My (Not So) Charmed Life

You've Got Me Right Where You Want Me

Hey everyone! Here's another chapter; I know that it's a little short, but it's really more of a filler chapter. You'll get to the dance in the next chapter. Make sure to drop and comment and a vote, they really encourage me to write more and help me understand what my readers like. Love you all! <3

The rest of the day was hot and cold. On one hand, I was floating around, wondering what color dress to buy and how to do my hair. But on the other, I was waiting for the shoe to drop, for Ryan to announce that he was kidding and wasn't actually planning to take me to the dance. Not to mention the anxiety attack over how I was going to get away with this under my parents' nose. 

Sitting in Chemistry, my cell phone lit up with a text. 

*Do you mind if I make reservations to eat before the dance?*

After repressing a squeal, I texted back with a yes. But I still had a million questions in my head. For instance, why would he want to go with me? Was this a date, or just two friends going to a dance together? Did he want me to pay for my own ticket? My complete lack of experience with guys left me unprepared to combat the questions and concerns that plagued me all day. 

Fortunately for me, Ryan apparently had some level of preparation, because as I left Math at the end of the day, Ryan ran up to me before I could even finish putting my notebook back into my bag.

"I forgot to give this to you," he said, placing his hand to his forehead, as though he was upset that he had forgotten. He held in his other hand a ticket to the dance, and for one embarrassing second, I forgot what I was supposed to do with it and just stared at it. 

"Oh, uh, thanks!" I said, exuberantly, and finally took the ticket and placed it inside of my planner so that it wouldn't get all crumpled. 

"So, what kind of reservations do you think I should make?" He asked. 

"I guess... something not too fancy," I said, a little confused.

He chuckled. "No, I meant, what kind of food do you like?" Oh. Now I felt like a total genius. Should I say something cliche like Italian or something cool like sushi? What was I even supposed to order? Didn't girls only eat salad on dates? Oh my god, did my brain have an off switch?

"Um, what do you like? I'm pretty indecisive, so maybe you'll have a better idea than me," I stated, trying to get the attention off of me for a moment.

"Well, first of all, are you one of those girls who won't eat more than a salad in front of a guy? Because I can't stand it when a girl eats a tiny piece of lettuce and a sip of water and pretends to be full," he said, giving me a suspicious look. 

"No, I can't stand that either!" I smiled, feeling relieved that I wouldn't have to try to be so dainty in front of him. "Do you like Italian food?"

"Yeah, have you ever been to Carla's? They have the world's best alfredo," he offered. I nodded, and he grinned. "Okay, I'll call them. It'll be fun, Liza."

I smiled weakly. "Can't wait!" I started to walk to my locker and realized that Ryan had fallen into step beside me, holding the books that in my awkward haze, I'd forgotten on my desk. I twisted the combination of my lock and the door clicked open, and I put away the books from Ryan's arms. "Thanks, I'm pretty out of it."

"Am I making you nervous?" Ryan waggled his eyebrows at me and I flushed. I knew that he was kidding, but if I were to give him an honest answer, I would have to say yes. He was gorgeous, and being around him was incredibly disarming. I knew that I wasn't the most effortlessly cool girl out there, and my confidence, especially concerning my body, was pretty low. So to be around this perfect specimen of a guy, who for some unknown reason wasn't embarrassed to be seen with me, was strange and hard for me to wrap my mind around.

I shook my head no and laughed with him. He walked with me until we reached the point that he had to turn and the whole rest of the walk home was filled with thoughts of dancing with him.

~~~****~~~

Sometimes, having a witch who was slightly reckless with her powers was awesome. When I told them that I would be going to the dance with a boy, my dad had looked at me sternly, as though it was my fault for getting a date when he wanted me to be laying low. 

"Well, who is this boy? You realize that I expect to meet him before you leave with him," he noted, a furrow in his brow. 

"He's Sam Collins, from my English class." I was going to have to work something out with Ryan, but there was no way that I could introduce him using his real name to my parents when they knew that the magical family was Hastings. 

He didn't look appeased, and moved on to the next uncomfortable topic. "What about that new kid? Have you been speaking to him?" I gulped.

"Er, no. He's not even in any of my classes," I lied. 

"Well, I for one am excited for you, sweetheart. How about we go look online for dresses?" She said it with a straight face, but when I went upstairs to her study to look for dresses with her, and pulled up a chair to her computer, she looked at me like I was crazy.

"What? Didn't you say you wanted to help me shop online for a dress?" She started laughing.

"That was just to get your dad off our backs. Why use the internet when you can try on the dress in real time?" And with that, she snapped her fingers and a plain white dress appeared in front of us on a mannequin, whose face looked eerily similar to mine. My eyes went wide as I stared at the life-sized me.

"Now, how do you want your neckline?" She flicked a finger several times, and the neckline of the dress went from square to sweetheart to halter to strapless, pausing after each one so that I could get a good look. It took another hour, but we eventually had chosen a hem, color and accessories for my dress. She snapped her fingers one final time and before my eyes hovered the most perfect shoes for my dress. I gave my mother a hug and fell asleep excited that night, picturing the look on Ryan's face when he would see my dress when he picked me up.