Zinnia And Me

Day 7

I ended up hanging out with Sonya again. It turns out Zinnia was busy helping her family doing some Christmas shopping.
Sonya and I were walking through the park since it wasn't so cold out. Tomorrow night was the annual Christmas glow in the dark special. I was planning to go with Zinnia, just by ourselves. Even our parents weren't going to be there.

"Going to the light show tomorrow night?" Sonya asked.
"Yup. Just me and Zinnia and nobody else." I smiled at the thought of me and Zinnia holding hands strolling down the sidewalk seeing colorful lights above our heads.

"I might tag along too, but then I don't wanna ruin your date," Sonya says, her head hanging low.
"You can come too, if you'd like," I say, trying to cheer her up.
"Cool, I'll see you tomorrow. I'll keep quiet so it'll look like I'm not here at all."

I couldn't help but laugh.
"Don't worry, your facts about the planet earth could keep the conversation going."
Sonya laughs.
"Oh Zach, stop it!"
"Yeah, Zachary, give it a break!"
Me and Sonya looked to our right, then our left, then we looked behind us to see Gary. He had his usual smirk on his face and he was leaning against a tree, with his arms crossed.

"Were you following us?" I asked.
"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation," Gary replies.
"You know that's very rude to eavesdrop on somebody's conversation," Sonya tells him.
Gary rolls his eyes.
"I just came to tell ya, you might wanna cancel off your plans, Zacky-boy, because I'm thinking about taking Zinnia to the lights display tonight."
"You can't do that!" Sonya protest. "Find someone else to go with!"
Gary shakes his head.

"Can't do that, four eyes, because I'm asking her first, and that's final," Gary spat.
I could feel my blood boil with anger.
"Why would she hang out with a jerk like you?" I asked bitterly. "I'm pretty sure she would hang out with a kid like me. Sweet, kind, sensitive, and loyal."
"More like a sensitive little wimp."
"I'm nowhere near a wimp! Name one time I was a wimp!"

Gary stops to think.
"Remember in the 4th grade I punched you in the nose and you cried on your way to the nurse?" Gary asked.
I cringed at that horrible moment. Gary was as usual teasing me about acting like a little kid. I was really sensitive in grade school, where I mostly cried because of some insult that was supposed to be a joke.
Gary wanted to prove that he was stronger than any boy in the 4th grade. During recess some of the boys gathered around Gary to see if this was true. He wanted to use me as a stunt, and next thing I knew, WHAM! Right in my nose.
Right away, one of the teachers saw and escorted me to the nurse's office in a heartbeat. On my way there, I burst into tears. Not because of my bloody nose, but because I embarrassed myself on the playground. Some kids even urged me to punch him back, but being the peacemaker I was, there was no chance of that happening.

"Gary, you can be a complete jerk sometimes!" Sonya yells, getting into his face.
Gary backs up a little and then smirks.
"Or, what about that time in the 5th grade where you cried because fell off the monkey bars?"
"I was close to getting a head injury," I scolded.
I remember that day. I fell of the monkey bars trying to hang upside down. And when I fell, Gary and his goons laughed at me. Thankfully a bunch of girls saw, and chased them off, with Zinnia at that time taking me to the nurse's office.

"See? You're a wimp! No girl would ever want to date a wimp!" Gary exclaims.
"Zach is fine the way he is," Sonya scolds, folding her arms against her chest.
Gary rolls his eyes.
"Get real. My opinion is that Indigo boy needs to grow up," he spat.
"I don't need to grow up," I say through gritted teeth. "I'm practically more maturer than you."

Gary burst out laughing.
"That's what you think. Now excuse me while I go find the lovely lady and ask her out."
Gary walks away and leaves me and Sonya behind.
"You might as well show up to the lights display," I tell Sonya. "Gary's gonna go with Zinnia, I guess."
Sonya rolls her eyes.
"No way! You ask her! There's no way Gary would find her. She's all the way across town. That guys an idiot."

I sighed and quickly took out my phone. The time read 4:36 and the event started at 6:12. I found Zinnia's number in the alphabetical contacts.
I decided to text instead of call, since barley no one in this generation calls anyone unless it's emergency.

Hey Zinnia. I wanted to ask you a question.
I wait for a reply, and Sonya looks at the text message. My heart is beating fast, and it's usually like this when I'm talking to her.
And then she replies.
Sure! What's up?
The annual Christmas glow in the dark lights display is tomorrow night. I was wondering if you'd like to go with me?
I'm actually shaking. I don't know why, but I need to stop and stay calm. Another reply.
Sure! I'd love to go! I'm gonna have to bring my younger brother, if that's okay.
I shrugged and wrote, Sure. The more the merrier. :)
She then replies with, You're a sweet guy, Zachary.

Sonya squeals.
"You did it!" She says, taking me by my hands and swinging me around. I felt a little dizzy but was able to regain my balance quick.
My heart was pounding against my chest so loudly, I'm pretty sure Sonya could hear it. But that didn't bother me, I was to happy. If I could ask her out for tomorrow night, then I can definitely ask her out on Christmas Eve, our birthday.