Who is Blake Evans

Inside jokes

-What have you never done and always wanted to do? - Jane asks Blake.

-Korean food, paintball, play a character in a play and...

-And?

-That's it. - Blake tries to look all innocent but Jane doesn't believe him for one bit.

-Ok, so, Korean food. We'll look up some recipes and with the help of my mom we can make a feast at our home.

-Great. - Blake looks very happy with the idea.

-Paintball. We don't have a paintball field in our town. - Blake looks sad and disappointed.

-Play a character... I think that one is on its way to being real, right? Next Monday is the play. - Blake looks down but Jane doesn't notice.

We say our goodbyes and go home.

.

It's the next morning and my parents and I are in the kitchen consuming breakfast foods. My dad is drinking a black coffee and eating a bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon, my mom a muffin and a cappuccino and I'm finishing my bowl of cereal.

-The day of your play is going to be a sunny day. Mom and I are going to walk to the school.

-Okay, cool. - I answer dryly. It's not that I don't love my parents. It just makes me feel icky that they're going to see me in a dress playing a damsel. And that a boy is going to kiss me in front of them. - Bye!

I walk outside and Blake is there waiting. Jane is catching a ride from Jamie so it's just the two of us. It makes me feel a bit nervous.

-You look beautiful. - Blake says looking me up and down in exaggeration. I look at what I'm wearing and I don't get it. I'm wearing the same boots and hand me down parka.

-Why did you say that? I look the same as always.

-Well that just means you always look ravishing. - I blush. Then I punch his arm to release the tension between us.

-Ow! - He pretends to get hurt. - You need to learn to take a compliment.

On our way to school we keep joking back and forth and there isn't any seriousness in the air. When we get there, we have stopped a few times laughing too hard to continue. The rest of the day I can't help but notice how boring everyone else seems outside of our group. It feels like home and like a completely new feeling at the same time, talking to Blake.

-Is this revenge for me driving with Jamie? You guys haven't been giving me any attention today.

-No Jane, don't worry, you'll always be... number one. - Blake and I both start laughing uncontrollably. We already have inside jokes with each other. Jane doesn't understand a thing, neither does anyone else in our table.

.

When it is time to go, we decide to go with Jane on Jamie's car home. Blake and I are in the back seat and I'm looking out the window but I notice myself aware of him. I can't stop smiling. The whole day has been amazing. I look at Blake and I notice he was already looking at me. He doesn't shy away and holds eye contact with me. It feels really intimate and I get a bit nervous. But he reaches over to hold my hand and it calms me down.

.

When I'm home I'm looking through my closet. It's almost empty now except for a few belts and ties and a Hawaiian shirt.

-Mommm! - I scream so my mother can hear me from across the house. A little later she comes up to my rooms open door. She can't walk past it though because of the huge mess on the floor.

-What is all this? I thought you already had your costume for theater.

-It's not that, I need new clothes. I always wear yours and dad's hand me downs and thrifted clothes. My closet is a travesty.

-Honey, we can't be spending too much money. - I make sad puppy dog eyes. She sighs.

-I have this gift card I was waiting to spend on something special. I guess this can be that something. - I jump over the pile of clothes and hug her super tight.

I want to have something special to wear this weekend when we do the Korean food party in Jane's house.