Hate to Say I Told You So

Chapter Eleven

Monday morning, I didn't even bother to wait for Collin. My dad had already left for work so my mom buzzed around in too much of a tizzy to even notice that I left without Collin.

I never even ran into him on my way to school. My sank to my stomach when I opened the gate. Sitting in my arch, I opened an old Nancy Drew book waiting for... someone. The teachers weren't even out yet to greet us.

A few minutes later I heard footsteps behind me.

"Good morning, Belle." A voice whispered behind me. After a second his hand landed on my arm and Ross planted a kiss on the cheek. A real one. His hair tickled my temple and everything. The fact that my heart seemed to skip a beat or two didn't go over my head, either. I guess I liked Ross doing that.

Ross sat next to me. Even more skipped beats.

"I thought for sure I would get caught." He laughed

"Me too." I tried to ignore the happy feeling in my stomach that came when he laughed.

"So... about the dance." Ross trailed

"Yeah?" My stomach tightened.

"I wondered if-" Just then, a mass of people swarmed past so I didn't hear what he had to say.

When the people quieted down, the teachers still weren't out. Ross put his hand on mine.

"So what I wanted to know if..." He took a deep breath, "Where do you want to go for dinner before the dance?"

That wasn't what I was expecting so I didn't know how to respond.

"Uh I- I don't care." Then the bell rang so I didn't have to find out what the real question was, and my heart rate could go back to normal.

...

Ross didn't talk to me in English. I did catch him sneaking glances at me, though.

Hoping to catch Collin so he could walk me home, I sat in my usual arch to wait for him.

Instead, I got Ross.

"May I walk you home?" He asked, just loud enough for me to hear.

I shut my book and studied him. He had the same look on his face that he had worn in English class.

"Why not?"

Ross smiled a little, but he still looked nervous.

Once we reached the sidewalk, I looped my arm through his and rested my head on his shoulder. Good friends were always there for you to lean on, right? And being friends with Ross wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

We stayed silent for a few blocks.

"Belle? We are still just friends, right? In the city, you kiss friends of opposing genders on the cheek, but I know you don't often do things like this," He gestured to my head and arm, "To just anyone. I know you that well."

I lifted my head and pulled my arm away. "I didn't mean to give you the wrong impression, Ross. I'm so sorry. I'm still interested in Collin." I think, I added in my head.

"No, I wanted to make sure I wasn't leading you on. I figured you would tell me of you moved on."

"For sure. So we're still on for the dance? As friends?"

Ross put my arm back though his and pressed my head on his shoulder again. "For sure." His voice said everything felt okay, but something in the tone of his voice that made me think everything wasn't so "for sure."

...

"I can't believe I'm going to the dance with the prettiest girl in the school. I bet every other guy wanted to ask her. I'm the one she said yes to. I just can't believe it." Well, there it was. Proof from Collin himself that He was going with Heather to the dance.

"Yeah, that's great Collin." I flipped through some flash cards I had made for a government test I had the next day without digesting the information on them.

"Why aren't you happy for me?"

I sighed and cradled my phone between my shoulder and my cheek, "I am, I guess I'm just distracted."

"Yeah, because you're pretty much in love with Ross and get to go with him." Collin teased.

Okay, studying at that moment seemed useless, "I'm not in love with Ross." I put a rubber band around the cards and tossed them onto my desk.

"Then why are you going with him?" He asked.

"I-" I wanted to tell him, but then the truth just scared me, and I knew I had to get off the phone. "I have to go. Huge government test in the morning."

"A test the day before the dance? Lame. Then again, it is Hartman's government class. She always gave tests at the most random times."

"Yeah, lame." I said, not much passion in my voice. I just wanted to get of the phone "I'll talk to you tomorrow, Collin."

I'd seen it coming, but why did hearing about Collin admit he and Heather going to the dance together still hurt so much?

I looked out the window above my desk, and found a random star. I hadn't used my wish yet that day, and what came to my mind shocked me, yet seemed obvious at the same time.

I wished about Ross.