Unexpectedly

Chapter 5

"Great practice, girls!" I called to my team as we all packed up to leave. We were finally getting into the swing of things as a group, and I was actually really proud of the progress we had made. A few of my teammates chirped back mixes of 'thank-yous' and 'see-you-tomorrow's. Wrapping my thick hair up in a bun, I scanned my bag for my cell phone.

I finally located it, relieved that my black hole of a duffle bag was still going easy on my phone. An unknown number had sent me two messages.

"No freakin' way," I muttered, in disbelief that Landon might've actually texted me. Eagerly punching my code in, I skimmed my brain for any basic knowledge of chemistry. Just so he wouldn't think I was completely stupid, obviously. 

As I read through the message, it quickly became apparent that Landon was not the one who had texted me. 

"How did Zach get my number?!" I yelled, almost losing my grip. Whatever girls were left in the locker room started chattering excitedly and crowded around me. 

"Ohmygod, Avery!! Tell us what he said!" Katia yelled, trying to get around my shoulder. She pushed my hair out of the way and began to read the text out loud for all the girls to here. 

"Hey, Avery - it's Zach! Hope you don't mind me getting your number!  I was going to ask, are you free Friday night?" 

"NO FUCKING WAY IS ZACH ASKING YOU OUT," Amber screamed, jumping up on a bench. "SHUT THE FRONT FUCKING DOOR."

"Guys ohmygod stop!!" I yelled back, trying to gently shake everyone off. "This was totally a mistake."

"Avery, I have half a mind to slap you silly," Katia retorted, making a face that seemed to ask "are you stupid?" without being completely insulting. Look, he even double texted you - Figure you're a soccer right now. Let me know!"

"What're you going to say?" Amber asked innocently, although the look in her eyes made me feel as if I really only had one choice. 

"I swear to GOD if you don't say yes..." Katia warned, appearing more stern than she ever had on the field.

"Guys, guys," I laughed nervously, still holding my phone in my now-sweaty palm. "He just asked me what I was doing Friday. Maybe he needs help with something. It doesn't have to be a date."

"Only one way to find out!" Amber replied, making motions with her fingers to text him back.

Biting my lip, I hovered my thumbs over the keypad before finally typing out a response. 

Sorry! I was at practice. And I'm free! Why, what's up?

I showed the girls around me, who nodded in agreement that it was a perfectly appropriate, noncommittal response for the situation. 

"You sounded interested, but not needy," Katia assured me after I got the classic post-answering-crushes-text hyperventilation. "And now we wait."

My phone buzzed back within two minutes and I shamelessly read his response. 

No worries. I was wondering if u wanted to get dinner on Friday. There's this new place by the square and I hear it's really good :)

As I re-read the text 19 times to make sure I wasn't seeing things, the girls around me started squealed and jumping. Wrapping her arms around my waist, Katia lifted me off the ground and started leaving the locker room. 

"We're going to get you new clothes for your DATE with ZACHARY-FREAKING-CASARES!" she announced. My stomach almost double over in pain from laughter, I pleaded for her to let me go so I could just answer him.

"I'll say yes first, and then we'll go pick out an outfit."

Rolling her eyes, she reluctantly agreed and motioned for me to get it over with. Unable to contain my giddiness, I answered Zach with multiple exclamation marks. Senior year really couldn't get any better.

-----

"Someone's in a good mood," my mom muttered, raising an eyebrow at me curiously. "Did something happen at school that we should know about?"

Blushing, I realized I had been humming without even knowing it. Okay so I was happy. Sue me. 

"Nothing really," I responded, not wanting to get into the whole boy talk with my mom. If I told her I had a date she'd start asking a million questions including exact GPS coordinates and a social security number. "Just got a good grade - that's all." Shrugging her shoulders, my mom decided to drop the topic and turned her attention back on her cooking. 

The doorbell rang and I got up to open the door, knowing it was Talia. Even though I had told her that my mom was under no circumstance finding out about Zach and to keep it cool, she launched herself on me the second I let her in.

"I'm so excited!" she squealed, as I desperately tried to cling her off of me and go upstairs. 

"Nice job keeping it on the down-low," I hissed, opening my closet as she plopped on my bed. 

"Sorry that I'm happy for my best friend that just scored the hottest guy in the entire school," she retorted, her response sounding like a question. Pulling out a large shopping bag, Talia started to take out some tops she had brought that would fit me. "I really like this one," she said, gesturing to an off-the-shoulder blouse. "The color would look nice on you."

I studied the baby blue top, wondering what kind of pants I'd be able to wear with it. 

"You think I could just wear this with some navy jeans?"

"Yeah, definitely. Try it on!"

Nodding, I took out a pair of my favorite boyfriend jeans that sat tight around the waist but looser everyone else. Studying myself in the mirror, I brought the shirt down a little bit lower down my shoulders. My collarbone popped out and I became somewhat self-conscious, realizing how much of my upper half I was showing. 

"You can't even find my boobs in this," I sulked, trying to press the flowy fabric against my skin. "I'm literally a man."

"Avery literally shut up. You look perfect. You're not trying too hard but you still look really pretty and I'll do your hair and maybe even some makeup and ohmygod maybe I'll just take you out myself after I do that because you'll be a perfect eleven out of ten I swear!"

"Okay, okay!" I laughed, playfully pushing her. "I get it, you're gonna make me look nice! I'll wear this don't worry." 

"Girl," she began, giving me a stern look. "I'mma make him want to eat you and not the food."

"TALIA!" I hollered, my cheeks turning cherry red at her comment. "That was so not cool of you to say!" Unable to hold in my laughter after I noticed how much she loved making me uncomfortable, I joined her on my bed and cracked up with her. After the laughter had subsided - which took at least five minutes - I turned to gaze up at my ceiling and silently hoped that my day on Friday would go even better than planned.