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On Monday morning, Connor came up to me, asking if I'd made my mind up, so here I am, Friday evening, getting ready to go on my first-ever date.
And I was bricking it.
I mean, what would a 15-year-old popular lad like him want with a 13-year-old like me? It was strange, yet there was something about it that made me feel both nervous and...excited.
Aofie had insisted on helping me get ready because, honestly, I had no clue what to wear. She rummaged through my wardrobe with a level of confidence I could never muster, finally landing on a pair of denim flared jeans and a baby pink tee.According to her, the outfit screamed, "That's so you!" She added a small necklace with the initial "B"on it, for Blair, of course.
"I mean, you have to wear this necklace, it's like your signature thing," she'd said, smiling.
My hair was styled in a half-up, half-down look, and Aofie even slipped a few butterfly clips in to keep it playful. A light coat of lip gloss, a dash of mascara, and I was good to go.
"You look perfect!"she beamed, stepping back to admire her work as I stood up and turned toward the mirror.
And I really did. I couldn't believe it, but I actually looked... gorgeous. My reflection didn't feel like a 13-year-old girl awkwardly stumbling through adolescence anymore; I looked older, more confident. Like maybe, just maybe, I was ready for this.
"Thanks," I smiled, turning to face her, but still feeling the nerves gnawing at my stomach.
Her face shifted slightly from excitement to concern, "You promise you'll ring me if anything happens? I mean it, Blue. If that lad steps one toe out of line, Joey will be on him in seconds—"
I rolled my eyes but smiled softly at her. She was always protective, but that's what I loved about her. "I'll be fine, Aofie. I promise you I'll ring you if anything happens, but I probably won't need to."
She still looked skeptical but finally nodded, satisfied for the moment.
As if on cue, there was a knock at the front door.
"Right, let's get you out of here!" Aofie grinned as she quickly left the room, leaving me trailing behind her. The nerves spiked again as I followed her downstairs.
My Aunt Trish was in the hallway, her eyes lighting up as she saw me. "Oh my, don't you look lovely, darling," she said warmly, stepping closer, her eyes full of pride.
"Thank you," I whispered, trying not to blush too hard.
Behind her, Uncle Tony stood with his arms crossed, a somewhat intimidating presence, but I knew he was just being the usual protective dad-figure. His hand rested on Aunt Trish's shoulder, nodding approvingly as I made my way toward the door.
And then, there he was.
Connor stood on the porch, looking a mix of casual and cool in a Beatles graphic tee and loose-fitting jeans.He had that signature confidence about him, but there was also something softer in his eyes tonight. He was holding a small bouquet of red roses,and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.
