Under The Surface [Editing]

Chapter TwentyFour Double Date

“We should go on a double date,” Lily blurted out the next Wednesday at lunch. I stopped in mid air from bringing my pizza slice to my mouth for a bite. Nathan was sitting next to me and he choked a little on his soda, Debra just started laughing.

“What,” I stammered.

“You know two couples they go out together typically a dinner and a movie, make out,” Lily said waggling her eyebrows at me with the last part of her statement, and I swallowed but not a bite of pizza.

Lily has been dating the waiter from the Olive Garden exclusively now, I believe his name is Brandon. The one Nathan gave advice to and told him to give Lily his phone number. I looked at Nathan who shrugged but he had that mischievous glint in his eyes, he enjoyed the idea of an actual date.

“I don’t know…,”I was hesitant since Nathan and I weren’t exactly a couple.

“Oh why not it will be fun and just me and Brandon,” Lily pouted at me; she knew Nathan’s reason for caution which he seemed to be throwing out the window lately. I looked at Nathan for support on this one though.

“Don’t look at me I’m with Lily this time,” he said raising his hands indifferently, but he has a smirk on his face. I gawked at him as Debra continued to rumble with laughter.

“Me too,” Debra said curiously. All my friends were turning on me taking Nathan’s side of things. I knew they wanted us to be together, I just didn’t need them being so pushy about it.

“Fine dinner and a movie that’s it,” I said with finality yet I had to admit to myself it excited me.

“Yay,” Nathan said clapping his hands together mockingly like a girl. Lily and Debra loved it when he did that because he played so well, I rolled my eyes.

“You guys are evil,” I whined. Things have gotten better with Nathan and me since our conversation. I wasn’t so dramatically upset all the time anymore. Nathan had made a real effort to be open but he had room for improvement.

My dad, though, seemed to be acting a bit stricter. I noticed how he would check on me when I was going to sleep now or thought that I was asleep. Nathan had not attempted to come into my room anymore either since Thanksgiving night. Which reminded me that I forgot to even ask Lily about the party she was talking about, she surprised me that she forgot herself.

“Lily what were your texts about a party?” I asked.

“Oh I totally forgot about that,” she exclaims.

“Okay so apparently James and Penny are having a Christmas party in two weeks and they specifically want you two to come. They been putting subtle hints out and I figure if we all went we could trump their plans,” Lily said excitedly.

“Oh hell no I’m not doing that,” I tried to put my firm voice on this time.

“If you don’t go they might think you know something, this way you can prove you’re not afraid of them and their stupid schemes,” Debra countered.

“They have a point Dawn and I’ll be there to protect you the whole time,” Nathan gave me that smoldering gaze with a bit of pleading in it that I had a hard time saying no to. My eyes pleaded back with desperation, I just wanted to be left alone, but I gave in for a second time.

“That’s two you all talked me into doing today that I don’t want to do you owe me,” I pointed at all of them looking around, Lily and Debra just beamed with delight.

“Would it really be so bad to go on an official, actual date with me?” Nathan inched closer to speak softly and only to me. He had become less worried what people at school thought as well anymore. I guess there really wasn’t a point to it much. We arrived at school every day together, whether it was by my dad’s car or Debra who was giving us rides now that the weather was colder. Nathan was giving me his best ‘puppy dog eyes’ look and I shook my head scoffing with a tiny smile on my lips.