Becoming Somebody

Chapter 8 - Surprise Date

"What do you want?" she asked, already annoyed.

"Oh hey Charlie, yeah I'm good thanks for asking," he said, pretending to carry on a conversation she didn't start.

She crossed her arms. "How did you even get my number?"

"I asked a girl from your Spanish class for it, anyways that's not what's important here," he tried to continue but she stopped him.

"If you're trying to prank me again, I swear to god," Charlie started.

"No, no, no, that's not what I'm doing at all! I wanted to ask you to Homecoming!" he blurted out.

Her jaw dropped. That was not at all what she expected him to say.

"What?" she said, simply because she was shocked.

"Will you go to Homecoming with me?" he repeated the request.

Charlie considered him for a moment. She hadn't even thought if she was attracted to him before because she had been so busy being upset with him for hazing her. But looking at him now, she realized he was pretty cute. He was athletic looking, although he didn't play any sports that she was aware of. He had messy hair, like he just rolled out of bed, but it worked for him. She was disappointed that it wasn't Tony asking her like she had hoped, but it was exciting to be asked out by a guy nonetheless. 

"Fine, sure I'll go with you," she said.

He looked shocked at first, then quickly recovered and flashed her a cute crooked smile. "Okay, dope!"

"I have to go to my next class, but I'll see you at lunch?" she asked, warming up to him quickly now that she realized he liked her like that.

"Yeah, great!" he said, looking like he won the lotto.

She walked away and immediately texted Taylor.

Got a Homecoming date. You'll never believe who.

Taylor responded, Is it Tony?!

Nope, Nick!

Taylor's next texts were almost simultaneous. WHAT? WHY? PS; TIM ASKED ME!!!!

Omg congrats! Charlie typed back. She was about to text more when she looked up and saw Cassius talking to none other than the new class princess, Rachel. What the hell was it with this girl?

They were talking and laughing. Charlie couldn't figure out if it was flirtatious or just friendly from this distance, but the sight of it made her stomach flip. She walked in that direction, with no plan in mind at all. She just wanted to get close enough to hear if he was asking her out. By the time she got there Cassius walked away, leaving Rachel there by herself. So, not to be awkward, Charlie walked up to Rachel like that's what she was planning all along.

"Congratulations, Rachel!" she tried to infuse her voice with sincerity, but failed.

"Oh hey, thanks Charlie! Close race!" Rachel responded kindly.

"Yeah, I was really excited when I saw my name on the ballot," Charlie admitted. "Even though I didn't do any campaigning." 

"Oh, I totally thought it was gonna be you," Rachel said. "Everyone knows who you are! I was just trying to get my name out there because I heard it was good for college applications, and I'm going to need a hell of a scholarship if I'm going anywhere after this."

"Yeah, I heard that too," Charlie responded. For some reason this conversation with Rachel was calming down the jealousy monster inside her stomach. Was Rachel... nice? "Where do you want to go to college?"

"I'm not sure yet, to be honest I didn't even think it was an option for me until I transferred here. No one from my family has been to college," Rachel said.

"Neither has anyone from mine," Charlie related. 

The bell rang, so they had to go their separate ways, but Charlie walked away feeling very different than she had just five minutes before. Instead of seeing Rachel as competition, maybe she could actually be friends with her. If she wanted to become the kind of popular girl who used popularity for good not evil, that was exactly what she should do, she decided.