Sadly Mistaken

I Sense I May Have Made a Mistake

Chapter 21

[I Sense I May Have Made a Mistake]

Senior prom is quickly approaching. College decision day looms close ahead. Graduation will be here before I know it. All of these plans ahead of me, and I'm expected to know what I'm doing. I really don't at all. Who ever does anyways? Thinking about the future gives me irrational fears which break me down. Is it bad that I want to base my college decision off of Deans? Is it sad that I don't want to be far away from him? In the last two months since my dad passed, Dean has kept me busy, listened to me, held me, and seemingly lightened up everything. A part of me is worried that I am relying on him too much. Another part of me worries that he is getting tired of  taking care of me. Maybe that's why he still hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend, or even asked me to prom. Three months of making out (and sometimes a little more than that) and I am still not his girlfriend. I can't even take the lousy title as his prom date yet. How can two people be so close and know so much about each other, and just be friends?

Speaking of Dean. My phone buzzes and his name pops up on the screen.

                    -"Kat can we meet up today? Need to talk about something with you."

What does that even mean. Obviously it means he wants to meet up and talk about something. But he sounded so cryptic. He never calls me Kat, ever.  And since when did he text so formal? Something is happening. And to add on top of everything, he didn't add any cute emojis to lighten up the text. 

Panic mode sets in. Time to call Bree. As the phone rings, I prepare myself for the worst. I can't be upset about breaking up with someone I never even dated to begin with? I can't let myself be upset. 

"Kat what's up?"

"I think Dean is sick of me."

"Why do you sound like you just ran a marathon? You're breathing so loud."

I ignore her statement. I don't need a reminder about my hyperventilation. "Dean just texted me that he wants to talk. We all know what that means."

"It could mean so much Kat. Don't you guys talk all the time? You shouldn't be worried."

"Obviously we talk all the time. But he meant it was in he wants to 'talk' talk not just talk."

"I just think you're overanalyzing this. Just let yourself be happy, you deserve it. " Bree says. "I gotta go, my mom is calling me. I'll see you tomorrow at school."

Maybe she's right. God I hope she is right. I thought everything was going so well with Dean, now this? 

             -Sure, I'd love to meet up

I keep it short and sweet. He responds almost immediately. Suspiciously fast.

             -I'll pick you up in 20.

 He must be in a rush to get rid of me. He arrives in 15 minutes, supporting my theory. I see him pull into my driveway and I walk to his car. 

"Hey Kat" Dean says, looking sweaty and avoiding eye contact with me. Greaaaaaat. His phone rings and he declines it. 

I give him an awkward half smile and get in the car. He starts driving around, and his phone keeps ringing and he continues to decline it. We continue to ride in silence. His phone rings again. I can't take it anymore.

"If you met someone else just tell me already." I snap out. 

"What! No! Where is this coming from?" He says, panicked. He pulls the car over to the side of the road.

"I don't know! Your text was super weird today and you've barely said anything to me this entire ride. And not to mention your phone is blowing up!" I cry.

"Kathy, you've got it all wrong" Dean laughs. "I was gonna do this in a more elaborate way, but now that you've got me here, will you just be my damn girlfriend already?"

I sense I may have made a mistake.

"Oh my god I ruined everything. My deepest apologies." I say, seething with embarrassment. My face is burning up. 

"Kit Kat, I'm not mad at all. But I will be soon if you don't give me an answer to my question." Dean chuckles.

"I would love to be your damn girlfriend. I thought you would never ask." I reply, already recovered from my previous embarassment.

"I was waiting for you to ask. I figured you would want to switch the roles a little bit but I see you like a classic  proposition." Dean says, scratching the back of his head.

"There is still time for me to fix that" I laugh. 

"How so?"

"Dean, will you go to the prom with me?" 

"I'd have to think about it first. Let me check with my manager."

I lightly punch his shoulder. Now is not the time for joking after a morning like this.

"Yes Kat, it would be my honor to take you to prom." He says, and pulls me in to a long kiss. The longest one yet. Yet when he pulls away, it feels like time flew by. 

"You know, I get kinda worried when you call me Kat. You've always just called me a dumb nickname and I'm just so used to it now. Anything else scares me" I tell Dean.

He laughs. "So that's what caused your sudden fear I was leaving you?"

"Yes. To be fair, when I entered the car you were sweating bullets and too quiet. You don't do that."

"I do when I'm nervous. Can you blame me? That's what happens when you gotta ask a beautiful girl to be your girlfriend. It's nerve-racking."

I laugh, and blush at him calling me beautiful. I am such a child sometimes. Dean's phone makes a sound, alerting him he has a voicemail. 

"Jesus, this unknown number called me like ten times. They just left a voicemail. Let's listen to what this guy has to say for himself." Dean says, and plays the voicemail. 

"Dean, I've called you so many times now. Answer me. If you are going to do something stupid to  Kat, don't even think about it. If you hurt her, consider yourself in danger." Then the phone abruptly slams. I love Bree so much, but so much for her argument that I had nothing to worry about. But in the end, what she said was right. And I'm glad, because I'm not ready to say bye to Dean anytime soon.