Vorfreude- the joyful, intense anticipation that comes from imagining future pleasures
The rest of the week passed by in a blur and before I knew it, it was Friday. I quickly got out of my bed and put on jeans and a Valentino button. I curled the ends of my hair, put on mascara, grabbed my Marc Jacobs and I was good to go. I went downstairs and saw my mother sitting at the dining room table with an expression on her face that looks like she could not give less of a shit, as per usual.
I mumble a "good morning" and grab a french toast bagel off the table, cut it in half and spread some butter on it. I still have ten minutes before I have to leave, but I really don't want to sit here with her. All I ever feel around her is tension, she makes me feel like I am constantly on edge. I have always have to do everything perfectly, no matter what it is.
I tell her I have to drop something off at the post office before school. She gives me a skeptical look, but doesn't question me. I walk out the door and immediately feel myself relax. Whether it be from how good the bagel is or from leaving the room with her, I don't know.
I start to walk towards the school and look at my watch and sigh when I realize I am seven minutes to early. There isn't even a place to sit, I hate eating standing up. I look out at the Grande Canal again, when all of sudden I hear a whistle. I look towards the direction of the noise, and immediately recognize the group of people as Harry's friends. They start to walk over to me and I try to act like I'm not having a mini heart attack inside.
"Good morning" one of them says. I identify Michael, but I don't know who the other three are.
"Hi" I say shyly.
"Hey! You're the girl I got mayo on at lunch on Monday" Michael exclaims.
"Yeah, that's me. Thank you for that by the way" I say sarcastically.
"So what are you doing standing out here by yourself?" one of them asks me, and winks. Is this what guys consider flirting nowadays? Wow, chivalry really is dead.
"I'm walking to school..." I trail off. Are these guys really that dumb? Do they think I would just voluntarily stand out here at seven in the morning on a Friday?
"Why, don't you drive?"
"If I drove, I wouldn't be standing here" I quip.
"You're quite sarcastic, aren't you?"
I just smirk at him and rip a piece off my bagel. Why is it that I'm always eating food in front of attractive guys when I see them?
"Do you want a ride?" Is he serious?
"I don't even know your name and you don't even know mine. What makes you think I would get in a car with you?" Where the hell is Harry anyway? If these are his friends shouldn't he be here with them?
"Ok, I'm Brody, and your name is?"
"Elise, nice to meet you" I say and shake his hand. I totally just contradicted everything I just said.
"Would you like a ride to school, Elise?" He says again.
I look at my watch to give myself a second to think. Then, I scan all four of the boys.
"Are you going straight to school or do we have to make stops along the way?" I say.
"Straight to school" He smiles. He has a really nice smile. Not as nice as Harry's, but it's still gorgeous.
"Are you gonna kidnap me?"
"No, I'm just being nice and offering you a ride." I look into his eyes and I feel like I can trust him. My mother always said that you can tell a lot about a person by looking into their eyes, and right now I can see trust in Brody's eyes. That is probably the only thing my mother has ever taught me that is actually useful.
"Ok" I agree.
Brody smiles and I walk with the rest of the boys around the corner. I know two out of these four boys' names, that I just met not even five minutes ago and I am about to get into a car with them. I have no idea what the hell I am doing, but a part of me is telling myself that it's ok to trust them if Harry does. Which is illogical in itself because Harry is a sworn enemy of my family. I don't even know what my life is coming to.
He unlocks the car and I immediately smile.
"You drive a Cabriolet?" I say, impressed.
"You know cars?" He says, shocked.
"Yeah, I love cars."I say and get in.
Brody and Michael sit in the front and since I'm the smallest, I get stuck in the middle in the back squished between the two guys I don't know.
They finally introduce themselves to me as Colton and Austin. I've been around more attractive guys in this past week than I have for the past fifteen years of my life.
I'm contemplating to ask where Harry is, but I don't want them to think I have a crush on him or something. Do people still use the word crush in high school? I don't even know..
"So do you guys usually pick random girls off the street and offer them a ride to school?" I ask.
"No, only the pretty ones" Austin says.
I feel myself blush and I just smile back in return. These guys aren't so bad. I mean, once you get past the whole flirting with you thing they're actually pretty tolerable.
"Are you coming to the party tonight Elise?" Michael asks.
"What party?"
"The annual back to school party, it's tonight at eight." He says, and looks at me like I'm an idiot.
"Uh, I don't know. I didn't know there was one."I state.
"Well, now you do. So are gonna come?" Gosh he is persistent.
"Yeah, maybe. I'll have to ask my parents." I immediately regret those words the second I say them.
Austin and Colton start laughing and Michael is surpressing a smile.
"Give her a break guys" Colton says and is entirely serious. I decide I like him the best.
The rest of the boys stop laughing and I already know how red I am right now. They apologize and I tell them it's ok. I probably would have made fun of myself too after what I just said. Who the hell says they have to ask their parents permission when they are in high school? It's not until now that I realize how innoncent I am. I'm freaking seventeen years old and I'm asking my parents for permission. Things need to change..
"I'll come" I say. "Where is it?"
"It's at Chris Jackson's house" Austin says. I have no idea who that is or where he lives.
"Okay.." I trail off.
"I could give you a ride if you want?" Brody offers.
"Sure. That'd be great thanks" I say and smile. I wonder if Harry will be there. Brody tells me he will pick me up at where I was standing this morning.
We arrive at the school and he parks in the back lot. Someone shouts at us from across the lot and Brody flips the person off, standard guy greeting We make our way over to the person and it's Harry. He looks like he just went running with the way his hair is all pushed back and messy.
He starts talking to Brody and then he notices me.
"What are you doing here?' He says and smirks at me.
"I got a ride to school with a bunch of strangers" I smile back.
Brody elbows me playfully and I stick my tongue out at him. I look at Harry and detect an emotion in his eyes, but I don't have time to decipher it.
We start to walk up the pathway that leads to the back doors of the high school and I stay in stride with Harry.
"So how did you end up getting a ride with them?" he asks me.
"I was standing on the sidewalk and they were walking down the street and the asked me if i wanted a ride" I say. Saying the reason why I got in the car with them sounds even stupidier out loud than it does in my head.
"And you trusted them enough to get in the car with them?" he says and looks at me as if I am crazy. Which I already know I am.
"Well, I recognized Michael.." I trail off and try to redeem myself a little bit. I smile shyly.
Harry looks at me like I am crazy again but he doesn't ask anymore questions about it.
"So how did you get to school?" I ask.
"I drove, usually I ride with them but this morning I had to get some stuff done before school."
"Are you going to the party tonight?"
"Yeah, you?" He says.
"Yeah, Brody said he'd drive me." I say
Harry gets quiet for a moment and I'd like to think that it's because he's jealous. But I am known for reading into things too much.
"The rest of the guys are coming too so maybe you could just get a ride with us?" I offer.
"Yeah, maybe." He says. Ok. this is starting to get awkward.
"You should come with us. I feel kinda awkward sitting in the car with four guys that I just met. I mean I just met you but i've know you longer than I've known them.." I ramble on.
"Ok ok ok. I'll get a ride wtih you guys." He says and smiles. He's back to normal again and I'm glad we didn't leave off on an awkward note.
The warning bell rings and we say good bye and go our separate ways. I make my way to my locker and cannot stop thinking about how excited I am for tonight.
<Remember to vote, comment and share if you like it xxx>