I went through the day as always, with a permanent smile plastered on my face. C called it my glow. We both had it, apparently, according to our friends. It made everyone want to be our friend, made everyone seem to admire us. Everyone wished they had it. I wished I could get rid of it. I'm not gonna lie, I was tired and worn. Between soccer and volleyball and track and cheer and modeling and theatre and honors classes, it could sometimes get too overwhelming to always be the "Golden Girl" as Elly had put it. But I had to do what was expected of me, no matter how much it wore me out. I was so relieved when the final bell rang. C and I were hanging out that night; we both needed some time to chill. Hugging my textbooks to my chest, I slung my Coach purse over my shoulder and waved goodbye to my friends. I turned around and was swept off my feet. I squealed in surprise before realizing it was Dustin, lifting me up by the waist and spinning me around in the air. "Hey gorgeous," he said, putting me down with a smile. "It's a year on Sunday..." "I know. As if I haven't been counting down the days!" I grinned. "So, you, me, our friends, and a chick flick at the movie theatre downtown sound like a good way to celebrate?" he inquired, handing me a ticket to the film I had been wanting to see for weeks. I responded with a hug and a whispered "thank you". "No problem," said Dustin. He walked me out to the parking lot, where his car was parked. He was a junior while I was only a sophomore, so he had his own car already. My birthday wasn't until late May, so I wouldn't be getting driving privileges for a few months. My mom was waiting in the bright red Mercedes only a few spots down. "See ya Sunday. Love ya," Dustin said, kissing me softly on the cheek before hopping into his car. "Diddo," I smiled. I practically floated down the street towards my mom, oblivious to what lay ahead.
