A Blooming Beauty

Chapter 9

It's Sunday morning and Carter had just asked me if we could hang out.

Hey Blair

Oh hi Carter (:

So I was just wondering if you could hang out with me?

Uhmm why not?

Great ;)

But where? And like... Now?

In probably 20 minutes @ Starbucks. How does that sound?

Sounds great. I'll be there in a few (:

Awesome.

Just to be clear, we were hanging out as friends and NOT as... More than friends.

I took a quick shower and proceeded to my closet. I decided to wear my Mint green shorts and a black crop top that says 'Lost In A Dream' and paired it with black flats.

I jogged down the stairs and grabbed an apple for breakfast. I was about to open the door when I heard my parents.

"And where is my daughter off to today?" My dad said, reading the newspaper.

"Starbucks. I'll be back after an hour I guess." I said taking a bite of my apple.

"Company?" He said raising an eyebrow.

"Friend...?"

"Specifically Beth or Jess?"

"Uhmm.... Neither?"

"And would this new friend be a girl or boy?" My mom said.

"A... Boy." I mumbled softly.

"Honey." My dad said.

"Alright yes. He's a guy. He's just a new kid from school." I said giggling.

"Oh my darling girl!! You're making friends with a boy! How exiting!" She said excitedly pulling me into a hug.

"Mom! He's just a friend!" I said pulling away.

"Remember honey. This man must be proper." My dad said.

"Yes dad." I said smiling. "I need to go before you guys give me a boy talk or something." I said chuckling as I opened the door.

"Good luck honey!" My mom said.

"No tattoos." My dad said seriously.

I laughed and shut the door behind me. I skated to Starbucks and stepped inside the store. I scanned the room to see if Carter had already arrived but I didn't see him, so I just decided to order.

"Green tea Grande please."

"Name?" The barista said.

"Blair."

I went to sit at our usual table by the window. I laid my board on the floor and took out my phone. I decided to call Beth for some last minute tips.

"How's my favorite dweeb doing on this fine morning?" She greeted sweetly.

"Nervous. At any second, Carter could walk into the Starbucks shop."

"What?? How do you know?"

"I err... I kind of uhmm..." I said stuttering.

"Now come on. No stuttering!"

"I kind of agreed to a hang out..."

"Oh shit! You guys are dating! Fuck why didn't you tell us?? Hey Jess! Blair and Carter is happening!!" She shouted.

"Shit!" I heard Jessica say faintly.

"Anyway no. We aren't dating. We're just friends." I said to Beth.

"Who's dating?" I heard a familiar voice call.

"Shit" I mumbled. I turned around to see Carter behind me holding a drink.

"I have to go." I whispered to Beth.

"Okay! Good luck and don't stutter, don't fart, don't burp don't pick your nose and don't be an egotistic maniac! Get to know him more!!! Byeee." She said and hung up.

"Oh hey! Didn't see you there..." I said taking a sip of my drink.

"They think we're on a date don't they?" He said chuckling.

"Yeah." I said gesturing for him to take a seat.

"Typical." He smiled.

"So anyway, why'd you ask me to hang out with you? Feeling lonely?" I teased.

"Oh please I ditched a lot of people to meet you here." He laughed.

"I don't believe it for a second new kid." I shot back.

"Whatever lets you sleep at night." He said. "Anyway, is anything wrong with hanging out with my friend?"

"Not really." I smiled. Silence followed afterwards and I needed to start the conversation to show that I'm putting in effort. Well, that's one of the rules anyway.

"So, how's your drink?" I said looking at his cup of brewed coffee.

"It's pretty great. How's yours?"

"It's cool." Silence again. Okay it's his turn to put in effort.

"So I hear you're an only child?" He says taking a sip of his coffee.

"You heard right."

"Damn, so you must be filthy rich."

"Why does everyone say that?" I say giggling. "I wouldn't say 'filthy' although yes, I guess you could say that I am 'rich'" I tell him.

Silence again.

"How about you? Do you have a brother?" I ask.

"Nope."

"Sisters?" He put down his drink and he did not reply. He looked down as if he was hiding something.

"No. No sisters." He said refusing to look at me.

"Oh so you're an only child like me?"

"Please keep quiet." He said firmly.

Things went silent. Was I doing something wrong? Did I say something wrong? I haven't broken any of Beth's rules.

"Look I have to go." He said standing up. "Sorry."

"What?" I said standing up as well. "Where are you going?"

"I'll see you tomorrow. Bye." He said and left.

Okay what the actual fuck. He calls for a hang out with his friend and then all of a sudden, he decides to ditch me and leave. Are all guys like this?

But then again, I should've seen this coming. It's Arthur Springfield part dos. Why would he like me anyway? I was awkward, and ugly. He's just one of them. He's going to stereotype me like everyone else. Im going to see him whispering about me in the hallway and laughing at me in the cafeteria.

Like everyone else.

Beth had said a few days ago that he was quite a jackass. But I didn't believe her then.

Now I know what she meant.