Risking the Fall to Gain it All

11; A Dinner Date

I’m pretty sure no girl has ever been in a “What Should I Wear” crisis as horrifying as the one I was in. I mean honestly, how often do you have to pick what outfit is appropriate for a dinner date with a teacher? Then you have to decide if it is in fact a date. You can’t talk to your mother about it because, well, that would defy the point of a secret relationship. You can’t call your best friend, because she’s not allowed to know either. You can’t even Google it because who else would be in such a dilemma? Not to mention, what if the government was monitoring what I searched? They could see that I was planning on dating a teacher, swoop in with a SWAT team and the CIA and arrest Mr. Sawyer, and I’d be left with a sad face.

So as you can tell, I was very frustrated.

It was 5:50 when Darnell came home with Mark. They were both laughing and neither bothered to come say hello to me; which I was grateful for since I had clothes strewn all over my bedroom and no way of explaining why. However there was a problem.

How was I going to get there?

I could not expect Mr. Sawyer to drive all the way back over here, but I had no way to get there…unless Darnell let me have the car for tonight.

After ten more minutes of trying to pick an outfit I gave up. I thundered down the steps and slid across the hardwood floors until I found the two boys in the living room playing the Xbox.

“Ah-ha I win!” Mark yelled while the television displayed the stats from their game.

Player 1 had a kill streak of 5-2, which judging by Mark’s obscene pelvic thrusting I’m guessing he was player 1.

“Whatever man, I’m tired that’s all.” Darnell mumbled and stood up to turn the system off.  When he turned back around our eyes caught and he smirked at me. “So how was tutoring with Mr. Sawyer?”

I sneered at him, “How was losing to the biggest loser in town?”

“Hey!” Mark cried in defense.

“Okay, all insults aside,” I put my hands up in a truce, “I just wanted to know if you needed the car tonight? I have to run by Joel’s to help him with homework for a while.”

Darnell rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “I have to get Mark home now.”

“Can’t he sleep over like he usually does?” I groaned.

“Only if I can sleep with you,” Mark winked at me. My brother growled at him before tackling him to the ground. They wrestled for a few second but as usual, Darnell ended up on top.

“Don’t talk to my sister like that.” He hissed with Mark’s neck in a chokehold.

“Okay!” He gasped, “Okay, okay! Mercy! Uncle! Let go!”

Dee released and looked up at me, “I’m sure Jane won’t mind.”

“You mean mom?”

“Jane.” He insisted with stubbornness in his eyes. It hurt to see my family in some mysterious feud but I didn’t feel like arguing with him about it as I normally would.  I just sighed and asked for the keys.

Within minutes I was back upstairs and decided to wear a white graphic tank top, my salmon colored hoodie, with matching gladiator shoes and a pair of dark wash jeans.  It didn’t scream ‘hot’ but it screamed ‘Allison’ and I think that’s all Mr. Sawyer would care about. Not to mention, it was chilly outside and I’m not the type of girl to look perfect regardless of the weather. If it gets too cold I’m busting out my sweatpants and thick hoodies. 

I was pulling out the driveway as my mom was driving in. I sent her a text explaining the situation and left without waiting for permission.

The drive over was excruciating. How am I supposed to act now that we admitted that we both had feelings for one another? What should we talk about? Is it okay to hug him? How do these things work when the man is older? Oh God, what if the whole time he’s comparing me to women his age? What if I don’t live up?! What if he kicks me out when he realizes that he actually didn’t like me that much?!