Persisting Anyway

8) What If

"It's okay, darling, your fine." Carter repeatedly whispered in my ear.

I was so extremely confused. Why was he calling me darling and "my little gem"? What in the world had happened in two class periods? I mean, I had guessed that Amanda and Carter had broken up, but I didn't  remember Carter asking me out. Maybe he had just assumed that we were together. But, Carter wouldn't do anything like that.

We were still sitting on the floor. I don't know how long we had been there, but it was long enough that my butt grew numb a while ago. Carter was still stroking my hair and whispering in my ear.

"What do you mean by darling?" I asked. The sudden choice of vocabulary had thrown me off.

Carter laughed softly. "That's what I call you."

"Since when?"

"Since we started dating," Carter answered simply. A little bit of worry seeped into his voice.

"And when was that?"

"The beginning of this year, do you really not remember?" Obviously not if I am asking, I was so extremely confused. I have to be dreaming. This is not real. I pinched myself. No, this is real, and that really hurt.

"Why did you start dating me?" I couldn't help it, I wanted to know.

"Well I was dating Amanda, you and her had some drama last year. I guess she was mad at me because I was spending more time with you than with her and I should have been spending more time with her because we were dating. You told her that it was okay and there wasn't anything between the two of us. There wasn't, but I liked hanging out with you more than Amanda. You and her were really close, then she broke up with me and you got caught in the middle of it and so now you and Amanda are not really friends anymore. You must have hit your head harder than I thought." Carter filled me in on the background story.

"So, you and I are dating?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yes, it's amazing, the best thing I could ever ask for, my little gem." Carter kissed the top of my head.

"Am I popular?"

"You're the top of the school, now that I'm surprised you don't remember."

So I was dating Carter Jones. And I was popular. Suddenly, a thought came into my head.

"Are Rory and Claire popular?" I blurted.

"Oh yeah, the three of you are 'invincible' as everyone says. You 'rule the school' to put it." Carter used air quotes when he spoke.

"How did I become popular?"

"You have been popular since forever ago. In first grade, when I kissed you, you stopped pushing me away. As the years passed, we grew closer and closer. You and I were really close throughout middle school and through junior year. Then this past summer, we started dating."

"How did I get the nickname Topaz or 'my little gem'?"

"I have always noticed your eyes, they are gorgeous. I was looking at your eyes, thinking they looked like topaz. Then, I called Topaz, I was trying to get your attention, but 'Topaz' slipped out because I was still mesmerized by your eyes. I said that instead of Sydney. Then I guess it just stuck." Carter shrugged his shoulders.