I'm a day late, I know... It was seriously SO close to being done on time last night but I just got really tired and went to bed instead.
You're going to find that everyone's taking a little chance in this part, which is why I named it Against Character, but I'm sure the idea of the Phantom coming to the dance sounds pretty silly. Don't worry. Trust meeee.
I think it's also important to say that I have been practically smacking myself over the head repeatedly with other Phantom sources. I have been taking far more in than I've been producing. That's not necessarily bad; it's probably really good; but yeah... I've just been obsessing over Charles all week, watching phan videos, reading phanfiction even. I'm making a post soon about my inspirations again because they probably will be influencing the next few chapters tremendously and the movies need pluggage anyway for being so great.
Anyhoo.
Some things I liked about this chapter:
The Phantom wasn't being a jerk (and neither was he in the last chapter.)
I like that I am able to balance about him being romanticized in Lily's eyes with Meg's POV, which is that he's a creep. It keeps the story in check as far as what the message is. There is reason to be concerned and that is not overlooked.
Lily was picked on. I like it just because it's realistic to me, for a person like her. She's me and I was picked on, so there. :P
Some things that weren't that great:
It makes it seem like the Phantom's standards are actually low enough to go to a high school dance. Hah. I guess I'm setting up the surprise though.
Sometimes I think my dialogue is a little... too much for a purpose and not enough like real extensive conversation. I could be wrong, I just feel some self-consciousness there.
Nanowrimo count:
28014 / 50000 words. 56% done!
HE'S (@) THERE
Chapter 32 - Against Character
On the way to school, a car pulled out of the theater's road - a black truck with the windows half rolled down. The driver saw me waiting to cross and notioned for me to, but he wouldn't stop staring. When I reached the other side and heard no engine, I looked behind me and into the window. When his face became visible, I knew I recognized it, but I didn't know where from. I didn't want to keep looking and make it obvious I noticed his attention, so I continued walking.
Meg was nowhere where I'd usually spot her in the morning, so I came upstairs and mistakenly started crossing the side of the hall where people gathered of the quote unquote "popular" persuasion. I was getting weird looks almost immediately, like I was carrying the plague or something. I heard my name called and knew it was coming from a group of guys sitting at a bench at the start of the E Porch, which I happened to know of, but I don't feel like mentioning their names. I'm not sure why I didn't just keep walking, but I actually gave him my time of day.
"Will you..." he hesitated, "Will you go to Winter Formal with me?" He asked, but he was quite terrible at acting serious, even for the delivery. I fake-smiled at him and remarked,
"That's a good one," and turned my back, cringing at their laughter, even as it died in volume when I hit the big crowd. I did not like that when I was put on the spot, I wasn't clever. I should have walked up and sat on the guy's lap, telling him I thought he'd never ask and that I'd been in love with him all year. (I'm joking.) Anything was better than what I had actually said, though.
When I reached the other end of the hall, I actually saw Giry talking in the corner with a couple others. I thought I'd just pass her right by and not make a thing of it, but "Christine m'dear!" reached me from behind before I'd entirely disappeared. Her hand came out and touched me on the arm and I, kind of reluctantly, entered this circle.
"This is my friend Lily." The two smiled and looked me up and down, which made me rather self-conscious, but I had some looking to do of my own. I noticed most that the guy wore a dark blue trench that almost met the floor, and the girl's eye-liner was curled up Egyptian style. I'd tried the look on myself once before unsuccessfully, but it worked on her.
"I'm Sean," the guy introduced and even stuck his hand out. I smiled, hoping it would redeem the fact that I was not about to shake it.
"Oh! Um... Lily has a bubble." I darted my eyes around. There may have been a pity laugh, but nothing more.
"Okay! My name's Jessica and I will stay out of your bubble!" The girl right stated matter-of-factly, which brought about some ice-breaking amusement, luckily.
I looked at Giry like "why am I here", and she put something together on the spot.
