STACY
I walked around the museum by myself, or so I thought. Nick Cam and Kyle Everett were following me. I caught the cute brunette staring at me occasionally as his blond friend acted as though he was actually reading the information the museum was displaying.
Nick always turned his head when I caught a glance from him. It was kind of freaking me out. Every time he looked at me it almost made me think of my Nick. He had discovered my last name. I didn't know how and his sudden realization was scaring me. He easily could have been trying to make me fall in love with him so that he could kill me. What if all the information I was feeding him was being recorded in a binder of some sort?
"It's Stacy ... right?" Nick Cam came up to me after a while of stalking me. I nodded at his question and looked down at my feet. We were standing in front of a bunch of prospectors and gold panners. "Hi," he simply said. I looked up slightly and smiled.
"You're Nick Cam?" He nodded, a sort of look of surprise on his face.
He seemed to shift on his feet awkwardly. "Do you um ... like museums?" I pushed up my glasses and folded my arms over my large chest.
"Yeah, kind of. They're easier to enjoy when there aren't a bunch of teenagers who aren't surrounding you who don't want to be here." He chuckled. "Do you like museums?"
He shrugged. "They're okay. Kind of boring, to be honest." I nodded. "What's your favorite time period in history? I know this museum is only supposed to tell us of our town but if you were able to go to a big one like one in New York or even San Francisco." I was surprised he was still talking to me and even asking me questions. I stealthily glanced around for any hidden phones or giggles. I didn't want to be pranked. I then told myself to be alert for each question and give simple answers, making sure not to delve too deep and make a fool of myself.
"I think I would have liked to visit the Romantic Era."
"Romantic Era? When was that?" I smiled down at my feet at his ignorance.
"The Romantic Era was during the late eighteenth century and ended a little after the eighteen-forties."
"Why that period?"
I shrugged. "It's a time when romance was alive. Books were breaking society rules, inventions were proving the possible, artists were depicting beauty. You?"
He was staring at me as I had studied the wax figures in front of us. When I turned to him with my question he shook his head and looked away. "I don't know. I like learning about wars. Maybe just the twentieth century as a whole." I nodded. He looked at me and I blushed at his silly smile. "I mean, it was a time," he began in a mocking voice, "where books were revealing the truth of society, and inventions were making life a hell of a lot easier, and artists were becoming progressive and using their works to spread propaganda." I giggled and he smiled again at me with a cute one.
I remember my Nick asking me what my favorite subject was and I had said history. Nick Cam had chosen the perfect subject to discuss with me.
"It seems you know a thing or two about the nineteen-hundreds." I said, he shrugged.
"I try." The teacher called all our names and we were back on the bus again. I plugged in headphones and decided to text Nick Noah back.
"How did you find out my last name?"
"I simply asked Jane."
"Wait, my Jane?"
"Jane Lindquist."
"😳"
"Does this mean we go to the same school?"
"Yep!"
"Crap!"
"But you don't know who I am."
"That's okay, I get to study you for a while."
"Hey, did I scare you off?"
"Come on, meeting each other won't change a thing."
"Stacy?"
"Stacy Kelly Travie, I demand you answer me this instant."
"Come on. I know you want to meet me too,😏"
"Fine, I'll call you after school."
After school I let his calls ring through. I didn't want to talk to him. He knew who I was. He was most definitely going to not want to date me and be mine like he was over text and call. He wouldn't want to be more like I wished. I wanted more time. I needed more time to straighten myself up and look pretty for him. But he wasn't giving it to me.
But he wants to talk to you. A little voice whispered to me. I was honestly just scared. I couldn't believe that a boy could possibly love me.
I looked at a picture of Christ on my nightstand as I laid lifeless in my bed and corrected myself. Only my family and Jesus and Heavenly Father loved me, no one else.
I pondered on what I should do and I felt impressed to answer the next ring.
NICK
"Hello?" I said, immediately once she picked up her phone.
"Hey," she simply responded.
"Why have you been avoiding me?"
"I don't know. I'm nervous I guess."
"I saw you today." She didn't say anything. "At school." I added. I didn't want her to know who I was just yet. "Stacy," I couldn't believe what I was about to say. "I don't care if you're not the skinniest or prettiest girl in the world. You're the most perfect girl in the world that no man deserves unless he was just like you."
"Come on, Nick, you're making me cry." On the other end of the phone I heard a sniffle.
"Sorry. But I want to meet you for real with both of us knowing who each other are and maybe even ... trying things out." I couldn't believe it. There I was calling a fat girl who was so far from my type it wasn't funny, and professing my love to her. Trying things out meant dating. Never before had I ever wanted a girl so badly in my life. I could leave a girl on read and even forget her name in the next two days of knowing her. But not Stacy. She was always the one to leave me on read because I always wanted to keep the conversation going with her. I believe love doesn't exist. That human beings are born with a mammal trait to find a mate and stick with them as long as possible. For some reason, Stacy made believing in love and a God sound easy and simple. If I just had her in my life maybe I could be a better man.
"Okay," I let out the air I was holding. "Sooo ... when will I get to meet you?"
"Tomorrow."
"Okay,"
"Tomorrow at the church. Where you said you always have seminary. Now that I think about, I can't believe now knowing the geography of your texts was just our town layout."
"Same, I'm guessing the place you like to bowl is Telescope Lanes?"
"And the place you like to get your ice cream is at Cold Stone."
"Oh my gosh."
"You're blushing aren't you?" She giggled. Man did it feel good to finally place a rosy shade on round cheeks. I could picture her now, fully. Though I wish I knew the color of her eyes or the color of her braces. I pictured her little chubby body folded up in her bed texting me. Her face was red and she couldn't help but smile. I felt like a little school boy as I thought of her. "We should totally go on a date there! That would be perfect!"
"Oh, okay ... Actually, what if we just meet there? That would be easier on me."
"Okay, no problem. I understand. But still tomorrow. Can you make it?"
"What time do you want to meet there?"
"How about four? I'll take you out for dinner too. The pizza at the bowling alley isn't my favorite."
"Mine neither," we both laughed. I wanted to stay on the phone talking to her but she had to go. For the rest of the night I could hardly sleep. I was going to officially meet my Stacy in person!