Rain Check?

~8~

Dempsey POV

  I turn and walk away quickly, trying my best not to just run straight out of the door from embarrassment. I know my face is red, a perfect shade that probably matches the blasted shield I brought with me tonight. I couldn't even look him in the eye after it happened. Couldn't let him even respond to my apology. I tucked tail and ran.

  "That looked like fun!" Carly calls out to me as I start to walk past her. She places her hand on my arm, stopping me. "You okay?"

   I give a tight lipped smile and nod my head.

  "What's wrong? Did something happen?" she asks, genuinely concerned.

  I close my eyes tightly, chuckling behind my locked lips. "Maybe," I nod my head, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I uh, I kissed your brother when the apple fell."

  "Scott's gay, it's fine."

  I shake my head side to side now, mumbling a 'no' behind my gritted teeth. "Chris?" she asks, her eyes growing wide, a mirror of my own I'm sure, as I nod my head. She suddenly starts laughing, making me feel more awkward. 

  "Yeah, so I'm just gonna grab the shield and slip out," I tell her, pointing towards the living room where I left the rest of my costume. "If you want to remove Ethan from my class, I'll completely understand."

  "Why would I do that?" she giggles out. "It's not a big deal, Dempsey. I promise. Look," she points over towards where Chris is standing with Scott and Tara talking, "he doesn't look like it was a big deal."

  "Of course it's not a big deal to him! He wasn't the one that made the mistake!" Nope, I can't stay here. I need to go. "Tell Ethan I'll see him on Monday and I can't wait to hear all about his adventure." I slip away and into the living room hearing my name being called. 

  Ignoring Carly's voice I grab my stuff and go straight out the front door. I normally wouldn't be such a terrible guest, and would actually thank the host for the party, but I'm just so flustered that my mind is set on one thing. 

  Run.

  I manage to get to my car without being followed, guessing that Carly gave up on trying to stop me. I fling the shield into the back seat, rip the gloves from my hands and sink into the driver seat. I don't immediately crank the engine, choosing to lean my head back against the cool leather. I whimper as I close my eyes.

  Why am I like this?  

  There's a very easy answer.

  Visually, he easily puts every other man I have ever seen in my life to shame.

  He's gorgeous.

The smile. 

The beard.

The bright blue eyes.

 The muscles.

 The tattoos. 

  Have mercy.

  And here I am, a loser that couldn't catch the apple and instead gave him a peck on his lips after having only met him thirty minutes earlier. I think I'll just go crawl in a hole and die. 

  I'll  need to text Sawyer directions of where to find my body, telling her to not let the school mourn for too long since cause of death will just be dying of embarrassment.

  A tap on my window startles me out of my self pity causing me to open one eye cautiously. I notice a knuckle against the window. But just past it, thanks to a street light, I see a brown leather vest.