An Arranged Marriage to a Jerk

Chapter 18

Chapter 18: A Mutual Agreement... Finally

For the entire weekend, I mope around the house. Well, that's not entirely true. On Saturday I spend all day with Kim, looking at wedding ideas. Then on Sunday, we all meet at Nikki's house to celebrate her sister's birthday. We actually just used it as an excuse to pig out on cake... which was pretty much what I had been doing at every moment I had by myself. 

On Monday, I really felt like I needed to turn the attention on KIm. But that wasn't hard; for some reason, there was a strange rumor going around that my engagement was just a joke, a plot for humiliation. That Connor intentionally pushed me in the fountain. But I didn't really care. My new sole mission was to make Kim happy... and to block out the world. 

I'm slowly gathering my books for first, second, and third period. I'm early today, which is really unusual. The hallway is crowded with seniors talking with each other and freshman looking lost. I smile at how mundane it all seems. Kim is just a little ways away, surrounded by gushing girls that wish they were her. 

When I turn back to my locker, there's someone standing at the other side of the door. I gasp and take a step back. "Geez, are you trying to kill me?"

Connor laughs. "Sorry. I just need to talk to you." I start to turn away but he grabs my arm. "Hear me out. I feel really bad about what happened. I assume you've heard the rumors going around?" I nod. "Yeah, that was me. I though... maybe I was a little harsh. That maybe we're looking at things from the wrong perspective. Perhaps we should get to know each other the right way."

I give him a confused look. "You lost me at harsh."

A smile breaks out across his face. "What I mean is, let's take things slow." He gently takes my hand and pulls the ring off my finger. He shoves it in his jacket pocket but doesn't let go of my hand. "Allison, would you like to go on a date with me?"

I laugh lightly. "I would love that."

"Great. Tonight at seven? I'll pick you up." 

"Okay. See you then." 

*   *  *

"I like your dress," he says. He's standing on our porch, if you can call it that. It's much too fancy to be considered a 'nasty old country porch' as my mother says. 

I'm wearing a strapless black dress that reaches just above my knees. Matching diamond earrings and a necklace sparkle under the porch light. And I have low heels on, to avoid a disaster. "Thanks, you do, too." He's wearing a simple tux. It's very handsome. 

We drive in the dark fairly quickly. Connor talks about his football, I talk about my art. We chat about nothing and it feels good. It feels like a date. We get to a small Greek restaurant about twenty minutes away from my house. It's nice, but it's smaller than the other places we've eaten at. We get a booth and keep chatting. I'll save you from the boring details. But it feels comfortable. it feels familiar. It feels.... nice.

When we're done with our food, a song begins to play on the speakers. It's "Just the Way You Are." Connor smiles and takes my hand. He silently pulls me to the dance floor. I laugh and we begin to dance. "I really can't dance," I mutter.

"That's okay. Neither can I." There's a few couples around us, and they're watching us carefully. No one really knows who we are. And I like it that way.

"So," he says quietly. "You like this place?"

"I dont' know. But I like you." I say into his jacket. He's taller than  me and I can barely see over his shoulder in these shoes.  

"Well, aren't you a smooth talker. I have a feeling you've done this before." I step on his foot and he missteps for a moment. "Where do you get these smooth moves?"

I smile and look up at him. "It just comes naturally." 

We giggle. 

"So are we going on a second date?" He stops dancing for a minute. He starts dancing again before he answers.

"Obviously."

I giggle. Which is weird, because I never giggle. Ever. I have always thought of giggling as something wannabe teenage girls do on corny movies. I have never, ever giggled before. But tonight, giggling seems okay.

And I like it.