Opposite Day

The Curse Has a Motive

I was cursed. Cursed! I tried to collect myself as I got ready, knowing that there had to be a logical solution. All I had to do was keep my mouth shut at school— maybe I could hide in the bathrooms all day. As long as I didn't have to say anything, I would be fine. Afterwards, I'd take the bus down to the boardwalk and tell that lady to put my brain back in charge of my mouth— that was, if I could even manage to get the words out.

I grabbed my backpack, saying goodbye— which thankfully didn't come out as hello— to my mom before heading out to the bus stop. I groaned in my mind as I saw the dark haired boy standing there, a few other people scattered around, waiting. Never in my life had I met anyone as persistent as Derek, and for some reason, the thing he was persistent about was asking me out.

It started at the beginning of the school year, the two of us having to sit next to each other in English. To be honest, I thought he was funny and a good enough conversationalist, so we naturally started up the usual sort of friendship that happens between table mates. About two weeks in, he asked me if I wanted to go on a date— I said no, because I was still holding onto some distant hope that Kalvin would notice me. Derek took tell rejection well... so I thought. He asked me again the next week, and the one after that, and all the ones after that.

The first few times, I figured he was joking, just playing off of my rejection. I may have even found it cute. But cute soon turned into annoying, and after two months, I was about ready to punch him.

'Here we go again with the weekly routine. How will he ask me out this time- another cheesy pickup line, probably, although I'm sure he has to run out of those at some point. I don't know why he keeps asking, it's clear I'm never going to say yes, and oh my God if I don't stop walking I'm literally going to run into him,' my thoughts ran on as I told my legs to stop, but they didn't— not until I was right next to Derek. He didn't even look up from his phone, somehow unbothered by me breaking into his personal space bubble. 

I tried to back away, but my feet were planted firmly where they were, refusing to move. So it wasn't just my mouth that was misbehaving, although that was quick to act up too. 

"Hi," I said, not even realizing for a second that it was me who had spoken the word.

He flinched, looking at me in surprise. "Allison— what-?" A grin overtook his face, his shocked demeanor quickly replaced by his usual cheeky attitude. "Hi. I thought you didn't like me."

I don't like you. "I do like you."

He snorted, shaking his head in confusion as the school bus pulled up to the curb. I hurried to get in, taking the first empty seat I saw. To my dismay Derek plopped down next to me, a goofy smile adorning his full lips. The bus lurched forward, beginning the short drive to Chelms Beach High, and despite all the praying I was doing in my head, he spoke again. "You know, on Friday you told me— in very explicit terms, may I add— that you were getting tired of me. What changed?"

Nothing. "Everything."

He opened his mouth to speak, but for once, nothing came out. The look on his face was some mixture of amazement and bafflement all at once. "And to think I was just about ready to call it quits in my career of pursuing you."

I wanted to bang my head against the bus seat, but didn't even bother trying.

He kept quiet after that and soon the bus stopped, students piling out of the small doorway. I made it out into the cool morning air, heading for the large entrance of the brick building.

I wasn't even aware that he was following me until I reached my locker. As I slowed to a stop and began entering my combination, he leaned against the pale blue locker beside mine, squinting at me. "So, okay, if you really do like me, are you finally gonna let me take you out on a date?"

I barely even bothered to think of the word no as I swung open the door, rummaging through the books I had placed on the shelf at the top. I already knew what my mouth would say. "Yes."

I stopped organizing my things to glance at him. His eyes roamed my face and I rose my eyebrows, silently asking him to explain why. I hoped it wasn't obvious that I was blushing, caught off guard by the intensity of his gaze.

"Are you really being serious?" he finally asked, "Or are you playing with me?"

"Derek, this is more serious than you can even imagine," I said. I wanted to roll my eyes; of course that sentence wouldn't change. This curse seemed to have a motive, and it was to ruin my life.

"I don't know what to say," he admitted, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Man, you chase a girl for six months and she actually starts to like you, who knew?"

I turned to face him as I closed my locker, unsure of how to weasel myself out of this. As far as I could tell, the curse wasn't going to let me.

"I'll pick you up at five tonight." I could hear the excitement in his voice, and felt a pang of guilt for leading him on. I tried to tell myself it wasn't my fault, and that the psychic, cursing, magical woman I'd just had to sit down at a table with was to blame. "Is that okay?"

No! "Yes!" I exclaimed, my voice raised enough to draw a few stares and a couple laughs from nearby students. If I'd been blushing before, it was only getting worse now.

His eyebrows rose, a flattered grin appearing on his face. "Okay-- can I have your number? That way I can get your address later."

'Of course!' I thought, scorning myself for being so dumb. There was no way the curse would be able to change text messages— I would just cancel that way.

For the first time since that morning I felt relieved— I never imagined it would be while writing down my phone number and handing it to the boy I'd been relentlessly turning down.