Unattainable

Chapter 10: The Morning After

"Well it's because I have to tell you that I like you," I told Joseph.

"Oh," he said, looking down at his feet. I felt my heart drop. He said it with such a flat tone, I knew the response wouldn't be good. "Well, I guess I have to say that I kinda like you too." 

"What?" I asked looking up. "Really?" I immediately asked, smiling like an idiot.

"Yeah," he said smiling. We stood there for a few seconds, just smiling at each other, until we see everyone coming back toward us. Tiffany and April grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the door, away from Joseph. 

"So?" April asked as soon as we were out of the gym.

"What happened?" Tiffany also asked.

"Well," I began, "I told him that I liked him,"

"And?" Tiffany interrupted. I paused. I was so excited to tell them. I knew they would freak out.

" He said he kinda likes me back!" I said excitedly. They all screamed and gave me a hug. We then composed ourselves acting like we didn't just have a mini freak out in the hallway. We walked back inside as Joseph was coming out to find us.

"Hey I have to go," he told us. " My dad is waiting outside for me."

"Okay," I told him. 

"This was insanely fun!" April exclaimed.

"Yeah it was," he said, smiling. We were standing around him in a semicircle. Tiffany was at one end and I was at the other. He started going around, giving everyone a hug starting with Tiffany. He comes to me and gives me a hug.This was the first time we had hugged, and the hug was amazing. It felt right and special, the same feeling I got when he put his arm around my waist. Everything I could possibly be worried about went away; it was just Joseph and Amber, no one else. We broke apart smiling. 

"Bye," he said. "Text me."

"Okay, I will," I told him. "Bye," I said, waving at him. I watched him walk out, turning back toward my friends after he left. They were smiling at me and nudging each other. Maggie was the first to speak.

"Hey, my mom is here to pick us up," she said. Maggie's mom was taking Tiffany, Maggie, and I back to Maggie's house for a sleepover.

"Okay, let's go get our stuff," I said. "Bye April!" I said giving her a hug.

"Bye!" she said to all of us giving Maggie and Tiffany a hug too. Tiffany, Maggie, and I walked toward coat check and figured out where we were meeting since it was organized by last name. Tiffany and  I walked toward our coat check and Maggie walked toward hers. Tiffany and I get in line and wait for our turn to go up and get our coats, shoes, and purses. 

"I can't believe you told him!" Tiffany exclaimed. 

"Neither can I," I told her truthfully. "I am in complete shock right now. Honestly I can barely remember what I did." Tiffany laughed.

"Of course you wouldn't be able to remember," she said. We get our stuff and go to find Maggie. We see her waiting for us and we walk outside. As we walk Tiffany and Maggie start laughing at me. 

"What?" I ask them, unsure what they are laughing about.

"You keep smiling," Maggie told me.

"It looks like you can't stop smiling," Tiffany said. "It's kinda creepy."

"Oh shut up!" I told Tiffany. "You would do the same thing if you found out your crush likes you back!"

"Very true," Tiffany responded as we got in the car. Maggie just stood there laughing at us. Maggie's mom asked us about the dance a little, but she wasn't prying. We get to Maggie's house and go upstairs to get out of our dresses and get more comfortable. After I changed and took everything out of my hair,  I check my phone for messages. 

"Oh my god guys! Joseph texted me!" I all but screamed. 

"Open it!" Tiffany exclaimed. I look at my phone and open the new message.

Joseph: Hi! :)

"Aww," Tiffany and Maggie said seeing the text.

"Shut up," I said, blushing.

Me: Hey! :D

I kept checking my phone throughout the night, but I never received a reply. Tiffany, Maggie, and I stayed up a little longer talking. We didn't talk for very long; we were tired from the dance. We finally fell asleep exhausted.

I woke up in the morning feeling happy. I remember a good dream but nothing else. Maggie was already up.

"Good morning," we both said, myself yawning and stretching. We looked over and saw Tiffany, still asleep. 

"Let's wake her up," Maggie whispered. I nodded in agreement. We walk over to the air mattress she was sleeping on. We stepped lightly on it and glance at each other, making sure the other was ready. We both nodded and began jumping.

"Time to get up Tiffany!" we screamed. She groaned and rolled over. Maggie and I stopped jumping and sat on either side of her head. 

"So how did you sleep?" I asked Tiffany. 

"Still and," she said. "You?"

"Pretty good," I replied. "I had an awesome dream though."

"What was it?" Maggie asked. Tiffany finally rolled over to listen to the story.

"Well," I began. "I was hanging out with Joseph and I told him that I liked him. Then he said he liked me back! I wonder if that means anything?" I trailed off, thinking. Tiffany and Maggie glanced at each other. 

"Well Amber," Maggie said.

"That wasn't exactly a dream," Tiffany finished for her.

"What do you mean?" I asked them.

"Well, you actually told Joseph how you felt and he felt the same," Maggie told me.

"It's true," Tiffany said. "What do you remember from last night?" 

"Well, I remember going to the dance and hanging out with everyone, but I don't remember anything about talking to Joseph," I told them. I couldn't believe I forgot part of the night, and important part too.

"Think harder," Tiffany encouraged me. I thought as hard as I could. Suddenly I remember talking with Joseph. Though in my memory I was a spectator, watching Joseph and I talk. I could see the moment he told me that he liked me back. My face lit up with joy. 

"I remember now," I told Tiffany and Maggie, coming out from my memory. "It was just like my dream. I guess I didn't realize it was real." Tiffany and Maggie continued talking and I kept silent for the most part. All I could think about was telling Joseph. I couldn't believe I forgot everything that had happened. If I wasn't staying at Maggie's would I have even remember what had happened?

The three of us went downstairs to eat breakfast. After we ate, Maggie's mom told us to go upstairs and get our things together so she could take us home. We go upstairs and sort out our things then go home. Since I lived close to Maggie, I was dropped off first. My mom came outside when we pulled into the driveway and began talking to Maggie's mom. I sat in the car and talked with Maggie and Tiffany until they had to leave. We watched them pull out, then went in the house. I went into my room and put my clothes away. The rest of the day, I was in my room, listening to my iPod and reading. 

I began to get ready fr bed when my phone vibrated, saying that I had a text. I open the message and see that it's from Joseph.

Joseph: Hey :) Sorry it took me a while to get back to you. I left my phone in my dad's car last night. lol

Me: It's okay. So how was your day?

Joseph: it was okay, nothing really exciting happened.

Me: I understand that.

I looked at my clock and saw that it was getting late. I decided that I should go to bed. I put my phone on the table by my bed and set my alarm for the next morning. I was still tired from the dance, so I fell asleep quickly.