Modern Red Queen

Chapter 7

The picture is Mare's outfit at the carnival. Except exclude the jewelry and bag. 

Your next dare is to go on a date with me. Meet me by my car after school for the details. -Anonymous (Cal)

Um, what? A date? This is the note I found in my locker this morning. Not a real date, I tell myself. Just so Evangeline gets jealous and goes running to Cal. Then this will be over, and Cal will get what he's wanted this whole time. Not me, Evangeline. I slam my locker shut and turn around. I shriek. My hand flies to my heart and I calm my breath.

Cal grins. "Sorry, did I scare you?"

I slap him arm. "Yes!"

Cal trails after me as I head to my first class. "So, it's a yes, right?"

"What is?" 

"The date."

"Um, no," I reply.

Cal's face falls. Then he perks up again. "Well then. Kiss your keys goodbye." (Pretty sure what he means is "kiss me") 

I sigh. "It's a yes."

He smiles. "See you after school then!" 

I get the sudden urge to kiss his cheek and shake my head aggressively. He doesn't really want to be with me. (Yes, Mare! He does! I hate having to write them both so clueless when it's obvious!! Can they not hear the wedding bells ringing?!!) I run into my class to take my mind off Cal. 

CAL

I'm waiting for Mare by my car after school. Maven sees me standing there. 

"Are we going to get in the car?" he asks. 

"Can you get a ride with a friend today? I'm waiting for someone." 

Maven smirks. "Ooooo! Who?" 

Of course Mare picks that time to walk up to us and say "hi".  Dang it, Mare. worst timing.

Maven grins. "Oh, okay. You know, I think I'll crash at a friend's tonight. I don't want to hold you back or interrupt in any way."

I see Mare's face go red as Maven saunters away. 

I face Mare, rubbing my face with my hand. "Um, sorry about that."

"Uh, it's fine."

"Do you wanna maybe go to some place to talk? The ice cream parlour?"

Mare nods and we get into my car. The air is heavy between us and I resort to keeping my eyes on the road. 

She talks suddenly. "What's your favourite thing to get at the ice cream parlour?"

I don't even think before saying, "A sugar cone with one scoop strawberry, one scoop chocolate." 

Mare wrinkles her nose. "That's so plain. I get a pretzel cone, one scoop rocky road, one scoop vanilla pistachio."

"Vanilla pistachio?" I ask. "Is that even a flavour?"

She smiles. "You just don't know it because you are a boring person." 

"Am not!"

"Oh, you definitely are!"

"You will regret saying that," I warn. I pull into the parking lot and Mare jumps out of my car. 

Her feet slap the pavement and I try to catch up. The door jangles and I see Mare standing in line. I go up behind her. My arms wrap around her waist and swing her to face me. 

"You will regret that," I whisper into her ear. I feel her shiver in my arms. 

I hear a cough in front of me. I look up to see we're next in line. My arms still wrapped around Mare's waist, I walk up to the cashier and mutter "sorry". The middle aged woman laughs.