Ned Gets Stood Up

Chapter Eight

NISHA

Everything Nisha wore was part of a calculated effort to get Addison Bridges, after three painfully long months of little dates, to be her official girlfriend.

Adding together Nisha's favorite lip gloss, the one that made her lips look plumper, pinker, and more kissable. Plus, the way she painstakingly straightened her black hair to make it look all silky. Multiplying her chances by wearing a simple sweater underneath her cheerleader lettermen's jacket and a huge button with Addie's face on it. It's been on her jacket since homecoming, a beacon that said:

JUST ASK ME ALREADY.

This all equaled to Nisha being the perfect girlfriend material. 

If it wasn't so obviously important to Addie, Nisha would've asked to be girlfriends from the beginning. After the first date at an Ice-cream shop, after Nisha fell for Addie's eyes that sparkled when she laughed and the dimples dug into her cheeks. After they laughed so hard, Nisha thought they were going to get kicked out. After the ice-cream shop wasn't enough and they basically spent the entire weekend together.

It took one weekend for Nisha to realize her whole life could be one long weekend when she was with Addison Bridges.

Addie invited Nisha to their first date spot all over again.

Perfect choice.

She even called ahead to reserve the exact table they met up for the first time. Nisha's heart was already fluttering, but once she saw the vase of roses waiting for her, Nisha's heart popped out of her chest, shot into the sky, and burst to become a whole new star in the solar system.

Nisha sat at the very edge of her seat, her back stick straight as she waited with great expectations, like a dog waiting for their reward. Nisha didn't hear a single other word as she waited and waited for one question.

Addie sat across the table wearing some of her uniform, the track pants, the t-shirt from last summer's cheerleading camp, and her own lettermen's jacket. A part of Nisha was kiddy they matched tonight. Her short sandy bob had every hair perfectly in place. Nisha thought about kicking the table and just laying one on her, anyway.

Nisha only found out about Addie's wishes from the cheer co-captain Elspeth. She told Nisha gravely, as if she was administering bad news. "Nisha, you can't be the one to ask her."

"What?" Nisha had asked. "Why?"

"It's important to her. If she asks you, you'll be the first person she's ever asked out in her whole life. She wants it to be you."

That was so long ago.

Longer than Nisha wanted.

"Nisha?" Addie said like it wasn't the first time.

"Hm?" Nisha asked and picked at her melting peppermint ice cream.

"When do you leave again? To visit your family?"

"Oh, tomorrow afternoon. We planned on leaving in the morning, but my mother wants to get some last-minute cooking done."

"Tonight is your last night here, right? Have you packed?"

"Um, yeah." Nisha nodded. Her heart pounded. This sounded like it was leading up to something, and Nisha was strapped in and ready to go. "Yes," she said, hoping to encourage Addie to continue. "I won't be back until the New Year."

"But..." Addie swallowed nervously. She hasn't moved her hands from her lap since they sat down. "But I can call you, right?"

"Of course!" Nisha got so excited, her knee hit the top of the table and her milkshake tilted over. Gasping, Addie stood to catch it, but just knocked it completely over. The milkshake slapped the top of the table, chocolate milkshake splashing across the table like a typhoon crashing into Nisha's shirt. The cold took a bite out of Nisha, who yelped and slammed her thighs into the top of the table, causing Addie's milkshake to almost topple over.