Thursday morning, as I'm brushing my teeth in my gray and white-colored bathroom, I hear my phone notify me of a text, from my bedroom. After I spit out my toothpaste and rinse, I quietly walk into my room and pick up my iPhone. A new text from Dylan has arrived. Curious and eager to see what he has to say, I open it up.
When you get to school, wait for me near the entrance to the football field.
I text back: Why?
And a moment later he replies: Ssh, it's a surprise. Just do it.
I finish getting dressed in my pink floral tank top, jean shorts and white cardigan then grab my backpack and jog down the stairs. I look around the cupboard and pantry for breakfast options before deciding I could eat some of the large amount of leftover chili. I eat it with some beans and cheese after heating in the microwave and finish the bowl in five minutes.
The large clock tells me it's the perfect time to head to school, so I grab my keys and head out the door. It's a little bit cooler today than usual but it's still really warm; once I'm in the car the review mirror says that it's seventy-six degrees.
As I'm driving to school, I listen to The Neighbourhood who has been my favorite band lately. After parking (quite nicely, might I add) in the school's parking garage I walk down the stairs and over to the entrance of the large, very green, very beautiful football field.
I'm waiting patiently for Dylan and pass the time by scrolling through social medias and singing Ed Sheeran songs. It's seven twenty-five when Dylan finally shows up unannounced, sort of scaring me with his words.
"You have a pretty voice," I hear him say suddenly, and I immediately stop singing and gasp lightly in surprise.
I turn around to face him, "You scared me!"
"Oh, sorry," he doesn't look very sorry. "I got you this."
He reaches out a hand that has a Java Chip Frappuccino from Starbucks in it. I take it from him and smile widely at him, "Aw, really?"
"Yes, really. See, I can be nice too."
"Thanks a ton, this makes today even better," I tell him, then take a sip of the delicious coolness.
"What's so great about today?"
"I don't really know," I tell him after a bit of thought. "I just like today."
"Maybe it's because I'm the first person you've seen today?", he suggests with a cheeky grin that causes me to laugh.
"Yeah, let's go with that."
"So, Anita," Dylan begins as we walk along the fence around the field toward the school. "You're a numbers girl, right?"
"Definitely," I nod. "Any reason you're asking?"
"Well, I'm in Pre-Cal, as you might recall. But I need your help."
"So, what, you were thinking of some tutoring sessions?"
"Hey, you suggested it, not me."
"Don't act like that's not what you were going to suggest anyway!", despite my words, I blush a little.
"You got me there," he admits. "I have work today, so we can't do today."
"I have cheer anyway."
"Right. Tomorrow then?"
I give him a look, "You really wanna have a math lesson on a Friday evening?"
"If it's with you, I don't really mind it."
I grin at him as my heart flutters briefly, "Crossing the line."
"I know," he smiles at me. "Do you not like it?"
"Well I didn't say that," I tell him, and he chuckles a little bit.
"Sometimes I think I flirt with you without meaning to..."
"I guess I just have that affect on guys," I say with synthetic cockiness as I flip my hair dramatically.
"Please don't ever do that again," Dylan says seriously.
"What? Act preppy and annoying?"
"Yeah. It's seriously something I can't handle. I like you for you so, really, don't do that."
I laugh, "Okay, sorry. Duly noted."
We've entered the building and we're on the first floor now, and at the bottom of the stairs, the bell rings.
"I'll see you in English then," he says.
"Yep. Thanks again for the coffee," I tell him. "You're a lifesaver, Dylan."
"I know. Show your gratitude with a hug."
I give him what he asks for and then we part ways, me up the stairs and him down the long, packed hallway.
Friday morning, I get to first period expecting nothing but the ordinary drone of Mister Lofton's voice, and maybe Cassie's endless talk of either getting high or One Direction or snakes that she wishes she owned.
That's pretty much exactly what happened, but my phone vibrated in the pocket of my dress with a text that made everything around me irrelevant. It was a text from Naomi that made me feel very excited about something.