"Jessy! You went to the play - Lily was in it! She was um... Vivian!... that main girl's sister?"
"Oh! That was you?" I nodded. "Wow, I wouldn't have thought... You're so quiet in person."
"I-It happens..." She found this funny. I think I was ruining their conversation skills so I stepped a little to the left. "I'm actually looking for Meg,-"
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"No it's no big deal,"
"Nice to meet you, Lily,-" Sean tried.
"You too," I smiled at both of them and walked away as fast as I came. When I turned the corner, I saw Meg at the other end of the science hall and hurried across. She noticed me and did nothing but smile. "Where've you been?"
"Where've I been? What're you, my keeper now?"
"Ha, ha, ha.-"
Suddenly my phone beeped.
"Uh oh, looks like your keeper has something to say."
"It could be a number of people-" I argued, whipping the phone out indignantly, except for it was Erik.
Behind you.
What. I turned around and the hall was just as I'd found it. I turned back to Meg, who sort of turned to the side to eye the hall as well.
"I-I should go."
"To a psychiatrist, maybe-"
"One of these days, probably." I grinned at her and inched away. I was inspecting everyone within the second. At the end of the hall, I leaned down the stairwell railing and descended, feeling it was the right place to look, and a cold air by the downstairs doors told me to venture out to the side of the building, where the private road between the school and a track was vacant on both sides.
This was not the first time he had made such a comment and I had actually taken it seriously. I was about to start laughing at myself when the bell rang inside and I realized I had better get my ass in there before I was late to a class that I was already failing.
- - -
"Lily. I want to go to Winter Formal." Meg dropped the bomb on Wednesday. She was once again a bundle of nerves following me home from school, having spent another period with you-know-who.
"Why. We never go." Meg paused. "Wait. Nevermind. I know why."
"Pleeeease! He brought it up today and I said I was thinking about it and he said hopefully he'd see me there!"
"Then you should go."
"But I need someone to go with me-"
"Paulina's going, isn't she?"
"Yeah but she has too many friends - it'd be just weird and I'd probably end up alone."
"Mariam..." I stopped walking and placed my hands on her shoulders. "I hate dances. You hate dances too. We are not dance people. Why don't you just spend time with him in class instead of subject yourself to things you know you wouldn't normally do?"
She sighed, like she was desperately out of words to convey her affections for him.
"I just want to see him dressed up. And maybe he'd dance with me..."
She was bringing on guilt in me by the time we reached the house. I opened my mouth to speak when I received yet another text. "Just a second," I assured her. She blinked a whole lot and started walking in circles with her arms crossed.
I saw something that reminded me of you. I'll give it to you soon.
Heh.
I'll call you later.
I looked back up to Meg, who'd now cleared the frost over my driveway in the path she'd paced. I sighed heavily.
"I'll think about it. ...But you know what would be an even better idea: asking him to go with you! I-I know that lesbian joke with my mom was funny but if we start going on dates, she might really suspect."
Once again, the phone came between us.
Please do. I like hearing your voice.
"I wouldn't terribly mind if my courting methods weren't bunched in with his."
"Thanks, I'll tell him you approve." She actually snickered. "I have to get ready for work."
"Alright, g'bye... think about it!" She started up the street but kept turning around. "Think long and hard!" "Think of wearing a pretty dress! Ahh? Ahh?"
I waved at her modestly as not to get her hopes up too high and came into the house.
- - -
When I got back from work that night, I realized only option for me and my conscience was to come with Meg to the dance, even though besides hating dances, I would've preferred to find out if I was being taken to a certain somewhere by a certain individual.
He had been texting me every day this week asking me what I was doing, saying goodnight to me even, but he didn't mention where he was taking me at all. I almost think he was waiting, at the edge of his seat, for me to say I was finally free for whatever this was.
Nerve-wracking as it would always be, I sat down, in the closet, and called him in the dark. His answer took a while and when it came, he was breathing into the phone, like he was walking at the same time. He wanted to know how I was, so I told him I was due for a lot of homework before I could sleep and Meg was dragging me to this dance. He found me going to a dance pretty funny, which did not help me develop any sort of enthusiasm for it.
