Limitless: The Second Edition

Oliver

My ears are ringing with her words. Time is frozen. My own heartbeat drowns out the sounds of the auditorium. Can this really be true? Did Hannah just tell me to my face that she's in love with me?

"With me?" I manage to squeak at last. It's taking everything I have to find my voice.

"With you," Hannah replies. "I've never felt this way about anyone before."

Of course she has. She has definitely felt whatever way she's feeling now about Derek at some point. I really don't want her to make the mistake of falling for me when she could lose everything she's worked so hard for.

"What about Derek?" I ask. Seriously, there is no way her love for Derek could just have evaporated into thin air overnight. That's just not how this works. Not in my experience, anyway.

"He's a good kid, but he doesn't completely make me melt the way you do," she answers. "You're unlike any guy I've ever met."

I stand there staring at her, unable to process what's going on. "Okay, let me put it this way. Why are you in love with me? Why not Derek? Derek is able-bodied, hot, and famous. I can't dance with you the way he can. Are you seriously turning down the chance to be the girlfriend of the current king of Broadway?"

She nods confidently. "I wouldn't give you up for the world. And Derek made me swoon when I first discovered him, but now, I have to admit he's more like a brother to me. I just can't see myself with him the way I can with you. Trust me, Oliver. I want you."

That's when I realize that she's most likely serious. Hannah McFloyd is in love with me. This is real. I don't understand how or why, but she is, and now I have to figure out what to do next.

Come on, brain. Think. What do we say to pretty girls?

I don't know, what do we say to pretty girls? What do we say to pretty girls who are putting their social status on the line for a guy like me? That is one of the many questions of the universe science has yet to answer. But for now, I just need to ask. "What about your social status?"

She waves her hand dismissively. "I couldn't care less about what people think about me. They can laugh, but my ears are deaf to their taunts. All I care about at this point is whether or not you like me back."

Okay, she is serious. She really does like me. And I like her, too. I can't help but smile at her as I prepare to admit it. "If I said I didn't like you, Hannah, I would be telling a big fat lie," I tell her with a grin. "And I promised my mother I wouldn't tell lies."

Her face is a million shades of red. Her green eyes widen in shock, and now it's her turn to stand there, unable to respond.

I decide to break the uncomfortable silence. "Earth to Hannah! Are you going to stand there, or are you going to hug me?"

She doesn't speak, but wordlessly throws her arms around me and hugs me tightly. I hug her back. I don't even know what to say right now. I'm the Phantom of the Opera holding his Angel of Music. I'm Jack Kelly on the rooftop embracing Katherine. I'm a boy with a girl. And it feels amazing. All it's going to take now is one question to make it official.

We break from our hug, and I gaze into her emerald eyes. "Will you please be my girlfriend, Hannah?"

She smiles warmly, her eyes sparkling. "Of course. Say, my dad is picking me up tonight. Why don't you come out and say hi?"

The nervousness creeps in again, but I shake it off. Meeting Hannah's dad can't be that much of a big deal. Besides, I have plenty of time to kill before Mom comes and gets me.

After about fifteen minutes, Hannah leads me out to the lobby of the high school where a tall brown-haired man wearing a plaid shirt stands waiting for her.

"Dad, I'd like you to meet Oliver," she introduces me to him, putting a hand on my arm. "Is it okay with you if I go out with him?"

"Do you do any illegal things?" the man asks me.

I shake my head. "Nope. Doing drugs and drinking is gross. I don't even go anywhere, really."

He looks at his daughter, then back at me. "Well, then, son, feel free to date my princess. You seem like a cool kid. And honestly, me asking you that question was a joke. Hannah never shuts up about you at home. Literally the only reason I asked to come pick her up today was because I wanted to meet you. She's completely enchanted by you, boy."

Hannah blushes furiously. She looks up at her father. "Dad!" she protests, clearly embarrassed.

Her dad laughs. "Sorry, Hannah. I had to. Say, Oliver, come on over any time. You're welcome whenever. We'd better get going, though. It was wonderful to meet you, kid. You're just as amazing as Hannah says you are."

"Thank you," I reply.

Hannah hugs me one more time, then leaves with her dad. I stand there watching until the door closes behind them, then turn around to find Derek watching with a huge grin.

"So? How'd it go?" he presses.

I find myself at a loss for words again. "She - she likes me, Derek."

He rolls his eyes. "Not surprised, dude. Not surprised whatsoever. Wanna go celebrate?"

"Sure, let me text my mom and let her know I'm going with you."

I quickly call up my mom. As soon as the words "I got a girlfriend" exit my mouth, it's a good ten seconds of her screaming before I can tell her that Derek and I are going out. She tells me to invite Hannah out for a date as soon as possible and then to have fun with Derek.

Derek and I go out to the parking lot and get in his car.

"Where are we headed?" I ask him, thinking we're heading to Albert's.

"We're going to go to StarBurger," he responds. "Then we're going to the Polar Palace for ice cream. That okay with you?"

I nod. "Sure thing. Thanks, bro." It feels natural to call him "bro" now. After all, he calls me that all the time.

As we pull out of the school's parking lot onto the main road to get to the nearest fast food joint, my phone lights up with a text from Courtney. I open it, then read it and laugh when I see what it says. Don't hurt my girl, Enso. She was my girl long before she was yours!

Don't worry, Courtney, I type back. I'll treat her like a queen.

I gaze out the window, watching the landscape fly by. And a wave of good feeling washes over me when it finally hits me. I have a girlfriend.