Omg. Anita. You will never guess what happened this morning.
I text her back immediately, What happened?!
Um, go look at my Facebook.
Not wanting to wait a moment more, I quickly exit the messaging app and tap onto the blue square with the white 'F' on it: Facebook. After it loads for a second, I go to search and type in Naomi's name to get to her profile. Once I'm there, I scroll down her page until I see a big heart and text that says: Naomi Josue changed her relationship status. I scroll down a little further and right there in clear black type, Facebook says:
Naomi Josue is in a relationship with Adrian King
A gigantic grin instantly spreads across my face, and I see a photo that must have been taken today of the two of them in the school's parking lot. Naomi looks like she's laughing as her long hair and green dress are caught flowing in the light breeze as she holds a bouquet of flowers in her hand. Adrian has an arm around her neck and is kissing her on the cheek.
I automatically 'aw' out loud and hit the like button before leaving a congratulatory comment. I go back to the messaging app to text her back: U seriously have no idea how happy this makes me. I'm so happy for u!
She replies with a thank you, and tells me that she'll give me the details of what happened later in English. Once the bell rings for class to end, I practically run out the door, forgetting to say goodbye to Cassie. I'm just too excited to see Adrian and bug him all about this news.
Because of my fast walking, I'm one of the first people to get into Calculus, and it feels like forever waiting for Adrian to take his seat next to mine. The minute I see him walk through that door though, I lock eyes with him and give him a triumphant smile until he sits down beside me.
"Well if it isn't the man of the hour," I say to him happily as he starts to take out last night's homework.
He laughs a little, "I'm assuming you've heard the news?"
"Yes! You asked her to be your girlfriend, finally!"
"That I did. I guess I figured it was time."
"Good, good! I'm so happy about it and it's not even my relationship!"
Adrian laughs again, "Naomi is happy too. And so am I, of course. I was afraid that what I had planned might be a little too... cheesy, I guess, but she said she loved it."
"I would ask you what you did, but she wants to tell me all about it herself."
"In that case, I won't say a word."
Throughout the lesson, I keep smiling and I end up humming to myself happily. At one point towards the end of the period, Adrian turns to me with a smirk playing on his face.
"What are you so happy about?", he asks, almost laughing again.
"I don't know, it's just a good day! But you know, I guess your new relationship status has at least something to do with it."
He smiles, "It's largely thanks to you, you know."
"Because of the little talk we had?"
"Yeah. I mean we've only known you for a couple weeks but you're awesome. You've impacted us greatly in just a matter of days. Naomi already loves you; she told me she feels like you're her little sister... and I guess I feel the same about you."
"Aw, you guys are the big brother and sister I never had."
"Well trust me, like real older siblings, Naomi and I aren't going anywhere."
~
"So a little background before I start; a couple days a week, Adrian will take me to school just because he can. Today was one of those days. He texted me that he was outside so I left my house and walked out, you know, got in the car... But he was acting kinda different but I didn't wanna say anything about it, I was just thinking 'what the heck is going on'.
"Anyways, when we got to school he parked, and when I went to get out of the car he stopped me and was like, 'Naomi, wait, I have to tell you something'. At this point I'm wondering what the heck happened to him because seriously, this was just weird. But then he looked right at me and started telling me all the things he likes about me like, oh, what did he say...
"Oh! He said, 'I like that you know when to be serious and when to be playful at the perfect moments...' and, um, 'you always make the best out of every situation you're in and it makes me happier when I'm with you'.
"He was just saying all these really sweet things and I'm like 'AW!' in my head but I'm sure in real life I was just smiling like an idiot. Eventually he stopped kinda just saying all these compliments and pulled these white roses out from, like, nowhere, and I'll never forget what he said.
"He said, 'Naomi, I really really like you. And I have for a long time but I guess I've been afraid of commitment. I've been afraid of messing up, of saying and doing the wrong things. I've been afraid of starting something with you because I think I'll do or say something stupid to end it. But...
