chapter 4

"Can you help me with the homework tonight?" Melissa asked, her blue eyes frantically overlooking the page of math problems our teacher gave us.

"Don't I always?" I tease, watching her look up and roll her eyes.

"I don't understand why he gives us homework! What's the purpose of it?" She complains.

"Why don't you ask him that?"

"No."

"Then, shut up."

"Okay." She whines.

We both start walking to our last period of the day, soccer.

"Ugh!!" She groans out loud.

"What is it now?" I groan back.

"I don't want to walk!" She whines again.

"Melissa, it's just across the street!"

"And it's so far!"

I loudly sigh in frustration until someone calls my name.

"Danielle." His deep voice causes my head to snap in his direction.

There's a smug grin on his face as he leans towards the rolled down window of the passenger side.

"Need a ride?" He asks as he slowly scoots forward in the long line of cars waiting to get out of the parking lot. His speed matching ours as we walk.

"We're fine, it's only across the street." I smile, silently thanking him anyway.

"Come on, I insist."

"You're literally driving as slow as we're walking. At this rate, we should get to the field before you even reach the stop sign." I laugh.

"Maybe, But the odds aren't that high." He smirks.

"If you drive us across the street, you'll waste your time. You can't be late to practice."

"I don't care, they can wait." My heart flutters in my chest. "I'm always the first one there anyway."

"No, Blake! We're almost there anyways. But, thank you. I'll talk to you later." And with that, Melissa and I walk across the street, proving my guessing correct.

His car still sits in the line of cars, slowly getting closer to the small intersection. I smile to myself and continue to walk to the locker rooms.

"You should've said yes!" Melissa gripes and I let out a long aggravated sigh.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The cold water cascades down on me. All the dirt and sweat washing off my body. All of the soapy liquid swirling down the drain.

After I manage to wash everything and feel clean, I turn off the shower and grab my towel to dry off.

I slowly get dressed, tugging on my sports bra and baggy t-shirt.

Once I open the bathroom door, I'm hit with an immediate wave of intense cold air, making me shiver. I run to my bed and jump into the warm covers. A sigh of content leave my lips as my whole body starts to warm up.

My phone chimes and I quickly pick it up.

Blake.

I decide to wait for a few minutes before opening it, I don't want to seem desperate. Then I open the text and my face breaks into a stupid smile.

Blake 😍😘❤️❤️❤️💕💖💘

> Hey

Me:

> Hi

Blake...

> What are you doing?

Me:

> Homework, you?

Blake...

> About to go home from practice.

I looked at the time and realized it's already 5:30. They practice for more than an hour?

Me:

> You must be tired

I couldn't imagine myself after a little over two hours of practice and still have to drive myself home.

Blake...

> Yeah, but I can manage.

Somehow, I can image him smirking down at his phone, a certain glint in his eyes. This thought sent a smile to my face, wishing I could see his grin.

I don't know why I'm acting like this. I just met him today and I'm already acting like a love sick puppy.

Me:

>I bet you can.

At this point, my confidence level was shooting through the roof. My fingers taking control and typing away words that I never would have had the guts to say.

Am I flirting?

Who knows actually.

Blake...

>Oh, yeah?

You think so?

Now, I know he has a full blown smile from this. He's enjoying teasing me.

Me:

> Yeah, I mean, you are in football.

Blake...

> And why does that matter?

Me:

> Because, football people are big and strong. So, surely you can manage yourself.

Blake...

> Oh.

Was all he said. Did I hit some nerve or something. Now I feel bad. Dang it!

I ruined an actual chance of being close to a guy. A good looking one at that.

Before I lost all hope in my love life again, my phone chimed.

Blake...

> You sure do know the right things to say. ;)

My heart fluttered at his words. He wasn't mad at me. Well, not that I know of yet.

Me:

> I seem to never say the right things either.

I laid back and rested my head on my pillows, the soft clouds causing me to close my eyes.

It was entirely true. I never said the right things. I always ended up saying something stupid and people looked at me weird and never carried on the conversation. That's why people weren't really fond of me. I was awkward. Well, I still am awkward. And it astonishes me how Blake is still managing to stick with me. It hasn't even been 24 hours yet. So, I'll give him a little more time to realize what a drag I really am.

I sigh out as the cold air of my room fans my skin. My body relaxing into the warmth of my bed from the millions of blankets matted to it. The sky is dark out, the days being shorter due to the cold weather. I could see the faint color of the grey skies behind my thin window curtain. The smell of my mom's cooking emitting from the kitchen.

I think back to lunch, how everyone was enjoying the presence of their friends. Some even looked at me, still not caring if I was alone and lonely in the cold. They didn't care.

Sure, I have my friends. But, they have many others who rank higher on the social radar. They both say that they don't care about social status, but deep down, I know they see their best friend as a loser. Because, that's what everyone else sees.

I couldn't help the next sigh that escaped my lips. The strangled sound wavering in the air as some tears threatened to fall out of my eyes.

And then a certain painful thought came to my mind before darkness consumed me.

Blake will see me like everyone else...

And that scared me.

_____

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."