The Boyfriend Bid (The Girlfriend Request)

by Jodie Andrefski

She looked around, as if that would give her a clue as to what I was up to.

  I turned the knob and pulled the door open just enough to get my fingers inside, then turned back to face her. “C’mon, you’ll like it, trust me.” I smiled.

  Nodding, she closed her eyes. Once I was sure that she wasn’t peeking, I opened the door all the way and guided her until we were just inside the door. I reached around and put a hand over her eyes so she wouldn’t be tempted to peek.

  “Hey!” she said.

  I leaned in to whisper, close to the side of her head. “Just a precaution.”

  She smiled. A small smile, but I’d take it. I really wanted to show her how much it meant to me to make this special for her.

  I walked just behind her, my left hand still covering her eyes, my right hand holding hers out a little bit, guiding us. “Okay, a little to the right. A little more. Now straight. A few more steps.”

  She bumped into a table. Oops.

  “Sorry about that.” I tried not to chuckle.

  She patted the table and found her way around it.

  “Okay, almost there.” We took several more steps. “And…stop.”

  She stopped so suddenly at my direction that I bumped into her. I wrapped my right hand around her waist to steady us, my hand pressed against the curve of her hip. “Keep your eyes closed,” I whispered. I removed my hand that covered her eyes and turned her, slowly, to face me. Her lashes rested against her cheeks as she kept her eyes shut. She was beautiful.

  I cupped her head with my hands and traced the lines of her face. I became very aware of her breathing, of the rise and fall of her chest. I leaned in and kissed the curve of her jaw, the barest whisper of my lips on her skin. I felt her tremble, but she didn’t step away.

  Right then, I didn’t care about anything other than the girl in front of me, and how I felt about her, and the fact that I needed to kiss her again.

  When our mouths met, the ground shifted beneath me. Sarah reached her hands up and wrapped them around my neck, pulling me closer, and I was undone. I teased her mouth open and explored the taste of her. We kissed for what may have been minutes or hours or seconds. Time didn’t exist. There was only Sarah.

  I pulled back but couldn’t resist placing one more soft kiss on her lips. “Wow,” I whispered, then rested my forehead against hers.

  “Wow, indeed.” She sounded as breathless as I felt.

  I leaned my head back enough to face her. “Want to see your surprise now?”

  She opened her eyes. “You mean some earth-shattering kiss in the rare books room wasn’t it?” She didn’t even sound sarcastic.

  My chest may have puffed out a little. I chuckled. “No, that was just an added bonus.” I tapped her on the nose.

  “Nice bonus.” She smiled.

  “Okay, close your eyes again.”

  She started to close them, then peeked out of one. “Wait, isn’t this how this whole thing started?”

  I stole one more quick kiss. “Smartypants. Now close them.”

  She grinned but obeyed.

  I turned her around to face the other side of the room, the side she hadn’t seen when we’d come in the door, since she’d had her eyes covered. I stood behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. “Now, go ahead and open them.” A second later, I heard her excited gasp.

  “Chance,” she breathed.

  When she spun around and kissed me without hesitation, it made everything that had led up to this exact moment worthwhile.

  “So you like it?”

  She shook her head. “No. I love it. It’s…amazing.” She walked over to the blanket I’d arranged on the floor. It had taken some pull and lots of pleading, but I’d finally gotten permission for the whole thing from the librarian. I think it helped that she was a romantic at heart. I’d driven up earlier today and dropped most of the things off to get them ready. Other things I’d called to set up.

  I joined her, seated on the soft plaid blanket. An honest-to-goodness picnic basket rested in the center, and next to it sat a bouquet of daisies, the stems tied together with a lavender string.

  She raised her eyes to look at me after noticing the flowers. “How did you know?” she asked softly.

  “I did some asking around. Emma told me they’re your favorite.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t even know what to say. How…how did you do all of this?”

  I reached in the basket and pulled out a container of plump, juicy grapes. “That’s my secret. All you have to do is relax and enjoy.”

  She bit her lip. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” I smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”

  We sat together on the floor of the rare books room and ate the grapes and some strawberries, as well as the crackers and sliced-up cheese and tiny brownies. I handed her a small water bottle. “We aren’t really supposed to have anything to drink in here, but I figured we’d need it, so be careful.” I laughed and made a big show of watching the door for someone to catch us breaking the rules.

  When we’d finished, I leaned back on one arm. “This was nice.”

  “It was more than nice,” she agreed.

  The wall she’d had up in the truck earlier was gone. I hoped that meant we were okay again, and able to move forward. I couldn’t wait for the six weeks to be over so I could spend time with Sarah alone. It was hard enough finding time to be together for our required dates between both of our schedules, but I wanted to see her when we didn’t have the constant audience.

  Some of the time we were together, I became so engrossed in talking with her, and watching her smile or laugh, or, more recently, kissing her, that I completely forgot they were there. But then something would happen and the illusion of being alone would shatter.

  Like now, when Josh sneezed right when I’d been about to lean in and kiss her. Moment lost. I sighed.

  “I guess it’s about that time,” she said, clearly feeling it too.

  I nodded. “I guess so.”

