Out

Chapter 9

I narrow my eyes and walk faster. I don't want to talk to him. I don't want to look at him. I don't want to be near him.

And I don't know why.

"Sophia Grace!" he calls as I get closer.

I walk a little bit faster. He must realize that I don't want to talk to him, because he decides to walk over to me. I roll my eyes and groan.

"I take it you're not happy to see me..." he says.

I just sigh.

"Just listen," he pleads. I continue to try to walk away from him.

He steps in front of me and puts his hands on my shoulders, blocking me from going anywhere. "Listen," he says, "whatever they told you, it's not true."

"They said you have tatoos, get into fights, and are not the kind of person I want to be socializing with," I tell him.

"That's not true."

"How did you get those, then?" I ask, grabbing his hand and looking at all the cuts, scars, and bruises.

"I...got into a fight," he mumbles.

"Seems to me like they're not wrong at all," I say. "Plus, when I told you I was friends with them, you started uncontrollably laughing!" He chuckles at the memory, and I glare at him.

He quickly pulls himself together and says, "I was just surprised, that's all."

"Why?"

"Because I have a crush on a girl who likes the kind of people that are the exact opposite of what I am."

My eyes snap up to his face. My heart starts racing. Did he just say he has a crush on me?!

"Why do you look so surprised?" he asks smirking.

"Be- because I barley know you!" I stammer.

"Exactly," he says, "which is why I would like to get to know you better."

"Me?" I ask, clarifying.

"Yes, you, Sophia Grace," he says quietly, smiling at me.

"I...I....." I can't answer. A million thoughts are racing through my head.

Is he being serious?
What will Alice say?
Will my aunt mind?
What if he finds out about my past?
What if Alice and her friends find out?
What will they think?
Will they still want me around?
They warned me about him...

"Fine," I decide after thinking it over. "but it's not a date."

"I never said it was," he says, his smile spreading wider.

I just roll my eyes at him.

"So...where do you want to go?" he asks me.

"I don't know," I tell him.

"Ahh, that's right. You're new around here," he says. After thinking about it for a moment, he says, "I have a great place in mind. Pick you up at 5?"

"Okay," I agree. "But remember, it's not a date."

"Understood," he says laughing. "I'll see you at five."

"Where are we going?" I ask curiously.

"It's a surprise," he tells me.

"But how will I know what to wear?" I ask him whining.

"You'll look great in anything," he says laughing.

"But I don't want to overdress, but I don't want to underdress either, and-"

"Sophie," he says, cutting me off, "you will look amazing in whatever you wear. Stop worrying about it."

I sigh and say, "Okay."

"Great," he says smiling. "I'll see you at five."

"But it's-"

"Not a date, yeah yeah I know."

"Okay then. I'll see you at five."

He smiles and says goodbye, and heads back to his dorm.

As I'm walking to mine, I realize two things.

1. Alice is going to kill me
And
2. When I took his hand to look at all his fighting scars...I never let it go.

**********

I decide to just leave my hair down instead of trying to do it up all nice, because this is not a date. I finish putting on my mascara and give myself one last look in the mirror.

I didn't want to dress up too much, but I also wanted to look nice...for the not-date. I eventually decided to wear my flowered skirt paired with a white top- which I tucked into the skirt- and my green sweater over top. I grabbed my thin light brown belt and put that on too. I dug around my closet for my third-favorite pair of white heels...I have a lot of shoes.

I spritz myself twice with my favorite prefume, and then just wait for Jack to come pick me up.

At exactly 5:00 there is a knock on my door. When I open it up, I see Jack standing there with a beautiful bouquet of Daisies.

"We agreed this wasn't a date," I remind him, smiling from ear-to-ear.

"I know. These are...friend flowers," he says laughing.

I laugh as he hands them to me. "I hope you don't mind that they're daisies," he says. "I think roses are boring."

"The daisies are gorgeous," I say blushing.

"I'm glad you think so," he says putting his hands in his pockets.

He is wearing dark blue jeans and a white button-down shirt. He looks handsome.

"Are you ready to go?" he asks me.

I smile and say, "Yep. Let's go."