The Date Auction

Chapter 3: The Auction

The next hour passed in an anxious blur. It felt like the only thing I could pay attention to was the final prices of the girls ahead of me. Eighty. One twenty. Sixty. One sixty. The crowd was getting progressively more rambunctious as the alcohol flowed. I could just picture Eleanor walking offstage with a three hundred dollar contribution to her name, and the crowd completely losing interest just before I stepped in the spotlight.

"What do you mean I'm not last?" Eleanor whispered angrily, catching my attention.

"Well, it's Madison. Her boyfriend's car broke down, so we delayed her so he can make it in time." whispered an unfortunate girl with a clipboard.

"Ugh. Well, her funeral. I'm a tough act to follow." Eleanor flipped her hair over her shoulder.

Jeez, she didn't have to rub it in.

Just then, I felt my purse vibrate. A text from Jake. "Here :)". Phew! I was saved one humiliation.

But my next one was oncoming. The bidding had begun in earnest for Eleanor. Her boyfriend of the month was there, Chad Richmoney, and he was trying valiantly to keep the leading bid. The sun was just setting and Eleanor looked amazing in the evening lighting as she posed for the crowd.

"Eighty!"

"One hundred!"

"One sixty!" Chad yelled, trying to get ahead of the crowd.

"One eighty" someone else bid almost immediately.

Just then, the roar of a motorcycle briefly interrupted the auctioneer. I hated motorcycles. My dad used to drive one, before he disappeared on his trip to study Ancient Mythology at the Grand Canyon, and now I associated the sound with assholes who don't bother sticking around.

"Two forty!" Chad bid into the brief silence that followed.

Just then a handsome stranger in dark clothing sauntered inside like he owned the place.

"Two sixty!" the stranger called, almost bored.

"Th-three hundred!" Chad bid, looking visibly nervous.

The stranger looked at Eleanor, shrugged disinterestedly, and turned his gaze to me. As soon as he met my eyes, the intensity of his gaze nearly overwhelmed me. Who was he? Surely I would have noticed him if he'd come last year.

A new round of bidding sprang up, and quickly Chad was winning at three forty, while the stranger still held my eye. Then the stranger smiled, winked, and disappeared into the crowd.

"Three sixty!" bid Jeff Hardbody, captain of the chess team and member of Delta Mathematica Matlab, the local nerd fraternity. He was one of the richest boys on campus after his dad had made money on a quantum algorithm.

Chad scuffed his foot against the ground in defeat. He'd hear about this from Eleanor, I was sure.

"Sold! Three hundred sixty! Jeff! Come to the side table to work out the details of your prize!"

My heart sank. A new record. As if I didn't have enough to worry about.

"Oh my god, I can't believe Blaise is here." Courtney said, startling me.

"Blaise?" I asked.

"You had to notice the motorcycle. He shows up to things every once in a while. Rumor has it he's in the secret, forbidden fraternity on campus, but no one knows the details. Every girl wants him but no one can even get his phone number."

Well, I never had to worry about him then.

"Can you believe Chad?" Eleanor was suddenly beside me. "What kind of man can't win his own date? Ugh. I should have known. He's from the Newport Richmoneys, and they're the poorest of the lot. Anyway, Madison, you're up."

This was it. My nightmare. I took a deep breath, found Jake in the crowd, and stepped into the spotlight.

"Eighty!" Jake called right away. I was so relieved. I couldn't imagine going for only twenty, the minimum bid. And this way I could claim Jake just scared off all the others with a high starting bid, and-

"One hundred!" Jeff Hardbody said.

"One twenty!" Jake.

"One forty!" a new voice, from somewhere I couldn't pick out.

"Two hundred!" Jeff.

"Two twenty!" Jake.

"Three hundred-"

I nearly fainted. I'd never dreamed I'd go this high. I hope Jake wouldn't be too upset at how much it cost to win me.

"-sixty" the stranger finished. "Three hundred sixty."

"Four hundred!" shouted Jake.

I couldn't believe it. Plain old me. A new record. This couldn't be happening. I nearly leapt off the stage to go and hug Jake.

"Four hundred and twenty." And then I saw him. The darkly dressed motorcyclist, enigmatic frat boy. Staring into me with those piercing eyes. Then I looked to Jake, saw him shake his head and mouth sorry babe.

The auctioneer paused a brief, incredulous second before continuing her patter, "Going! Going! Gone! Sold for four twenty! Blaise! It's organized at the side table, so come on down and claim your prize!"

I don't know how long I stood, shocked, before Courtney gently lead me off stage. Another one of my sisters, the one manning the side table, came up to me.

"Madison, Blaise says he expects your date to be next Saturday night. He also asked that I give you this." and she handed me a slip of paper. I unfolded it. A phone number. His phone number. I might be the only girl on campus who has this.

"Hey, babe! I'm sorry I couldn't win!" It was Jake, making his way backstage. He kissed my cheek and gave me an enormous hug. "Hope you aren't too mad!"

I was still too flustered to do anything, so I let him lead me outside.

And that's how I left the date auction with my boyfriend's hand in mine, and an upcoming date with a mysterious, handsome stranger whose phone number was even now in my pocket. And to think - earlier I thought I just had to get through tonight!