  We packed up the remains of our picnic and stood up. I looked around. It looked like a plain room again, the magic gone. I hoped the same wasn’t true about Sarah and me.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Sarah

  If you’re not the one for me

  Why do I hate the idea of being free? ~ Adele

  “I can’t do it anymore. I’m quitting.”

  I paced back and forth in Emma’s bedroom. She sat cross-legged on her wide window seat, holding some giant orange stuffed cat that she’d moved out of the way to sit down.

  “You can’t do what anymore? What are you quitting?”

  “It’s just too much.” I kept pacing.

  “Sarah.” She leaned forward and grabbed the hem of my shirt. “Stop, you’re going to wear a hole in my carpet. Would you sit down and tell me what you’re talking about? What are you quitting? Your job? I thought you loved it there.”

  I stared at her. “Why would I quit my job?”

  She threw her hands out, and the cat fell to the ground “I don’t know. You won’t tell me what you’re talking about. What’s going on?”

  I sat on the floor and covered my face with my hands and moaned. “It’s him.”

  “Who? Chance?”

  I lowered my hands. “Yes.”

  “Okay, we’re finally getting somewhere.” She dropped down on the carpet next to me. “So, come on, spill it. What’s really going on?” She raised an eyebrow and stared at me for a moment. “Oh my god, you kissed him.”

  I didn’t say a word.

  She bounced on the floor, squealing. “Am I right? You kissed him? I want details. Did you kiss him, or did he kiss you? Who started it? How was it? Is he a good kisser?” She paused for a half a second. “I bet he is, he has the lips for it.”

  My eyes widened. “Emma!”

  “Well, he does. He has those full lips that you just can tell would really know how to kiss a girl.” She grinned. “Am I right?”

  “Omi
god. I’m telling Eli.”

  She waved off my comment. “Anyway. You kissed. I don’t see the problem. This is a good thing. A great thing.”

  I shook my head. “Except for the fact that I like him.”

  “Well I’d hope so, if you’re running around kissing him.”

  I pushed her. “Would you be serious?”

  She shifted to face me head-on. “Sarah, I do think this is a good thing. Tell me what you’re worried about. Why do you want to quit if things are going well?”

  “That’s just it. At first the whole thing meant nothing to me. Then, even when we started getting closer as friends, it was still just…I don’t know, fun.” I twirled a piece of my hair. “But then somehow, my heart got involved, even when I told myself not to like him. I couldn’t help it.”

  Emma nodded.

  “But Chance said—”

  “I know what he said, but that was before,” she interrupted.

  “No. He said it again just last week at a meeting we had at the newspaper office.”

  “Oh.” Her face fell, and I could practically see the wheels in her brain spinning as she tried to think of something supportive to say.

  “But I don’t think he would have kissed you if he didn’t want to. Chance is a decent guy, from everything Eli’s told me. I don’t think he’d just play you like that.”

  “They told him to kiss me.”

  Her brows shot up. “Come again?”

  I nodded. “The first time we kissed when we were at dinner. Josh said—”

  “Wait, the first time? How many times have you guys kissed?”

  Oops. I hadn’t meant to let that slip. Then again, there would probably be photographic evidence circulating by next week, so I might as well tell her.

  “Three times.”

  “And did they tell him to kiss you all three times?”

  The image of me wheeling around to kiss Chance flashed through my mind. “Well, not exactly.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “At our date yesterday, he kissed me, then I kissed him. That’s it.”

  “This seems like a lot of tongue action going on for people who don’t like each other.”

  “I never said there was tongue action.”

  She quirked an eyebrow.

  “Okay, fine, whatever. Let’s get back to the point. I can’t keep going on these fake dates with him. Being around him is just too hard. I don’t want to do it anymore.”

  “I understand, I do. But are you really sure that it wouldn’t be better to just be honest and tell him how you’re feeling? Just see if he’s feeling the same way?” She reached for both of my hands. “I know you’re afraid of being hurt again. I get that. But sometimes you have to be willing to really open yourself up if you want to find something good.”

  I looked down.

  “It’s hard for love to find its way over giant walls, ya know,” she continued softly.

  I knew she meant well. But at this point, it wasn’t even as much about me not wanting to get hurt as it was about not wanting to mess up any friendship Chance and I had formed. If I said something now, it might make things awkward, and we’d lose that. I didn’t want to risk it.

  “Sarah, you can’t clam up and just not communicate with him.”

  I sighed. “I’ll think about it.”

  She nodded. “I’m here if you need me.”

  “I know.”

  She rested her head on my shoulder for a few minutes. Once again, I thanked my lucky stars that I had such good friends.

  …

  Emma had stayed at my house until after ten, and after that I’d gone right to bed. I should have spent some time studying because we had another pop quiz in Sociology.

  I needed to bring my grade up somehow. Even though Sociology was only an elective, I’d never had lower than a B on my report card in my life, and I didn’t want to start now.

  I sent Megan and Emma a text to let them know I wouldn’t be at lunch but that I’d see them afterward. I just told them I had some stuff to get done in the computer lab. I was embarrassed to admit the truth, so I’d explain later.

