The Party Crasher

One Week

Ringing Jason's doorbell, I was praying I didn't screw this date up. My experience on how to act and what to do was quite limited. I mean, I'd been on dates before, a few, I guess. My friendship with Jordan and Rhys filled my time because they were more important. But I'd never wanted a girl or felt like I had to be near a certain girl like I did Florence.

The door swung open and Jason stood there with a bit of a scowl on his face.

"Hey, bro. What's up?" I asked.

"You're taking Flo out?" Skipping all the formalities, he jumped right to the heart of it all.

I stood taller, because it gave me confidence, and I needed him to know I was serious. "Yeah. Is she here?"

He didn't move from the door and I couldn't see over his shoulder, so I looked at his face again. "What is it, Jason? You know me. I'm not a player or one of the guys that's gone through all the girls at school. I like her and want to get to know her better. I know we only have a week, but I'd like to use that time to do so." There, I told him what my intentions were, but I still felt a bit pissed that he even felt the need to question me like that. I'd never given him or anyone else a reason to think I had bad intentions.

"Fine, come in." He opened the door and I saw her standing right in the doorway of the foyer with her aunt and uncle.

"Florence," I said with a smile and tip of my head. "Mr. and Mrs. Felix, it's nice to see you again." I walked forward to shake their hands.

"The pleasure's mine, son. Well, we'll let you two get on your way. Flo, here, told us all about it and we're very thankful she has something to do other than thinking she has to entertain us older folks, you know."

I chuckled a bit and poor Florence turned red from the top of her head to her neck, as far as I could see.

I stepped toward her and held out my hand. "Ready?"

She nodded and slipped her hand in mine. Thoughts of me looking like the Joker kept running through my mind, because my smile kept getting wider and wider every moment I spent in her presence.

We decided to eat first and bowl after. Conversation during dinner was enlightening. Florence had gotten into several excellent schools and she chose Harvard. I actually chose to go to USC, which was not too far from where I lived. We'd be on different coasts. That was a bit disconcerting.

When I got back to the party after dropping her off the night before, Jordan and Rhys had wondered where I went. After I told them about my connection with Florence, the first thing they said, "We'd only have a week, and so what was the point?" I didn't see it like that, like a waste of time. I saw it more like the beginning of what might be our future. I'd never know unless I actually took the time to see if we were right for each other.

So, being on different sides of the country for the next four years was not that bad. Maybe. We'll see.