Not Everyone Deserves a Second Chance

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

It's been a month since Marcus' first day at Rosa High. Everyone welcomed him into their lives the first or second week he was here. Well, everyone but James. He still despises him for "stealing his girl". Honestly, no one really cares about what James says. They all kinda just ignore him. But he's true about Marcus "stealing" me. Well, not me, but my heart. We're not together, but, i guess you could call us "friends with benefits". We haven't made out or anything, just a couple pecks on the cheek, but everyone says that we are such a cute couple. I always giggle when people mention it, but when i look over at Marcus, he seems to enjoy everything that is said. He's probably hoping that it would come true someday, that I would be okay with being more than friends. Honestly, I've been okay with it since day one.

"Jess?" Marcus walks up to me Tuesday morning. I turn around and smile.

"Hey, Marcus! What's up?"

Instead of replying, he just thrusts a piece of paper, folded twice, towards me. It reminds me of when we exchanged numbers. "Here. Just circle one." Before i can ask him what he means, he turns around and runs toward the gymnasium.

I stare puzzled at the wrinkled, off-white piece of notebook paper in my hand. I'm afraid to open it.

"Circle one?" I whisper while unfolding the creases. What I see makes me laugh and sing and cry with joy, all at once. "Finally!"

Jessica Nicole Norberts,

I invite you to a night of dreams to come true,

With your best buddy ever.

(Or, more, if you say yes)

but you have to answer this...

Will you go to the prom with this young, handsome, funny, (ect.) beautiful male teenager?

yes no

I laugh. He really does have a good sense of humor. This is honestly the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. I take out a pencil and circle yes. I look at the paper again, and take out a Sharpie and circle yes a billion more times. I almost scream with delight. I stuff the now wadded paper into my coat pocket and run towards the gym. Marcus was standing by the doors. He looks at me, then panics. I run up to him.

"Marcus, don't run!" I grab his arm, open his hand and place the balled up paper in his palm. I close his fingers around it, and step back. Surprise is what comes across his face first. Then nervousness, then finally, joy. Happiness, cheerfulness, joy. He looked into my eyes and grabbed my hand. He did it so gracefully, i barely noticed that he had stepped closer to me. What I did notice though, was the tingles that ran up and down my arms when he leaned in and kissed me. It wasn't one of those hesitant, slow kisses either. He just leaned and kissed, and it was perfect. I remember wondering what it would feel like to have his lips enclose on mine, his body pressed against my chest. I remember wondering what it would feel like to run my fingers through his curly blond hair. My hand finds its way to a curl, and i wrap it around my fingertip. It's so soft! This is better than I have ever imagined.

When I pull away, Marcus has and astonished expression on his face. He must have enjoyed that as much as I did. We don't mind the girls and boys surrounding us. It's just us. Me and him. Him and me. Together.