Love at First Fight

Chapter 23

"So how awkward are you going to be when he gets back from the date tonight?" Maya asked me through the phone as I sat at my desk. 

I rolled my eyes and made a face at her to my phone, which was propped up against a stack of books. We were doing our homework together over FaceTime, and I had mentioned briefly the conversation I'd had with Lucas the night before after putting Clara to bed. 

"I don't know. It's probably going to depend on how the date goes." I said casually, writing out my next math equation in my notebook. 

"Well, we know how it's going to go. They'll go out, it'll be awkward because she's so wrong for him, and they won't go out on a second date." she said, sounding very matter-of-fact.

I didn't look at my phone, "We don't know that. For all we know they could hit it off and start dating officially." I said. 

I could tell she was rolling her eyes, "Ariel you of all people should be the last one thinking that's going to happen." She said. 

I sighed and put my pencil down, taking a break, "There's nothing I can do about it. I've already said we can't date. It won't end well." I said. 

"You don't know that." Maya said. 

"No, I don't know for sure, you're right. But I know that it's possible. And I don't want to risk ruining the relationship I already have with Clara and Tessa. I just don't want to give that up." I said. 

"And I totally get that. But sometimes taking a risk like that leads to some pretty great things." she said.

I sighed and looked at my hands, "You are so right for him Ariel." she said.

I looked at her through the phone, "Maybe you're right. I like him. I like him a lot. He's one of the first people that's really understood me. We're very similar in a lot of ways. But I just don't think he feels the same way about me. And if he doesn't feel the same way I'd only be setting myself up to get hurt." I said. 

"I don't want to confirm or deny anything, because I don't know for sure. But what I do know is that I see the way he looks at you when you're not paying attention. I hear the way he talks when you aren't around and come up in conversation. He definitely cares about you. I don't know how or how much but he does care. Even Miles and the others are starting to notice." She said. 

I stayed quiet, thinking, "I think that depending on how the date goes tonight you should tell him." she said. 

I looked at her through the phone, "What way would the date have to go for me to have to tell him?" I asked. 

"It doesn't go well and there won't be a second date." She answered immediately. 

I rolled my eyes, "That's what you're so sure is going to happen, so if I'm going by your thought process, I would be telling Lucas how I feel tonight, right?" I asked her, crossing my arms. 

"I hate how smart you are, you know. You weren't supposed to figure that out." She said with a huff. 

I gave her a smirk, "It's a gift." I said simply. 

"Fine. You don't have to tell him how you feel. But you should. The longer you wait the worse it's going to get." She said. 

"Or, the longer I wait, then the crush will go away. And all will be fine." I said brightly. 

She rolled her eyes again, "Weren't we just talking about how smart you are?" She asked. 

I sighed, "Look, not all of us meet the love of our life in high school. It's just a crush. I'll get over it eventually. I can't lose his friendship." I said.