"I'm sure he'd love to go with her," he said. It was surprising hearing such a statement from him. I told you earlier... he had changed or something over Winter Break.
"I told her so... If you want someone to be your date, all you need to do is ask."
He couldn't think of what to say.
Hearing the silence at the other end put a rather strange idea in my head, however. If I had really thought it up, I wasn't sure if I knew myself anymore.
"I'm about to suggest something really stupid," I warned him.
I expected a witty remark or two, but he did nothing but wait for the question.
"...Willyougowithme," I muttered.
"...I'm sorry?"
"It might be easier... with... you..." Ohhh.. This was so awkward I knew I wasn't going to look back on it and laugh for quite a while.
"...I'm sure I'd only make it difficult."
"...Why... would you think that?" Silence. "She's open to getting to know you."
"From a distance, very much so."
"She'd like me to settle the awkwardness... I think."
"I think you've thought wrong."
"I think I'm the one that's known her for four years."
"I've gotten to know her..." His voice sort of died as he said it. An awkward pause came about.
"...I think you've misunderstood her, and she misunderstands you. I thought being able to talk to her face to face might..." I didn't even know what the point of this was anymore. "You don't have to." Once I said the four words, I realized they were the ones he hated hearing most. "I know it's not about having to. I-I just meant... I won't be upset if you don't," I lied. "I was asking out of complete impulse anyway, because I wanted to compensate for being so busy when I know you have plans."
"...When is it?" His question gave me a little hope.
"It starts at six and ends at nine. ...You're welcome to get tipsy beforehand," I joked. "I'm tempted myself."
"If you really want me to... I'll do whatever you ask. You don't need to get tipsy. I'd prefer you didn't."
Why a comment like that made me feel pink in the face, I'm not sure.
"Meg doesn't prefer either. Maybe you can bond over it."
I expected maybe some recognition that I'd said something humorous, but he lost his words again. I could tell he was still on the move.
"I-I think I should go start my work before it's too late."
"...Alright."
"...You're coming...?" You had to make entirely sure with him, I thought.
"I'm coming. Where would you like me to be?"
"I..." I sighed, having never thought out the details. "Don't come here." A weak laugh on the other side brought back a smile to my face, small as it was. "How about the front of the school, on the far left? You know, with the trees."
"I'll meet you at the doors. How does that sound?"
...I'm not sure why, but the proposition discomforted me. If it was about wanting to hide him from anybody, it was a bit futile given that he was coming to the actual dance. I almost wondered why he was so calm about it anyway.
"If you'd like to do it that way."
"...Alright."
Awkward pause again.
"You may want to warn her sooner rather than later."
"I'll tell her when I see her," I made out like it was nothing. "...Goodnight."
"Good night."
I was slow to move the phone away from my ear, but the numbers never stopped counting until my own two hands snapped it shut.
- - -
It dawned on me while taking a shower that the guy eying me in the car that morning was the same one I'd seen at Fool's Dance, in the lobby. I'd given him the attendance slip, and he gave me a funny eye in return.
One plus one was two. ...He worked there and he recognized me.
- - -
"You asked The Phantom... to come to Winter Formal."
"Yes. I did."
"...Really?"
"What do you mean 'really'? Wha-h... He can't come?" Meg looked anywhere but me as she took a drink out from her bag. After a group passed us in the hallway, her eyes trailed to the pixie of sorts I was drawing in my Humanities notebook.
"I just wonder what would possess you to do something like that. You know everyone's gonna be staring at him... right?"
I sighed heavily. "You know, Mariam... somehow... I think he's used to it. Somehow."
"But he's your date. Are you used to it?"
"I don't really care. My reputation is crap and I happen to like Erik. They can stare all they want. I'm going to be your moral support and hopefully fit in a good conversation or two."
