Daydream Dating

Chapter 19 - Bookstores

Song of the chapter - Why Try? by Ariana Grande

Gina drove away from the school in her beat up bug. The motor was loud, the light blue paint was peeling and the vinyl seats had a distinct smell I couldn't quite put my finger on. The further we got from the school, the more relaxed I got. It wasn't a complete relief because I knew I was just delaying the inevitable. But in that moment it didn't matter.

I took a deep breath and looked out the window. Disappointment washed over me as I thought about what a coward I was. How many girls had been dumped and run away as fast as they could to avoid seeing the guy? We hadn't even dated for an entire week and I was acting like a broken hearted wimp. I wasn't even broken hearted, not really. I just didn't know how to act in this situation. It was a new one for me.

"So, home? Or do you have another destination in mind?" Gina's question pulled my thoughts back to the present.

"Nope. Nothing. I'm just escaping my doom," I told her. It didn't matter where we went. Just as long as it wasn't back to class.

"Okay, well, it's still early in the day. I'm really not interested in hanging out at home because both of my parents have home offices." Gina shook her head, adding in a whisper, "they never leave."

Admittedly, that would be awful. I appreciated my hours at home after school without my parents. The best days were when Seth was gone as well. That was literally paradise in my opinion. It could never happen often enough, but sadly it hardly ever happened anymore. Seth was always there.

"Yeah, that would suck." I sympathized. "What are you thinking?"

"My favorite place in the world. It's silent, no one bothers you for hours and it's surrounded with books." Gina had a wistful smile as she spoke. Maybe I'd found a new paradise, because that sounded perfect.

We pulled up to a large bookstore a few minutes later. I had only been there once with my family and we were not silent, it didn't last for hours and no one let me touch the books. My mom dragged us in, picked the books herself, then shuttled us back out again. It didn't seem like a great place to hang out in that context.

Gina led the way to the back of the store where some cushy chairs were set up in a haphazard way, as if customers had repeatedly rearranged the furniture to suit whatever sized group they had and the employees never bothered to put them back. She walked over to a pair of overstuffed leather armchairs and dumped her bag in one. She looked over and gave me a sneaky grin, then turned to wander off through the aisles in search of a book, I assumed.

I took a seat in the other chair and decided to keep an eye on her stuff, then take my turn when she came back. I pulled out my phone absentmindedly, but was surprised to see several text messages. The first was from Robin.

*Hey girl, where'd you run off to? Call me!*

I'd give her a call later, when I was in the safety of my own room, without the potential of prying eyes or witnesses to my sorrow. Ugh, I was a pathetic mess.

The second text was what stirred me up even more. Luke had sent me a message right after Robin's. He must have sent it the second the bell rang, judging from the time stamp. My hands were shaking as I opened the message to see the whole thing. Apparently it went on for quite a few lines.

Sheesh! My nerves were raw.

*Mal, what's going on? Are you okay? That TJ guy is sitting in the back of the class looking very guilty and you're not here. What did he do?*

My heart raced as I read it. Luke had warned me and now his prediction had come true. I was dreading the "I told you so," that I knew was on it's way. Somewhat deserved I guess, but still. No girl wants to hear that from a former crush.