A swim class was entering the pool area, so at least I wasn’t alone anymore. I stood at the end of the shallow end and just shivered trying to figure out what to do. I had lost all reason to a rational thought. I couldn’t concentrate. I heaved myself up out of the pool, my arms burning and my legs felt like jello; I grabbed my towel and noticed someone staring down at me from the top of the bleachers. He was in sweats and a hoodie that hid his face, how brazen of him come back. I couldn’t get myself to move to do anything about him, a few more girls entered the pool area, I was focused on them, no words passed my lips, I pointed to the bleachers however, when I looked up my ominous figure was gone.
Unfortunately, I was proven right to be worried about my date with Jett. Nic came up to me before first period Friday morning, she was with Declan, they both looked somber “What? What's wrong?” I asked mystified. She and Declan explained to me that he overheard Jett and the guys talking in the locker room last night and Jett said he'd show Lisa he could get a girl anytime he wanted and that he could get laid Friday or any other night! And then someone else added “Especially since Addie is easy, she dated Winters.” So Storm was right, everyone thinks I’m a slut because I dated Cale even though nothing ever happened.
“I thought you and Jett were best friends, why are you telling me all this?” I asked Declan pointedly. He explained that I was his friend too, and that he didn’t want me to hear it from anyone else and that Jett is a standup guy and it was all just locker room talk,
“I knew it, I knew something was up.” I replied. Nic asked if I was going to cancel. I said “no” but it wasn't a convincing no. “I don't know what I'll do but.... he sure isn't getting lucky with me. If we’re going out in a big group it shouldn't be hard to keep my distance. Maybe I'll sabotage the date myself.”
“Don’t worry Addie, Rae and I are going so you’ll at least know two other people in the group.”
“Rae?
“Yes Addie, my girlfriend, try and keep up would ya.” Declan and Nic started an in depth conversation about it when I noticed Topher at a locker just a few down from mine, which was strange, because his and Cale's were on the first floor near the gym. I walked up to him and leaned on the locker next to his. “So Topher, whose locker are you breaking into?” I said with levity.
I startled him, he looked a little ragged to me, he had dark circles under his eyes, he gave me a labored smile. “I uh, actually changed lockers.....mine... uh... wasn't working, they couldn't get the uh....lock fixed.”
“Mmm, I see. Are you sure you just aren't stalking me?”
“What?” he replied surprisingly, with shock in his voice. I touched his arm, he flinched, “I’m just teasing Topher. You okay?”
“Oh” he said with a little laugh, more of like a sigh of relief. He started fiddling with some books in his locker. “I am glad to see you’re ok.” What does he mean, about our break up?
“My locker's right over there,” and I pointed back over my shoulder. “As a matter of fact Nic's is near mine too.” I turned a little “Right where she and Declan are standing.” There was a little bit of a pause, I detected some sadness in him. “I'm going on an awful date tonight. Do you want to come so you can laugh at me?” He didn't respond. He closed his locker and we started walking together “Why are you going on a date if you know it's going to be awful?”
“Well, I’m not sure it’s going to be awful, but the rumor is that Jett's just going out with me to get his ex-jealous and he thinks he can get lucky.” I said with air quotes.
“You know, it could just be classic trash talk guys do in the locker room, they all do it, or it’s a rumor that started differently and grew. Just be real honest with him, don't play games like other girls do, it makes them petty.”
“You know, you're a pretty nice guy. Thanks for saying that.” I felt a little less apprehensive.
As we walked I said “You and Nic should go out again. I thought you guys got along really well.” He turned and nudged me with his elbow, and said “You know we did, maybe I will.”
After school Tori actually sat next to me on the bus. She asked me what was wrong and why I wasn't more excited about my date. I told her the whole story and she listened, this was a new experience for her and me. She asked if I was going to cancel and I told her no. “I'm not afraid of him and if he lies to his friends about what happens I'll call him out on it, in front of his friends.” I told her.
Tori backed me up, “I cannot believe he’s such a jerk. I thought he was nicer than that, he seemed like a decent guy.”
I think I was still trying to be an optimist “You know, it may just be rumors and I plan on asking him before we go to dinner.”
“You're so brave” Tori explained, “he could still be hung up on his ex-girlfriend and mad that she broke up with him. If that's the case be careful.... I'll help you get ready for your date if you want.” I gazed at her for minute “That would be great.”
When we got home she asked our mom to pluck my eyebrows. My mom was excited about the endeavor; she's been asking me to let her do it since seventh grade. It took her a good 45 minutes to finish, because every time she pulled one out I had to rub my eyebrow, it hurt and itched! When she was done with me, my eyebrows were so red and puffy I had to ice them. I thought they looked worse. I gave Tori one evil eye because I had an ice pack on the other.
“Don't worry,” she said, “The swelling will go down and the red will go away.”
“By tonight!” I exclaimed. Tori rubbed fresh aloe on my brow, it felt cool, soothing, better.
She chuckled, amused by my discomfort. “You'll get used to plucking them, it won't bother you so much after a week or so.” I gave her an even dirtier look, like I was going to do this again.
