Word that Isaac and I were going to homecoming together spread like wildfire. People I barely even talked to came up to me to ask if the rumors were true. I couldn't deny it, of course, and everyone was thrilled for the two of us. Especially the people in our friend group. You should have seen Melody and Jane when I told them the news: Melody started jumping up and down with me, and Jane screamed out, "Bro! I can't believe it!" In fact, Jane and I found it especially amusing that we had both gotten asked to a dance in less than a twenty-four hour period.

So yes, I was very happy to be going to the dance with Isaac. When everyone asked if we were dating, though, I wasn't exactly sure what to say to them.

Sure, the two of us were going to a dance together, but I figured that Isaac was only asking as just a friend. That didn't mean I was any less excited. I was just a little bit confused about where his feelings were at. All I really wanted to know was how he really felt about me. Because, if he actually liked me back, then he might want to possibly go out with me. And that was a scary thought, but it was scary in a good way. Nervous excitement.

I knew it couldn't be true, though. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Isaac had probably only asked me out of pity, because he knew I'd never get asked by anyone else. It had to be the reason; I even confided this in Taylor, since she was just excited about me and Isaac as I was. Although she denied what I was saying, and told me that Isaac probably had a crush on me, I still couldn't believe her.

That is, until one day, she sent me a long string of screenshots. At first I was confused, so I asked her what was going on. Her only response was for me to read them.

On top of the messages, I noticed abruptly that the conversations were with Isaac. Oh boy. This could not be good, whatever it was about. I was willing to bet that the screenshots from the chat were about me.

And I was right.

Instead of seeing it as a text conversation, I chose to imagine the two of them talking in real life. It provided for a much more entertaining experience.

First, it started off with Taylor setting the mood for the chat. "Hey there, Isaac! Haven't talked you you in awhile! Heard you asked Pearl to homecoming. She's super excited about it."

"Oh really?" he asked, seeming surprised. "That's cool. Did she say anything else about me? Or homecoming?"

"I guess you could say that," mused Taylor. Isaac was obviously confused, so she continued. "Did you ask Pearl out of sympathy? Just wondering."

"No," Isaac replied. I could imagine his face scrunching up a little bit, the way it does whenever he is aggravated or confused at something.

Taylor took this opportunity to try and get information out of him. "So you like her, then, right?"

"Here we go again, with you asking me if I like her. I told you, I don't want to confess to anything! Believe it or not, I actually like keeping my secrets---wow!---a secret. The world may never know if you like her."

"Oh come on," Taylor whined. "Stop. She thinks you don't like her and that you only asked her to homecoming out of pity."

Isaac sighed. "Well, I didn't at all. I wish she'd realize that."

This was the point in which my heart began to race. I knew something either really good or something absolutely atrocious was about to be said, and I was hoping for the first, but expecting the worst.