Five Month Lie | t. holland

February | I

The cold air of the mountains pushed against you and your coat as you made your way to you and your friends' designated meeting spot at that one tree on campus. Shoving your dorm key into your pocket, you started down the icy path while a light snow began to fall.

"___!" Your best friend Alex  turned as soon as she heard your boots trudge behind her. She quickly tackled you in a hug the best she could while your other friend Kate looked on over your heads.

"What's up guys? Hey, Alex what'd you get on the bio quiz yesterday?" You had untangled yourself from her and was now holding her upright in front of you.

"Oh that?" She looked disgusted. "Seventy four."
You only sighed. This year, biology was killing your grades. "Better than me. I got a sixty nine."

"What about you, Kate?"

She didn't answer.
"Hello?" You asked your friend with an obvious wave to the face.

"Oh, sorry!" She snapped out of it but kept her eyes on the horizon behind you. "Um, yeah the bio test, uh I think I got like a ninety?"

"What!" You and Alex yelped together.

"How-" but she cut you off.
"Sshhh!" Kate grabbed your eye contact. "Don't look now, but there's a pair of really hot guys that just checked you two out."

"What?" Being the fluffy and absent minded friend you had, Alex instantly turned to see the two boys in question. "Oh... yeah, they are pretty cute."

"Are you an idiot?" Kate whisper shouted. "They're coming over here!" She grabbed Alex and turned her around.

Wondering what in the world was happening right now, you stifled a laugh as your friends argued. Suddenly, a tap on your shoulder caused you to jump a little bit but turn around nonetheless.

Two boys stood behind you, most of their features were hidden because of their coats and hats, but the shorter one with brown eyes who had probably tapped your shoulder shoved his hands in his pockets as his taller friend backed away. "Uh, hey."

"Hi," you said, a little confused.
"I was just uh, wondering if I could... buy you a coffee?"
Obviously he's not from around here. "Actually, campus doesn't sell coffee anywhere."
"Oh," he looked a tad embarrassed so you rushed on.
"But, they have hot chocolate,"
His eyes lit up. "Oh thank goodness. Um, what's your name?" He but his lip nervously.

"I'm ___, and you are..." You looked down at the name tag he was wearing, signalling he was a guest on campus. Hello! My Name Is: Peter

"Peter, huh?"
He looked slightly confused but then glanced down at his name tag. "Oh, right. Yeah, my name's Peter." He stuck his gloved hand out to offer a hand shake. Once you took it, he smiled a little. "So, can I meet you here after lunch in about..." he pulled out his phone to check the time. "Two hours?"

"Sure," you smiled. You hadn't gone on a date in a while.

"Awesome, see you then."
You nodded happily and he turned to go back with his friend who had been watching with your two friends. All of them had smiles on their faces. As you rolled my eyes, you glanced at Peter's friend, and he had the same look as Kate which meant Peter had rolled his eyes too.

"Oh my gosh! He totally just asked you out!" Kate squealed.

Alex watched the two boys walk away. "We didn't even get his name." She pouted

"Peter," you said.

"That's his name? Huh. Well who's the guy who asked you out? What's his name?"

"Pete-" you looked at your friend. Suddenly it dawned on you. "Oh, yeah, no, Peter asked me out. I don't know his friend's name."

Kate shook her head. "Shame. He was really attractive."

"So when do you go out?"

"At two. He's taking me for hot cocoa."

"Score!" Alex punched the air. "Let's go grab some lunch and maybe we'll run into them again!"

"Oh please no," you said. It was already awkward and embarrassing to have your friends squeal over your date. The last thing you needed was more teasing. "Sandwiches sound good. Let's hope there's no line."

And off you three went to get lunch.