Chemistry

Chapter 22: Confusion

"So?" Brandon added as Tiara stood speechless. 

"I-I, I don't know," Tiara softly said. She was stuck. Once again. She had Daniel, who hadn't been showing any interest in her for the past week. And then Brandon who has regretted everything he's done to her, ask her to the dance in the most romantic and sweetest way ever. What was she to do? She can't just turn the boy down. Not in front of the all these people. And it was an amazing proposal. Even though she truly wanted Daniel, she removed her hands from her face. And nodded 'yes'. "Yes. I'll go with you," she whispered. 

"Are you sure?" Brandon whispered back.

Tiara nodded again. She tried to stop smiling cheesily like an idiot, but she couldn't help it. She's never felt so special. But she knew better than to let this change the way she saw Brandon. And that was nothing more than a friend.

"She said yes!" Brandon shouted from the center of cafeteria. Suddenly, the whole cafeteria erupted in cheering and whistling and "Awwws!" full of awe. Brandon then put his arm around Tiara's neck and pulled her in for a hug. It was such a magical moment...just not with the right guy.

After everyone had settled down, Brandon told Tiara that she could pick up the cello after school from the orchestra room. Then he went away with the violin girl. 

As Tiara made her way back to her table, everyone she walked passed patter her on the back, smiling and saying, "Congratulations." 

"Thank you," she smiled and said to each of them. 

She could still feel the tingly sensation in her stomach as she made her way to her seat and sat down. It was a good kind of tingly. If she were a few shades lighter, her blushing would be recognized.

"Oh my Gosh! Who was that?!" Nicholas asked wide eyed. "That was the cutest thing I've ever seen! I'm so happy for you!"

Tiara smiled down at the purple table and said, "Thank you."

"Who was that?" Zack repeated. 

"A friend," Tiara felt like she had to make the platonic relationship between him and her known. "His name is Brandon."

"Wait, that was Brandon?" Nicholas asked in distaste. Over the course of Tiara tutoring Nicholas, she had told him many things about Brandon. Negative things, more so than positive. And everything that Tiara had told him about Brandon had shot back into his remembrance, and he scowled at them. 

Tiara nodded uneasily.

"Ew. Okay. That just became uncute," Nicholas rolled his eyes.

"What about Daniel?" Zack requested.

"What about Daniel?" Tiara stated trying to make a point. 

"I thought you guys had something," Nicholas added.

"Exactly," Tiara replied. 'Had."

"Uh oh," Zack said. 

"Oh no. What happened?" Nicholas asked. He pushed his tray to the side and propped his elbows up on the table. 

"I don't know. I couldn't decide between him and Brandon. And I think that's what messed everything up." Tiara shook her head in distraught. "I feel like he's been ignoring me."

"Daniel really likes you, ya know?" Zack began. "He's scared to death of losing you."

Tiara sorrowfully stared down at her nails. She never really realized how much Daniel actually liked her. Simply because she stayed so blinded by the 'could have beens' and the 'should have beens' with Brandon. But he had asked her to homecoming and she had said yes. It was done. It took her awhile to say, "But not anymore, right?"