The Forbidden One

A Nervous Side |E|

EDITED

Evangeline

It's been a few weeks since Mom and Nicolas had dropped the bomb on us about their marriage and his affair with my grandmother. I still think that's gross, FYI.

Moms been coping with the loss thanks to Dad, he's been very supportive of her, although, I wish he wasn't called for emergency surgeries much. At least not while Mom is hurting.

I still don't know the full details but Mom must've had some type of affection still stored up for Athena. If she didn't, why would she be sobbing so much? A person who doesn't care, doesn't cry or mourn.

"Ev!" Albert called, a gleam in his eyes as he's running toward me at full speed. "I have to ask you something."

"Nice to see you too, Al." I smile, every time Albert is around me, my stomach gets this funny feeling inside. Butterflies roam in there like crazy! "What do you need to ask?"

Albert smiles a toothy smile and opens his mouth, "I was sort of wondering if you'd like to go to grab some burgers after school?"

"Yeah, that's cool." He does a little face dance with his lip before I can say the next part. "Who's going?" His face falls into a combination of embarrassment and realization.

"Uh," he stutters. "Just us."

"Oh!" I breathe, "Like a, um, like a date?" He nods. I haven't been on a real date before; I'm not that type of girl who goes out every day of the week. I hardly want to get out of the house let alone go on dates with really cute guys. But I really like Albert so I have to at least try. "Sure! What time?"

Alberts face resembles relief. "I'll pick you up two hours after school."

I nod, watching him walk backwards. "It's a date!"

🌸🌸🌸

I'm not sure if I took it wrong or not but I'm almost sure Mom didn't really want me to go to this date with Albert.

She used to like him, what changed?

"You look beautiful," Albert says for the hundredth time this night.

We had just finished eating our burgers and now we were on our way to my house. "Thanks," I say. "Again."

He chuckles nervously before stopping me, "Ev, I want to ask you something."

"Um, okay." I take notice of his hand holding mine tightly. "What is it?"

"Do you," He clears his throat and mutters something under his breath. "Do you..do you want to.." His shoulders slump and he releases my hands. "Do you want to get something else before we go?"

I shake my head. Clearly that wasn't the question he had in mind.

I won't lie, I kinda hoped he'd ask me to be his girl, I guess he just doesn't find me interesting.