My phone went off later that day, while I was buried up to my ears in homework. I gave a frustrated sight and stabbed my pencil viciously through the paper. “Don't people know not to bother me?”
I tried for a few minutes to get through the last bit of a math question. My brow furrowed as I poked industriously at the buttons on my calculator. A graph appeared on the display as my phone buzzed yet again.
“Fine!” I huffed to no one in particular, throwing down my pencil and picking up my phone to find out who was texting me so annoyingly. I checked the name.
Davie.
“Oh...,” I said slowly, flipping it open, all homework forgotten as I read her two texts.
“Jen, are we still getting together tonight? 6PM, right?” Sent 4:57PM.
“Jen? 6PM? And where are we going? I know of a nice little restaurant close to the lake....” Sent 5:01PM.
“sorry,” I began tapping out, a smile cornering my lips uncertainly, “was working on homework... and yeah. 6PM, sure that works. what place?”
“That's ok... I was thinking Lakeshore's?” her reply had a hesitant feel to it.
Another formal restaurant, I thought, tapping thoughtfully on the keypad of my phone. Is she serious? Are we... together? “isn't that expensive?”
Her response was a long time coming. “Well... yes. But... my family goes there a lot. We're sort of favourites and... well, we get discounts.”
“oh really?” I typed in sceptically, “tell me honestly Davie... why are we going to such a fancy place?”
“We'll just go to the park, if that's more comfortable for you. I know some people aren't all that good around... rich and fancy places and all that.”
Anger flared up slightly in my stomach at those words. “you think im one of those people?”
“No Jen! Let's just forget I even suggested Lakeshore's, alright? We'll go to the lake, plain and simple.”
I sighed and threw my phone onto the bed for a little bit until my anger had subsided. What's wrong with me? I thought, I'm getting angry and upset with the people I... love.
Oh shit. Did I just.... say that I loved Davie? Oh bad. Bad, bad, bad Jen! You do not love her! She's just a distraction, remember? Nothing to you... you do not love her...
My phone went off off, bringing me back from my thoughts. Right. Davie. “Are you alright Jen...? I'm sorry for upsetting you....”
I shook my head to clear it and responded slowly, “no... it's fine. really. the lake, great. sounds awesome. do you want me to bring anything?”
“Well... if you wouldn't mind bringing a blanket... I'll take care of the food.”
“ok yeah,” I tapped back, thinking about the big fluffy, orange blanket currently resting on my couch. “see you at 6 then, alright?” Sending that, I got up and threw on some cooler clothes, after having heard the weather report that it'd be a whole lot warmer.
I left my phone in my room to go grab the picnic blanket from downstairs. Hauling it up the steps, I threw it near the front entry so I wouldn't forget it, when I would leave.
“And just where do you think you're going?” Shit. Mom.
“Uhm,” I started, scrambling for an excuse that would lead her away from the fact that I was going on a sort-of date. “Couple friends and I... we're just gunna... you know. Hang out. Stuff like that. No need to worry. Just going to the lake, maybe play mini golf... hang out.”
