My phone's blaring ringtone made me shoot up in panic.
The damned sound jerked me awake. So much that when I quickly rose, the edge of my bed slipped from under me, sending me to the floor with a loud thump. Wrapped in thick blankets at my ankles.
I wiped the drool from my mouth and shoved my glasses on my face. Picking up the noise maker, I squinted at the bright screen.
Blake.
The sight of his name put butterflies in my stomach, my heart beating against my ribs like a sneer drum.
I answered the call.
"Blake?" My groggy voice asked, even though I knew who was on the other end.
"Hey, sorry. I didn't know you were asleep." He apologizes.
"Neither did I."
His deep melodic laugh fills the phone, a smile itching its way to my lips.
"I wonder how that happened." He laughs again, but the smile quickly fades from my face.
All of my pitiful thoughts storming back into my mind.
I shake my head, bidding them to take their leave.
"So, why'd you call." I stretch my limbs, a small squeak leaving my mouth.
I face palm as soon as I hear him laugh at me from the other side of the phone, mumbling something incoherent under his breath.
"I don't know actually. I saw that you didn't see my text and I had this urge to call you." He openly admitted.
Before adding...
"Now that I think of it, it sounds pretty stupid." He forces out a laugh.
"No, not stupid at all." I assure him, a smile reaching my eyes as I mean the words I say.
"It's actually pretty cute."
I slap my hand over my mouth before I could say anything else stupid.
It's silent on the other end of the line. My heart drops as I imagine his smile drop, confused debating if he should end the call or not.
My fears eat at me as I mentally slap myself a hundred times.
It hasn't even been 24 hours and I'm already losing him.
My teeth chew on my lip, almost hard enough to draw blood. The hand holding my phone up to my ear going numb.
And then a soft sound erupts from his side of the phone.
He laughs.
I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding until now. My free hand unclenching from the fist I involuntarily had it in.
Maybe I'm just being paranoid?
"Cute, huh?"
"Shut up." I mumble out, a wide grin covering my face as my heart flutters in my chest.
Could he hear it?
Could he hear the loud beating of my heart through the phone. The erratic drum of my pulse going through the speakers.
"You're adorable."
"Ooo. Double point words, I'm intimidated." I laugh.
"Double point words? What the hell does that mean?" His loud laughter fills the air.
"Scrabble? Seriously? Long words get extra points?"
"You really are something Danielle." I could practically hear the huge smile in his voice. A quiet giggle erupting from my lips.
"And you are no fun, Blake." I teased.
"And why's that?"
"Obviously, you don't play board games." I roll my eyes, knowing that he can't see me.
"So, that makes me no fun?"
"Yup!" I say, popping the p.
"If that makes me no fun, then you aren't any fun either." He inquires.
"I am fun!" I protest.
"Have you gone to any parties?" He asks.
"Football games?"
"Now, you can't blame me for not going to any games, y'all suck." I laugh.
"Okay, then, parties. Have you gone to one single party at all during high school?"
I go silent.
Of course I have gone to parties.
If they include cake and bouncy houses.
"Well, I mean-"
"Kids' parties don't count." He shoots.
"Then no, I have not. So, what's the problem with that?" My voice cracks.
"Danielle, you need to live a little. Kids parties are nothing compared to the ones we're gonna go to."
"We?" My voice comes out small, the mass of butterflies in my stomach choosing that time to go crazy.
This time, he goes quiet.
"Yeah." He sounded unsure.
"Danielle Martin, you are coming with me to every party I go to."
Then my stomach drops.
"Every...party?" I gulp.
"Yup!"
"Umm...n-no...I-I can't-" I stutter out before he interrupts me.
"Why can't you?"
"Because! I just...can't."
He sighs on the other end, taking a few moments of silence before speaking again.
"Here, I'll help you have fun in my way, and you'll help me have fun in yours."
For some reason, this doesn't sound like fun.
And I fear that it wouldn't be for me, that I'd get the worst of it.
I fear that when he does show me his idea of fun, I won't belong. I will be an outsider.
So, that's why I'm shocked at the words that come out of my mouth.
"Deal."
"Really?" He asks, dumbfounded.
I didn't believe me either.
"I mean, y-yeah...yeah." I fidget with the hem of my shirt.
"Sure." I quietly whisper.
"You sure?"
"Yes, Blake! I'm sure. Now don't make me change my mind!" I huff out.
"Alright, Alright! Sorry." He laughed.
We both stay quiet, no other words coming to my brain.
What do I say? I'm not good at carrying out conversations.
Maybe I should ask a question? Make a statement?
But, luckily, Blake saves me from saying anything embarrassing.
"The first party is this Friday, after my game." He states.
"T-this...Fri-day?"
"Yes, that's what I said."
I roll my eyes, biting my tongue to prevent myself from making a snarky comment.
This Friday?
I'm not ready. I can't do this now.
"Does this Friday have to be the first one? I mean, isn't there many others?" I nervously laugh, pulling at the draw strings of my hoodie.
"This Friday, Danielle. Don't try to make up any excuses either. You're going and that's, that."
"But-"
"No, but's. I don't wanna hear it. You don't hear me gripping about having to play board games with you."
"That's because board games don't involve drunk horny teenagers and the risk of being violated."
"It's not that bad. How would you even know, you've never been to a party." He retorts back.
"I've seen parties on movies and read about them in books."
"That's not the same. They make parties sound like hell in books and movies. Trust me, you're gonna wanna go to these parties."
I sigh, giving up on even trying to get out of this. He's not going to let this go. I know he's not.
"Fine. But, as soon as we get back from that party, we're playing Monopoly!" I cheer the last part, laughing at his groaning from the other side of the phone.
"I guess we have another deal." He states.
"I guess we do."
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A/N: Ooo! Another deal? Sorry, I'm trying to make it sound interesting. Thanks for reading! High school is hard and this is the only way I can clear my head a little. Please keep reading and vote and just overall enjoy.
Thank you again!
Read. Vote. Comment.
~ Hayleigh 💕