Volleyball

Chapter Twenty Two

 I went to school and had a typical day this morning. But I felt happy and there was something different. I felt like the sun shone so much brighter and I felt like smiling all the time. It was the best day of my life.

  "Ben!" called someone in the hallway when I was putting my books inside the locker. I closed the locker and looked around to find the source. I watched girls waving their hands at me and I smiled to them, then I saw George running towards me. "Ben, we're going out to pick up our tuxedos for tomorrow. We're expecting you to come because we need a ride."

  "Okay," I answered simply. "Hey. Can I ask Valerie to come to the party?"

  "Yes, Ben. Everyone can come," he answered. "Even whole Boston is invited."

  "Ben?" Another voice joined our conversation and I turned to see who it was.

   It was Jeremy.

  "Jeremy? You go to this school?" I said in unbelievable tone.

  "Yeah. I do."

  "How come I never met you before?"

  "Well, I just moved here a week ago," he said.

  "Oh, cool," I said, not knowing what else to say. My feelings for this guy were mixed. Not because what he had done to Valerie but also because he wanted her back. "I'll see you around." I was not in the mood of talking to him.

  "Okay. Say hi to Valerie from me, will you?" I didn't say anything but he had ran away.

  "Who was that?" asked George.

  "Jeremy. Eleventh grader. Valerie's ex," I explained.

  "Seriously? So you know him?" he said and I nodded. We walked together to the gym. It was volleyball time for us. "That guy's a jerk. He's new here and he already messed up with the student body club's office."

  "What happened?"

  "I don't exactly know. What I heard from the freshmen is that he kicked the ball into the room and the ball knocked down the board and frames and everything."

  "Damn it. He wants Valerie back."

  The volleyball training and school ended at the same time so by the time we went home, we all gathered together and counted ourselves to pick up our tuxedos. Seven of us. Four got in my car and two got in Jake's. They said the tuxedos were prepared from the school and we just needed to decide what color we wanted. When we arrived there, I saw the shop. It was big, light purple in color, and very girly. The signboard said something about Dressing House or whatever it was. The interior inside was classically perfect, like a Barbie castle and a little touch of vintage.

  We were greeted by a man who behaved like a woman and was very clingy. He walked like a woman, he pitched his voice and made him sound like a woman. He must have worked really hard on that. He talked and flirted us a bit but I totally ignored it while the others replied and gave him responds. Then, he led us to the closet full with clothes, shoes, tuxedos, dresses, fabrics, clutches, and all.

  "Pick which one you like," he said in a supple way. "Make sure you match your tux with your couple's dress." Then, he walked away.

  I walked into the dresses' closet and ran my fingers through a rack of dresses. They were all beautiful. But I had to choose the one which would make Valerie beautiful in it.

  My eyes caught one.

  It was peach in color and so long that it would brush the floor, and it had one shoulder. Valerie would absolutely look beautiful wearing it.

  I called out that clingy guy who now had a name, Danny. And he instantly stood next to me.

  "I want this," I said, holding the dress I had picked.

  He looked taken aback with his eyes wide open. "What? You're going to wear this? What? No! You can't wear this. It probably would fit you but you can't just hide that handsome face of yours," he trailed off while I scratched the back of my head.

  "Not for me, Silly Danny," I snapped. "It's for my girlfriend."

  He looked surprised and then bowed down his head. "Sorry. I didn't know."

  "Hey, remember I'm a customer. You shouldn't treat your customer with your rambling. You're lucky I'm not mad at you. If I were the other customer, they would've been mad at you."

  "I know," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

  I shook my head to clear my mind. "No problem. Just don't do it another time," I said. "I want to buy this dress."

  I went home at five and Kim was preparing for dinner already. The smell of the food made my mouth watery. I got off the car with my tux and Valerie's dress.

  "What's that?" Kim asked, pointing at the tux and dress.

  "These are a tux and a dress," I said. "Tomorrow is a Thanksgiving party and I'm taking Valerie. Do you want to come?"

  She quickly said, "No. I'll stay at home."

  "That wouldn't happen," I said. "Because I am going to be long so I was thinking you could stay either with Grandma Mags or with Kale and Dave?"

  "I get to choose?" 

  "Of course. I've talked to them." I opened my room and hung the dress and the tux in the closet, then came out for dinner. I sat on the stool and Kim climbed up next to me. "So?"

  "I choose Kale."

  "Okay. Tomorrow night, I'm taking you to Kale." She cheered.

  I told her about Kale and she said he was pretty cool and then, I asked Kale if he could watch over Kim when I was gone and he said yes.

  After dinner, I went to my car and grabbed a peach box I’d just bought. It was going to be a present for Valerie. So, I went inside, folded the dress nicely into three, put it inside the box, and wrote a short note.

   Tomorrow night. Pick you up at 6. Ben.

  Then, I put a red rose on the top of it.

  "Kim," I called out from the living room. And she came out from her room. "I'm going out for a bit. Stay at home."

  Then, I got on the car. It was already dark and cold outside. I drove off to Valerie's house without her knowing about it. This was a surprise.

  Once I got to her house, I sneaked up to the porch and placed the peach box right in front of the door. Then, I went back to my car and drove back to my house. I went inside, locked the door, and sat in the living room. I pulled out my phone and texted Valerie.

 Look outside your door.

  And that was 7 minutes before she replied:

  Oh, my God. Ben.