As I Fall Asleep- Joshua Bassett

Chapter 16

The weeks pass and I get back into the groove of things. My classes are not too difficult, and I was finally cleared to practice with the team just last week.

One day, after finishing practice I walk out to the parking lot with Natalie and Dilli, my teammates and friends. As we walk to where our cars are parked, a boy from my Government Class walks up to us. I've talked to him a few times in class, but I don't really know him. I think his name is Noah.

"Hey Katie, could I talk to you for second?" he asks, glancing at the girls I'm with.

"Sure," I tell him. Natalie and Dilli walk to Natalie's car and get in, but don't turn on the car.

"What's up?" I question as I adjust my towel around my waist that was becoming a little loose.

"I was wondering- well, I was wondering if you would like to go bowling some time? Or maybe a movie?"

I'm shocked. I don't even really know Noah. Sure, he is cute enough, with skin the color of Carmel and glossy hair, and he seems nice enough. Why not?

"I'd love to," I reply, handing him my phone, "Here, put in your number and I'll text you."

His face lights up and he grins, showing off some dimples that make an appearance and I instantly know it was worth it, saying yes. He seems sweet. Besides, in this day and age, boys never asked you out on a date, it was just texting and asking, "wanna chill?".

As he finishes putting in his number he looks up at me, "I've got to go, I have swim practice right now." He hands me back my phone and walks off towards the pool deck, where i had just left.

Swim practice? He must be doing club swim, which makes sense to why I haven't ever seen him on the pool deck before. My practice ends at 5, and club swim practice starts at 5:30, so we don't overlap. I was late getting out today and he was early getting to practice, so we happened to run into each other. Weird how I had a class with him and didn't even know he swam.

Once he's out of view, Natalie and Dilli both open their doors and rush over to me.

"What happened?" Dilli demands.

"He asked me if I wanted to go bowling," I say, a small smile on my face.

Natalie, Dilli, and I talk for a while before I tell them I must head home, but I promise to tell them all the details alter.

As I shower at home I begin to wonder. This is a good thing, right? My feelings for Josh had almost completely disappeared, making me wonder if I had even felt any at all at some point. Yes, we were good friends, but maybe I was confusing that friendship with something else. We hadn't talked in a while, with both of us having such busy lives, especially him, but we do occasionally text.

I get out of the shower with my decision made. I would go on a date with Noah. Even if it was awful, it will help me get over any remaining feelings I might have for Josh. Plus, it's good to get out there.

The next day, I sit down in my government class and wait for Noah to show up. He sits a few rows behind me, and I smile at him as he walks in. It's a workday today, so people are allowed to move wherever they want. Noah comes and sits in the empty chair next to me, my partner already having moved across the room with her friends.

We get to talking and I realize that not only did Noah seem sweet yesterday, but that it was reality. He was sweet.

"How was your night?" he asks, seeming genuinely interested in my answer.

"Pretty good. I did some homework and then ate dinner then went to bed. Nothing too crazy. I was exhausted from practice, so I ended going to bed early."