Boyfriend by Christmas

Chapter 3

I accidentally blind side Frankie at his locker on Monday morning. Garrett and Niyata were right – Jimmy is on again with his ex-girlfriend Kimmy so Frankie moves up on the list.

"Hey, Frankie," I say. He jumps when I say his name but relaxes when he sees my face.

"Oh. Hey, Cassidy. What's up?"

I smile my best date-me smile. I could be looking at my first mistletoe kiss right now. I can't blow this. "I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime. On a date. With me."

Smooth, Cass.

Frankie looks confused for a second but he regains his composure pretty quickly. "Really?"

"Um, yeah," I say. "I just thought, you know, it'd be fun."

He shrugs. Not exactly the kind of reaction I was expecting to get but okay. "Sure. I'm in."

"Cool. How about tomorrow night?"

"Sorry, can't. I'm free Thursday though."

"Okay, perfect. I'll see you Thursday." I hand him a slip of paper with my number on it. "You can pick me up at six."

He smiles. "Sounds good, Cassidy. How do you feel about action movies?"

Gross. "I love them."

"Awesome! See you Thursday!"

I pull out my planner and pencil Frankie in for Thursday night. Next stop, chemistry class. Number eight on my list is in this class, but so is number two, Trevor. And we happen to be lab partners.

Before we start today's experiment, I decide to broach the subject.

"Hey, Trevor. Do you want to go out sometime?"

Trevor smiles. "You want to go out with me?"

"Yeah," I say. Why are these guys so dense? "Um, what do you say?"

"Huh. I'd never thought about it. But sure. Why not?"

"Awesome. Are you free tomorrow night?"

He thinks for a second. "Yeah, I can do that. Want to go to Marino's?"

Marino's is an Italian food restaurant/diner that basically only exists because so many people use it as a date spot. The food isn't that great but at least we'll be able to talk to each other.

I'm just glad he didn't suggest an action movie.

"Sounds perfect," I say. "Pick me up at six?"

"Awesome." Trevor picks up his goggles and slides them over his eyes. "Shall we get started?"

The rest of chemistry goes by the way it always does. We finish our experiment before everyone else and start writing up the lab report until the bell rings. I'm glad Trevor said yes to the date because if he'd said no, this would probably be awkward.

Hopefully things aren't super awkward after our date. Especially if he doesn't make top three. Which, judging my his not-that-enthusiastic response to my proposal, I don't expect he will.

**

By lunchtime, I have four dates. Trevor on Tuesday, Jeremy on Wednesday, Frankie on Thursday, and Taylor on Friday. Jeremy and Taylor responded a lot better when I asked them out.

The only person left is Thompson.

Thompson and I have had classes together every year since middle school, but this year our only classes in common fall after lunch. But I have an in before that.