All's Fair in Love and HoCo (ONC 2022)

Chapter Fourteen: When Caleb Asked Bri

"It's 7:30!" Mom screamed from downstairs. "You're going to miss the bus if you don't leave right now."

I was running late. Again. I spat the toothpaste in the sink and ran a little water to wash it down the drain. After a glimpse into the mirror and determining I wasn't a complete disaster, I turned off the light, grabbed my bookbag, and flew down the stairs, almost falling at the bottom. Thank God the metal banister was sturdy.

As I hurried to the bus stop, the cold temperature and drizzle had me shivering. I'd forgotten my jacket and umbrella in the house and had no time to retrieve them. I had to keep moving forward...and fast. Fortunately, the bus was still there, so I climbed aboard. My sister Erica was seated halfway back. Caleb was a few seats behind her and beckoning me to sit beside him. I obliged.

To make room for me, he lifted a bouquet of flowers and set them by a damp, rolled up poster that was resting on his lap.

"So, do you think she'll say yes?" Caleb asked. He let out a breath, as if he truly didn't know the answer.

"She'll say yes, Caleb." Well, unless she was the one Riley liked and somehow he asked her last night, but it hadn't happened. She would've broken her neck to sneak past her parents to text me.

He breathed relief. "Do I look okay?"

I laughed. He looked like himself. He was wearing a flannel similar to Riley's that I wore a couple days ago, over a black T-shirt that hung a little loose. His jeans were a little baggy. Basically, he looked like any other boy at Edelweiss, except maybe a little goofier because of his fluffy hair. If he got a haircut and stopped coloring his hair, he might actually be cute. Emphasis on might. He just wasn't my type.

"You look fine. From the way you guys were acting on the activity bus, I really think she likes you. Just take a deep breath and relax."

We passed by a wooden sign advertising Oktoberfest this weekend. I had plans with Kate on Sunday, but maybe Bri and I could attend it on Saturday. Mom had bought us dirndls and my dad and brother lederhosen for a picture we took when we stayed in Bavaria. Mom said it looked like we'd stepped out of The Sound of Music. Erica, Dad, and I thought it was corny. Regardless, I wanted one more chance to wear the dirndl and Saturday night seemed like the best opportunity. Mom and Dad would allow it, but Bri would probably have to lie or sneak.

"What do you think my chances are for Homecoming King?" Caleb asked, pulling me out of my weekend plotting. "The voting starts today."

And they would announce the court in one week. I knew how it worked. "I've been talking you up and so have Bri and the rest of our friends. The rest comes down to you, but I think the math is on your side."

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he processed my words. "You think so?"

"We'll know in a week."

The bus pulled to a stop in its spot in the parking lot beside the school. The rain had grown steady so I made a mad dash to the overhang that was crowded with mostly boys holding posters with their ridiculous hocoposals.

"Do you think Bri is already here?" Caleb asked.

I shook my head. "She's usually a minute or so behind us."

Caleb found a spot between two freshmen and dropped his bookbag and the flowers onto the dry sidewalk before unfurling the poster, which read "Briana Sanchez—Will you be my Homcoming date?" He'd colored in the uneven bubble letters with various pink markers, leaving many white spots between the lines. Bri hated pink and I wasn't sure she'd forgive the spelling error.

I looked around at the other posters. No grammatical errors. Many of them elaborate. One guy was standing with a bouquet of suckers atop a jar that had smarties in it and holding a poster that said, "Be a smartie and choose this sucker to be your HoCo date." Another held a 3-foot-tall teddy bear wearing a shirt that said, "Hoco?" And another held a grande iced coffee along with a Starbucks cup-themed poster that had "I'd like it a Latte if you'd be my HoCo date."

"So, what do you think?" Caleb asked as he swung his backpack over his shoulder and picked up the flowers.

Hopefully, I could have him postpone this until after school so I could talk to the art teacher and get him another posterboard which he could work on at lunch. Anything would be better than this. Before I answered him, I needed to check the bus stop. Bri waved at me. Crap. It was too late now.

I forced a smile onto my face and decided a lie might be best in this situation. There was still hope. Surely Bri could forgive a missing "E" and an ugly poster. Maybe. Especially if he brought candy. "Which candy did you decide to bring, Snickers or Skittles?"

Caleb's smile downturned into a grimace. "Shit! I forgot both of them at home. Do you think I should have my mom bring them and do this at lunch?"

No. He needed to be able to work on this at lunch, but regardless, it was too late. Bri had definitely seen Caleb holding a poster, and she was hurrying toward us. I forced my lips upward again. "You've got this, Caleb. Just be yourself."

Bri read the sign and hesitated, looking around to glance at the other posters, and I honestly had no idea what she'd say. She wore the same look she gave to me after every cross country practice. Disappointment. But still, she threw her arms around Caleb and said yes.

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Thank you for still being here. The craziness is definitely starting to take over my house (as if it wasn't crazy already with four kids and a cat). I was honestly worried that I might not finish the story in time for the end of ONC (and my transcontinental move two days later), but things are looking good, barring unforeseen circumstances. I will probably be posting daily updates from here on out. Thanks again!