She had me do her “getting ready ritual” she does before going out, starting with a shower. She instructed me on the shampoo and conditioner to use and she made me shave my legs even though I protested because I was going to be wearing jeans.
When I got out she put stuff on my face and in my hair. Then she blew it dry part way and put my make-up on before she did hers. Then we both curled our hair. I looked pretty good and I didn't look like Herman Munster anymore. My eyebrows were nice, not too thin, but shaped, it made me look different. Mom said it elongated my face and gave it more shape. “Hmmm” was my only comment because I kind of agreed with her.
I was amazed I looked so good. I peeled off my robe and started looking in the closet for a top. I asked Tori what I should wear, my wardrobe was more basic than hers. I could see I would have to make some improvements. She pulled out a sweater of hers that I loved and she let me borrow it. I looked at her and said “I like this much better.”
“Like what better?” she asked.
“I like it better when we get along.” She laughed, smiled at me and said “Me too.”
The sweater came just below the waistband on my jeans I thought it was too short but Tori said that's how it should be. “But if I lift my arms my stomach will show.”
“Exactly” she replied. I didn't like the idea but hoped she was right.
The bottom half of the sweater and from the elbows down were a deep sky blue and the top a dark pink. It was hand knit even though we bought it at the department store, really thick with an elementary house and flowers stitched on top; it was my favorite sweater of hers. She made me change my jeans so I had a fresh pair on; she was pulling out a pair of boots for me when we heard someone knocking on the patio door. “You go ahead and change and I'll get the door.” Tori said quickly.
I looked at the clock and it was 5:50pm, he was early. Don't tell me he was going to be a grandpa like Cale. I grabbed my coat and walked into our eating area. There he stood in cowboy boots, nice jeans, a black thermal shirt with a couple buttons opened and that reddish brown leather coat. He looked smokin’ hot! I checked him out up and down and turned right back around and headed straight for my bedroom.
Tori came flying into the room, I was laughin
g. She said “What's so funny? “
“I should have known he didn't want to go out with me, he is sooo hot!”
We both laughed and she said “He is... hot, and you totally deserve to go out with him, you look hot yourself, now go set his ass straight and tell him like it is.” We hugged.
“Awe...” I said “We just had a sisterly moment!”
Tori replied “It is better.” I smiled.
“Now what do I do?” I asked her.
“Pull your ID out of your pocket, hold it up when you walk in the room, say you almost forgot it and then stick it in your pocket.” I did just that and he wasn't any the wiser, smiled to myself and thought it's nice having an older sister.
Jett was looking at me, smiling, full eye contact and didn't look away until my mom and dad came into the room and started drilling him on the details of our date. They asked him to have me home by eleven. He looked at me and I just shrugged and he winked at me. My mom looked out the window and said, “Is that your big sedan out there? Hope you're picking up friends.”
“Mom! I can't believe you just said that! Cale picked me up in a van and you didn't say anything to him and by the way, it was empty!” I took a deep breath and said “Let's get going.” I smiled; this is how it was supposed to be, not the other way around with Cale chatting up my parents before each date and them just trusting him.
We got down to his car and my mom was right; it was a big stinking sedan and no one else was in it. I looked at him with a look of disappointment because I knew where he thought this night was going. I got in, he started the car slowly. “You look really nice. You look... different.” I said “Thanks,” really short, and we were off.
We were silent for what seemed like forever, but then he looked over at me and tapped my arm with the back of his hand “What’s up, is something wrong?” I looked at him and said, “It's just hard being the crash dummy.” He laughed and said “What's that supposed to mean? “
“I can’t even believe you asked me out – so what’s the deal?” Oh my gosh do I ever know when to shut up? It’s my curse, I speak and then think.
“Excuse me?” he asked, his voice strained.
I said “The whole school thinks you asked me out just to sleep with me and if you knew me, you would know that getting lucky on our first date or at all, is not part of the deal.” There was silence that was deafening, but I'll be darned if anyone is going to use me. “Just because I dated Cale Winters doesn't mean I am any more experienced than I was before I dated him either, pal.”
I paused momentarily but started again. “It means I don't know why you picked me to make your ex-jealous and I'm not sure why you told your friends you could get lucky with me either, because I have done nothing to you! I am not a dumb bimbo like your precious little stuck up ex-girlfriend. Is she even your ex? Or is this just all a contest or some weird bet?” You know I couldn't stop me and my mouth. We pulled in front of a fancy restaurant and he parked the car and we just sat there.
“Sorry” was all he said. “My intentions may have been different when I asked you out and I may have shot off my mouth off in front of my friends but I have never taken advantage of a girl before and I don't plan on starting now.” There was a pause and then he continued, “I really am sorry, I never meant to hurt you.” The way he said sorry was cute it sounded more like “soary.” He cleared his throat “Do you want to go in? Or do you want me to take you home?”
I let a long silence linger “What is this place?” I asked somberly.
“They are supposed to have great Italian food.”
“Everyone picked this place to eat?” I asked.
“No, I thought you and I could have dinner alone. Like I said, I may have asked you for one reason but then I changed my mind.”
“What changed your mind?”
