Dangers of Daydreaming

Chapter 7

Yes, I'm trying to update fast to finish this. WARNING (if you haven't figured it out yet) It's going to be cliche as fuck.

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I’m not going to lie and say that it took me a few moments to think about my answer. I mean, if the guy you like asks you to be his girlfriend, you instantly say yes. And, to me, that’s like the same thing. Being asked to be someone’s prom date and to be someone’s girlfriend, I mean.

            I look at him, trying to see if this is some sick joke or what. But I detect nothing, except for eagerness. He then adds as an afterthought, “I mean, I just remembered that I said we should hang out some time… And I think prom’s a good time to hang out.”

            I try not to show my overflowing happiness too much. Not wasting a second, I immediately exclaim, “Yes. I mean, sure, I want to go to prom with you.”

            And his attractive face that always induces a swoon from me breaks into a charming smile. He grabs his phone from his pocket, and reaches it to me. “Okay, great. Uh, hey, can you put your number in? So we can talk and all, you know…” My fingers are shaking a little, but I try my best to put my number in.

            When I’m done putting my number in, he leaves immediately but not before saying goodbye. And I’m left there, standing and smiling like a complete idiot. My thoughts are running wild and free inside my head, and I know for sure that there’s no way that I can ever contain them.

            “Hey!” Someone calls behind me. “Charlotte!” It’s Xander. I just remember right there that he and Tom have been waiting for me so we can all walk home together. I face them, hoping my grin isn’t too wide, but their faces suggest otherwise.

            “What’s with that face of yours?” Tom asks. I stare into their eyes and see that they already know what Gus and I had talked about, but I guess they’re just waiting for me to really tell them. “Well, you can already guess what happened.” I say, a little coy and excited.

            But I don’t wait for them to make any guesses, and it looks like they’re not up for a guessing game, either. “I already have a date for prom!” I can only hope that I didn’t sound too girly. As we walk through the front doors of Perth High School, they ask me some questions – mostly Xander, though.

            “Gus? Gus is your date to prom?” Xander asks with evident disbelief and uncertainty. “Really? What did he see in you? Are you sure about that, Char?” I roll my eyes at him and pick at lint on my shoulder. “Shut up, Alexander.” I say in the most threatening tone I can muster, but it ends up sounding like I’m kidding. I never call him by his real name because he’s always annoyed by it. But for now, I guess he deserved it.

            “You know I’m just kidding, Davis,” Xander wraps his arm around my shoulders. We’re walking down the pavement when I catch Tom’s eyes and my head is filled with shit, shit, shit, shit!

            “So this means that you,” he points to Tom, “are the only one among us who doesn’t have a date yet.” Tom nods quietly. Something is clearly bothering him. “Want me to find you one?” Xander offers, but he refuses. “Nope, I’m good. I’ll find a date on my own,” when he sees that Xander is about to protest, he cuts him off. “It’s okay, man. Really.”

            The walk home is quiet, but not the awkward type. It’s always like this with us. The silence among us isn’t unsettling, but comfortable. We’re all left to deal with the frenzy that is our thoughts.

            It takes me a few moments before I recognize the design of my house. I guess I’m too distracted. “Thanks for walking with me, guys,” I say gratefully. “Okay, um, bye!” But before I can enter the door, “I gotta run, too. Bye guys!” Xander says hurriedly. His phone in his palm, and then he’s off running the streets.