Chapter 5

"So I was thinking," Erika starts as we stretch in preparation for field day "of asking Nick to homecoming."

I turn to face her, but she's not even looking at me. Her eyes are on the guy she's been crushing on for years and hasn't had the courage to tell him how she feels, despite the crazy amount of confidence she has.

Nick is standing with Zack, who winks at me when our eyes meet. I roll my eyes, ignoring-or trying to ignore-the pang of longing in my chest.

Yeah, I'm back to square one, ignoring the things that Zack makes me feel. He's not making things any easier though, winking at me and throwing his arms around me.

I know I know, he's used to doing that, but every thing feels different now, his touch, his smile, it all hits different.

So I've been avoiding him. Not so much as to make it obvious, but just making up excuses just to avoid hanging out with him.

"So ask him." I say, turning my attention back to Erika.

"Are you crazy? Girls don't ask guys."

"Audrey asked Zack."

Zack was willing to ditch Audrey to go with me instead, but I asked him not to for two reasons. One, despite my hatred for her, it wouldn't be right. And two, I pretty much lied to him that I have a date already. He wanted to know who but I changed the topic quickly.

The whistle is blown and Erika and I start to sprint beside each other.

"Yeah. She's Audrey. She's not scared of the word, 'No'."

"Well, you better ask him before someone else does, because believe me, someone will. And then you'll lose him before you even had him." My words come out harsher than I intended and Erika shoots me a glare.

"You don't have to be a bitch about it." She snaps, speeding up so I'm a few feet behind her.

Oh, fuck.

I speed up to match her pace. "You're right. I am being a bitch. I'm sorry. I still think you should ask him."

"But..."

"Come on, I know you. You're not afraid of anything, you're just nervous. You're a strong, independent woman, and if Nick has half a brain, he already knows that." I turn back to see Zack and Nick right behind us.

I drop my voice to a whisper. "And don't look, but he's totally staring at your ass right now."

Erika blushes. "Really?"

"Mm hmm. So what do you say? Will you ask him?"

"Yeah." She breathes out. Like you said, strong, independent woman. No fuck tard is gonna make me feel less than that."

I laugh lightly and she joins me.

"You're not going to tell me who it is that's taking you to the dance, are you?" A deep voice asks beside me and I turn to face Zack.

"Nope." I pop my lips on the 'p'.

"Whatever." He snorts. "I'll find out. Race you to the finish?"

I mirror his smug expression. "You're on, fuck tard."

____________

Homecoming is just a week away and I'm yet to find a date. Nick agreed to go with Erika, a bit too enthusiastically, Peyton has Tyler, Zack is going with Audrey, and no one has asked me yet. That's kind of my fault. I haven't made myself available, and the two that had asked me didn't give me good vibes? So yeah, I declined.

Going without a date isn't even an option this year. The student council made it compulsory to have a date, from our school or not.

I don't know. I'm fine with staying home, but mom was upset with me when I suggested that.

"This is your last homecoming, honey. I want you to go there and have fun and enjoy yourself, not sit here drowning your sorrows in icecream." She says to me during our girls' night, and I look up from the bowl of icecream in my hand, frowning at her.

"Don't be mean. I can't go without a date, and I don't have one. Besides, I'd rather hang out with you. Don't you want me around anymore, mommy?" I mock pout and she rolls her eyes.

"Of course I do, but I'll be on a night shift, remember? Plus, staying home isn't even an option for you, so you better find someone, and for once, don't be picky."

"But some of those guys creep me out." I moan.

"Zack's going to be there. He won't let anything happen to you, you know that."

Yeah, he'll probably be too busy with Audrey to notice me, I want to say, but decide to let it go. "And I know I've said this a million times, but I never got to have teenage fun and I want you to be different."

Mom's parents were professors at a university, and for some reason, they never gave her the freedom to be a teenager. She was homeschooled her whole life until she went to college.

During her first year, she met my dad and got pregnant, then her parents disowned her because she was ruining their reputation. Dad's parents took her in and basically paid most of her expenses until she graduated and got married to Dad almost immediately.

"Okay." I say, grinning at her and she mirrors my grin, smoothing my hair.

"Okay what?"

"I'll find a date to homecoming."

"That's great news honey."

____________

I'm in ELA class, but the teacher isn't present yet, so yeah, everyone is doing what students do when the teacher's absent.

Being noisy.

"Wanna go dress shopping after school?" Erika asks from beside me.

"Yeah, sure. Is Peyton on board?"

"Yep. So how's it going with the homecoming date thing? When are you going to tell Zack that you're dateless?"

I shrug. "I'm not sure, but I think he already knows."

"Why won't you let him take you? You know he'd totally ditch Audrey for you. You don't even like her." She says and I roll my eyes.

"I don't. But I can't let him do something like that. It's a little rude."

She gives me a blank look. "Oh please. Zack has done worse things. He's not the nicest guy on the planet."

I laugh lightly. "Got that right. Still, this is me being nice. Not him."

Erika sighs. "Sometimes, you're just too nice, Aubrey."

She looks around, then points towards the back. "That guy looks okay." I turn to see who she's talking about. The guy in question sticks his finger into his nose.

"Yeah...no. Somehow, I know he's dangerous for my health." I say and Erika laughs.

