Who's the One?

Chapter 23

“We need to translate our French project”, Dani says.

“Wait, I need help with Math. I tried to get help from someone in class, but you're way more patient Lil. I need you to help me”, Anne says with puppy eyes.

“Our presentation is due in two days, we haven't translated it into French, and we still need to rehearse it”, Dani points out.

“I'm just one girl”, I shout. I receive a few shushes and dirty looks from people in the library. “We should translate right now. You think you can come over Anne?”

“Not sure, let me ask my parents”, she pulls out her phone to shoot them a text.

“Isn't Dylan going over?”, Danny asks.

“I don't think so, he only came over that one day. I'm sure he's been getting help from Chris”, I reply.

“Can you maybe come to my house instead?”, Anne asks.

“Yeah, I'll just tell my brothers that I'll be home later”, I answer. I message Doug to leave without me, then message my mom that I'll be at Anne's for a while. “You should come too Dani.”

“Yeah, I'm sure my parents won't mind”, Anne adds.

“Huh?”, Dani looks up from her phone.

Anne and I chuckle. “You should come to Anne's, unless you're going out with Aaron”, I tease.

“How do you know it's Aaron? We barely started talking today”, Dani questions.

“Just a hunch”, I say. “I thought maybe you didn't like him in that way. You didn't seem so excited when I told you in English.”

“I was just surprised. I didn't know how to react”, Dani shrugs. “Anyway, yeah I'd love to join the homework party at Annie's.”

“Awesome, my dad will be here in an hour or so. I'm going to outline our English essay, y'all can do your French project”, Anne says.

After a while Dani and I take a break from our project. “Why is this harder than I thought?”, I ask.

“I know, we made our conversation too complicated”, Dani pouts.

“Are you guys at least almost done?”, Anne asks looking over at our papers.

“Almost done with the first half”, Dani answers bitterly.

“That's why I chose Spanish”, Anne comments. “Es más facíl.”

“Yeah, yeah Señorita Show Off”, Dani jokes.

“I didn't want to take Spanish because French is different. No one really takes it”, I explain.

“You're right, but I'm taking French because I want to travel to France one day”, Dani says.

Dani and I keep working with the few distractions here and there. We make a lot of progress by the time Anne’s dad picks us up.

“Annie, can we finish our project before Lil helps you with Math?”, Dani asks sweetly. “Pretty please.”

“Fine”, Anne says. “Just don't take too long. I'm going to take a nap.”

I chuckle, “Oh Annie.”

“Let's get this done, it's becoming annoying”, Dani grumbles.

“Mhm. All this French is making my brain hurt”, I laugh.

*        &        *

“You stayed at school yesterday?”, Dylan asks as we set up for a lab in Chemistry.

“No, I went over to Anne's. Dani and I have a French project that needed work. Then Anne wanted me to help her with Math. It's a tough subject for her, and the curriculum has only gotten more complicated”, I reply.

“Dang, are you good at everything?”, Chris asks.

“No, it's called hard work Chris. Try it out”, I laugh and wink.

During the lab my fingers would brush Dylan's fingers sending small shocks through me.

It's been tough to keep my feelings toward Dylan friendly. Especially after the conversation with Dani and Anne during lunch the other day. Slowly, it's becoming clearer that Dylan may be the guy I want to be in a relationship with.

“I heard Danielle is going out with Aaron tomorrow”, Dylan says.

I stop moving, “That's news to me, she hasn't mentioned it.”

“Really? That's weird because you, Danielle and Anne practically share a brain”, Dylan jokes.

“Yeah. Maybe she just didn't want to jinx her date? Still, she tells us everything”, I say.

We finish our lab a few minutes before class ends. Chris slides up next to me.

“What are you planning to do this weekend White?”, Chris asks.

“Not sure, I'm not thinking that far ahead. I just want to prep for my French presentation and help Anne practice for the Math quiz, both happening tomorrow”, I reply. I straighten up with another realization and groan, “I haven't written my English essay that's due tomorrow.”

“You've been putting too much on your plate Lil”, Dylan comments. “That's why I'm bugging Chris for Chem tutoring.”

We all laugh then head to class once the bell rings.

Dylan and Chris walk and talk ahead of me, then Chris turns in a different direction. I touch Dylan's shoulder, “Hey, let's walk to Math together.”

Dylan smiles, “Alright.”

“So”, I begin.

“Yes?”, Dylan asks and looks down to me.

“How’d you know Dani and Aaron are going out tomorrow?”

“Well I'm not sure if she said yes, but Aaron told me he was going to ask her.”

“You're friends with Aaron?”

“We're Math partners, so kind of. We don't talk a lot out of class. He's a cool guy though.”

“He is, he's my history partner. Isn't that funny?”

“Yeah.” Dylan opens the door for me and he lingers by my desk. “Would you mind if we did our Chem homework together today? I know you're overwhelmed with other things, but Chris can't help me out today.”

“I'm sure I can pencil you in tonight”, I laugh. “It might have to be at my house. Anne needs me after school and Dani and I are practicing our lines for French.”

“You're a busy woman.” The bell rings. “I like it.”

I blush as he walks to his desk, that I now realize is next to Aaron's.

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Hey y'all.

It's been a minute, so sorry. This isn't my favorite chapter but I needed to put something up for my own sanity. Hopefully it wasn't too bad.

Thanks for reading!!

-Emili