"Recently I have realized that I'm likely to mess things up a few times in my life whether I like it or not, and I just have to go for it and try my best. So I'm going for it right now; I'm asking you to be my girlfriend. And I'm going to try my best to be the best, because that's what you deserve'."
Naomi has just finished telling me about what happened this morning when Adrian asked her to be his girlfriend, and I listen with rapt attention. I smile the whole time she recounts the events, and I "aw" at the end.
I tell her again how happy I am about the two of them, and she relays to me how happy she is, and demands that I smell her white roses. The announcements came on shortly after, and I took that as my cue to sit down. Dylan is sitting there, going over some questions on our review sheet for the book we've been reading.
"Ready to get your quiz on?", he asks me as I sit down next to him.
"Of course. I know this book like I know the back of my hand."
"I always thought that was a weird metaphor."
I think about it, "Yeah, you're right. I mean how well do any of us really know the backs of our hands?"
"That's exactly what I mean."
"So... am I coming over right after school then?"
"Yep. Why? Is that suddenly a problem?"
"Not at all, I was just double checking."
"You guys are getting together after school?", Naomi suddenly says from in front of us. "Why didn't you invite me?!"
"Shut up, Naomi," I say to her. "Don't you have a boyfriend to tend to?"
She laughs then and gives me a mischievous grin before turning back around.
"Since when did she get a boyfriend?", Dylan asks me.
"Since today," I tell him. "Adrian finally asked her out."
"Oh. Well that's nice."
"You're so awkward sometimes," I laugh a little, admiring him in all his awkwardness.
"Oh. Sorry," he says a little awkwardly as if he's proving my point, and I laugh harder.
"Don't be. I guess that's what happens sometimes when you've constantly distanced yourself from people for so long. But it's okay, I think it's cute."
"Now it sounds like you're crossing the line."
Missus Hathaway starts talking now. I whisper, "Maybe."
Promptly after sixth period, I wait outside the main entrance of the school for Dylan. When he finally shows up, I smile at him and we walk to my car. He directs me to his house while wind blows through the rolled down windows, and an artist by the name of Lights sings acoustic songs through the speakers.
We finally slow to a halt outside of the house that I remember dropping him off at before, but this time I'll get to see the inside. As Dylan and I approach the door and he unlocks it, I think to ask, "Is your mom home?"
He glances at me, "No, she's in LA for the weekend. Why?"
I shrug, "Just asking."
"You know, sometimes I wonder if you even realize how suggestive some of the things you say are."
I think about it as he pushes the door open, "That did sound suggestive, didn't it?"
"Very," he says as he holds the door open, waiting for me to go in, like a gentleman. How sweet.
After we're both inside, he closes the front door behind us and locks it again. I look around the living room and it's spacious, yet cozy at the same time. The walls are painted a warm, deep red and there's a lot of neat little knick-knacks that I want to look at closer.
There's exotic looking plants that are really pretty and make the house smell good, and several photos of Dylan at various ages, and a boy I assume to be his little brother. I smile at a framed picture of the two of them together when Dylan speaks.
"So... Should we just work here in the living room?", he asks. "'Cause I would take you to my room but that might be... a little.. weird."
I turn around, and gently set down the picture to look at him, "Why would that be weird?"
He looks around, "Well I mean... I don't know, because... I-it's my room?"
"A situation is only as weird as the two people in it, make it."
"...To my room then?"
"Lead the way."
We walk up a slightly narrow, wooden staircase until we reach the top where there's a decently long hallway. He walks to the right so I follow him, and he twists the doorknob and opens the door. Just as before, he holds the door open until I walk into his bedroom then closes it behind the pair of us.
His room is dark with the blinds shut, and only one of three lights on, but even now I can see how surprisingly neat it is. The messiest part of the entire room is his desk, but even that isn't very messy. His bed does happen to be a little messed up but who makes their bed anymore anyway? Dylan turns on the lamp on his bedside table and neatly tosses his backpack onto the floor next to his desk.
