Project Smile

Ten

As I drive, I can't stop looking back to the passenger seat at Gabriel's notebook. It feels as if my eyes are being drawn to it by some kind of magnetic force. I can't even begin to comprehend what just happened. Gabriel actually trusts me. He's allowing me to read all of the things he's written in this notebook, something that he normally trusts no one with.

I'm trying to decide what I want to do. Do I want to just pull over and read it right now, and maybe call or text him if I really feel like I need to? Do I need to just wait until after I get home so there's a better chance that I can read it from start to finish? Or should I just not read it at all and give it back to him tomorrow?

I'm really glad and extremely touched that he trusts me with this, but truth be told, I'm kind of scared to see what goes on in Gabriel's head all the time.

Shaking my head, I concentrate on the road again. I can ponder this later, when there's no way that I'll be in a car accident. If that happened, I wouldn't even have to consider this anymore.

Pulling into the Sonic parking lot, I shove all of my CDs under my seat so Pete can't make a grab for them this time. Then I look out of the windshield and see him talking to Erin, who is standing in her uniform and holding an empty serving tray. All of a sudden, Pete leans in and kisses her, making her drop the tray and wrap her arms around him, responding.

Yes.

They're probably gonna go out now.

Which means everyone will leave me the heck alone about whether or not Pete and I are a thing. I never thought this day would come. Relief floods into my chest as I keep watching them. And though I feel like an ultra-creepy stalker, I don't look away.

When they finally take a step back, I honk the horn as loudly as I can and flip my lights on, smiling a sweet yet evil smile. Both of them jump about a foot in the air before whipping around to look at me. Erin's mouth is in the shape of an O, and Pete's blushing madly. Oh, man, this is absolutely amazing. Biting my lip, I smile even wider and give them both a thumbs-up. Pete's blushing even harder now and Erin looks like she's rambling about something as she picks up the fallen tray before skating off. Pete, momentarily forgetting his embarrassment, looks after her with a smile. Then he looks at me again and begins walking slowly with his head down.

"Aw, is Lover Boy embarrassed?" I coo when Pete opens the door.

"Shut up," he mumbles, but he still can't stop his huge smile.

"Give me all of the details."

Pete rolls his eyes, probably at the fact that that was the most girly sentence I have ever uttered in my life, but speaks anyway. "So, you know I've liked Erin for a long time now." I nod. "So, today I was informed by someone that she felt the same way. So during our break, I decided to man up and ask her out. We're going to the movies on Friday."

I can feel my heart swelling with happiness as he says this. I'm really happy that they're together now.

"What's this?" Pete suddenly asks, holding up Gabriel's notebook. My eyes widen slightly, which apparently makes Pete think that it's some huge secret of mine. His eyes light up even more. "Is it some sort of secret diary?"

"No," I say. My mind is racing. What if he reads it? I have no idea what Gabriel has written in there, but I know that he doesn't want just anyone reading it. "I'm just holding it for a friend. There's nothing in it."

"Oh, okay." He sets it in the floor, apparently losing interest. I exhale slowly. Nice save, Cass, I think to myself.

That could've gone a million different ways, and I'm really glad that it didn't.