Suddenly Meg looked like something huge had dawned on her. "...Oh God...I have to talk to him too, don't I?" The tone of her words instantly bothered me.
"Well yeah... that was the plan. I kind of hoped you'd... you know. Break the ice a little." She scratched her arm and stared at me. "He's willing to talk to you."
"Okay," she replied a little coolly. I waited for more but it never came.
"...I'd really like it if you learned to like him a little more than you do already, which is... not at all."
"Well... Lily..." She laughed in a unamused sort of way. "You're sort of forgetting that he's the one that's been really um... hostile towards me. For no reason."
"I didn't forget, but I don't know what was running through his head entirely. All I know is he has never made negative comments about you, in fact, for the most part, he seems to think about how he can stay out of your way. Out of courtesy, almost."
"Oh, I'm sure he's well aware he makes me uncomfortable. He knows what he's doing."
"Well..." I could've disagreed a little about what she meant by that, but was a little too tired to put in the effort. "There you go. At least he's thought it out."
She looked at me in a particularly unsatisfied way.
"...I don't understand why he wants to come in the first place. If you hate dances, he'd probably-... probably-"
"I don't think he wants to," I interrupted. "I just asked and he said he would. He's been... doing things that I ask him to do lately. I-I'm not sure why."
"It's a good thing there aren't any chandeliers, isn't it?"
"Oh God..." I rolled my eyes. We could both tell we were now on our way to a useless conversation.
"Really though. Should I be prepared for anything? Does he... suddenly turn into a bat and fly away?"
"Tch. ...Sometimes." She cracked a smile, and I did too, but the bitterness lasted. "He's going to be polite, like he usually is, believe it or not."
"Right, okay. But if Jeffrey asks: I don't know him."
Favorite Quote(s)
You're going to find that everyone's taking a little chance in this part, which is why I named it Against Character, but I'm sure the idea of the Phantom coming to the dance sounds pretty silly. Don't worry. Trust meeee.
I think it's also important to say that I have been practically smacking myself over the head repeatedly with other Phantom sources. I have been taking far more in than I've been producing. That's not necessarily bad; it's probably really good; but yeah... I've just been obsessing over Charles all week, watching phan videos, reading phanfiction even. I'm making a post soon about my inspirations again because they probably will be influencing the next few chapters tremendously and the movies need pluggage anyway for being so great.
Anyhoo.
Some things I liked about this chapter:
The Phantom wasn't being a jerk (and neither was he in the last chapter.) I like that I am able to balance about him being romanticized in Lily's eyes with Meg's POV, which is that he's a creep. It keeps the story in check as far as what the message is. There is reason to be concerned and that is not overlooked. Lily was picked on. I like it just because it's realistic to me, for a person like her. She's me and I was picked on, so there. :PSome things that weren't that great:
It makes it seem like the Phantom's standards are actually low enough to go to a high school dance. Hah. I guess I'm setting up the surprise though. Sometimes I think my dialogue is a little... too much for a purpose and not enough like real extensive conversation. I could be wrong, I just feel some self-consciousness there.Nanowrimo count:
HE'S (@) THERE
Chapter 32 - Against Character
On the way to school, a car pulled out of the theater's road - a black truck with the windows half rolled down. The driver saw me waiting to cross and notioned for me to, but he wouldn't stop staring. When I reached the other side and heard no engine, I looked behind me and into the window. When his face became visible, I knew I recognized it, but I didn't know where from. I didn't want to keep looking and make it obvious I noticed his attention, so I continued walking.
Meg was nowhere where I'd usually spot her in the morning, so I came upstairs and mistakenly started crossing the side of the hall where people gathered of the quote unquote "popular" persuasion. I was getting weird looks almost immediately, like I was carrying the plague or something. I heard my name called and knew it was coming from a group of guys sitting at a bench at the start of the E Porch, which I happened to know of, but I don't feel like mentioning their names. I'm not sure why I didn't just keep walking, but I actually gave him my time of day.
