How You Get the Girl

Am I in the Friendzone or Not?

I stayed until the end of the fencing meet. It had actually been really fun to watch. I had started to understand what was going on during some of epee and foil bouts, although the saber bouts went so fast I could not track them. When I was just about ready to go Kenzie came bouncing up to me.

"A bunch of us are grabbing dinner after the meet. Do you want to come?" she asked.

"Are you sure it won't be weird since I'm not on the team?" I said.

"No," she told me. "People bring friends and people they're dating all the time. Please come."

"I don't have a car today," I said, still feeling a little strange about going. "My mom took mine because hers is in for servicing. I don't have a way to get there or get home."

"You can ride with Ben and me," Kenzie said.

Clearly Kenzie really wanted me to go and I did like her. I guess I was going. "Sure," I told her. "It sounds fun."

. . .

The whole team did not end up going. In the end, there were only about a dozen of us, mostly juniors and seniors. Once we got to the restaurant, we had to wait for a few minutes once we got there for them to get a table ready for such a big group. They had to push several tables together for us. On one side there were chairs, and on the other was a long-padded bench seat against a half wall. Kenzie all but shoved me onto the bench seat and it wasn't until I slid halfway down that I realized I was sitting next to Ben. Kenzie was on my other side. Sitting across from me were Miles and Jonathan from computer class. Kenzie quickly introduced me to the other fencers who were sitting nearby. Everyone seemed nice and happy enough to have me there just like Kenzie had said. I looked through the menu even though I was pretty sure what I was going to have. When it was my turn I ordered a cheeseburger and French fries.

Kenzie laughed and said, "I knew I liked you. I'm glad you aren't one of those girls who orders a salad and a diet soda." And she ordered a burger and fries too.

I just shrugged and said, "I like to eat real food". It was fun to be out with girls who actually ate. Sasha and most of my friends would have really have had salads and my mom would definitely have been horrified to see me eating a cheeseburger and fries. Eating carbs, sugar and fat! The horror! Maybe I should have ordered a milkshake with my burger since no one seemed to be judging me. I sighed over the missed opportunity.

It was definitely fun to be out with a different group than my friends for a night, although I felt a little disloyal thinking it. No one tried to be snarky or clever in a mean way. Everyone just talked about stuff, movies, video games, school, music. No one gossiped. I had a good time but I was much too aware that Ben was sitting next to me. He must have showered after the meet. He smelled of something vaguely spicy. I wondered what it was. Shower gel? It was too faint to be cologne or aftershave. Then I mentally shook myself. Thinking your project partner smelled good definitely fell into unhealthy behaviors.

When we finished dinner a couple of the guys ordered desert. None of the girls did except Kenzie but I was not about to let the chance to have something chocolate pass me buy. When the waitress asked me I said, "I'll have the Death by Chocolate Cake, thanks."

Ben turned to me and lifted one eyebrow, "You're a chocolate fan?"

"If I had to pick between chocolate and oxygen it might be a tough call," I answered.

Kenzie laughed, "I agree. Chocolate is the best food ever."

I smiled. "You just can't trust someone who does not love chocolate. One of my sisters used to trade me her chocolate bars for my Skittles on Halloween. It was hard to believe."