Her laughter trails off as someone plants himself on my desk. It's the new guy. Alex.

"Hey." He grins at me and I return one.

"Hey. It's you again."

"I didn't get to introduce myself last time. I'm..."

"Alex Davis." I cut in. "I know. And I'm..."

"Aubrey Reid." He says, chuckling. "I know."

I feel Erika's nudge to my side and I realise that Alex has stretched his hand out. I put my hand in his and he takes it in a firm handshake.

He's hot, seriously, and that has me hot all over.

He's not hotter than Zack, my subconscious reminds me. No one is hotter than Zack. Shut up!

"So, are you going to the dance?"

I shrug. "I'm not really sure. I mean, I want to, but I can't without a date."

"There's a hidden question in that sentence, isn't there?" He smirks and I roll my eyes, groaning inwardly.

Ugh. So arrogant. Like Zack, except, he doesn't turn you on like Zack does. I hate my subconscious so very much.

"Depends. Do you have a date?"

"Naw. We should go together." He says and I hear Erika's tiny squeal.

"Um, yeah, sure. I'd love that." I reply and he takes out his phone, unlocking it and handing it to me.

"I'd like to have your number, if it's okay."

I type the digits and just then, the teacher enters, making everyone scramble back to their seats.

"See you later." Alex says before he leaves.

I look over to Erika and she has a smug grin on her face. "What?"

"Nothing." She sings.

Yeah. Nothing.

After Peyton, Erika and I went to over a million stores, searching for the perfect dress, we finally found what we wanted.

Ha. Just kidding. It was easy, for me at least. I found my dress at the second store we went to, but what drained me, was looking for a dress for Peyton.

Yeah. My legs are asleep. I climb up the front porch steps, yawning as I do so. I just want to have a nice, relaxing...

"Mom?" I shriek as I try to absorb what's going on. My mother, is making out with a man I've never seen before, on our couch.

Remind me never to sit there.

"Shit. Um... hey honey." She stutters as she pushes the man she was making out with away from her. She's seeing someone? And I didn't know?

"Mom, who's–"

"Oh, God. I'm so sorry, baby. I knew this was–"

"Mom."

"a bad idea. I don't even know why I–"

"Mom?"

"thought of it. I mean, we were waiting for you and–"

"Oh my God. Mom."

"it all just happened so fast."

"Mom!" I raise my voice this time, fighting a smile at her expression. She looks like a deer in headlights.

"I just want to know who this is. You never told me you were seeing someone."

I finally take a good look at the man behind the couch who's also fighting a smile.

He's tall, dark and totally handsome with bright brown eyes. And there's something familiar about him. He's dressed up in a suit. Well, he was dressed up in a suit. The jacket's on the floor and a few of the top buttons of his blue dress shirt are missing.

More like, torn apart.

His sleeves are rolled up to the elbows, and is that...the starting of a tattoo?

"This is..." Mom starts.

"Andrew." He stretches out a hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Aubrey." Then he grimaces. "I probably didn't make a good first impression, and I'm utterly embarrassed that you saw us do that." He says, making me laugh as I shake his hand.

I'm so excited that my mom's seeing someone. I know she goes on dates sometimes, but she's never brought anyone home before. He has to be different.

A special kind of different, I hope. Because I really want her to find someone.

Mom signals for me to meet her in the kitchen.

"Why haven't you told me you're seeing someone?"

Mom sighs. "I was going to tell you over dinner. That's why I invited him over."

"How long?"

"We met at the grocery store a month ago. Well, we ran into each other, but still. And he's an attorney."

I gape at her, utterly shocked. "We had all those girls' nights."

"I know, I'm sorry. I was just scared of what you'd think. I was scared you wouldn't like him. You're mad, aren't you?"

Mad? I throw my arms around her in a hug. "Mom, I'm so happy for you. You found someone worth bringing to the house, and how could I not like him? You deserve to be happy."

Mom lets out a sigh of relief. "You don't know how much it means to me that you approve. Especially right now after what you saw. Aren't you freaked out?"

"By what?"

"You just saw your mother make out with a stranger."

I shrug. "Well, I am a little grossed out. I'm just glad you didn't get to base two or I'd literally have to bleach my eyeballs."

Mom laughs, embracing me again. Thank you, baby. I love you so much."

"Do you love him?" I find myself asking.

"Well, it's too soon to tell, but I think we're getting there."

I gesture to the top of her dress, snickering. "Your boobs are popping out."

Her eyes widen as she adjusts it.

"Ugh. I can't believe my daughter caught me making out like a teenager."

"Who can blame you? I mean look at him. But don't worry, I'll bleach my eyeballs later if it'll make you feel better."

She shakes her head, chuckling. "I think it will. Just kidding." She adds when I gape at her. "Do you want dinner?"

I wrinkle my nose. "It's probably cold by now. Can you order pizza?"

I hate cold food, and I know it could be microwaved but I don't really want to sit with mom and her new boyfriend. It'll be awkward.

She nods, going back to the living room. I hear her ask him if he'd rather have pizza and he says "Pizza's great."

"I'll be upstairs, mom." I say.

"Sounds great, honey. I'll let you know when the pizza gets here."

Andrew turns to give me a warm smile. "It was nice meeting you, Aubrey."

"You as well. Goodnight."