"Will you..." he hesitated, "Will you go to Winter Formal with me?" He asked, but he was quite terrible at acting serious, even for the delivery. I fake-smiled at him and remarked,
"That's a good one," and turned my back, cringing at their laughter, even as it died in volume when I hit the big crowd. I did not like that when I was put on the spot, I wasn't clever. I should have walked up and sat on the guy's lap, telling him I thought he'd never ask and that I'd been in love with him all year. (I'm joking.) Anything was better than what I had actually said, though.
When I reached the other end of the hall, I actually saw Giry talking in the corner with a couple others. I thought I'd just pass her right by and not make a thing of it, but "Christine m'dear!" reached me from behind before I'd entirely disappeared. Her hand came out and touched me on the arm and I, kind of reluctantly, entered this circle.
"This is my friend Lily." The two smiled and looked me up and down, which made me rather self-conscious, but I had some looking to do of my own. I noticed most that the guy wore a dark blue trench that almost met the floor, and the girl's eye-liner was curled up Egyptian style. I'd tried the look on myself once before unsuccessfully, but it worked on her.
"I'm Sean," the guy introduced and even stuck his hand out. I smiled, hoping it would redeem the fact that I was not about to shake it.
"Oh! Um... Lily has a bubble." I darted my eyes around. There may have been a pity laugh, but nothing more.
"Okay! My name's Jessica and I will stay out of your bubble!" The girl right stated matter-of-factly, which brought about some ice-breaking amusement, luckily.
I looked at Giry like "why am I here", and she put something together on the spot.
"Jessy! You went to the play - Lily was in it! She was um... Vivian!... that main girl's sister?"
"Oh! That was you?" I nodded. "Wow, I wouldn't have thought... You're so quiet in person."
"I-It happens..." She found this funny. I think I was ruining their conversation skills so I stepped a little to the left. "I'm actually looking for Meg,-"
"Oh, I'm sorry."
"No it's no big deal,"
"Nice to meet you, Lily,-" Sean tried.
"You too," I smiled at both of them and walked away as fast as I came. When I turned the corner, I saw Meg at the other end of the science hall and hurried across. She noticed me and did nothing but smile. "Where've you been?"
"Where've I been? What're you, my keeper now?"
"Ha, ha, ha.-"
Suddenly my phone beeped.
"Uh oh, looks like your keeper has something to say."
"It could be a number of people-" I argued, whipping the phone out indignantly, except for it was Erik.
Behind you.
What. I turned around and the hall was just as I'd found it. I turned back to Meg, who sort of turned to the side to eye the hall as well.
"I-I should go."
"To a psychiatrist, maybe-"
"One of these days, probably." I grinned at her and inched away. I was inspecting everyone within the second. At the end of the hall, I leaned down the stairwell railing and descended, feeling it was the right place to look, and a cold air by the downstairs doors told me to venture out to the side of the building, where the private road between the school and a track was vacant on both sides.
This was not the first time he had made such a comment and I had actually taken it seriously. I was about to start laughing at myself when the bell rang inside and I realized I had better get my ass in there before I was late to a class that I was already failing.
- - -
"Lily. I want to go to Winter Formal." Meg dropped the bomb on Wednesday. She was once again a bundle of nerves following me home from school, having spent another period with you-know-who.
"Why. We never go." Meg paused. "Wait. Nevermind. I know why."
"Pleeeease! He brought it up today and I said I was thinking about it and he said hopefully he'd see me there!"
"Then you should go."
"But I need someone to go with me-"
"Paulina's going, isn't she?"
"Yeah but she has too many friends - it'd be just weird and I'd probably end up alone."
"Mariam..." I stopped walking and placed my hands on her shoulders. "I hate dances. You hate dances too. We are not dance people. Why don't you just spend time with him in class instead of subject yourself to things you know you wouldn't normally do?"
She sighed, like she was desperately out of words to convey her affections for him.
"I just want to see him dressed up. And maybe he'd dance with me..."
