Inning of Love (Complete and being edited)

INNING THREE.

Scarlett.

"Valerie are you sure that isn't too much?" I ask Valerie when she continues to spray my hair. I scrunch my nose at the scent of it. "It really stinks." I itch my scalp quickly in between the sprays. "And itches."

Valerie chuckles and sets the hair spray down. "There, all done." She says as she steps back to take a look at me, placing one hand over her mouth and one over her stomach. Her laughter growing. "Seth, come look at Scar. She is going to be definitely rocking the rocker today." She yells.

Seth walks in and his eyes go wide with amusement. "Oh god! I need a picture of this!" He starts laughing as he pulls out his cellphone to take a picture of me.

I place my hand in from of the camera on his cell to block the embarrassing moment from being captured. I stand up and smooth out the dark blue dress that has white polka dots all over it, before taking a peek at the final touches of my hair.

It is completely gray and all of my hair is rolled up in curlers. Perfect for Age Out day. I put on a white fluffy sweater and some vintage glasses that I found at the thrift store the other day, along with white socks pulled up almost to my knees and some black flats. I wanted to complete the look with a cane but had no luck in finding one. I look once more in the mirror and laugh at myself, making the wrinkles Valerie painted on my face, move as I wiggle my brows.

I pull into the parking lot of school and before I get out of my car, Dean pulls up next to me in his jeep. He sees me looking at him through the window as we both exit our vehicles, and he begins to walk around my car to greet me when I burst out into laughter at his appearance. Tears forming at the brim of my eyes and my stomach hurting.

"Oh...oh... my gosh! What is that?" I laugh and point at his costume.

Dean is wearing a body suit that looks like an old man body with black pajama pants, an untied red robe, and old, saggy man boobs hanging from his chest. Dangling and swaying from side to side as he walks. I can't handle this or contain my laughter. For once, he isn't the sexy distractive guy I have grown to really like. Today he is a complete goofball. It was cute. Only Dean dressed like this could still be cute.

"Pretty hot, huh?" He wiggles his brows and chuckles. "Hey, you look quite adorable for an old lady. You remind me of my grandma." He jokes and we both start laughing and we walk our old butts to class.

The rest of the day went by pretty quickly. Dean got a lot of laughs and almost got sent home because of his outfit. Nina wasn't at school today because she had her birth control appointment and decided to just stay home afterwards. I am not on birth control, obviously because I don't have sex, but I have heard before that the type of birth control they place up your punani doesn't feel good. The things we women go through to not get pregnant.

I get to work and clock in, still wearing my outfit from school. I didn't have time to change into normal clothes before my shift but I thought it would be funny. The customers got a kick out of it as the teen dressed as an old lady served their food.

"Don't rush it kiddo. Getting old sucks. I sure do miss the days when I was in high school." Old man Jerry says.

He is one of the regulars at the diner and comes in almost every other day. He sits on the far right end of the coffee bar, on the same stool every time. Usually drinks about two cups of hot tea and whatever dinner special that is on the board for the evening.

I nod and giggle as I hand Jerry his plate of meatloaf. "I know. It was just for school. It's spirit week this week and today was age out day." I tell him.

Jerry holds his cup of tea and cocks his head to the side. "Age out day you say huh? What do you have for Thursday and Friday?" He asks me as he blows on his tea and places the cup to his lips, his mustache getting partially wet from the liquid.

"Well, tomorrow is Tye-Dye day, which my friend Nina and myself already made our shirts for. And Friday is School Spirit day. So, either we wear school colors or shirts that have the logo on it." I tell him. Making me realize I don't have anything to wear for Friday. "It is also my birthday on Friday." I say with a smile.

"You don't say?" He looks up from his plate with a smile. "Say, didn't you mention something about a dance coming up? Will you be attending?" He asks with a wry smile.

I exhale loudly. "Well I plan on going yes but I don't have a date. So, I will probably just be going with my friends." I try to cover the disappointment in my voice.

I watch as Jerry rubs his facial hair before going back to drinking his tea. "You mean to say no one has asked you?" He chuckles. "Young lady, if I were about 50 years younger, I would have asked you in a heartbeat." He places his tea back down and nods, gesturing to Dean who was talking with his mother. "So, why don't you just ask the young lad yourself?"

I laugh at Jerry's words and flush as I glance at Dean. Picturing myself asking him makes me blush and giggle. Yeah, no way in hell. I know it is new times, and women empowerment, but I am almost 18 and I want to be asked. I am not ready to approach Dean and ask him.

"No, not happening Jerry. Now eat the rest of your dinner and stop trying to play cupid." I joke with him and laugh softly.

After I close up the diner and get home, I make a quick sandwich and sit down on the living room couch, propping my feet up and placing my plate on my lap. As I decide on a movie and start eating a sandwich, Dean's face pops up on my phone and I jump up, the plate landing on the floor. I laugh at myself before answering the phone.

"Hello?" I say. Trying to sound cuter on the phone, changing my overly excited voice into a more girly tone.

"Scarlett? You okay? You sound sick or something?" Great. That worked out. I smack my forehead with my hand.

"Yeah I'm fine. My phone was just being weird there for a second." Scarlett you're an idiot and a horrible liar. "So, what's going on?"

"Oh, umm right. Well I was calling to see if you had any plans tomorrow night? Because if not, I was going to see if you would want to watch this movie with me. You know, the one you bought me." I can't see his face but I know he is rubbing the back of his neck and is eagerly waiting for me to answer. I am too shocked to speak right away. My heart beating rapidly.

Calm down Scarlett. Act calm, breathe. "Sure. Yeah, I can probably do that. After work okay? And where?" Too many questions. I am freaking out right now. Eeek!

"After work is perfect, and either my place or yours. Doesn't matter to me."

Even though I have been to his house, I didn't get to see his room. I am interested in seeing it and also, I am not ready for another guy to meet my brother right now. He is on high alert after the whole Ryker thing and I don't blame him. I get it.

"Yours. That alright with you?"

"Perfect. I will see you tomorrow Scarlett. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Dean." I begin to pull the phone away from my ear to end the call when I hear Dean's deep voice come through the speaker.

"Oh, and Scarlett?"

"Yes Dean?"

"Sweet dreams." He says and the line beeps, the call ending.

My gosh. I really won't be able to sleep now.