When the first snowfall hit the ground of our precious city, every single student in our high school started to buzz about one single topic.
The winter formal.
As much of an excitement it is for everybody, it’s not actually a big yahoo to the student council. We pushed this thing until the last minute and now we’re running around trying to get everything stamped, signed and ordered.
I even asked my manager at One-Eighty to move my work schedule just to fit enough time to do both jobs.
Jasper and I were still not talking to each other, but Kyla kept me updated on him. They still conversed regularly and even though I’m half of the reason why we’re ignoring each other, I still felt something at the pit of my stomach.
Alright, I’ll admit it, I’m jealous.
“Pre-order thirty silver balloons and the same quantity for the blue ones,” I tapped my pen as I stood at the head of the table.
The long wooden table held the officers of the student body, jotting down notes as we tried to go through with this dance.
Kyla cleared her throat from my right side and I stared down at her, “Yes?”
“We already went ahead with the balloons,” she informed, though with the smirk she was showing me, I was worrying that she was implying something else.
I’ll worry about that later, we still have to plan everything else.
Papers were rotating around the table, each member inspecting the print, stamping it before signing and then passing it to the next person.
“We’ll start drafting the floor plan tomorrow,” I told them, tucking in the stack of paperwork into an envelope, “If you don’t have any questions, you may leave.”
“Wait!” Kyla halted, shooting up from her seat.
All heads turned to her and I asked, “Any questions?”
“Why don’t we head to the gym right now?”
Groans erupted from the people inside the room and I quite agreed with them, we were all exhausted.
“It’s been a busy day, I’m sure we could do that tomorrow,” I told her, picking up my bag, “Meeting adjourned.”
The screeching of chairs sounded across the room as people started to pack up and leave, throwing goodbyes at each other in the process.
Kyla pouted as we were the final two to exit the room, locking the door before we started to head down the hallway. Of course, my best friend still remained persistent.
“It would have been better if we went to the gym,” she grumbled under her breath.
She was clearly up to something, I just have no idea what it is.
The next day, I had no choice but to break my promise to Kyla, especially after I had received a call from my manager.
I was parked outside Kyla’s house, pressing on my horn to alert her that I was already here to pick her up. My ringtone started blaring and I picked it up with a tired sigh.
“Hello?”
“I know you asked for a reschedule, but can at least one of you two come to work, we’re really short on staff?”
I tapped the steering wheel and closed my eyes contemplating on my answer. With everything, I had no time to spare for things like this. Aside from the preparation for the dance, I still have enough drama to go deal with.
It’s been only a few week or so and I’ve been missing Jasper like crazy. We ignored each other during English class even though we’re only a meter apart.
Not only that, it seems that he’s still mad at Tristan. The latter kept reassuring me that Jasper will cool off soon enough, but from the looks of everything, we’re not really moving forward with anything.
Wait a minute, maybe Tristan can help me.
“Will Tristan be there?” I asked, looking out to the front door of Kyla’s house, making sure she wasn’t out yet.
I heard some ruffling from the other line, the manager was probably looking at our schedules to check about my question, “Yes, he’s scheduled to work later this afternoon.”
“Great, I’ll be there,” I stated and then I saw Kyla head out of her house, waving goodbye at her mother who was standing at their porch.
Giving her a goodbye, I hung up and threw my phone into my bag. I rolled down my window and waved at my best friend’s mother.
“So are we prepping up the gym later?” Kyla questioned enthusiastically as she slid into the vehicle, strapping on her seatbelt as she threw her bag to the back.
Shaking my head, I pulled out of her driveway, turning to drive to the main street, “Can’t, our boss asked if I could work later.”
Her face fell and from the chirpy look she had on, her expression morphed into something of frustration, “I’ll take the damn shift for you!”
We can’t do that, Kyla, I’m up to something with our resident chef.
“You were the one assigned to organizing the table arrangement, you’re much more needed than I am,” I told her, stopping at a red light, “It’s just one day, and you can manage without me, just call me if you have any troubles.”
She crossed her arms over her chest as she looked absolutely aggravated with my statement.
Calm down, girl, it’s just one day, and it’s not like I’m stealing Tristan away from you.
The thing is, Jasper threw me a weird look when I breezed past him during English. He was wearing the same expression Kyla had when we dismissed yesterday after the meeting. It was a look I knew all too well, he wanted to ask me something.
Ask away, Jasper, I’ll answer. I’m ready to call quits if you’re going to talk to me.
Just as what I predicted, he kept his lips shut as the rest of the class rolled on and I sighed rather loudly when he stood up after the bell rang.
Kyla was no help either, she kept insisting that I should help with the floor plan for the gym. I had my trust on her that she was perfectly capable of doing this job without me.