There are three posters hanging up in Dylan's room; one of the Legend of Zelda (yes, the video game), one of The Nieghbourhood (yes, the band!) and one of Barcelona's soccer team. An Adidas duffle bag sits in front of his dresser with a soccer ball next to it, so I can only assume it holds his things for soccer practices. Dylan takes a seat in the swivel chair in front of his desk while I plop down on his bed.
"You know, I don't mind you being on my bed but you could take your shoes off," he tells me as he takes off his own and puts them in his closet.
"Oh, right," I say apologetically as I slip my sandals off and place them by the door. "I forgot."
"No major harm done."
I roll over on the bed to face him, where I notice he's staring at me with an interesting expression, "Should we get our math on?"
His intense gaze clears, "We should."
For the next hour, I help Dylan complete his Pre-Calculus homework and show him how to do certain things the proper ways. I also help him study for his chapter test that's coming up on Tuesday, and once the hour is over, he's entirely confident in his math ability. Dylan neatly puts all his things back into his backpack before turning to me.
"I don't know about you," he begins. "But I'm starving."
"Good, because I am, too."
"Cool. What do you want to eat?"
"I want a cheeseburger," I tell him plainly.
"A cheeseburger?"
I nod.
"Personally, I think the best place to get a burger around here is Dick's."
I snicker, "It's seriously called Dick's?"
"Yeah, I know it's kinda funny, but their food is no joke."
I laugh then, "That was funny!"
"I know, I am hilarious. Let's go get our food now before I eat my homework."
"Okay, you gotta tell me how to get there though," I say as I put my shoes back on, and he does the same.
"Don't I always? Foreigner."
~
Once we get back to Dylan's house from Dick's (ha), we eat the food in his small dining room. We both got cheeseburgers and french fries, but he got a vanilla shake while I got a chocolate one. It turns out Dylan was totally right about this place; the food is amazingly satisfying.
Once we finish the food, we're both stuffed full and can't eat a single more morsel. After we dispose of the trash in the garbage can in his kitchen, the two of us trudge back up the stairs to Dylan's room.
From there, we discuss what we ought to do, and it doesn't take long for Dylan to decide that we should play Mario Kart Wii. We play for an entire forty minutes before we grow tired of the game and switch over to Netflix to find a movie to watch.
Scrolling through our options, we pick the first Pirates of the Caribbean. We've both seen it before, but it was such a long time ago, neither of us mind watching it again. After the movie starts and company names start flashing on the screen, Dylan gets up to turn out the only remaining light source. As he comes back to sit on his bed next to me, I stare at him.
"Why'd you turn the light off?", I whisper-ask him.
"I can't stand to watch movies with the lights on," he explains back in the same quiet voice. "Why are you whispering?"
"I can't stand to talk at normal volumes while a movie is playing."
He grins at me then and I return it before we both focus our attention on the screen.
Throughout the duration of the movie, we go back and forth offering our commentary on what's happening on the screen before us. We actually have some interesting conversations, and a few debates that make me feel like some sort of educated film buff. By the time the two and a half hour movie has ended, it's nearly six thirty. As the white credits roll across the dark screen, Dylan informs me that he's already hungry again.
"Already?", I ask him with a slight laugh.
"What do you mean 'already'? It's been nearly three hours and, may I remind you, I am a growing teenage boy."
"Good point. I have to admit I could stand to eat again too."
"What sounds good now?", he asks as he takes out his phone, for whatever reason.
"I picked our after-school snack so you get to choose our dinner."
"How do you like pizza?"
"I love it."
"Really? I thought most girls didn't like pizza."
"What?! Maybe the stupid ones!"
He chuckles, "Okay, okay! What toppings do you like?"
"Pineapple and bacon. And not that stupid CANADIAN bacon, like, actual bacon."
"Ew, pineapple?", he makes a face.
