Daydream Dating

Chapter 9 - Classrooms

Song of the chapter - Can't Blame a Girl for Trying by Sabrina Carpenter

I woke up the next day with a knot in my stomach. After spending most of the afternoon at Robin's house, I came home and found that Seth hadn't said anything to my parents about me being called in to Opportunity. If he had, I certainly would have been confronted by one or both of my parents. But just my luck, he was letting me sit on pins and needles a while longer. There was no doubt in my mind that he was holding that nugget of information until he could use it against me.

Douche.

So the evening was normal, uneventful, except for my nerves. Knowing that TJ was now going to be within arms reach on a daily basis set me off on a worry train. I couldn't help but feel strange after hearing from Robin that she thought he liked me, and hearing from Bella that he had asked for my number. These things never worked out for me. Ever. It was doomed before it could even begin. With my luck, it had to be.

I guess I was scared. I didn't have any dating experience other than in my daydreams. And of course those dates always went perfectly. I realized that real life wasn't like that. My recent heartbreak with Luke, despite my efforts to avoid it, had taught me that loud and clear. Even though I appreciated my friendship with Luke, it still stung to hear about him dating someone who was almost in my same lack-of-popularity category.

I always knew that Luke wasn't the typical jock who only went for the popular cheerleader or mean girl. This just confirmed that my lack of name recognition wasn't the reason he wasn't interested in me. He just simply didn't look at me that way. And he was such a nice guy I couldn't even be mad at him about it. Which only seemed to make it worse.

But I was also getting tired of bellyaching over him so maybe TJ was a good solution. If my daydreams of him were the ultimate perfection, I was curious how reality would go. I wasn't dumb enough to think things would be perfect but maybe they would be better than my current state of being. After thinking about it for the entire night, I decided to let whatever was going to happen, happen. No more avoiding TJ.

The knot was nervousness about what to do next, how to respond if I had the chance to talk to him. A deep breath, which I took more than once, and I was determined to face the day head on.

Mornings were always rushed but thanks to the Mia show from the previous day, I had gathered my books after school the day before so there would be no need to stop at my locker. Yeah, I really had learned my lesson. In fact I doubted I would be back at my locker any time soon.

First period was fine. The norm. Second period went smoothly as well. I wasn't late that day. I wasn't even almost late, which I had been more times than I cared to count. Of course that was resolved as soon as I took my locker out of the equation.

At the end of second period, as I was walking out the door, I bumped into Gina and she dropped her bag. She huffed angrily and reached down to pick it back up. I glanced in her direction to tell her I was sorry, but I noticed a grimace on her face as she reached down. She looked like she was in pain. Why would picking up her bag cause pain? I immediately thought back to all those days she was absent as well as how off she looked the day before. Then I felt guilty for not helping her.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, fine." was her response. I was surprised to even get one. That was progress.

"Okay. Did you get everything?" I was making sure.

Gina just nodded. Then, suddenly, she lost her balance and fell against a desk. She had gone down to her knees with a grunt.

"Damn it" she mumbled.

"Okay, listen. You hate me, I get it. But I am helping you whether you want me to or not. So where to? the bathroom? the nurse? your next class? Where?" I used my most demanding voice.