I had to wait until she wasn’t looking before I could sprint away from her. She had me under the radar the whole day because she was so against me working.
I’m sorry, Kyla, but it’s time for me to stop being a moron and finally attempt to mend my friendship with Jasper.
“Tristan!” I called, running up to him after I had changed into my uniform.
He looked up from the batter that he was mixing and gave me a smile, “Glad to finally see you in the café again, where’s Kyla?”
“Don’t even mention her,” I groaned, pulling out a stool. I had enough with her, the only thing she hadn’t done to stop from leaving was gluing me to her side.
He gave me a curious look but with the face I was sporting, he shrugged it off, doing the wiser decision of letting the topic go, “So what does our wonderful president need from me?”
They did say that the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Well, Jasper had placed up a huge wall, it’s going to take me a buffet to even penetrate him. So let’s do this in a lighter way, a cake.
“Help me bake something for Jasper.”
The grin that made its way on his face was priceless. His eyes twinkled as he instantly abandoned the batter he was mixing and gave it to another chef that was walking at our direction.
Weird.
“Let’s start!” he chirped, breezing past me as he walked through the shelves, cabinets, doors and other places in the kitchen, grabbing ingredients and tools for our little cake.
We ended up whipping a chocolate cake. While it was baking in the oven, Tristan was helping me mix up the icing.
“Why are you so nice,” I hummed mindlessly, “I mean, you’re fighting with Jasper and yet you’re here helping me make something for him.”
He clicked his tongue, pushing the bowl to my side of the counter, “Because I know the reason why we’re fighting,” he said, “And instead of feeling upset, I’m actually happy for the bloke that I call my best friend.”
Now can you please tell me why you two are arguing?
He pulled the cake out of the oven and as he started to put the icing, I filled up a piping bag before practicing on a piece of parchment paper.
I turned out to be crap at doing this so I allowed Tristan to do the job of scribbling my simple message on the cake.
Sorry.
It was one word and I hoped it was enough to get my message across. He boxed up the thing and taught me how to put a fancy ribbon on it.
“Now I need to find a way to bring it tomorrow,” I sighed.
Kyla would suspect something if she saw me carrying out tomorrow. As much as I wanted this fight to be over, I don’t want her babbling about it too much.
“I’ll do it,” Tristan volunteered, grabbing the bowls we used and dumping it into the sink, “I’ll ask the lunch lady to store it in the cafeteria fridge, just ask her for it any time you’re ready to give to Jasper.”
I squealed and give him the biggest hug, “I owe you big time, anything you want, just tell me!”
Something changed in his expression and as I pulled away, he tapped his chin, “Anything?”
Alright, now I’m scared. Looking at the cake I made, I nodded at him. It couldn’t be too bad, right?
Besides, Jasper’s forgiveness is worth it.
“Help me with Kyla,” he finally admitted, shooting me a pleading look.
My mouth gaped open before I closed it again. I kept repeating it, looking like a goldfish as I stared at him.
Tristan likes Kyla.
The smile on my face couldn’t express how happy I am for these two. Now just a little push and we have an award winning couple in our hands.
“Sure.”
Kyla was positively glaring at me when she picked me up this morning. As if the dirty look wasn’t enough, she stated that I was her slave because I ran away from her yesterday.
Remember, Savannah, Jasper’s forgiveness is worth it.
“Let’s head to the gym,” Kyla said, grabbing my arm after the last period bell rung.
I shook away her grasp on me as I turned my gaze to the cafeteria doors, “I have to do something first, I’ll be right there.”
“You’re not running away again!” she demanded, ready to pull me with her.
“Look, I’ll buy you that freaking sweater you wanted,” I groaned, stepping away from her, “Just let me do something before I do there.”
She eyed me carefully, considering my bribery. Trust me, you’re going to be so thankful for me on the day you and Tristan get together.
“You have fifteen minutes,” she grumbled, turning on her heel to head to the gym.
I exhaled through my nose as I ran to the cafeteria, requesting my cake from the lunch lady. She smiled warmly at me as she handed me the box.
“He’s a lucky guy,” she stated softly, looking at the cake in my hands.
I’m not sure about that. I’m stubborn, a bitch, a freaking weirdo, yet he’s still here with me.
“Thank you,” I said to her instead as a polite gesture.
I couldn’t find Jasper anywhere. I scouted the whole school and I had no such luck. I called Tristan to see if he knew his best friend’s whereabouts but he resentfully told me that he was already on his way to the café so he knew nothing about Jasper.
It didn’t help that Kyla started calling me, demanding that I go to the gym this instant.
“It’s been fifteen minutes!” was her final words to me before she hung up.
Ah my dear best friend!
