Tongue Tied *UNDERGOING EDITING*

21. Mess It Up

Before We Fall In Love - Damato

Ariel's POV

Two hours before the dinner, I walk into the bathroom and turn on the shower. I take a deep breath before adjusting the water to hot and getting in. While shampooing and conditioning my hair, I can't help but be excited for this. I called Zoey twenty minutes ago and told her about my outfit. Then I texted her a picture. She wished me good luck, but still wouldn't tell me what she and Luke were talking about on Friday.

I climb out of the shower, wrap a towel around myself, and then maneuver back to my bedroom, closing the door and leaning up against it. I release a sigh before straightening up and going over to the outfit laid out on my bed.

I wrap my hair up in my towel and then slip into my oufit: a strapless denim dress with a tiered skirt and brown leather braided belt. Four golden buttons lead up to the top. Then I go over to my full length mirror and take my towel off my head. I begin to towel dry my hair before going over to curling iron and giving myself beach waves.

My hair is pretty much dry by the time I've finished applying my makeup. I glance over at my clock as I put on a pair of brown leather braided sandals. Luke's picking me up in ten minutes. I stand up after adjusting the buckle and grab my new brown leather bag. I sling it over my shoulder, the bag part just reaching my waist line. Then I go downstairs.

"Ariel, you look beautiful." my mom says, greeting me at the bottom of the stairs. "Thanks." I say quietly. "Are you nervous?" she asks. "No. Why would I be? Its just dinner with my friend." I say, stepping around her and getting a granola bar out of the cabinet. I turn around and she slaps the granola bar out of my hands. I look down at it, then back at her, then back down at the floor, my hands still holding the air where the granola bar used to be.

"Um, what the heck?" I ask. "You're about to go out to dinner! You can't eat before!" she says. "Sorry." I say, holding my arms up in surrender. "And if it was just dinner with your "friend", you wouldn't have dressed this nicely." she says. "So I can't dress nice without people thinking I like the guy?" I ask. "No, I didn't say that. Its just that...you wouldn't have tried so hard if you didn't care." she says. I think about this for a moment, then start mentally freaking out.

I don't want to be overdressed. And I definitely don't want Luke to know I like him. Or even think it.

I'm about to run upstairs and change into jeans and a t-shirt when the doorbell rings. I pause, halfway up the first step and turn around, my eyes squinted closed. I walk back down the stairs and open the front door. Relief floods through me when I see Luke wearing a polo shirt and jeans. Thank God.

"Hi." I say, trying to sound confident but instead sounding like a scared little girl. "Hey." he replies, looking me up and down. "Enjoying the view?" I ask, placing one hand on my hip and the other on my head and twisting in a mock fashion pose. He laughs. "You do look really nice." he says. "Thanks." I say. "Have fun!" I hear my mom yell from the kitchen. I turn around and see her waving goodbye before disappearing into the living room.

"Are you ready to go?" Luke asks. I turn my head back to him and nod. "Yeah. Let's go." I say and follow him to his truck, closing the front door behind me.

He opens the door for me, and I climb in. I can't believe this is happening. I'm really having dinner with Luke. It's not a date, he has a girlfriend, I say to myself, locking the seatbelt in with the buckle. I relax in my seat as Luke shuts the door on his side and starts the car.

"I'm taking you to my family's favorite Italian restaurant." he says, pulling away from my house. "Sounds cool." I say nodding my head. "Is everything OK?" he asks. "Yeah, everything's fine." I say. "OK, whats wrong?" he asks, looking at me while inaudibly sighing.

"I just...it feels weird going out to dinner with you when you have a girlfriend." I blurt out quickly. He shifts in his seat, obviously a little uncomfortable. "Did I say something?" I ask. "No, its just that I broke up with Alyssa last night." he says. "Oh." I say, and then excitement soars through my veins, only to be crushed by remembering his feelings for Zoey.

After ten long minutes, Luke pulls up in front of the restaurant. I slide out of the truck as Luke pulls the door open for me. "Such a gentleman." I say, flirting without meaning to.

Can I please just hide under a rock. I sound so ridiculous. 

He opens the door to the restaurant and I walk inside, the aroma of meatballs and cooking pasta wafting towards us. "Its smells delicious." I say. "The smell doesn't even compare to the taste." he says, walking up to the stand where a waitress stands, looking out for any new customers. "Luke! Hi!" she says. "Hey!" he says. "How's your mom and dad?" she asks. "They're good." he says. "And whose this gorgeous girl? Luke, are you on a date?" she asks.

"Um, no." he says, sinking my spirit only a little. "Oh. Well, date or not, you're going to love the food." she says with a smile. "C'mon, I'll take you to a table." she says, grabbing two menus and leading us over to the far corner of the restaurant. "Here you go." she says, setting our menus down on the table across from each other. I slide into the seat against the wall and Luke slides in in front of me.

"This is nice." I say once were alone. "Yeah." he says. I did not want tonight to be filled with awkward silences. I guess Luke didn't want that either.

"Hey, look, this doesn't have to be awkward. I just want to talk like we're friends." he says. I nod. "So, ask me a question." he says. "Ok, uh, who are you thinking about asking to prom?" I ask. "I don't know." he says. "Well, its next week. You better ask someone soon or your going alone." I say with a laugh. "Ill find someone." he says. For some reason, this bothers me a little.