The Game

Hope (Ben's POV)

Ava face-timed me to tell me not to take her out to dinner tonight for the Winter Ball.

I was a little confused, but I sort of went with it, it was 2:23 pm, and I was chilling in my room watching Modern Family.

Ava told me her dress was all black and had maroon colored heels, so I did the best I could and got out the black suit that I have worn to many dinner parties and looked through the very few things that my dad left at the house until I found a maroon colored tie.

I laughed. He claimed that he needed every color tie to be a successful attorney.

I glance at my dresser and see my suit perfectly ironed and crisp.

I scrolled through Netflix for a little while before I decided to take a nap, only awakened an hour and a half later by frantic knocking.

I ran down the steps and peeped out the front window. It was Sam.

I open the door, and she comes rushing in, she had a red dress on, and her hair was up in a curled bun. She looked like she was all ready going to the dance. She was beautiful, except she had a broken heel in her hand and was barefoot.

"Sam, do you know you just crossed the street and walked over here barefoot, not to mention there is snow on the ground," I said as I closed the door behind her.

"My heel broke, and my mother doesn't wear the same size heel as me. Please tell me Mary or your mom have some heels lying around." Sam said as she turned to face me.

"Well, Mary is out with Emma, so I don't know, but you are welcome to search my mom's closet. She doesn't wear half the stuff in it." I said as I followed her upstairs.

I waited outside my parent's bedroom as she looked for a pair of heels. After a good 7 minutes, she came out.

She looked saner now and had on a gold-colored pair of heels, and I coughed. She was so pretty.

"Wow, Sam, you look nice," I said.

Before responding, she looked at her phone, "Oh god, I need to go. Tyler is supposed to pick me up in 5 minutes. Thank you so much, Ben, for helping me. It means a lot." Sam said as she looked me in the eyes and hugged me.

I smile as she turns and slowly walks down the stairs; I sigh and glance at the clock.

I don't think I've ever moved this fast in my life. I threw on my suit and tie and grabbed a pair of black shoes from my dad's closet. I also brushed my hair and sprayed on some cologne, and grabbed my phone, wallet, and car keys. I was halfway out the door before I ran back inside and grabbed the flowers I had for Ava out of the fridge.

As I sprint out to my car, I relax and notice that I still would be on time to pick up Ava.

As I arrive at her house, I see her slowly walk to my car with a picnic basket in her hand.

Her hair is curled, and a tiny pin is holding her back. I get out and open the door for her.

"You look stunning," I said as I helped her into the car.

"Thank you. I want to make you look good in front of all your classmates." She said with a smirk.

I laugh as I gently grab her hand and put on her corsage.

She smiles as she looks at it, "Thank you, whenever I go to a school dance with someone, they somehow forget about the corsage, so I always used to have to hide the boutonniere when I found out that they never got me a corsage, so I didn't look stupid. So I feel so bad that I didn't get you one because I wasn't sure, but I'll give you this."

She slips the pin out of her hair and clips it onto my jacket pocket. It was silver with red stones in it.

I smile, "Thank you. It's much better than a boutonniere."

She smiles, "Here, turn into Valley Hills."

I look over at her, confused, as I pull into the parking lot of her high school.

She directs me to the back of the school, "Drive out in the middle of the track and football field." She says.

I look at her and slowly drive onto it.

"Don't worry; the night guard is my cousin. I told him we were going to be here." Ava said as she got out of the car.

I slowly get out, too, and she opens my trunk.

"Um, Ava, isn't it a little cold for a trunk picnic," I questioned.

She smiles as she pulls out two mini battery-operated heaters and two blankets, then two bottles of water and two subs.

"I figured I would save you a little money and bring my secret sub recipe." She grins.

I smile as I get in the back of my Audi SUV. We both sat facing outside as she put a blanket over her lap so she could sit usually and handed me a sub.

I was surprised. It was good.

We talked for a while about random things. She was straightforward to speak to but looking back on August. I thought I'd be taking someone completely different.

After eating, she leans back and puts her head on my shoulder, "So, I probably shouldn't be falling for you as quickly as I am."

I take her hand in mine, "Ava, I love hanging out with you, and someday I could see us being together, but I broke up with my girlfriend of 2 years because I fell in love with another girl, only to find out she got a boyfriend and I'm still stuck up on her. I want us to work, so I'm asking you if you could wait a little longer to give me time so that I can give 100% to you because you deserve it."

She holds my hand tighter, "Of course, I'll wait. I feel a good connection between us."

I put my head on hers, and we sit quietly for a little while.

"Uh, I don't mean to be annoying, but if we don't leave now, the dance will be over," Ava says, pulling me out of the car.

I laugh as I pull her into a hug, "Thank you for this amazing dinner."

I open the car door for her, and I help her get in, and we drive over to South Oak.