My finger was hovering Jasper’s name on my contact list, contemplating if I should call him or not. But if I do that, it will ruin the surprise of this whole thing.
Kyla shot me another text and I groaned, might as well shut her up. Going down the steps, I kept my eyes peeled as if Jasper would suddenly jump out.
I’m seriously hoping for that.
Unfortunately, I found myself outside of the gym doors with the box still in my hands. Well, here goes nothing.
It was like going inside the gym is a raising of a white flag, admitting defeat after my search for that freaking basketball player that has been messing with my mind for the longest time.
Maybe he went home already.
Frowning, I pushed the doors open, my head down as I did so.
I didn’t want to lift my gaze. I’m now inside, but the real surrender was looking at what has gotten Kyla so worked up.
“Savannah!” I heard the voice I had been searching for all day.
I snapped my head up and I all but gaped at the sight in front of me.
When Kyla said that they went ahead with the balloons, she wasn’t kidding.
You know those letter balloons? Well, seven of those things were lined up, blue and silver alternated as it spelled out a message. Jasper was standing at the center, his arms crossed over his chest. With his stance, it looked like he was confident about everything but one look in his eyes, I knew that he was nervous.
What the hell was he nervous about? That I won’t like this?
Apparently, that was the case.
Looking at the balloons, I just stared at awe.
I M S O R R Y
People inside the gym started clapping, but Jasper was frozen. His face completely mortified when I didn’t move from my spot.
I looked down at my cake and I felt slightly embarrassed. He went out on his way to do something this big, while I on the other hand, just baked him a flimsy cake. Actually, Tristan was the one who made it, I just attempted and failed at every step.
“Please say something,” he begged, staring right at me.
My eyes roamed around the room until it landed on Kyla. Out of everybody, she looked the most curious. It was as if she was predicting my moves, what will happen, but at the same time, she was afraid that her assumptions was wrong.
Now I know why she was so insistent on going to the gym. I then pictured Jasper setting this up two days ago, and then doing the same yesterday, but every time he did it, Kyla would go inside and tell him the bad news that I wasn’t coming.
“Can you please leave us alone?” I requested softly, yet my voice still held authority. Kyla herded everybody outside, but not without a wink directed at us before she finally closed the doors of the gym.
It’s only Jasper and me.
Walking up to him, I noticed that he stiffened. Stopping in front of him, I thrust the box to him. He looked down on it before lifting his hands to grab it.
“It’s not as grand as yours,” I mumbled. He pulled on the ribbon and opened the lid. He stared at the thing for a full minute, processing everything.
I was scared on how he will react. Will he laugh at my failed attempt? Be disappointed because compared to his, it was a very small gesture?
He reached out and ran his finger through the icing, placing it to his lips to taste the chocolate goodness.
He gingerly put down the box on one the tables already set up. He bent down and wrapped his arms around my waist, hugging me as he lifted me off the ground.
“Jasper!” I squealed, grabbing onto his shoulders.
“You’re amazing, you know that?” he grinned.
I’m amazing? He’s the one who did this balloon thing.
“Am I forgiven?” I asked when put me down, wringing my hands as I waited for his answer.
“Am I forgiven?” he fired back my question.
We stared at each other before bursting in laughter. Here we are, scared that we have offended the other one, but in fact we were just running in circles.
He held my hand in his and I melted at his touch. He ran circles with his thumb and I softly smiled.
“If we ever argue again, I’m going to beat myself up for being such a fucking idiot,” he grunted.
“Nope, I’m going to beat myself up for being so stubborn,” I quipped back, finally feeling relieved.
He chuckled, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as he turned me back to the balloons, “Those are my second order, I accidentally popped the first ones when Kyla said you weren’t coming the first day.”
I pictured Jasper running around the gym, being frantic that I wasn’t coming and I don’t know why, but it actually made me happy. He cared enough to do that.
Reaching out, I squeezed his hand and turned to the box on the table, “How about we feast on that thing and forget everything.”
“Agreed,” he nodded, leading me to where it sat, “Let’s never fight again.”
I laughed as I shook my head, “Impossible,” I stated with a smile, “Because we’re Jasper and Savannah."
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I'm hiring security guards for Savannah, because apparently, you all want to hurt or kill her in a way. Calm down, a girl should never be too assuming when it comes a certain boy.
I'm busy starting this week up until next month, so let's cross our fingers that I can update!
Question: We all know we're curious on what's going to happen on the winter formal, so what's in store for our little couple?
a. Jasper will ask Savannah to the dance
b. Savannah will continue to be dense as Jasper is too scared to ask her out
c. Whatever floats your boat
Back in my old books, I love leaving questions like that, especially with letter C. Oh well, love you guys and see you all next chapter, I still have my thesis to type up. Comment, vote and follow!