It All Started With A Deal

Chapter 2

How to Run from the Mess You Made

"So, what do you like to do for fun?" My blind date, Micheal, questioned me.

Athena had scheduled yet another date for me that night. Shocker. At least that time she gave me a heads up, and by that I meant, she showed up ten minutes before she wanted me to leave, and threw some clothes at me. She had decided that I should wear a bright red, flowy, sundress. I would have preferred shorts and a t-shirt but unfortunately, Athena did not approve.

Sure, I could always tell her I didn't want to go and refuse to attend but it made her happy. She only set me up on them because she cared about me. It was her weird way of showing me she loved me so I would continue to go on them as long as it made her smile, plus it was an excuse to get out of my house, which was always nice.

Micheal was a sweet guy and I could have actually seen myself going on a second date with him. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop thinking about Liam. Pretending to date him would be the solution to all my problems. Athena would be happy and I would never have to go on a dumb date again. I could always try for a real relationship with Micheal but, honestly, I wasn't sure if it would work. I didn't even know if he was having a good time. For all I knew, we could go on a second date and then he could totally ghost me. Dating Liam though, that was for sure, one hundred percent. There was no commitment, no feelings, no strings attached. As crazy of an idea it was, it could work. What's the worst that could happen?

"Sapphire?" Micheal questioned, trying to get a good look at my face to see if I was still listening.

My head snapped up as I pulled away from my thoughts. "Huh?" I replied, still dazed. "Oh right, I like to draw."

Micheal nodded. "Oh really? I'm a bit of an artist myself. What's your medium?"

He had one of those voices that you'd never expect to find on a seventeen-year-old, that kind of penetrating voice that you could feel throughout your entire body, the kind of voice that could persuade you to do anything, steal a car, take over the world; he had the kind of voice that was made for people who were going places; he had the kind of voice I could only dream of.

He dressed in a clean, pressed, navy button-up, his collar perfectly straight as if he'd stood in the mirror and adjusted it till perfection, and took me to a restaurant I could only ever dream to afford, and then he offered to pay, like a real gentleman. I felt terrible for not staying, but there was no point in stringing him along. "I'm so sorry but I actually have to get going." I finally turned my head to make eye contact.

His face morphed into a frown. "Oh alright. I had a fun time, we should do it again." A glimmer of hope sparkled in his eyes.

I debated agreeing, in case Liam had changed his mind about the deal but figured it would be rude to Micheal. "You're a really sweet guy but I have feelings for someone else," I lied.

He seemed to understand as he shook my hand. "Well, if for some reason that guy doesn't see how amazing you are, give me a call."

I smiled at him. He was a really great guy, but I wasn't the one for him. Spinning on my heel, I exited the building and took Athena's car, which I'd borrowed for the night. I headed straight for the school. It didn't take long for me to arrive but by the time I got there, the game was already almost over. The bleachers were packed, students crammed shoulder to shoulder, desperate to get a glimpse of the final play. They all dressed in Hawaiian shirts and flower leis, most likely that night's theme. I stood out like a sore thumb in my bright red dress that was slowly getting drenched by the rain pouring down on us, but since the game was almost over, they were definitely going to finish it, despite the rain. With only a few seconds remaining on the clock, both teams were tied.