Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 163387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 817(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 817(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
I ended up shooing her away so I could get my homework done a little while later and had just picked my head up because of the rumbling in the tummy when my phone chimed. A look at my watch showed that a few hours had already gone by without me even noticing. My heart flipped when I saw his name show up on the phone screen.
“Hello.” The word came out breathy and almost sensual, and so not me. “Did you eat?” I wonder if there will ever come a time when he’d say hello first before jumping right in. “Uh, no, I got caught up doing homework.
“Great, I just left the practice field. Give me ten to go change, and I’ll be there to get you.” I looked at the now disconnected phone in my hand before hitting end and jumping off the bed as I called another number. This is happening; what should I do?
“Jess,” I screamed her name into the phone before rattling off some words that she somehow seemed to understand because the next thing I knew, she was breaking down my door with an arm full of clothes.
I don’t think I heard a word that was said once she came through the door because I was in the midst of a full-blown panic. My bladder chose just then to act up, and I wondered when it was that I’d drank all that liquid that was suddenly looking for release.
I was running on sheer nerves and panic, and although I knew he wasn’t going to be here in exactly ten minutes, I still wanted to be ready so that I didn’t make him wait. My poor mind and heart were in a frenzy as I tried to imagine where we were going and what we were going to be doing.
I was so distracted that I didn’t mind Jess using me as her little china doll, something she was very adept at doing. “Here, try this.” I was sorry I’d called her. This was the fourth outfit, and I was already tired. Alexis had come in midway through the drama and added her two cents, which involved twisting my black locks on top of my head with tendrils hanging loose at my temples.
“I think we’re going to the cafeteria, not the opera.” I tried to lighten the mood, but the two of them only stared me into silence before going back to choosing my clothes. In the end, they decided on a pair of my new jeans and one of Jess’s off-the-shoulder blouses that mom would burn if she caught sight of it.
Just as they were putting the finishing touches on, there was a knock at the door, and I froze. I had expected him to call and have me come down to meet him. I opened my mouth to tell Jess to make my excuses, but she preempted me. “Oh no, you don’t.” Grabbing my arm, she marched me to the door and flung it open.
LISA
“Well, hello there, Mr. Baxter, and where exactly will you be taking my friend this evening?” She is a bold one. I was still trying to remember how to talk. Alexis was no help. She came up behind us with a big stupid grin on her face as he actually answered Jess.
Instead of the cafeteria as I was expecting, he rattled off the name of some restaurant before reaching for my hand. “She won’t be gone long, ladies goodnight.” He placed his hand in the small of my back and walked me down the hall. I didn’t hear the door close and was sure they were still standing there staring after us, but I was too nervous to look back.
He led me outside in the early evening, where thankfully, there weren’t that many people around. Neither of us spoke as he walked me to an old truck with lots of character and helped me in. I was pleasantly surprised when he buckled me in before closing the door and walking around to his side. I got the first case of butterflies as soon he climbed in beside me and turned the key.
“What do you like to eat? I probably should’ve asked first, huh.” I chanced a look at him, but his attention was on the road, and he seemed so relaxed that it was almost easy for me to do the same. Almost but not quite; I still didn’t know what I was doing here.
I was having one of those surreal moments where I seemed to be looking in at myself from the outside like this wasn’t happening to me but to someone else. Because things like this don’t happen to me. I took so long to answer that I almost forgot the question until he turned his head from the road to look at me for a split second.