Within the Writing

Chapter Twenty-Four

I had called Aiden’s house to let him know I was going to be coming to dinner but instead got his little sister on the phone. I was almost surprised to hear her voice. She went to a different school than us, a private school. I hadn’t seen her for a while; she didn’t have Spring Break as long as the public system did.

“Hello?” She asked and I bit my lip softly.

“Hey Dawn. Could you tell Aiden to meet us at Olive Garden around…” I trailed off and looked at my digital alarm clock. It was three forty-seven and I was going to need a couple hours to calm my nerves. “…at like six?” I finished my sentence.

“Yeah. Sure.” Her voice was chipper, happy. I frowned a little.

“Did you know?” I asked. I could hear her shuffling on the other end of the phone before she finally answered me.

“Yeah, but we’ll see you at six!” she said quickly and hung up. I couldn’t help but feel like she was hiding something from me and I was left, holding my cell phone in my hand, pouting at my reflection in my mirror.

“People are confusing.” I told the mirror image of myself. I shook my head and went ahead and rummaged my closet, not wanting to go to Olive Garden in my sweatpants and over-sized hoodie. I looked like someone who had just woken up and well...in a public restaurant that was not sociably acceptable. I picked out an outfit. Milk white skinny jeans and a purple graphic t-shirt that had a green dinosaur on it that said "RAWR! It mean's I love you in dinosaur.". I then proceeded to set my clothes down on my bed and go to the bathroom.

I turned the shower water on, making sure it was just right. Extremely hot. I loved hot showers it soothed my nerves and relaxed my tired muscles. I stripped down and found myself looking in the mirror. There were several white scars littering my body, most of them from the guys but a couple were self-inflicted. I had long since stopped doing that. Realizing it wasn't worth it. I was kinda happy though, knowing none of these scars were new.

Once I was certain the water was actually where I wanted it, I climbed in and felt the hot water run over my scarred body. Considering I was a pale person it was funny that my scars could be whiter than I was, but the scars themselves weren't funny. I closed my light gray eyes as I felt the water cascade over my longer hair and down my body. I must've stood like that in absolute silence for five minutes before I actually grabbed the shampoo and shampooed my greasy hair. I then proceeded to do something none of the guys knew I did...unless we had swimming at school. I shaved my armpits and legs, much like a girl would have done. Honestly I thought body hair (at least body hair on me) was gross.

Once I had finished shaving I rinsed the shampoo out of my hair, watching the bubbles slip down the drain. I made sure all the shampoo was thoroughly cleansed before I grabbed the hair conditioner and lathered that deeply into my hair. My sister was always complaining about my hair was silk-like and hers wasn't. This was why. I had a way of keeping it extra soft, that and I didn't dye it all the time like she did. With the conditioner in my hair I proceeded to put bodywash on my loofa and then washed myself clean, giving my hair some time to absorb the conditioner. Once I was finished I rinsed myself off then rinsed my hair out, making sure it was completely rinsed through. I turned the water off and climbed out, wrapping a small towel around my longer hair and a bigger towel around my waist.

I stepped out of the bathroom, the mirrors were fogged up from the heat and bumped into my sister.

"Going somewhere?" She asked, laughing. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Yeah and so are you, mom, and dad. We're going to Olive Garden at six. Could you tell them for me please?" I asked her as I pushed past her and down the hall towards my warm bedroom. I stopped and glanced back at my sister from across the hall. I was happy dad would be there too considering this was one of his few nights off.

"Yeah, sure. I'll tell them." She assured before slipping down the stairs and to the living room. I smiled after her before pushing my door open and slipping into the heated room. I easily dried myself off, watching the time. It was four thirty-three. Nearly an hour long shower. Most it had been just me relaxing the heat though, pondering life. I finished drying before slipping on some white boxer briefs and then my white skinnies on after them. I dried my hair and hung the towels up to dry before looking at myself in my stand-up mirror. The scars were still noticeable but so was the small v-line of my torso. I kinda liked being shirtless but at the same time there were plenty of guys who actually had ab muscles. I was just flat stomached.

I shook my hair, messing with my black hair before pulling on my purple dinosaur shirt and then combing my hair out, making most of it go to one side. It wasn't obnoxiously long but it was long enough to style. I made sure my hair stayed in place with some hair gel and that was the end of that. I slipped on some of my rubber bracelets and then sat on the edge of my bed, checking the time again. Five o'clock on the dot. I quickly pulled socks on and then my purple converse on after them. I then rushed downstairs, for once leaving my journal under my desk in the bag.

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 I sat awkwardly at a two-seated table while our family took up two booths across the walkway. Eve kept throwing glances at me, smirking brightly. I gulped, looking at my menu even though I already knew what I wanted. Aiden wasn't even bothering to look at his but I could feel his eyes trained on me instead. My face was hot again and he had me set my menu down.

"So I guess you're wondering why I wanted you to come here, especially with everyone." He began. I raised a brow at him and my curiosity grew a little. I tilted my head to the side as I watched him.

"I thought you wanted to be where it all started? At least that's what the note said." I was giving him the only information I knew and suddenly I realized that I didnt actually have a valid reason. He had just told me what he thought, not why he wanted us to come here. I bit my lip and we sat in silence, he was leaning over the table and naturally I was propped onto the table with both of my hands, our faces were too close for comfort so I leaned back in my chair.

"Well that's not the actual reason. I mean, being where it all started is a bonus." He told me and flashed a brilliant smile. I felt butterflies deep in my stomach and I chewed my bottom lip in a cute-ish manner, not meaning to. I was just nervous now and lost in that smile.

"Then uh...what's the real reason?" I murmured softly. Aiden looked around for a second and grinned as a waiter came over.

"I'd like the special now please." The waiter nodded and I frowned a little as he walked away.

"Special?" I groaned, realizing he hadn't answered my question. "What's the real reason?" I pressed and looked at him, waiting for the answer. He shrugged, leaning back in his own chair, lacing his muscular arms behind his head.

"You'll have to wait in see." He told me. His family and mine were all watching us from their booth seats and I had to look away and pretend they weren't as I felt my face feel like it would melt off at any second. Soon the waiter and plenty of other waitresses and waiters came back and I turned and looked at them totally confused. I looked at Aiden confused too as he got up and grabbed a Cherry Sierra Mist, handing it to me. There was a pretty looking notecard attached to the straw and it said something I didn't think I could read.

"Wait...what?" I was looking at Aiden's neat handwriting in astonishment. He grinned and I looked at him, wondering if this was all just some cruel sick joke.

"Jamison, will you please go to prom with me?" He asked and the staff members of Olive Garden looked like they were waiting for my answer and I knew my family was too. I bit my lip softly and then nodded slowly.

"I'd love to." I admitted. The staff let go of confetti and balloons and our two familes hollered and whistled then I burst into a big grin and Aiden was grinning as well. He hugged me and I stiffened, hesitating. He took a step back and frowned.

"I'm sorry.." he murmured and then I grabbed his shirt and pulled him into another hug. This was the closest I thought we would ever get. Or at least that I would let us get. But just like with everything else. I was completely wrong.