I’d said the same sentence for the last few years, over and over again, and finally... it actually sounded believable.
“Good,” he smirked. “Then he won’t mind if I take you to Shane’s tonight.”
I felt my jaw fall and then he chuckled, looking down at the floor. A timid smile broke out on my face when he looked back up at me.
“Why would you want to take me?”
His eyebrows folded. “Why wouldn’t I?”
I just stared at him, which made him smile, causing the one dimple on his cheek to grow deeper.
“I’ll pick you up at 8. Okay?”
He didn’t wait for me to confirm. Instead, he reached for the door and opened it, throwing back a wink and walked out, leaving me standing there like a mystified idiot.
In haste, I called out after him, running through the threshold of the doors. “I’ll be at Becca’s.”
He turned around and gave me a nod. “See you then, beautiful.”
Warmth slowly replaced the jittering feeling in my body. I almost squealed right then and there outside the doors to the school. I was cheesing. My smile stretching from ear to ear.
When I started to make my way over to Becca and Casey, they were both eyeing me suspiciously. I basically flew over to them, wings coming out of nowhere, and filled them in. We all three jumped up and down in the middle of the parking lot, with cars whipping by.
“This is insane!!” Casey piped. I locked on to her face and then she squealed so loud that a few other students looked over at us.
“I know, I almost can’t believe it!” I felt exhilarated. Then the confusion started to set in.
Really, though. Why me? Why would he ask me to go to the party with him? I was a sophomore, and definitely not like the other girls in my grade. I think I was one of the last virgins there was. Even Casey and Becca had had sex.
Not me.
Which was a major disappointment to Tyler. Just ask him; that’s why he basically forced me to break up with him.
“Hey, Ivy. Come here.” My head snapped up to Dawson and Max in Dawson’s bright red Camaro, idling a few yards away.
“Hold on,” I said to Becca and Casey. They nodded and hopped inside Becca’s Honda, still yammering on about what I should wear tonight.
I skipped over to the rumbling of the Camaro’s engine and bent my head down to Dawson. I rested my arms on the black paneling inside the door.
“What was that?” Dawson asked, his jaw clenching every few seconds.
“What?” I played stupid, trying to force the grin off my face.
I peeked around his body and looked at Max. He was sitting mindlessly in the passenger seat, looking down at his phone, not making any eye contact, whatsoever.
“Why was Andy talking to you?”
“So what if he was?” I snapped.
Dawson’s head twitched a little and then his face scrunched.
“Whoa, killer. I was just asking.”
I let out an even breath.
“Sorry, I’m just as confused as you are. He wants to take me to the party tonight.”
Max coughed uncomfortably in his seat and I looked over at him once again, but he still wouldn’t meet my eye.