dare.
“I guess it was a desperate idea.” Ryan shrugged.
“I wouldn’t want to go with anyone other than you,” I murmured. He groaned. “I don’t want to go with anyone else either, but I can’t cancel on this poor girl four days before.” I understood. I wouldn’t have wanted that done to me, either.
“It won’t be any fun at all. More like torture. I’ll be missing you all night.” Ryan reached for me. I snuggled into his chest and he closed his arms around me. “I’ll make it up to you,” he promised. “We’ll do a nything you want on Sunday.” I decided the day after was better than nothing at all and agreed.
He quickly kissed me bye and I went inside. Still bummed, I threw myself across my bed and sighed. Then I heard a buzzing noise. My whole body tensed. I had been so excited about getting to see Ryan that morning that I had forgotten my phone, which was vibrating in ci rcles, rattling against my nightstand. I knew who it was before I saw the number on the call screen.
I quietly answered.
“What the hell are you doing!” He sounded so angry. Justin never yelled at me before, which only made me feel worse. “I told you I didn’t want you getting mixed up with him.”
“I know.”
“Is that it? I know .”
“I don’t want to fight with you about this. I feel bad enough already.”
“You should! You dumped David, who was good to you, for a guy who just wants to get in your pants.”
“You don’t know that. I’ve been out with him three times and he hasn’t really kissed me yet.”
Justin was silent for a moment. I wondered if he was d eciding he could be wrong about Ryan. I doubted it.
“I’m not looking for a fight either, Annie. I just wish you’d listened to me. I don’t want you to get screwed over.” Justin took in a deep breath and released it. “It’s what he does.”
“It doesn’t feel like that’s what’s happening,” I whispered.
“It’s not supposed to,” he countered, insistent.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you won’t see him anymore,” he demanded.
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s too late,” I murmured, starting to cry, something he must have realized.
“Just be careful,” he finally said.
“I’m sorry.” I was sobbing before he hung up.
Justin had done his job warning me about what he thought I should expect next. I desperately hoped he was wrong. I certai nly didn’t want Justin to be angry with me, but I needed to make my own choices. To do what I thought was best for me.
15
Prom night, Pam invited me over. It concerned her that Justin and I weren’t spending much time together, although she seemed to be as wild about Eve as Justin was.
I was in a light mood considering the circumstances. The boy I was infinitely crazy about was with another girl, and my best friend who I hardly saw anymore thought I was making a huge mistake by getting involved with him.
Even though Justin seemed to have cooled off over the past few days, neither one of us mentioned our last conversation, or Ryan.
Eve was over the moon. I couldn’t help but warm to her. She cared for Justin so much that I couldn’t make myself hate her for taking him away from me anymore. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I probably should have been grateful to Eve. If I still had Justin around 24-7, I never would have given Ryan a chance.
Pam gushed when Justin came down the hall in his monkey suit . “Look at him, Annie.” She turned to make sure I was. “You look so handsome,” she sang adoringly.
“Knock it off, Pam,” he grumbled. I snickered. He looked so uncomfortable that it was funny, but he did look really nice. I smirked at Justin. “She’s right, you know.” He smirked back. If it hadn’t been so important to Pam and Eve that he go to prom, I imagined he would have blown it off.
The room filled with the incessant flashing of Pam’s ca mera. Everybody got their picture
“I guess it was a desperate idea.” Ryan shrugged.
“I wouldn’t want to go with anyone other than you,” I murmured. He groaned. “I don’t want to go with anyone else either, but I can’t cancel on this poor girl four days before.” I understood. I wouldn’t have wanted that done to me, either.
“It won’t be any fun at all. More like torture. I’ll be missing you all night.” Ryan reached for me. I snuggled into his chest and he closed his arms around me. “I’ll make it up to you,” he promised. “We’ll do a nything you want on Sunday.” I decided the day after was better than nothing at all and agreed.
He quickly kissed me bye and I went inside. Still bummed, I threw myself across my bed and sighed. Then I heard a buzzing noise. My whole body tensed. I had been so excited about getting to see Ryan that morning that I had forgotten my phone, which was vibrating in ci rcles, rattling against my nightstand. I knew who it was before I saw the number on the call screen.
I quietly answered.
“What the hell are you doing!” He sounded so angry. Justin never yelled at me before, which only made me feel worse. “I told you I didn’t want you getting mixed up with him.”
“I know.”
“Is that it? I know .”
“I don’t want to fight with you about this. I feel bad enough already.”
“You should! You dumped David, who was good to you, for a guy who just wants to get in your pants.”
“You don’t know that. I’ve been out with him three times and he hasn’t really kissed me yet.”
Justin was silent for a moment. I wondered if he was d eciding he could be wrong about Ryan. I doubted it.
“I’m not looking for a fight either, Annie. I just wish you’d listened to me. I don’t want you to get screwed over.” Justin took in a deep breath and released it. “It’s what he does.”
“It doesn’t feel like that’s what’s happening,” I whispered.
“It’s not supposed to,” he countered, insistent.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you won’t see him anymore,” he demanded.
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s too late,” I murmured, starting to cry, something he must have realized.
“Just be careful,” he finally said.
“I’m sorry.” I was sobbing before he hung up.
Justin had done his job warning me about what he thought I should expect next. I desperately hoped he was wrong. I certai nly didn’t want Justin to be angry with me, but I needed to make my own choices. To do what I thought was best for me.
15
Prom night, Pam invited me over. It concerned her that Justin and I weren’t spending much time together, although she seemed to be as wild about Eve as Justin was.
I was in a light mood considering the circumstances. The boy I was infinitely crazy about was with another girl, and my best friend who I hardly saw anymore thought I was making a huge mistake by getting involved with him.
Even though Justin seemed to have cooled off over the past few days, neither one of us mentioned our last conversation, or Ryan.
Eve was over the moon. I couldn’t help but warm to her. She cared for Justin so much that I couldn’t make myself hate her for taking him away from me anymore. As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I probably should have been grateful to Eve. If I still had Justin around 24-7, I never would have given Ryan a chance.
Pam gushed when Justin came down the hall in his monkey suit . “Look at him, Annie.” She turned to make sure I was. “You look so handsome,” she sang adoringly.
“Knock it off, Pam,” he grumbled. I snickered. He looked so uncomfortable that it was funny, but he did look really nice. I smirked at Justin. “She’s right, you know.” He smirked back. If it hadn’t been so important to Pam and Eve that he go to prom, I imagined he would have blown it off.
The room filled with the incessant flashing of Pam’s ca mera. Everybody got their picture
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