𝚍𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚢 | 𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚘𝚕𝚏 [1]

marco the monkey

—

Austin was a confident, yet not cocky type of person. He felt pretty good about his abilities to express how he felt, and he could admit that he thought he was a pretty good looking guy.

Throughout his sixteen years of life, Austin has never had to worry about asking a girl out and her saying no. Simply because he's never done it before.

His confidence was going down more and more as he relayed his plan to ask Ryder to the winter formal. He didn't want it to be too extravagant as he was well aware that the girl didn't like things being too over the top.

With help from his mom, along with Josie, he had ultimately decided that it would start off as a simple ice cream date. He would then, hopefully, find the confidence to ask her to the winter formal.

Josie had brought up that, while she pretended she didn't, Ryder would appreciate if he had got her flowers. Josie didn't actually know what kind of flowers she liked, but Austin had an idea.

So, with a heavy sigh, he gently placed the small bouquet of carnations in the back seat of his car, right next to the small stuffed monkey he passed by in the store. He couldn't explain why, but the stuffed animal reminded him so much of the girl that he couldn't help but pick it up.

His heart raced in his chest as he got out of his car and made his way to Ryder's doorstep. Before he could even knock or ring the doorbell, the door is being flung open by Ryder's younger sister, Josie.

The girl had excitement shining through her eyes as she looked up at the taller teen.

"What'd you get her?"

Based on her hushed voice, Austin could only assume that Ryder was still upstairs getting ready. He could hear the sound of, what he would describe as depressing, music playing upstairs.

"Flowers." He responded, "Carnations."

He pulled his lips back in a wince at her thoughtful expression.

"That should be fine." Josie nodded in approval, "Anything else?"

"I found a stuffed monkey, it reminded me of her."

Josie squints, "Did you just call my sister a monkey?"

"Absolutely not." He spluttered, "It just looked adorable sitting there by himself. Kind of like Ry when I first met her."

"I'm throwing up."

Austin steps back from her with a flushed face,

"Don't embarrass him, Jo." Aaron laughed out, walking into the room with an empty cup in his hands.

"Hey, Austin."

"Hi, sir."

"Don't call me sir." He quickly cut the teen off, going back up the stairs to his room, "I'll let Ryder know you're here."