When It Rains In Ocala

5- Remember Our First Kiss

You pull me in and I'm a little more brave
It's the first kiss,
It's flawless,
Really something,
It's fearless.
-Taylor Swift, Fearless

“Wear this.” Hanna.

“But what about this?” And then Marissa.

“This is cute!” And then Hanna again.

“No, this one.” Marissa.

I rolled my eyes and watched the clothes flying around the room. “Do I have any say in this?”

“No!” They both cried at the same time. Well, that’s one thing they can agree on.

We’ve been scouring through my closet for an hour and can’t agree on anything to wear to the movies tonight with Evan and all of my stubborn, embarrassing friends. Everything about this just spelled out nightmare.

“Then pick something!” I wailed. “We only have half an hour.”

They both gasped in panic and I rolled my eyes again. We were hopeless.

“This!” Hanna squealed and I looked over at her as she held up a loose pink sweater.

“And these!” Marissa said on the other side of my room with a pair of ripped up jean shorts.

They gave each other looks of agreement before shoving the two articles at me, who was sitting on the bed in my bra and underwear with a towel around me since I wasn’t allowed to get dressed after I took my shower. I stood up and quickly changed into the comfy, yet cute, knit sweater and shorts before being forced into some pink and gold bangles and dream catcher earrings. I talked them into letting me wear a pair of pink flip flops instead of heels like they first had planned.

“Why is this such a big deal to you guys?” I asked them as I straightened my hair. “We’ve gone to the movies tons of times before.”

“Well this is the first time you’re bringing a person of the opposite sex and who is very attractive.”

“And finds you very attractive.” Marissa added. “It’s a big deal.”

“He won’t ask me out.” I told them, lining my eyes with mascara and eyeliner softly while Hanna and Marissa did the same.

“He will.” Hanna told me. “Probably tonight which is why this is such a huge deal.”

The butterflies started spinning in my chest. The idea that he was going to ask me out tonight was crazy, so I don’t know who or what put that in their heads but was just getting my hopes up.

“Okay, we have to get going.” Marissa chirped as it was almost time to meet everyone at the theater.

I nodded and we all made our way to Hanna’s car. The ride to the theater was nerve racking to say the least. Not only was Evan meeting my friends, yet again, but they were all set on embarrassing me to no end. And Hanna insists on putting the idea of Evan liking me as much as I like him into my head.

Once we arrived, everyone was waiting for us at the ticket booth, including Evan who had his head thrown back in laughter over something Aaron was saying. Even from far away, his laugh took the breath right out of my lungs.

They aren’t laughing about me. Just something that guys laugh about. Yeah, that’s it. Not everything is about me. I told myself as we all walked up to Amy, Tanya, Aaron, Chris, and a now sober Evan.

“Hey.” I chirped, making my way to his side.

“Hey.” He repeated. “You look fancy.”

“Thanks.” I mumbled. “Hanna and Marissa kind of went on girl overdrive or something.”