What I Hate About You (#1 What I Hate About You)

Chapter 14

The moment Mum called me on Saturday morning that I had a phone call, I knew the only person who could be calling me was Nathan. Just because we talked yesterday at the park doesn’t mean I want to talk to him over the phone. I still hate him even if I’m allowing him to take me out.

“What are you doing today?” Nathan asks me.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Well, my uncle is the manager at Wet ‘n’ Wild, and I was wondering if you would like to come to the park with me?”

I raise my eyebrows. “Seriously? A water park?”

“Yeah, it will be great.”

“I hate Wet ‘n’ Wild.”

“Okay, well, have you ever been there?”

“No.”

“Then how do you know if you will hate it?”

“I don’t like water parks.”

“Come on, Alex. It will be fun. It will just be you and me.”

I roll my eyes. Thankfully Lindsay was spending the day with Emilynn, so she couldn’t hear my conservation at all. “Nathan, just because you asked me out for Monday does not mean I want to spend the weekend with you either.”

“I know. Let’s not make it a date. We will make it like a friends’ day out all the time.”

“Why can’t you go with Eric?”

“He is busy today.”

I sigh. “Fine. I will go. But if anyone from school is there, we pretend we aren’t there together.”

I feel his smile through the phone. Even if I couldn’t see it, it makes my heart jump for joy a little. I put my hand over my heart. Is it supposed to feel like that?

I hang up the phone and promised him I will meet him at the park. I didn’t want anyone seeing me in broad daylight getting into the car with him.

“Are you going out?” Mum wanted to know.

“Yeah. I will be back later. I don’t know how long I will be.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the park.”

“Are you meeting with Nathan?”

I feel nausea. “No.”

I run up to my room before Mum could ask me anymore questions. She didn’t need to know if I was hanging with Nathan. She will think I’m going on my first date and she will make a fuss over it. I didn’t see what the fuss about hanging out with a guy. I didn’t even like him anyway. I was going to spend the day with him. I hope that’s what we’re doing. He better not try anything on me.

I search through my draws for my swim suit. I can’t believe I’m agreeing to do this. I don’t remember the last time I even wore a swim suit. I haven’t been swimming for years. I hate the water. I search through the draws, not remembering where I put it. Maybe if I tell Nathan that I no longer have a swim suit, he might change his mind about the water park.

I sneak downstairs and grab a beach towel from the closet in the hallway. I then make my way out onto the street and towards the park.

I didn’t have to wait for Nathan for long. He pulls up on the side of the road five minutes after I arrive. He smiles when he sees me, unlocking the door. I climb in.

“Just so you know, I don’t have a swim suit,” I tell him.

“That’s okay. We can get one at the park.”