The Project

Chapter 16

Johnny's Point of View

"What are we doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. Like, are we dating?"

Kate pulls back from my lips, and shrugs. She takes my hand and plays with my fingers.

"I don't know," she responds. "Do you wanna be dating?"

My cheeks heat up, and I look down at my lap to try and hide it from Kate. She tilts my chin up and forces me to look at her.

"I mean...do you?" I ask, nervous for her response.

"Well, we can both agree that we like each other, right?" Kate says, and I nod. "So..."

"So...what?" I wonder, not even noticing that I was frowning.

"So then there's no reason that we shouldn't date," she responds, breaking out into a grin. "Sound good?"

"Yeah," I agree shyly, smiling also. "Sounds good."

She leans in again, and we connect our lips together another time that evening.

-

"Hey Johnny!"

I turn around at the call of my name, seeing Benny jogging over and walking next to me. My hands clench into fists at my side.

"So, you and Kate are getting pretty close now," he starts, and my breath hitches. "Do you like her? You know, more than just a friend?"

Kate didn't tell him that we started going out? Does he even know that we kissed?

"Uh, I-I don't know," I lie, walking slightly faster down the almost empty hallway.

"I think you do," Benny says, chuckling and keeping up with my faster pace easily. "It's not that big of a deal, I just wanna know."

"Why does it matter?" I question, halting my walk. I knew the bell was about to ring and I'd be marked late.

"I'm her best friend," Benny reminds. "I kind of have to know these things."

"There's a lot you don't know, Benny," I remark, starting to walk again.

He continues to follow me in the direction of my 3rd hour. I shouldn't have said that, now he's only more interested.

I just wanted him to leave me alone. Clearly I'm not good with talking to people, especially Benny.

"Can you elaborate?" He wonders.

Kate must not have told him about us for a reason. Or maybe she just didn't get to it.

"No, I can't," I mumble.

"Yes you can! There's nothing keeping you," he responds.

Kate is keeping me from telling. I had a feeling I wasn't supposed to tell him.

"I like Kate," I inform. "Is that what you want?"

Benny's lips slowly turn upward into a smirk.

"You wouldn't mind if I told Kate, would you?" He asks, his voice taunting.

"She knows," I say, sighing. "And she feels the same."

"Don't be too cocky," Benny scolds. "We don't know-"

"We're dating, Benny!" I blurt.

The bell rang, announcing that we were now both late to class. Still, we continued to stand in the empty hall.

"You're dating," he repeats softly, his expression hurt. Then to my surprise, he starts laughing. "Yeah right. She would've told me and-"

"We went to a drive-in and we kissed," I interrupt. He stops laughing. "And yesterday we confirmed our relationship."

Benny stands still, and I'm nervous that he'll punch me straight in the nose.

Instead, he jogs down the hall and turns the corner, so I can't see him anymore.

Now I stand there, dumbfounded because I might've just really messed up.

-

"Do you have the answer to number 4?" Kate wonders.

I don't answer, zoned out, staring ahead at the blank TV screen. I snap out of it when she claps in my face.

"What'd you say?" I ask, finally looking at her face.

"I asked what the answer to number 4 is," she repeats, and I glance down at my homework paper. "Is everything okay?"

"It's 380," I answer her first question, "and yeah, I'm cool."

"Are you sure-"

"Okay fine! I'm not cool!" I snap, giving in somewhat easily. "Benny kept questioning me and asking if I liked you and stuff and then I told him I did like you but then I told him that you like me too and he laughed. Then I told him we kissed and that we were dating and he stopped laughing and ran away and now he knows about us."

Kate's eyebrows raise, and I hide my face in my hands, shaking my head.

"It's okay," she assures, taking a hand from off my face and interlocking her fingers in it. "He was gonna have to find out eventually, right?"

"I guess," I mumble, sighing. "I wish I didn't have to be the one to tell him. He clearly hates me. It was so awkward."

"I don't think he hates you," Kate mumbles, leaning her head against my shoulder. "Maybe he feels threatened by you."

"Why should he?" I question, almost laughing at that possibility. "He plays baseball and is all strong and muscly and stuff. I'm nothing like that. In fact, why do you even like me?"

Kate smiles, looking up at me through long eyelashes.

"I don't know," she responds. "Maybe because you're cute and shy. You're funny. You're tough. I like you for a lot of reasons, Johnny."

She sits up to kiss me, and my face is red. It got red so easily around her.

"Thank you," I say once we pulled back. "I hope I didn't ruin your friendship with him though."

"I'll talk to him eventually," Kate assures, leaning back towards the coffee table to continue her homework. "Let's finish this, okay?"

I nod, and we continue our homework without me feeling so distracted.

-