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

Chapter Eighteen: Save Me a Dance

On Monday morning, I was consumed with whether today would be the day. I stepped off the bus and approached the school. Not as many posters as there were on Friday. Still a few, though, but Riley wasn't holding any of them. He probably didn't have the supplies and it wasn't like he could have just gone to a store yesterday to get them. German stores were closed on Sundays, and he lived too far away from base to make a special trip.

Tim waved at me in the hallway and greeted me in anatomy class, acting as though my rejection hadn't bothered him in the least and we could still be friends. I genuinely hoped that would be the case.

As I was toweling off after practice, Bri came up to me prattling on about how I shouldn't be walking during any portion of the run. Fortunately, she quickly changed the subject.

"I heard Riley found a date, but no one seems to know who he asked." She pulled her Harvard sweatshirt over her head. "Did he tell you who it is?" When I didn't answer her immediately, she said, "You're still partners in A & P, right?"

"Yeah, but we were busy with the cat." I donned my jeans. "Why are you concerned about Riley? I thought you hated him." I left off the part where she already had a date, so this was probably something she didn't need to worry about.

"I don't hate him." She laughed. "It's been three months since he had a girlfriend which is a record in the time I've known him, and I was just curious."

Not curious enough to tell me he'd asked her to scope me out, though. I forced a smile onto my face. "He didn't say anything, but we were busy, and I was trying my hardest not to get sick." The smell had grown more tolerable, but it still roiled my stomach and took a lot of focus not to vomit.

"Do you think I could go shopping for a Homecoming dress with you? My mom and I, I mean." She spritzed some perfume onto her neck. "My mom wants to take me to the thrift store and I'm afraid she won't let me shop anywhere else."

Bri's mom was definitely thrifty. She'd taught me to be a little thriftier, too. I hadn't really shopped at the thrift store prior to meeting Bri, and it had saved me a ton of money on my workout clothes and summer clothes. It was hard to beat those bag sales where the entire super-stuffed plastic bag of clothes only cost ten dollars. I'd gotten four pairs of shorts, three leggings, three t-shirts, and two skirts the last time. The store had a lot of great clothing to offer, and I'd most certainly check it out, but I couldn't imagine being forced to buy my Homecoming dress from there.

"We have plenty of space in the van, so I don't think it'll be a problem. We're going on Saturday morning." Thank God there was no cross country meet this weekend. For once, I'd be able to do something without being guilted for not trying hard or being fast enough.

Bri sat next to Caleb on the activity bus, and I climbed into an empty seat two seats behind them. I heard Bri and Caleb talking about Homecoming and how they were excited the court would be announced on Friday, and they were 100% sure they'd both be on it.

Did they ever talk about anything else? At Oktoberfest, the music had been loud enough and I'd had so much fun talking to Tim that I hadn't noticed what they talked about. In two weeks, everyone would be talking about Homecoming and two weeks from tomorrow, Homecoming would be in the rearview mirror, just like the relationships of so many of the couples who attended it together.

Would that be the same for Riley and me? I hoped not. I knew that a relationship with Riley would be short-lived because of the move, but I hoped it would be more than just going to Homecoming together.

I felt added weight to the seat and looked up to find Tim sitting beside me. "Is it okay if I sit beside you? I'd rather not sit next to Dalton."

I laughed. Did anyone who wasn't a freshman want to sit next to him? He wasn't bad, just a bit extra. "I don't mind if you sit here."

Bri turned around and gave a nod of approval at Tim sitting beside me.

Tim smiled at me. "I had a lot of fun on Saturday night. I hope we can hang out again sometime."

Several thoughts simultaneously flooded into my head. Did Kandy tell him I'd said no? And if so, did he still want to hang out? I really wanted to hang out with him again. But I didn't want that to be as his date for Homecoming. I didn't want to reject him face to face. And I really didn't want to hurt him. I liked him way too much for that.

I took a deep breath and considered bolting for the seat next to Dalton. But that would hurt Tim, too, possibly more, especially when he hadn't done anything wrong. No, he'd done everything right, except for having Kandy ask me. If he'd asked me personally on Saturday night or before Riley texted me yesterday, I would've said yes.

"I had fun too, Tim." I tried matching my smile to Tim's, but mine probably looked really goofy. "And I would love to hang out again."

"Will you save me a dance at Homecoming?" he asked.

So, he knew I'd said no, and he wasn't going to be an ass about it. "Yeah. I think I can do that as long as your date doesn't mind."

Tim smiled. "I probably won't ask anyone, but if I do, it will come with the condition that I'm able to dance with you on one of the songs."

I laughed. "I don't know of any girl who would be happy with that, but it seems like a reasonable enough request."

Bri was on me like white on rice the second I stepped off the bus. "Did Needs Tums just ask you to Hoco?!" Tim looked back. Of course, her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. I just had to hope he didn't know she was talking about him.

I shushed her, then whispered, "No. He just asked me to save a dance for him." It wasn't exactly a lie. Thank God for the many uses of just.

"It's so obvious he's in love with you," Bri said once Tim was well out of earshot.

Caleb nodded. "I'm surprised he didn't ask you. I thought for sure he would."

"I'll dance with him, and it'll be fun." I wasn't going to tell either of them I'd rejected him. I just had to hope Riley wouldn't be butthurt over one dance with Tim. Deciding I needed a break from both Caleb and Bri, I took a step toward my house. "I've got a lot of homework tonight. I'll see you tomorrow."