McKee rolled his eyes, and then he winked at me. He jogged off quickly toward the coach. As soon as he was gone, Tallis was beside me. He almost startled me when he spoke to me in a quiet and concerned tone.
"Are you going to say yes or no?"
I jumped a little. "You have got to stop sneaking up on me like that. I'm going to die of a heart attack in high school if you don't."
He smirked slightly, but it wasn't his usual carefree grin. It was forced. It seemed as though he was upset about something.
"Sorry, but you didn't answer my question. Are you going to yes? Personally, I don't think you should. Obviously it's your choice though."
I almost wanted to smile. I stifled it very respectably though.
Be cool, Aria, I told myself. I could hear the words coming out of my mouth, but they took on a life of their own.
"I was actually going to ask you about that."
Oh crap. So not what I meant to say.
He cocked his head to the side after hearing my response. His tone was confused and almost comical. "Why exactly were you going to ask me?"
I could feel my nervousness as I twitched around uncomfortably. I had no idea what I was doing. I'd never been asked out by a guy or asked a guy out in my life. Now I was doing both in the same day - or attempting to.
I wanted to stop, spare myself the humiliation sure to ensue, but my lips kept moving on their ow
n. The words flowed out of my unfiltered mouth without my permission.
"I was thinking that maybe you and I could do something this weekend, and then I could tell him I already have plans."
He smirked slightly and put his head down shyly while replying. "Ah."
That was all he said. That was the worst answer I could have gotten. Ah? Really? Sheesh.
I felt like an even bigger idiot than I thought possible.
Of course he doesn't want to go out with me. He doesn't date girls in high school. I'm so stupid.
I started fumbling around for the right words, keeping my trembling eyes pointed at the floor. I couldn't think of anything that would help me recover.
"Well, not like a date. It would be more of a non-date, hang out thing, or whatever."
Just kill me now. Please.
I could hear the incredibly idiotic things coming out of my mouth, but again, I could not stop them. The lock was off my lips and some mischievous little pixie had run off with the key. I was mortified by my awkward and horrible babbling.
He laughed at me lightly. "So what exactly did you have in mind for our non-date, hang out thing, or whatever?"
Great. Now he's making fun of me.
His mockery carried no subtlety. I could feel my cheeks burning red as I tried to think of anything that didn't sound completely moronic. "I don't know... The movies, or dinner or... something."
He smirked again as he looked at the floor and then back up to meet my eyes. "That doesn't sound like a non-date, hang out thing. That sounds like a date."
I could feel my whole body burning with utter humiliation now. I kept trying to find a way to dig myself back out of my hole. But that was a near impossible feat, since I felt as though I had already dug to China.
I could hear the anxiety coming through loud and clear when I spoke. "Yeah, it does." I was just ready to run and hide. "I'm sorry. It was stupid to ask. I'll leave you alone." And drop out of school to become a recluse.
I quickly turned away from him and scoured for any hiding place I could dive in.
He grabbed my hand before I could walk off. It nearly took my breath. I couldn't understand how such a small touch from him could burn so deep within me. It was all I could do not to just grab him and kiss him, especially when he touched me.