Stuck with a Punk ✔

No. 62.: Astonished

"Do you look handsome today or not, huh?" Deidre grins as she intercepts Devon from me. He is absolutely stunned by her and proceeds to gawk at her like she is a goddess.

I smile quickly just to keep her happy. I hoped no one would notice I have spent the last hour choosing the best outfit.

My dad grins even wider when I pass him the bag with diapers, baby oil, milk and everything else Devon needs to survive. "I gotta say, that cologne you're wearing is really great. Are you going out with Annabelle?"

His eyes light up at the mention of her name and I just get a tiny bit tense.

"I'm going to a performance in Four Seasons, actually." It's not that I don't want them to know about her. It's just that I don't want them to get too suggestive or anything of the sort.

Deidre, busy making faces at Devon, which he joyfully tries to recreate, looks at dad with revelation radiating from her eyes: "I read about it! They have La Sylphide." She turns to me impressed, but in a way disappointed. "We tried to get the tickets, but the only free ones cost more than one hundred dollars per person."

I do my best to hide this surprise, better explained as a huge shock. I feel even more obligated to leave a good impression as a part of the audience. I had no idea this performance is such a VIP thing.

Dad nods, but he doesn't look away from me. Like having me for a fool, he asks: "Isn't La Sylphide a ballet? I imagine Annabelle would like to see it."

Ah, shit.

Deidre throws him a nasty look that makes him retreat back in their hotel room. I am starting to notice we men are just terrified of looks women can give us.

I'm left alone with Deidre and Devon, and I have this itchy feeling I need to explain things a bit. I need to handle this situation somehow, so I pull out the received invitation. I obviously hold back the note Annabelle has written herself. "It's an official invitation, see?"

She regards me warmly and doesn't even pay attention to the invitation. I could've given her a receipt from the grocery store or the new wind turbine plan Austin came up with, and she wouldn't see a difference. "It's okay if you like her, you know?"

Like her?!

I'm going there to support her! And not because I'd like her! She said it'd mean a lot to her if I went to watch her performance

"I don't. Is it so weird I'm going to see a ballet? Alone?" I regret that the moment I say it. Of course, it's weird if I'm going to a ballet! If I tried to lie my way out by saying ballet is my guilty pleasure, still no one would buy it. I'm a guy that likes to watch 20th Century Train Track Building, and that's everything ballet isn't. 

Deidre just smiles in a reserved manner and tries to keep Devon from stretching out his arms to me. "Enjoy your evening, Nathan. And say hi to Annabelle for me." 

I'm tempted to say that I won't because she's not gonna be there, but I give up. I've lost this case the moment I mentioned a damn ballet. 

As I leave the hotel where Deidre and dad are currently staying and I sit in my car, I feel a wave of nervousness rush over me. I'm going to see a ballet and Annabelle is going to dance in it... It's so unsettling and exciting at the same time I don't even know how exactly do I feel right now.