New Kid

Friend Zone

   Ed gave me his guitar as promised. He also got some new strings and polished it for me. Ed was living with a rather wealthy family, who lived just blocks from the school. The house had a small pond with goldfish, a pool, a tennis court, and a firepit for barbecues.  For some reason, Ed was not impressed,  but seemed embarrassed to show me around. His host family seemed really nice though but Ed was not eager to say why he was in the U.S. I was pretty sure Ed thought of me as a friend and I was a little disappointed. Maybe he liked Paige or some other girl. A dance was coming up at the school, it was a Halloween/costume party and anyone could ask whoever.  I thought about asking Ed, just as friends, before anyone else did. Whenever I mustered up the nerve to ask him, he started talking, and I'd lose my train of thought. Does he know? Maybe I should talk about someone so Ed has no idea I like him? Ed and I both got real quiet. I looked at my phone and saw that it was almost five. My parents would be expecting me home soon. We didn't eat dinner until 6:00 p.m. but my mom liked me home so I could " help" her. I was just about to say I needed to go home when Mrs. Sullivan came in the room. " Ed, I completely lost my manners, I meant to ask Lyla if she would like to stay for dinner." She turned to me and said, "We have plenty of food, would you like to stay?" " Oh sorry, my mom is expecting me home but maybe some other time." " I guess I lost track of time, " Ed replied. " Tom will be here soon." Ed left the room to call his driver. " Thank you for the invitation,  Mrs. Sullivan." " No problem,  Lyla." " Any friend of Ed's is welcome here.". Ed came back in the room and said Tom would be here in fifteen minutes. As Ed was putting my new used guitar in its case, I managed to blurt out, " So the Friday before Halloween, our school is having a dance,; you can wear a costume, if you want. " " I was wondering, would you go with me, as friends, totally no pressure. " " I'd love to go," Ed smiled as he handed me the guitar case. " But just as friends, right?" I couldn't tell if he was being serious or being coy, but I took a deep breath and replied," Yep,  as friends". I knew this was a good way to get to know Ed better,  I hoped. " Sure, I would love to go but you will have to help me pick out a costume." " I'm terrible at finding the right one." The dance was a month away, Ed could change his mind but I doubted he would. Maybe this dance would get me out of the friend zone, for good.