The Dating Game

Chapter Sixty-One

Juliet

Justin seemed on edge all day today and no matter how many times I queried him, he just wouldn't give me a straight answer.

"It's nothing," he'd say. Later in the day it would change to, "You'll see." And then finally, "In a moment, Juliet," to which he seemed somewhat stressed by my persistent quizzing so I ceased.

A part of me, the lethally curious part, yearned to keep interrogating him to ultimately disclose the information, but the other sensible part of me notified me that I should probably stop anyway because I'll find out. Even Michelle and Beth, however, seemed alarmed by my question of, "What do you think is going on with Justin?"

Michelle, interest seemingly piqued by something behind me in the queue for the school gunk, said, "Oh, I'll think I'll get some more fries." Then, without another moment, she stalked off to the queue and when she came back, she looked rather annoyed that she actually had to go and get some fries.

"May I have some, Michelle, please?" asked Justin.

Conscious of how much she didn't even want them in the first place, she thrust the plate to Justin. "Have them all, I don't mind."

"But you wanted them?" I said.

Michelle shook her head and sighed. "I guess I just had a change of heart."

Then, when it was Beth's time to answer, she pretended she was too engrossed and rapt by her phone that she hadn't even heard my question. I asked three times until it was evident I wouldn't get a reply. But when Justin did saunter over and take Michelle's fries, she snapped her head up, suddenly captivated by our group again now. I frowned. They all knew something I didn't.

And to top it all off, when I was ambling back to my locker, because Justin's was a few down from me and always has been, he was talking to Michelle. His back was to me but I could distinctly distinguish Michelle's voice, even though I couldn't actually perceive her by appearance because Justin's physique was blocking her.

"How well do you think it will go down?"

"I think she'll love it."

"Who will love what?" I interjected.

"Jesus Christ, Juliet," Michelle breathed.

Justin, who was barely ever deterred by anything, turned around to me. His cheeks were slightly crimson. I guess I rumbled his secret congregation. In all fairness, whosever idea it was to have the location alarmingly close to my own locker didn't think this quite through.

My hands fell under the embrace of the mint green knitted jumper I was wearing. "What's going on?" I asked. "You've all been acting so weirdly all day. Have I done something?"

"You haven't done anything, Juliet," reassured Justin, leaning in and kissing my forehead rapidly. "But there's a surprise assembly in the hall which we all need to go to... pronto. Do you think Beth will already be there?"

"I'm right here!" hollered Beth from the end of the corridor behind me, which, incidentally, was the way we needed to go anyway.

Justin and Michelle traipsed off first leaving me dumbfounded. Michelle adjusted her bag on her shoulder as Justin let her step forward to Beth.

Getting over my momentary perplexity, I began following behind Justin, Michelle and Beth. Other students were filing into the assembly hall/main school hall now, too. Some looked bewildered and others looked like they would rather be anywhere except here. Just before I got to the doors, there was a sharp pain in my head. Instinctively reaching my hand up to touch my temple, I winced but the pain abruptly stopped. It was gone. Lowering my arm, I decided to let the pain go as I entered the hall.