Roles Reversed

3

The car ride was quiet. It was a comfortable silence, so I didn't mind.

"Are those the shorts Kiki got you for Christmas? As a joke?" She asked cautiously. I laughed.

"Yes, they are. Angie insisted I wear them," I then proceeded to tell her all about Angie and Jay's engagement. She was so happy by the time we got to the restaurant that I thought she was going to pass out.

"I love them together!" She gushed. We took a booth in the back while we waited for Chase and my mystery date to show up.

"Hello ladies," said an unfamiliar voice.

"Chase! Hi! This is my best friend, Sasha. Sash, this is Chase." She made our introductions quickly. I shook his outstretched hand.

"Nice to meet you Chase," I said with a small smile. Ah, shy Sasha was back. Great.

"Like wise," he nodded at me.

"Where's your friend?" Grace asked.

"Don't worry, he's getting something from the car. He didn't bail," he assured us.

Chase seemed nice enough. I could tell Gracie liked him so I kept my mouth shut. My back was facing the door, so I didn't see him walk in. By the time I was turned around he had already planted himself in the booth next to me.

"Sasha?"

Gulp.

"Sh-Shay?" I asked in disbelief.

"You two know each other? Good. It makes this less awkward," Chase concluded. Graces eyes were like saucers. She sent me the "I didn't know" look. I sent her a reassuring smile that I hoped said "it's ok, don't worry about it"

That was a lot for a smile to say, so I hope she got the message.

We made the usually small talk, you know, school, family, that whole deal. I excused myself to the bathroom after about 20 minutes. As I was walking back to the table, I sensed someone behind me. I turned around quickly, and for the second time today, I found myself pressed against Shay Riley. He laughed at our positions.

"As soon as I left, they started making out and I'm pretty sure it's just going to escalate from there," he whispered in my ear, causing me to blush, "Wanna get out of here?" I contemplated my options. Stay here and third wheel with Grace and Chase, or go off with Shay. I chose the latter.

"Yeah, let's go."

"Thank God I drove and not Chase," he muttered to himself. He opened my door for me.

"Thanks," I said. I was a little surprised by the small gesture, but I sure wasn't complaining.

He started the car and we drove off. I didn't ask where we were going. I didn't care. I was here, and I was going to make the most of this.

"You're aren't going to ask where we're going?" He glanced at me.

"No, for some reason I trust you, so just don't kill me or anything." Was my answer.

He laughed out loud.

"Wasn't gonna try," he reassured me.

We drove about ten more minutes in silence. He finally tapped my shoulder and pointed out the windshield of the parked car.

I was looking at a big tree. No, there was something in the tree. It was in the middle of a field of flowers, so it was quite beautiful.

"Wow, it's beautiful," I said. He motioned for me to follow him. We we got to the huge tree, I noticed some boards nailed to the side.

"Is this a treehouse?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Yeah, I come here to have

some alone time when I need it. Want to come up?" It was my turn to nod.

He started up the rickety ladder and I followed. He banged the trap door like entrance open and it flew up, sending a cloud of dust all over Shay. He coughed and I giggled.

"Dang, it's in my eyes," he grumbled once we were seated inside.

Wincing, I scooted closet to him. He wiped at his eyes with the backs of his hands.

"Let me see," I said softly, grasping his wrists to remove his hands from his face. I hesitantly placed my fingers on his chin and tilted his head up.

"Open your eyes wider please," I said. He obliged to my request and I laughed at the funny face he made. He made an attempt at scowling at me, but it didn't really work.

After a thorough examination, (I'm no doctor by any means) I concluded he was being a wuss and there was nothing in his eyes at all.

"Yes, Shay, I'm positive there is nothing there."

"But they still hurt."

"That's not exactly my problem, so..." I drifted off. He looked genuinely angry for a second before he smirked and flicked the tip of my nose. I was slightly taken aback, so I just sat there dumbly for a moment.

"Uh!" I said indignantly. "What was that for?" He just laughed. It was that moment I took how close our bodies were into consideration. He was only sitting about six inches away from me. I gulped.

"20 questions, we each get to ask 10. Go," I said out of fear of an awkward silence.

His eyes glinted. Uh oh.

"Who was your first kiss?"

How original. Sighing, I answered him. "I haven't had one." He looked surprised by my answer but didn't push it.

"My turn. What's your middle name?"

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Tell me."

"Sorry, that's classified information."

"Shay."

He sighed. "Fine. But not many people know this and I don't know why I'm about to tell you, but like you said earlier, I trust you for some unknown reason, so, uh, it's actually, um, Bartholomew." He looked down and scratched the bak of his neck. His ears were pink.

"You're kidding," I said bluntly.

He shook his head.

"Oh. Well I think it's handsome," I said, placing my hand on his arm courageously. He looked at my hand and smiled at me.

"You're one odd person, Sasha Jacobs. You know that?" He chuckled.

"Yeah, I've heard that a few times. Your turn," I said quietly.

"Why did you agree to come here with me?" He asked a little unconfidently.

"To be honest, I don't really know. I hardly know you, and I'm in a tree house at night in a random field with you for starters. You just seem like a person I'd like to get to know a little better," I shrugged. He just nodded.

"Pause the game for a sec, I have a proposition to make. We're totally different, right?" he asked.

"Yes, we are," I said slowly.

"Well you're really smart and all that, and I'm kind of popular and stuff, no offense of course-"

"None taken."

"So I'm going to teach you how to be badass," he stated simply.

I couldn't be badass if I couldn't even say the word without feeling a little twinge of guilt.

But I never turned down a challenge.

"Fine, but I'm going to teach you how to be a nerd."

And that's how it began.

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A/N
This chapter is dedicated to Nicoley1123

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