"What's wrong with pineapple?"
"I just don't think fruit belongs on pizza."
This time, I laugh, "Well can't we order one that's half and half?"
"That we can."
While Dylan is on the phone with the pizza place (Romio's!), my mom calls me and I realize that I forgot to tell either of my parents that I wouldn't be home right away.
"Hiii, mommy," I say innocently after picking up the phone.
"Hi," she says. "Where are you?"
"I'm at my friend's house. I forgot to tell you, sorry."
"Oh, that's okay. What friend?"
"Naomi," I lie quickly without really knowing why. "You know, the one who was our waitress at the sushi place?"
"Oh, right. Well some colleagues of your father's are coming over for dinner with him and I in about forty minutes."
I let out a little groan, "Do I have to come?"
"No, actually I was gonna tell you that you should spend the night at your friend's house."
"Really? Why?"
"Do you really wanna join us for business-talk during dinner and scrabble and charades afterward?"
"You make a good point. I guess I'll stay here... with Naomi.. I guess."
"Good. Call me tomorrow when you wake up, okay?"
"Will do. Bye, mom."
"Goodnight, Anita. Have fun with Naomi!"
She hangs up quickly afterward, and I lock my phone before looking up at Dylan to see that he's been watching me.
"I'm Naomi now?", he asks with a faint smirk.
I shrug, "Well, I didn't exactly want to tell my parents that I've been spending hours with you all this time."
"Ouch."
"You know what I mean, it's just that you're a boy."
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that," he says a little sarcastically.
"So...", I begin, somewhat awkwardly. "How do you feel about me spending the night?"
"Here?"
"No, in Mexico."
He ignores my sarcasm, an adorably somewhat nervous look painting his features, "Um, I mean, I guess you can. I don't really care. I guess. Yeah."
"Why do you sound so nervous about it? Jeez, it's not like I'm gonna murder you in your sleep or anything."
He simply nods after that, and all we do is play a random game of Go-Fish while we wait for the pizza guy to show up.
Once the pizza arrives at Dylan's front door, I answer it and insist on paying since he paid for the burgers earlier. After the delivery guy leaves, I carry the large and hot cardboard box over to the table and set it down. Dylan asks what I want to drink and I ask just for some ice water while he drinks a can of Pepsi.
While we enjoy the seemingly perfectly crafted pizza, we try to decide what movie we should watch next. Eventually we agree on the first Lord of the Rings movie, which he seems very excited to watch. After washing our hands he locates the DVD from one of the shelves in the living room and we take it upstairs to his room. While he's putting the disc into the DVD player, I throw both of his pillows to the side of his bed so that they're against the wall.
Dylan grabs the remote and climbs over to the edge of the bed against the wall and leans his back against it. As I'm standing there, I decide that for maximum comfort I should remove my skirt and simply wear the shorts I have on underneath them. At the sound of my zipper, I see Dylan's head quickly turn in my direction and as I start to pull my skirt down my bare legs, he talks.
"What the-?! W-what are you doing?!"
I stare back at him with wide eyes, realizing how I may look, "Chill out! I have shorts on!"
"Oh... Well you might wanna tell me that ahead of time, in the future."
"Sorry," I smile innocently, and quickly finish removing my skirt before tossing it into my backpack.
I quickly climb onto the bed and sit next to him with my back against the pillow against the wall, just like he is. The movie starts and we watch and enjoy every minute of it. We talk a little bit, mostly because I ask a lot of questions but he doesn't seem to mind. In fact he seems proud to help me further understand the story line and whatnot, and it's kind of adorable.
At one point I ask him how long the movie is, and he informs me that it's three hours long. I tell him that I'll try to make it through to the end, but once we reach the second hour I can feel my eyes getting droopy.
My eyes close and then snap open quickly a few times until I feel my body falling to the right so I'm leaning against Dylan. A second later as I succumb to the exhaustion overtaking me, I can feel the warmth of his arm draping around my shoulders.