Who Is Lucas Ryker O'Riley?

65. JUST IN CASE

About an hour and a half later, the doorbell rang. Immediately my heart sank and extremely anxiety overcame me.

It was time for my date with Jeremy and I was in a full-blown panic. It was about to go on my first date with a boy and just knowing he was at the door made it real to me in a way it hadn't been before.

I was mostly fine earlier and in a small way, looking forward to the date, but now I was freaking out and my mind furiously tried to come up with a reason to cancel.

Dave stuck his head into my room. "You ready? He's here."

"No, Dave, I'm not ready," I told him in a panic.

He hurried into my room and shut the door behind him.

"What's wrong?" he inquired compassionately.

"I can't do this. I can't go through with it. Can you find a reason I can't go and send him away, please? I'll pay you. I'll do anything," I desperately pleaded, my eyes beginning to tear up. "Tell him. I'm sick, anything."

Dave remained calm, took a seat on the end of my bed, and began to speak.

"Sis, remember what you told me when I asked you why you were flirting with Jeremy in the pool?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, what was it?"

"I said something along the lines of being curious about what it'd be like to go out with a boy. That I wasn't sure if I wanted to be in relationships with boys or girls and I needed to know."

"Exactly. Look, it's one casual date. I mean, it's not like you're facing a deadline to choose one or the other and have to accept that decision exclusively for the rest of your life."

"I know."

"I seem to recall you saying something to me in defense of your decision to go on this date. Do you remember what you said?"

"It's the only way I'll ever be able to know for sure?"

"Yeah, exactly. Soooo?"

Silence.

I knew what he was getting at, but I was still terrified and didn't respond.

"Jeremy is downstairs, sitting in the living room waiting for you to go on a casual date with him. I happen to know he really, really, really wants to go out with you. He would be devastated if you canceled on him. It's not like he's about to ask for you hand in marriage, it's just a date. One date. You don't even have to let him kiss you at the end of the date, if you don't want to."

"Kiss me?!? Oh gawd."

Now I was freaking out about it, and not thinking I might let him, like I had decided earlier.

"What if he tries to, Dave. What do I do? How do I tell him no?"

"Very gently, without making him feel like you're rejecting him. You can just tell him, 'not yet'."

"Yeah, I guess."

"So you're still going? No actually, that's not a question. You are going, so you need to get your a** downstairs, so y'all can get out of here. Dad will be home any minute and it'd probably be best if you two weren't here when he arrives. Besides, mom's down there talking to him right now. Believe me, right now he is desperately wishing  you would hurry up, so he can get out of that."

"Wait, mom's home? I didn't tell her about the date! I told her I was going to the amusement center with Beck. Oh, fu*k. I can't imagine the conversation that's coming later if she figures this out. Let's go."

I stood up and made a complete turn all the way around, so Dave could see how I looked.

"Wow. You look nice," he said while offering me his elbow like he was escorting me to prom or something.

"Are you sure this looks okay?" I asked, while looking down at my brand new, solid white, canvas trainers with ruffled ankle socks. "You don't think I'm over dressed?"

"It's making me uncomfortable to see my sister looking like this. Yeah, it's perfect. It dressy and cute, yet casual. Exactly right for where you guys are going. Jeremy is gonna love it."

Dave raised his elbow again, "Shall we, my lady?"

I nervously placed a hand around his arm, and he walked me down the stairs to the living room.

His warmth and support began to help calm me down.

When we entered the room, mom and Jeremy both turned towards us.

I saw Jeremy's eye bug out and he swallowed hard as a grin spread across his face.

"My, you look lovely," mom exclaimed. "I wish you would have..." Her voice trailed off.

Were tears forming in her eyes?

"Mom, we'll talk later, when I get home."

Jeremy eagerly hopped up and hurried to open the door for me. Dave escorted me to the door.

"Have a good time, and be careful," mom told me as we walked past her. "I love you, but we will talk when you get home."

Just as I got out the door. Mom called out to me, "Wait! Here!"

I turned around and she  offered me her cell phone. "The home number is programmed in. Call me if you need anything or if you need me to come get you."

I took the phone and realized I didn't have a pocket to put it in.

"Hold on. I'll be right back." Mom told us as she headed back inside.

"Jeremy, I'm sorry. I didn't know she'd show up before we left." I apologized.

Jeremy's eyes looked me up and down and it made me think twice about deciding to not wear pants.

"It's worth it to get to go out with you." He replied.

Dave walked off the porch and out into the yard. He pulled Jeremy with him and had a quick, hushed conversation.

I could hear a little of what he was saying to Jeremy about being the perfect gentleman, and warning him about not trying anything with me that he would regret later.

He was trying to scare Jeremy enough to ensure he didn't try anything inappropriate with me.

I loved how he was filling the role of the protective big brother. He has always been a protective big brother to me, but this, this was different.

Once Dave was satisfied that Jeremy throughly understood what he could and couldn't, or better not do, Dave came back on the porch, gave me a wink and a smile, then headed back inside, to his room.

"Thanks," I whispered as he walked past.

At the same time, mom returned and handed me a small purse with a shoulder strap. It almost perfectly matched my outfit.

I took the purse and placed mom's cell phone inside. There I found a twenty dollar bill, the tube of lipstick I was currently wearing, a face powder compact, and two tampons.

"Just in case. You may need to buy something on your own, and so you can freshen up your face." mom explained.

She reached up and adjusted a few strands of my hair.

"Have fun but be careful, very careful. You know what I mean. I'll be waiting to have that conversation with you when you return.