She was bringing on guilt in me by the time we reached the house. I opened my mouth to speak when I received yet another text. "Just a second," I assured her. She blinked a whole lot and started walking in circles with her arms crossed.
I saw something that reminded me of you. I'll give it to you soon.
Heh.
I'll call you later.
I looked back up to Meg, who'd now cleared the frost over my driveway in the path she'd paced. I sighed heavily.
"I'll think about it. ...But you know what would be an even better idea: asking him to go with you! I-I know that lesbian joke with my mom was funny but if we start going on dates, she might really suspect."
Once again, the phone came between us.
Please do. I like hearing your voice.
"I wouldn't terribly mind if my courting methods weren't bunched in with his."
"Thanks, I'll tell him you approve." She actually snickered. "I have to get ready for work."
"Alright, g'bye... think about it!" She started up the street but kept turning around. "Think long and hard!" "Think of wearing a pretty dress! Ahh? Ahh?"
I waved at her modestly as not to get her hopes up too high and came into the house.
- - -
When I got back from work that night, I realized only option for me and my conscience was to come with Meg to the dance, even though besides hating dances, I would've preferred to find out if I was being taken to a certain somewhere by a certain individual.
He had been texting me every day this week asking me what I was doing, saying goodnight to me even, but he didn't mention where he was taking me at all. I almost think he was waiting, at the edge of his seat, for me to say I was finally free for whatever this was.
Nerve-wracking as it would always be, I sat down, in the closet, and called him in the dark. His answer took a while and when it came, he was breathing into the phone, like he was walking at the same time. He wanted to know how I was, so I told him I was due for a lot of homework before I could sleep and Meg was dragging me to this dance. He found me going to a dance pretty funny, which did not help me develop any sort of enthusiasm for it.
"I'm sure he'd love to go with her," he said. It was surprising hearing such a statement from him. I told you earlier... he had changed or something over Winter Break.
"I told her so... If you want someone to be your date, all you need to do is ask."
He couldn't think of what to say.
Hearing the silence at the other end put a rather strange idea in my head, however. If I had really thought it up, I wasn't sure if I knew myself anymore.
"I'm about to suggest something really stupid," I warned him.
I expected a witty remark or two, but he did nothing but wait for the question.
"...Willyougowithme," I muttered.
"...I'm sorry?"
"It might be easier... with... you..." Ohhh.. This was so awkward I knew I wasn't going to look back on it and laugh for quite a while.
"...I'm sure I'd only make it difficult."
"...Why... would you think that?" Silence. "She's open to getting to know you."
"From a distance, very much so."
"She'd like me to settle the awkwardness... I think."
"I think you've thought wrong."
"I think I'm the one that's known her for four years."
"I've gotten to know her..." His voice sort of died as he said it. An awkward pause came about.
"...I think you've misunderstood her, and she misunderstands you. I thought being able to talk to her face to face might..." I didn't even know what the point of this was anymore. "You don't have to." Once I said the four words, I realized they were the ones he hated hearing most. "I know it's not about having to. I-I just meant... I won't be upset if you don't," I lied. "I was asking out of complete impulse anyway, because I wanted to compensate for being so busy when I know you have plans."
"...When is it?" His question gave me a little hope.
"It starts at six and ends at nine. ...You're welcome to get tipsy beforehand," I joked. "I'm tempted myself."
"If you really want me to... I'll do whatever you ask. You don't need to get tipsy. I'd prefer you didn't."
Why a comment like that made me feel pink in the face, I'm not sure.
"Meg doesn't prefer either. Maybe you can bond over it."
I expected maybe some recognition that I'd said something humorous, but he lost his words again. I could tell he was still on the move.
"I-I think I should go start my work before it's too late."
"...Alright."
"...You're coming...?" You had to make entirely sure with him, I thought.
"I'm coming. Where would you like me to be?"
"I..." I sighed, having never thought out the details. "Don't come here." A weak laugh on the other side brought back a smile to my face, small as it was. "How about the front of the school, on the far left? You know, with the trees."
