The Marvels

Ep. 15 | Everything's Fine

"Let's not. Let's talk about you."

Amber threw up her hands. "There's nothing happening with me! Unless you think getting mowed down by Teddy this morning as we raced downstairs to breakfast is interesting."

Vidya imagined that and held back laughter. Teddy was a foot taller than Amber and didn't hesitate to use his size against her, especially when food races were concerned.

Amber suddenly straightened. "Jonah's leaving. Alone. Now's your chance to ask him out."

Vidya looked over her shoulder. Jonah was saying goodbye to his friends, and he walked out the cafeteria doors, completely alone. Vidya watched him go, heart pounding. "I'm going to do it."

Amber choked on her milk. "Wait, I was just kidding! Are you actually doing it?"

"If I had the guts to become a Marvel, I can ask a guy out." Vidya started packing her things and then froze. "Right?"

Amber practically pushed her away. "Of course! Go get him before he's gone!"

Vidya left her lunch tray for her friend to take care of and hurried out the doors. The hallway was empty—she could hear receding footsteps, but they could be anyone's. Which way had he gone? She crossed her fingers and kept walking, hoping he was somewhere nearby.

And there he was, in the middle hallway. He was on his knees at his bottom locker with his head inside it as he rifled through things, so he didn't notice her strolling toward him. Vidya moved slowly, giving herself time to change her mind.

I can do this, she thought.

Then she remembered that the last time she chanted I can do this, she'd fallen off a ramp.

Vidya stopped a few feet away, biting the bullet. "Jonah?"

Big mistake.

He jumped in surprise, slamming his head against the top of his locker.

Vidya wanted to run away, but he was already looking at her. "I'm so sorry," she blabbered. "I didn't mean to—"

"It's okay," he interrupted, rubbing his head and smiling. "Consider us even."

So...looks like she wasn't the only one still thinking about the swing. Vidya took that as a good sign. "I was wondering...would you like to go on a date with me?"

He blinked.

Vidya's smile remained plastered on her face. She was too afraid to let it fall. Had she misread every sign? Was she wrong when she thought he was nervous that day because he might like her?

Jonah blinked again. "Sure." He shook his head as if to clear it and repeated, more enthusiastic this time, "Sure. I'd love to. When?"

Vidya froze. Asking him out was a spur of the moment decision—she hadn't figured out any logistics, and she had a job with unspecified time constraints. "I'll...have to get back to you on that."

She was afraid that would throw him off, but he nodded. "It's a date," he said.

"Awesome," was her lame reply.

The bell rang, and the halls immediately flooded with students. Vidya walked to her next class, keeping her head down to hide how unnaturally happy she must've looked. That was the first time she ever asked anyone out, and she may have gotten him injured, but it was still a success.

Amber was going to freak out.

As she sat in English, waiting for the teacher to settle everyone down, she pulled her pager out of her backpack. It was on silent, but there might be messages, and checking it was better than watching the boys in the back of the room hold a long-distance spit competition.