vandrophobia

Sushi Love

"Will you go to Winter Ball with me?"

I look slowly to my right and analyze my surroundings. Then to left. Then up. Then down.

"Um, what are you doing?" Jeff asks. He's still holding out the flowers and muffin basket.

I keep looking around. "I'm just trying to figure out whether you're trying to punk me or something."

"LIRA."

My attention goes straight to Jeff. He looks frustrated. "Am I really that hard to believe?" Jeff takes a step toward me. "I'm asking you to the Winter Ball, Lira."

"Well," I say taking the bouquet of flowers. "It depends…"

"On what?" Jeff looks alarmed.

I narrow my eyes. "Depends whether those muffins are banana nut."

Jeff is silent. He stares at me before dropping the basket and whipping the cloth off of it.

"Um…" I say reaching out for him.

Jeff grabs a muffin and takes a large bite of it. He shakes his head as he swallows. "OAT BRAN!" He tosses the muffin back into the basket. "I should have remembered your favorite flavor was banana nut…"

I can't help but grin sympathetically. "Hey, Jeff?" I had to interrupt his punches in the air. Maybe after this I'll encourage him to pick up boxing. Seems like he has a knack for it.

"What?"

I pick up the muffin Jeff tossed into the basket and take a bite. "I like oat bran."

"Huh?"

"I would be happy to go to Winter Ball with you." I take another big bite of the muffin.

Jeff smiles and takes the muffin away from me. "I don't know if I want to take someone who takes such large bites."

I grab back the muffin and stuff the rest into my mouth.

"When is Winter Ball anyways?" I ask after swallowing.

Jeff gives me a dumbfounded look and smacks the back of my head. "Are you really a girl!?"

"Hey!" I yell. "Maybe I won't go with you after all!"

Jeff is already walking away back to his house. "Eat a muffin…but not too many! I don't want to take a muffin to the ball!"

"Yeah, yeah!"

w w w

"Jeff asked you to Winter Ball?" Tanya says excitedly.

She's sitting on my desk as I recap yesterday's events.

"Ahh, I haven't chosen who I want to go with yet…" she says in distress.

"W-who?" I lean forward. "There's actually more than one?" I look around, then whisper. "Do they know?"

Tanya just shakes her head at me with a sympathetic, confused expression. "You're one in a million, Lira."

"I knowwww," I say nodding my head proudly.

"Sometimes I don't even understand what you're talking about…"

The slight screech of a chair to my left immediately triggers me to hold my breath.

Wintar has arrived.

"LATE!" I laugh and point at the clock.

Tanya takes a look at the clock, says a quick goodbye, and goes to her seat.