  Room 231 was closed. I stood outside, not sure if I was supposed to knock or just go in. A small sign on the door read Peer Tutoring. I decided to be safe. After a quick rap, a female voice called, “Come on in.”

  I opened the door and walked inside. And immediately froze. How could I have forgotten? Emma had read Chance’s bio to me. Along with playing soccer, he was a member of peer tutoring. He sat at a table just a few feet away, next to some kid with glasses and a confused expression. A math book lay open between them.

  I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

  Chance looked surprised to see me, but then he smiled. “Hey, you!”

  I just stood there, frozen, a sculpture of déjà vu at its finest.

  “Can we help you?” Mrs. Lanert rose from her desk in the right of the room. She offered a welcoming smile. I guess she was used to students coming in and looking like they didn’t know what they were supposed to be doing.

  “I…I… No thanks, wrong room.” I turned and fled out the door, not looking back. I just wasn’t ready to face him yet. Not when I knew how real my feelings for him were and when I was petrified to admit it to him. Being around him right now was just too hard.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chance

  It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

  There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do ~ Toto

  Sarah disappeared out of the room before I could say anything.

  What in the world was going on? I hadn’t seen her since our date Saturday at the library. What could have happened in two days that would have made her look at me like she didn’t want to see me or was afraid of me?

  I jumped up. “I’ll be right back,” I said to Robbie, the freshman who I’d been helping with algebra. He nodded, probably relieved for the break.

  I ran out of the room, trying to see which way she’d gone. The halls were mostly empty, since it was the middle of a period. Kids were either in class or at lunch, depending on their schedule. I looked left and right. How did she just disappear? There was no way she’d made it to the stairwell at the end of the hall already. Had she gone into one of the classrooms? The bathroom?

  I walked down the corridor, trying to casually peer in the doors of the rooms that were open. No sign of her. I pulled out my phone and typed, Hey, what’s going on? Why’d you run out so fast? Everything ok??

  I kept walking while I waited to see if she’d respond, though based on the way she’d looked at me and how she’d taken off when she’d seen me in the tutoring room, I wasn’t really expecting her to. So, I was surprised when my phone dinged.

  Everything’s fine. Sorry about that. I just remembered I had something I had to do.

  She wasn’t telling me the whole truth, I was sure of it.

  I leaned against a locker and checked to make sure no teachers were coming before I typed again, Sarah, please talk to me. What’s going on?

  It took a little longer this time, but she answered, Yesterday was great, and I loved it. But I just don’t know if we should keep doing this. I’m sorry.

  I stared at the words on my screen. She didn’t think we should keep doing this? Doing what? Spending time together? I swallowed, feeling sick in the stomach.

  What do you mean?

  I waited, afraid to see her response. But this time, it didn’t come. I slapped a nearby locker. “Dammit!”

  I rubbed my fist over my eyes and inhaled a deep breath. I’d talk to her. I’d ask her to explain what was going on. There was no way I’d imagined things between us. It wasn’t just me feeling them, it couldn’t be.

  The whole auction-dates thing and trying to talk in front of other people just made this too difficult. I needed to get her to talk to me alone. I knew what I had to do.

  As soon as the bell rang for the start of ninth period, I got a pass and left my homero
om. A couple of students walked through the halls, headed to activities or to grab books from their locker to study during last period.

  “Yo, DuPont! We’re headed to the weight room, want to come down with us?” Jeff and Brett walked toward me, gym bags slung over their shoulders.

  “Sorry, can’t. I have to do something.”

  “He’s probably too busy with his big looove connection for the website.” Brett made a heart sign with his hands and laughed.

  I stopped in front of them and snapped, “What’s your problem?”

  Brett dropped his hands. “I was just kidding, man.”

  Ugh. I was taking my frustration out on him, and it wasn’t cool. “Look, I’m sorry. It’s just been a crappy day.”

  What Brett said just brought the whole entire problem to the forefront. The damn website. I didn’t want my relationship with Sarah put on display for some blog. I didn’t want the ridiculous Operation Romance anymore. I wanted Sarah for real. And I wanted her to want me back.

  He nodded. “Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, it’s fine. I just have to run. I’ll catch you guys at practice, okay?”

  “Sure. See you later.”

  I turned and continued walking. There was one person I wanted to see, and she might not like what I had to say, but she needed to listen.

  “You’re too late.”

  “What do you mean I’m too late?” How could I be too late?

  “She already told me.”

  Wait, what? I stared at Erica. “What are you talking about?”

  She pushed her glasses up on top of her head. “She came in last period. I was here working on the layout for next week’s paper. She told me that it was over, and she quit.” She frowned. “So I don’t know why you’re here to tell me the same thing. She made it perfectly clear that the feature was done.”

  I stared at her. “Sarah already came in and quit?”

  She sighed. “For the third time, yes.” She paused. “Don’t you two talk? I assumed you decided this together.” Interest flashed in her eyes. “Or is there something else going on here?” I could see the wheels turning—thinking of a possible new angle for her story.

  “We did. Yes, we do, of course.” I tried to backpedal. “I just didn’t realize she’d come in already. Sorry to waste your time.”