SWNOVELS Chapter Chapter Nine
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m going to chalk that up as one of the worst dates I have ever experienced!” I look at Lori as she takes a bite out of her vanilla cone. Yes, I said what I said, vanilla! I on the other hand am just as predictable with my Mint Chocolate chip cone, but whatever… We are sitting at one of the parlor shops’ outdoor tables, enjoying the warmth of Ohio’s random late summer nights that occur every now and then in the middle of the fall season.
“No, I say give him another chance Sofie. Maybe he will try to make it up to you? It is only Friday night after all.” I roll my eyes at her but secretly hope he will do so. I must admit, I didn’t know I could feel so torn, Ash, Blake… Why do I like both of them? No, why does life have to be so complicated? Why can’t we be provided with a sign that says, ‘this is who you’re supposed to be with?’ I mean really, is that too much to ask? Of course, I don’t say any of this out loud to Lori, I don’t want her knowing that I am into Ash because she likes him.
I smile before adding, “yeah, I’ll see if he sends me any texts tomorrow and I guess go from there.” I shrug my shoulders and then turn my attention back to my melting ice cream. I see Lori smiling at me encouragingly and can’t help but chuckle.
^^^
Damn if Lori wasn’t right! Blake texted me Saturday around lunch time apologizing profusely about his friends interrupting our date. I of course forgave him and agreed to try again tonight. Just tell me why I feel so guilty about agreeing to a date with Blake, because I secretly want it to be Ash… Not that I am going to admit that to myself.
After telling Blake yes, I send Lori a message telling her she was right. Yes, I rolled my eyes to her response. “I knew it!” I could totally picture her on her bed reading the message, smiling from ear to ear, gloating. I place my phone on its charger and decide to take a nap since I had a few hours to kill before my date.
The dream starts off innocently enough, I am flying high in the sky like a bird. I have had this dream many times before, no big deal, right? I close my eyes as I continue to soar through the sky, absorbing the feel of the air as it wooshes past my feathers. Hold up! Feathers! This is a first, I have never dreamt that I was a bird before. I tilt my head and am able to see my fiery golden wings… um, what kind of bird has fiery gold wings?
I next realize that my entire body is consumed in flames. As this realization hits me, I find myself falling from the sky. I know I am going to crash and yet, I cannot stop myself from doing so. Squeezing my eyes shut tight, I try to brace for the impact that I know is coming. Just before my body hits the trees that are below me, I jerk myself awake, sitting bolt right up in my bed, clutching at my comforter like it will keep me safe.
I look around my room to make sure that is really where I am. Taking a few deep breaths, I glance at my phone to see what time it is and nearly freak out. 5:30! How is that possible, I feel like I had just fallen asleep. I jump out of the bed and scramble around my room in hopes that I can be ready for Blake when he arrives at six.
Just as I pull the hairbrush through my curly hair in hopes of taming it, I hear the doorbell ring. One last glance in my floor length mirror, I take a deep breath in hopes that my shredded jeans, black tank-top and pink hoodie look okay before I dash down to the front door where I slip on black ballet flats and then swing the door open.
Standing on the other side is Blake, with a bouquet of flowers in hand. I take him in, blonde hair slicked back, brown leather jacket with a blue tee shirt on underneath that heightens the gold within his eyes. Apparently, I didn’t have to worry about my outfit because from the sigh that I hear escape his lips, I take it I am looking pretty good. This of course causes a smile to spread across my lips. He grins back at me and then asks; “are you ready to go?”
I nod my head yes and he reaches out, taking my hand into his, essentially pulling me out the door. I giggle as he does this, making him stop so I can actually shut the door before we leave.
^^^
We walk out of the Sassy Cotechino, (hands down the best Italian restaurant within a hundred-mile radius of our small town), laughing about something that had happened earlier that day when he was at football practice. “So, Sofia;” Blake says with a smile still lingering upon his lips, “what should we do now? I was going to suggest swinging by the ice cream parlor but I’m wicked full.”
I shake my head vigorously no. I am way too full to even think about dessert (though I would any other time, at this moment though, I do not want him to know exactly how much I can consume in food). “Um,” I say as I ponder what could be something fun to do. “We could walk over to the park and just wander around for a while.”
“Okay, sure. That sounds fun and it wouldn’t hurt to burn off a few of these calories.” I roll my eyes because the boy does not have an ounce of fat anywhere on his body.
I shove him in his arm and add a “whatever” as I do so. We then begin to make our way down the sidewalk that leads towards the park. Almost shyly it seems, he takes my hand, interlocking my fingers with his as we walk. I tilt my head up so I can see his face and give him a smile. As we continue walking, I nonchalantly begin to swing our entwined hands, trying to think of something we could talk about.
The sun is just beginning to set as it is about 7:30p.m., I can hear kids playing on the swings not too far from us, I see a few underclassmen chilling about a picnic table as we walk. Enthusiastic runners and joggers dash by us and Blake and I snicker about one couple in matching jogging gear after they have passed and then I see someone running towards us and have to do a double take! “No way, Ash?”
Ash hears my voice and smiles as he comes to stand in front of us. “Hey! Hi Sofia. What are you doing here?” He cocks his head to the left, an eyebrow arched as he waits for me to answer.
A chuckle escapes my lips before I am able to respond. “I guess I could ask you the same thing.” I tilt my head, mimicking his movements from a moment ago.
Ash shifts his weight back and forth between which leg he wants to be dominant, uncomfortably so I might add, as though he must think of what to say as to why he is in the park. Odd right? “Oh, I uh, was just taking an evening jog. I do every night since I came across the place. What are you two doing out here?” He asks the question to both of us, but his eyes do not leave my face. I suddenly feel extremely uncomfortable myself.
“Oh, um, we…” I am not able to finish the sentence because Blake feels the need to jump in and answer the question himself.
“We are on a date dude, so if you don’t mind…” I don’t think my head has ever turned so fast in my life; my jaw practically hits the ground in surprise at how rude Blake is being.
Ash takes a step back in shock as well. “My apologies bogan. I will see you later, Sofia. Have a good night.” And with that, he took off down the path leaving me and Blake where we stood.
“What the hell dude?” I stare at Blake completely shocked. “Why were you so rude towards Ash? All he did was say hi to us.” I watch as he shrugs his shoulders and then he offers me a sheepish grin.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come off as being rude.” I stare at him suspiciously and he raises his hands stating, “honest. I swear, I was just afraid he would continue to stay and chat with us if I didn’t give him a push to leave us alone.”
Rolling my eyes at him, I shove him in the arm, but he looks at me with those damned puppy dog eyes of his, pleading for me to believe him. “Come on, let’s walk a bit more.” As he says this, he takes my hand pulling me, urging me to walk on with him.