"I'll meet you at the doors. How does that sound?"
...I'm not sure why, but the proposition discomforted me. If it was about wanting to hide him from anybody, it was a bit futile given that he was coming to the actual dance. I almost wondered why he was so calm about it anyway.
"If you'd like to do it that way."
"...Alright."
Awkward pause again.
"You may want to warn her sooner rather than later."
"I'll tell her when I see her," I made out like it was nothing. "...Goodnight."
"Good night."
I was slow to move the phone away from my ear, but the numbers never stopped counting until my own two hands snapped it shut.
- - -
It dawned on me while taking a shower that the guy eying me in the car that morning was the same one I'd seen at Fool's Dance, in the lobby. I'd given him the attendance slip, and he gave me a funny eye in return.
One plus one was two. ...He worked there and he recognized me.
- - -
"You asked The Phantom... to come to Winter Formal."
"Yes. I did."
"...Really?"
"What do you mean 'really'? Wha-h... He can't come?" Meg looked anywhere but me as she took a drink out from her bag. After a group passed us in the hallway, her eyes trailed to the pixie of sorts I was drawing in my Humanities notebook.
"I just wonder what would possess you to do something like that. You know everyone's gonna be staring at him... right?"
I sighed heavily. "You know, Mariam... somehow... I think he's used to it. Somehow."
"But he's your date. Are you used to it?"
"I don't really care. My reputation is crap and I happen to like Erik. They can stare all they want. I'm going to be your moral support and hopefully fit in a good conversation or two."
Suddenly Meg looked like something huge had dawned on her. "...Oh God...I have to talk to him too, don't I?" The tone of her words instantly bothered me.
"Well yeah... that was the plan. I kind of hoped you'd... you know. Break the ice a little." She scratched her arm and stared at me. "He's willing to talk to you."
"Okay," she replied a little coolly. I waited for more but it never came.
"...I'd really like it if you learned to like him a little more than you do already, which is... not at all."
"Well... Lily..." She laughed in a unamused sort of way. "You're sort of forgetting that he's the one that's been really um... hostile towards me. For no reason."
"I didn't forget, but I don't know what was running through his head entirely. All I know is he has never made negative comments about you, in fact, for the most part, he seems to think about how he can stay out of your way. Out of courtesy, almost."
"Oh, I'm sure he's well aware he makes me uncomfortable. He knows what he's doing."
"Well..." I could've disagreed a little about what she meant by that, but was a little too tired to put in the effort. "There you go. At least he's thought it out."
She looked at me in a particularly unsatisfied way.
"...I don't understand why he wants to come in the first place. If you hate dances, he'd probably-... probably-"
"I don't think he wants to," I interrupted. "I just asked and he said he would. He's been... doing things that I ask him to do lately. I-I'm not sure why."
"It's a good thing there aren't any chandeliers, isn't it?"
"Oh God..." I rolled my eyes. We could both tell we were now on our way to a useless conversation.
"Really though. Should I be prepared for anything? Does he... suddenly turn into a bat and fly away?"
"Tch. ...Sometimes." She cracked a smile, and I did too, but the bitterness lasted. "He's going to be polite, like he usually is, believe it or not."
"Right, okay. But if Jeffrey asks: I don't know him."
"Where've you been?"
"Where've I been? What're you, my keeper now?"
"I'll think about it. ...But you know what would be an even better idea: asking him to go with you! I-I know that lesbian joke with my mom was funny but if we start going on dates, she might really suspect."
"I wouldn't terribly mind if my courting methods weren't bunched in with his."
"It starts at six and ends at nine. ...You're welcome to get tipsy beforehand," I joked. "I'm tempted myself."
"If you really want me to... I'll do whatever you ask. You don't need to get tipsy. I'd prefer you didn't."
"Really though. Should I be prepared for anything? Does he... suddenly turn into a bat and fly away?"
Leave a comment