“Well, I thought you were too young for me at first but then my mom pointed out that she is three years younger than my dad and you're only 2 years younger than me. And then I saw you swimming this week and I like that you’re interested in sports. I've never dated a girl into sports before.”
“So you were the one standing by the pool when I was swimming?”
“What? No, I saw you from the top of the bleachers. That was you, right? I'm supposed to run the pool bleachers to help me make my weight – it’s warmer and more humid in the pool area making us sweat more and lose weight faster.”
“Yeah that was me..... I'm actually really hungry and I bet their plates are small and fancy here. Can we go somewhere else? Do you want to go to Papa G’s?”
He laughed “So you're hungry. I don't think I've been on a date with a girl that actually admits she's hungry and eats her dinner.”
He started the car, backed up, and said “We can't go to Papa G’s, that's where the rest of the gang is.” Cars were going by us flashing lights into his eyes illuminating the copper flecks in his irises.
“We can sit at a separate table.” I'm not sure why I pushed it but I did, I think I figured that I may as well meet everyone now and get it over with.
He looked at me, pursed his lips, and said “Okay, I could go for some pepperoni pizza.”
I looked at him with wild eyes and said “Pepperoni PAN pizza!” excitedly.
And he said “That's right baby, nothing but! “ We both laughed.
I said “Awesome! But were getting a large, I'm starving.”
“Me too.” he replied. “Did you really call me pal?” he glanced at me and we both chuckled.
We talked the rest of the ride, telling each other what classes we had. I told him all the sports I was in and I even mentioned golf, he thought it was cool and wanted to learn. We laughed a little about this and that and to my surprise he was very easy to talk to.
We got to the parking lot and didn't say another word until he parked. The parking lot was a little icy in spots, he came around my side and gave me his arm until we reached the restaurant door, when he opened it for me I let go. I was really nervous and I must have looked it. The hostess came up asked us how many, when his friend came up and said “I thought you were going to Luigi's? Our table is over here, come on.”
Jett looked at me, slid his hand into mine and said “No thanks, we'll get our own table.” His friend knocked him in his shoulder and said “Whatever.”
Jett gave our hands a little jiggle, leaned over and whispered, “Is this okay?” I nodded with a half-smile, his warm, strong hand felt really good in mine.
“You okay? You look mad.” he said to me.
I smiled a cheesy smile and said “No, I'm fine. Sorry, I was just trying to spot your ex and see who's here.” He pointed slightly to the right. “She's the one with too much make-up on and too much hairspray, in the black sweater.” he whispered in my ear.
“I have makeup and hairspray on too, so does that mean you think I look like a hooker too?” I asked sarcastically. He kept holding my hand and led me through the crowd after the hostess. She sat us at a booth. I took off my jacket and threw it to the end of the booth. He did the same with his on the opposite bench and I scooted in on my side, mid table. I could see the big table where everyone was, I had the good seat.
Jett came over pushed himself in with me, he hip checked me and said “Scoot over fat ass!” - - he totally froze and said “Ooo, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it, it's a term me and my brothers use, a good term, like a term of endearment....I didn't mean it.” He looked really concerned. “I… I think I just said it because I am so comfortable around you…please I didn’t mean it.” I started to laugh and said “No way am I fat or sensitive. You're lucky I could care less what you think.”
He laughed a little and said “You don't look like a hooker either.”
“You mean a fat ass hooker.” We both started laughing so hard my eyes started to tear. I noticed his friends at the big table taking glances at us. We settled down a bit and he said “I think you look beautiful tonight and you look good with or without make-up. You don't have two tons o
n like most girls wear either.”
“Thanks, my sister did it for me. She wanted me to look good for when I turned you down and told you off tonight.”
“Oh really….” He said and we both laughed over it.
He started pointing out all his friends when Declan and his girlfriend came over and sat across from us and introduced Rae to me. She started right in the conversation with “How come we have to sit with the bitch when you two are having all the fun over here?”
“I like her already.” I said.
Jett leaned into me and said “Rae has always hated Lisa.” Declan chimed in and said “I second that.”
Jett looked at me. “I think I was the only one that liked her and now that I think about it, I'm not sure what I liked about her either.” Everyone laughed louder than it was funny and I caught a glimpse of Lisa looking over.
The waitress came over and Jett ordered our pepperoni pan pizza and then ordered two sodas and he asked me “Do you want anything else? Soup or salad?”
“No thanks, but make it a pitcher of pop, probably cheaper right? I'm thirsty from our workout in the car.” Declan's eyes popped open. They were so wide I thought they'd pop out of his head. Rae just said excitedly “What?” Jett and I just laughed again and they joined in. “She's just kidding.” Jett said, and everyone laughed more and I said “Not really.”
After everyone’s laughter subsided I told them “You guys don't have to try and make me feel better, it's fine. I'd rather eat over here because I’m sure to get my equivalent in pizza, I'm hungry.” Everyone chuckled a little, and Declan said “So you're an eater huh? I didn’t know that. Good match for Jett, but you could never out eat him.”
“Maybe not, but I could give him a run for his money.”
“So little girl, you think you could eat a large pepperoni pan pizza all by yourself?” Declan said.
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