No Matter What

Chapter Ten

Misty:

Any fears Misty had of high school were erased early in her freshman year. The energy of high school was amazing, and there was so much to do. There were clubs and lunch time rallies and plays and musicals and assemblies. Just as they’d been in junior high school, both she and Caitlyn were cheerleaders. While they cheered at the sporting events, Jason and the rest of the gang would sit in the stands hanging out and having fun. 

At the end of their freshman year, Misty’s brother graduated high school. Of course Jason and his parents had attended the graduation as well as the party afterward. It had come as a surprise to Misty when Evan announced he was going to medical school after college. Somewhere during their childhood, Evan had grown up, and Misty had been too busy to notice.

With so much going on, the year seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Before she could even explain how it had happened, Misty was a sophomore. While their friends began dating neither she nor Jason went on any dates. If they didn’t do something together, they went out as a group with their friends. For some reason, that drove her friends crazy, especially Caitlyn.

“How come you never go out on dates?” Caitlyn demanded.

It was Saturday night, and she and Mimi had gone to Misty’s house for a sleep over. They’d no sooner gotten their pajamas on and gotten settled in Misty’s room when Caitlyn launched in to what Misty had long ago decided was her favorite topic: why doesn’t Misty have a boyfriend?

“I don’t know,” Misty lied. “I guess there aren’t that many cute boys at our school.”

“What are you talking about?” Mimi squealed. “The football team is nothing but cute guys.”

Misty made a face. “Cute guys who know they’re cute and act like assholes.”

“Why don’t you just admit it?” Caitlyn asked.

Having heard this question for the last four years, Misty knew exactly what Caitlyn meant, but she didn’t say so. “Admit what?”

“Why don’t you just admit you want to go out with Jason?” Caitlyn answered.

“Yeah, why don’t you admit it?” Mimi piped up. “It’s not like he’s ugly or something.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Misty asked. 

“If he was ugly, I could see why you’d be ashamed to admit you like him, but Jason is hot,” Mimi explained.

“Exactly,” Caitlyn agreed. “So, why not admit you like him and you want to go out with him?”

Misty was silent for a moment, debating whether or not she should tell them the truth. While she was certain Mimi wouldn’t say anything to anyone, she wouldn’t have been surprised if Caitlyn let Jason in on the secret just because she was tired of waiting to see what would happen between them. She’d been holding it in for so long though.

“I like him,” Misty finally admitted in her softest voice. “I like him a lot.”

“I knew it!” Caitlyn cried.

“I knew it too,” Mimi said.

“Why haven’t you said anything to Jason?” Caitlyn asked.

“It’s not like that for me and Jase,” Misty answered.

“I guess it would be kind of weird if you started dating him,” Mimi conceded. “I mean you guys have known each other since you were nine.”

“We’ve all known him since we were nine,” Caitlyn pointed out. “That wouldn’t keep me from going out with him. Jason is hot, remember.”