My Heart's Choice (On Hold)

Chapter 25

I rush upstairs, my knees feeling slightly wobbly ever since I got off Kenneth's car. I swing my door open and bounce onto my bed, hugging my pillow to my chest trying to keep the stupid fluttering feelings inside me, to a minimum.

My phone rings loudly inside my backpack and I dig it out. The caller ID flashes Penny's name.

"So how did it go?" her voice sounds expectant and excited.

"Good," I say, not knowing how it really turned out to be.

"Oh come on, I want more details," she sighs and I am sure that she is rolling her eyes at her phone.

I take a deep breath and lash into an hour long description of all details about the ride and replay each and every conversation precisely.

She squeals and gasps throughout my whole rant although it sounds like nothing important.

"He is the epitome of romantic gestures!" Penny sighs dramatically and I can imagine her hand over her chest like an opera singer.

"Penny! You decided that you hate him, less than a day ago," I remind her, matter-of-factly.

"Oh. I have nothing exactly to hate about him apart from his choice of friends," she says.

Both of us laugh thinking back to the meeting with Kenneth's friends and making fun of Matthew and Riley.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Three loud and impatient knocks resonates inside the house. Someone is at the front door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Can it be Mom? But she couldn't be home this early. Even if she can, she still has a key. She has no reason to knock.

"Dana? Are you still there?" Penny's voice crackles through the other end of the line.

"Uh... Yeah, it's just that...someone is knocking at the front door."

"Is the your mom?" she asks.

I shake my head, still straining my ears to listen to the knock. But then how can Penny see me shake my head?

"No. It can't be her," I say.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Again. This time it is more louder and faster.

"Maybe it's Kenneth, maybe you left something in his car," Penny says.

"Yeah," I agree, "Hey, I'll call you back later."

"Sure. Bye Bye!" Penny sings.

"Bye"

I hang up and walk outside my room. My shoes trod along the wooden floor of the hallway outside and I reach the staircase. Reluctant to make my way downstairs, I grip the top of the railing and wait for another knock.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

My heart picks up speed and my palm feels sweaty all of a sudden. I slowly descend the stairs and stand right behind the door with my hand hovering above the doorknob.

Who can this be?

Knock. Knock.

"Dana? Open the freaking door!" a muffled voice yells from the other side.

Mason?

A feeling of relief and dread courses through me at the same time.

I swing the door open and come face to face with a red faced Mason. He looks like someone pulled out from a scorching desert.