Bringing him back

Eldon

Autumn readjusts her pencil for what must have been the fifth time; it kept slipping out of her sweaty hand. Autumn nervously runs her sweaty hand on her pants before turning once again to her Parenting worksheet. Describe the importance of folate for pregnant women. What foods can you find this essential vitamin in?

Where were they going out to eat? What food would she get at the restaurant? Autumn had yet to ask James where and when they were eating. If she was getting nervous about this, how on earth was she supposed to stand a whole date? Autumn ran her sweaty fingers through her hair and turned back down to worksheet. Autumn turns the pages of her book with disinterest until she finds the subheading Focal Acid. Autumn jots down a few answers to the question before turning her eyes to the next question.

However, she simple couldn't concentrate with her date looming closer and closer. When Autumn pictured her first date she wasn't a nervous wreck; she had been calm, cool, and collected in her vision. The boy who she imagined years previously when she had fantasized about her first date surely wasn't her ex-best friend who kept flip-flopping on her.

The bell rings throughout the school and Autumn jumps up and begins packing her stuff away. She swings her backpack over her shoulders and wipes her sweaty hands on her pants once more. Her heart was thumping madly as she makes her way up to the Chemistry. You're being stupid, Autumn tells herself, you used to be his best friend. You've been alone with him in his house. What's the difference of going on a date with him?

Autumn enters the Chemistry room and and sees a couple of kids milling around and James sitting down at her table. Autumn's stomach fills with nervous butterflies as she looks at him. She shakily makes her way over to him, once more wiping her hands on her pants. She pulls out her seat and winces at the loud groan it let out. Autumn sucks in her breath as she sits down.

"James?" she asks quietly. He apparently didn't hear her - he was looking at the learning target written on the board. Autumn clears her throat and tries again in a louder voice.

"Uh, James?" Autumn asks and James turns his head to her.

"Yeah?"

"So...Are we still going on a date Saturday?"

"Oh! Yeah."

"So what time should I be ready?" Autumn asks, looking down at her hands, which had suddenly become very interesting.

"Oh, I made reservations at Eldon for six-thirty. Is that alright?" Autumn looks up at him, surprised. Eldon was supposed to be very expensive - her mom and her dad went there for their anniversary dinners.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Okay." Autumn says at the same time the bell rings. Mrs. Hansen enters and begins writing on the white board.

"Hey," James says in a whisper, "I'll come get you from your house when it's time to go. Alright?" Autumn nods her head yes and turns to the board. The butterflies in her stomach still hadn't let up, though they were strangely pleasant.