The Promposal (COMPLETE)

6- Chemistry

Edith's POV.

It's April now, and prom buzz has slowed down as ticket sales are over. Instead, everyone is mainly looking forward to spring break.

One thing I never liked about spring time is that it feels like I'm near the end of the school year, but there's still so much left to do. Seniors start getting senioritis, and it eventually spreads to the underclassmen as well. Even as a junior, this time of year seems to seep out all of the energy from within me. Just a few days ago I took a nap instead of doing my homework, which is so unlike me. I wish I could slack off, but with spring break one week away, it seems like every teacher has scheduled a test planned soon.

"Hey," I hear somebody call out "we gotta focus on this project." 

I snap out of my thoughts and take in the scene around me. I'm in chemistry, working on a group lab. My other group members are all preoccupied with measuring and gathering materials, while I am still seated in my desk.

"Oh sorry," I look over to see who called me out, and it's Nolan. He's Jonah's best friend, and probably knows about the whole prom situation, but hasn't brought it up in the three weeks since. I appreciate him not bringing it up, but I'm also really looking forward to switching lab groups after spring break to avoid the potential awkwardness.

We start working on the lab, with Nolan reading off temperatures and me recording the values in a data table. Our solution is salt water I think, while the other group members are doing the same thing with a different beaker over that's filled with some sort of chemical solution. I don't really understand chemistry that much, so I just kinda follow what the rest of my group is doing most of the time. You'd think my other classmates would get annoyed, but most of them are Sophomores, so they're a little scared of me.

Nolan on the other hand, seems to have no fear. He even brings up the one thing I was hoping he would avoid for the rest of the two weeks in these lab groups. "So you're planning to go to prom with Jonah?" he asks, like he's trying to make the question seem casual.

I can tell he's curious about something, but I'm not sure what. "Yeah" I respond. This conversation could go anywhere, and I'm so uncomfortable that I almost forget to write down the next temperature he tells me. 

"I just wanted to let you know, um, that he was actually planning on asking somebody else when you asked him," Nolan tells me casually. But the words sting a little.

Although I'm sad for a second, I eventually realize the whole point Nolan had for making this statement. He is implying that I should tell Jonah that we shouldn't go to prom together, because, what? Because he was going to ask someone else?

"Well he agreed to go with me as friends," I respond simply, "It's not like I forced him to say yes."

At this point, I think Nolan senses my anger. "I just mean, you know Jonah. He wouldn't want to admit that he was planning on going with someone else. I just wanted to let you know, so you can make the decision."

I almost laugh at this defense. He's asking me to step down because Jonah can't do it himself. That's really just insulting to Jonah. What kind of best friend talks like that? I would hope Camila doesn't talk about me like this with her other, more popular friends.

"If Jonah has a problem, he can tell me himself. And if he can't do that, how is he going to ask this other girl he wants to go to prom with?" I snap back, very angry now. Nolan seems disappointed by this response.

"I'm sorry, it's just that Justin said that you might, kind of like..." Nolan trails off, obviously nervous to finish his sentence. My cheeks immediately turn red, and I almost snap my pencil in half with anger. 

It all makes sense now, Nolan was telling me this because he knew I had a crush on Jonah. He wanted to make sure I didn't get my hopes up, because Jonah liked somebody else. And who had told him? Justin. Camila's boyfriend.

Camila, the girl who I thought was my best friend. She had told her boyfriend about my stupid crush. Didn't that break like the biggest rule of girl code? She had told me so many secrets before, and I was keeping them to the grave. And for the past 4 years, she had kept this one to herself too. But now, now that I had already made a fool of myself, she decides to make it worse?

The rest of our Chem group joins us to share their data from the other solution, and I am glad to have other company and an excuse to change topics. Still, Nolan seems notably embarrassed on my behalf and I'm not sure if I should say something to stop him from saying anything else.  

After class I've finally decided what to say, and pull him aside to an empty area to make sure the rumor doesn't spread any further. "Just because I had the courage to ask someone to prom and Jonah didn't, doesn't make any of this my responsibility. So please don't bring this up to anyone else, especially him." 

Nolan seems pretty taken aback by my sudden wave of confidence, and seems to be done. "Of course, I'm really sorry about that," he responds. Then we both head off. Nolan probably on his way home, and me to yell at Camila for gossiping with her boyfriend.

I find Camila in the student parking lot, and confront her about the situation. She looks crazy embarrassed, and apologizes repeatedly about it. "I'm so sorry!! I literally just told Justin about you guys going to prom together but he figured it out and I couldn't lie. He promised not to tell!! Oh my god I'm so sorry Edith. I had no idea he would tell Nolan" she says, and it looks like she's almost in tears.

I am honestly shocked at her reaction. I had been angry, but now I'm just confused. 

"I'm literally going to call Justin right now and I'll make sure he doesn't tell anybody else, I promise. If he does, I'll dump him or something," Camila promises. 

I highly doubt the second half of her statement, but decide that it's genuine enough, especially for Camila. She seems to have the best of intentions, so I let her off easy. "It's okay. I'll try to figure this out." I tell her, so she knows I'm not still angry.

Then I get in my car and drive home, looking back on my day and cringing. I find it funny how at the beginning of this, I just wanted to shake up my boring life a little. Now I am embarrassing myself left and right, and I don't even feel like my life is any more interesting. If anything, I just have a headache.