The Nerd and The Jock

Chapter 17

My Choice

I sat at the lunch table facing my friends, fumbling around my cut carrots and green peas as I looked at Alex and Brooklyn finally connecting in a way they never had and being affectionate towards each other; they were turned towards each other with their knees touching with bright, contagious smiles as they stared into each others eyes.

Alex was leaned slightly closer to Brooklyn when he touched the side of her face, pushing the hair on her shoulder to her back as Brooklyn blushed. Brooklyn giggled and started talking about how she gave him so many hints that she liked him, and Alex argued how many times he tried to make a move, but Brooklyn ruined the moment by saying something weird. They laughed as they gazed hopelessly in each other's eyes, sharing moments of their almost dating moments from their own perspective.

I just looked at them.

They were happy. Undoubtedly happy.

I wondered. Would I be as happy with someone as they made each other? Could I have that feeling with someone? Or would school and my future always come first?

Just then, I got a text from Kiah to meet him in the hallway by the cafeteria.

"Hey, guys I'll be right back." I said as they nodded and quickly returned to laughing and talking. I grabbed my bookbag and threw my lunch tray in the trash as I headed for the exit.

I wanted to talk to him about the spread of news about Kiah and I, but I was still nervous that I still didn't have an answer for him and that prom was getting closer and closer.

"Hey." Kiah said, coming out of a corner near the hallway.

"Hey." I said dishearteningly. He tilted my chin to meet his face, but my eyes gazed elsewhere. He desperately tried to make eye contact, but my eyes just couldn't seem to face his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Kiah spoke as his eyes filled with worry. He softly brushed my cheek with his hand.

"Everyone keeps asking me about going to prom with you, and I'm sick of all these strangers asking me about my personal life. I don't even know how the news even got out to be honest with you." I said, finally looking into his eyes. A few students walked by and saw me with Kiah and immediately started chattering as they walked away, stealing a few glimpses of us together as they looked back at us standing in the hallway so close to each other.

"It was probably Crystal because when I was at a charity ball with top state company owners a few days ago, my mother tried to set me up with Crystal because Crystal's mom owns Glemcore, the biggest electricity company in the state. My mother has been talking about expanding the business, so she tried to set me up with Crystal for prom as a business move. But, I told both of them that I was going with someone better, you." He said as he looked into my eyes.

"You're really set on going to the dance with me, huh?" I asked with a smile.

"I want to go everywhere with you. Paris, Oslo, London. The dance is just the only thing I've bargained." He said with a laugh as he leaned closer to my face.

"Slow down, Romeo. I haven't even confirmed if I want to go to a school dance with you; let alone another continent. And we agreed to being friends. Nothing too serious." I said with a smirk as I pulled away from his face.