hours until Chris picks me up. Now what?
I check the channel guide, hoping TNT will be repeating the movie, the way they sometimes do, so I can watch it from the beginning. But they’re not. The next movie isn’t even a love story—it’s something with cyborgs and zombies. Iccck! Talk about a crummy programming decision. All the guys are already watching football—why put on a zombie movie? Give us girls something to watch, please!
I click through the channels one more time, but there’s nothing remotely interesting to me. No love stories, no country music videos, no cool crossover shows like that one with Taylor Swift and Def Leopard. I sigh and switch off the TV.
I should have gone to the campus bookstore this morning and bought Dracula . Then I’d have something to read, at least. I could still go get it, but by the time I walked there and back, it would be time to start getting ready.
Thinking about getting ready is beginning to make me nervous. I’ve got my hopes up for tonight, but that only makes me more nervous. Aim small, girl, I tell myself. Be the cautious girl you’ve always been. Small expectations mean small disappointments. I’ve learned that lesson well.
Still, there are decisions to make. How should I do my hair? What should I wear? I’m such a dork about these things.
I go stand in front of the mirror. I wish Marissa was here. Why did her sister’s birthday have to be this weekend? It’s so not fair. She told me I should wear my new boots and new shirt with my yoga pants. Something about making sure I “seal the deal.” Seal the deal? What am I, trying to sell a car or something? Is that outfit even appropriate for a first date?
I stretch out on my bed and try to relax, wishing I had more experience with this dating stuff. How did I manage to go my whole senior year without going on even one date? The answer pops immediately into my head and brings a feeling of sadness with it. It was because of Justin, of course. Not that I blame him. No, I blame only myself. But he was the reason, for sure. I close my eyes and remember….
It’s a cool Sunday afternoon in the middle of November. Justin and I are sitting on an old fallen log in a park not far from my house. He looks great, as usual. He’s wearing his favorite jeans and a light green hoodie that makes his green eyes pop. We’ve been talking and laughing for over an hour. Nobody makes me feel as good as Justin does.
I’ve been in love with him ever since we met in English class in the second half of junior year. He’s everything I could ever ask for in a guy—smart, cute, honest and open. He’s unpretentious, too. I don’t even care that he’s one of the best players on the basketball team.
I know he likes me, too. We talk all the time, and text almost every night. There’s just one tiny problem—Nicole!
Justin likes me, but he’s in love with Nicole. They’ve been going out since junior year. Even I have to admit Nicole is hot, but she treats Justin like crap. He’s always bitching and moaning about it to me. How she doesn’t understand him, doesn’t really listen to him, doesn’t care about what he thinks.
That’s what he’s saying to me now. Telling me about an argument they had last night, and how Nicole just kept trashing everything he said.
I’d love to tell him I would never do that, but I don’t, of course. If only I could pound some sense into his beautiful head. Tell him to look past Nicole’s hot outfits and see her as a person. Tell him how shallow she is. How he deserves someone so much better. Someone like me.
Instead, I mumble something about how she’ll get over it, like she always does. And now here comes that beautiful smile again.
“I’m glad you’re my bud, Heather. You always know how to cheer me up.”
Ugggh! Bud. I hate that word. But to him, that’s what we are. Best buddies. He can’t see past Nicole.
And that’s how things stayed my whole senior year. I spent the entire year
I check the channel guide, hoping TNT will be repeating the movie, the way they sometimes do, so I can watch it from the beginning. But they’re not. The next movie isn’t even a love story—it’s something with cyborgs and zombies. Iccck! Talk about a crummy programming decision. All the guys are already watching football—why put on a zombie movie? Give us girls something to watch, please!
I click through the channels one more time, but there’s nothing remotely interesting to me. No love stories, no country music videos, no cool crossover shows like that one with Taylor Swift and Def Leopard. I sigh and switch off the TV.
I should have gone to the campus bookstore this morning and bought Dracula . Then I’d have something to read, at least. I could still go get it, but by the time I walked there and back, it would be time to start getting ready.
Thinking about getting ready is beginning to make me nervous. I’ve got my hopes up for tonight, but that only makes me more nervous. Aim small, girl, I tell myself. Be the cautious girl you’ve always been. Small expectations mean small disappointments. I’ve learned that lesson well.
Still, there are decisions to make. How should I do my hair? What should I wear? I’m such a dork about these things.
I go stand in front of the mirror. I wish Marissa was here. Why did her sister’s birthday have to be this weekend? It’s so not fair. She told me I should wear my new boots and new shirt with my yoga pants. Something about making sure I “seal the deal.” Seal the deal? What am I, trying to sell a car or something? Is that outfit even appropriate for a first date?
I stretch out on my bed and try to relax, wishing I had more experience with this dating stuff. How did I manage to go my whole senior year without going on even one date? The answer pops immediately into my head and brings a feeling of sadness with it. It was because of Justin, of course. Not that I blame him. No, I blame only myself. But he was the reason, for sure. I close my eyes and remember….
It’s a cool Sunday afternoon in the middle of November. Justin and I are sitting on an old fallen log in a park not far from my house. He looks great, as usual. He’s wearing his favorite jeans and a light green hoodie that makes his green eyes pop. We’ve been talking and laughing for over an hour. Nobody makes me feel as good as Justin does.
I’ve been in love with him ever since we met in English class in the second half of junior year. He’s everything I could ever ask for in a guy—smart, cute, honest and open. He’s unpretentious, too. I don’t even care that he’s one of the best players on the basketball team.
I know he likes me, too. We talk all the time, and text almost every night. There’s just one tiny problem—Nicole!
Justin likes me, but he’s in love with Nicole. They’ve been going out since junior year. Even I have to admit Nicole is hot, but she treats Justin like crap. He’s always bitching and moaning about it to me. How she doesn’t understand him, doesn’t really listen to him, doesn’t care about what he thinks.
That’s what he’s saying to me now. Telling me about an argument they had last night, and how Nicole just kept trashing everything he said.
I’d love to tell him I would never do that, but I don’t, of course. If only I could pound some sense into his beautiful head. Tell him to look past Nicole’s hot outfits and see her as a person. Tell him how shallow she is. How he deserves someone so much better. Someone like me.
Instead, I mumble something about how she’ll get over it, like she always does. And now here comes that beautiful smile again.
“I’m glad you’re my bud, Heather. You always know how to cheer me up.”
Ugggh! Bud. I hate that word. But to him, that’s what we are. Best buddies. He can’t see past Nicole.
And that’s how things stayed my whole senior year. I spent the entire year
Similar Books
