Chemistry with Kadena

Thoughts

"Okay, I have a few ideas that I want to run by you guys," Kat informed Sutton and Jane. The girls sat on her bed, eagerly awaiting to hear what she had to say. Kat took a white t-shirt out of her closet and slipped it over her head before pointing to the writing on it. "So my first idea is that I put 'Prom? Check one.' on a t-shirt and put two boxes, but both say yes."

"That's... cute..." Jane hesitantly encouraged her, shooting a glance at Sutton.

"Kat, you can't do that one," Sutton sighed. "The boxes are positioned perfectly around your nipples. Adena's gonna get the wrong idea. Unless that is the idea you're going for..."

"Ugh..." Kat groaned and took the t-shirt off. "I saw it online. It worked on the flat-chested guy who'd thought of it."

"Well, you're not a flat-chested guy," Sutton reminded her as her gaze dropped to Kat's chest. She raised her eyes back up to Kat's face.

"And that's probably one of the reasons Adena likes you," Jane teased.

"What if I got her some wings, said I was just gonna wing it, and then asked her to prom?"

"Didn't you already think of something with pizza?" Jane asked, scrunching her nose up. "Get off the food asks. Especially with all the grease..."

"Yeah, these are clearly the brilliant ideas of high school boys," Sutton added sarcastically. "I don't know if I'd go down that route."

"Plus, you don't know what she eats," Jane reminded her. "Because she's, you know..."

Kat rolled her eyes.

"Guys, I'm so nervous..." Kat confessed, sitting beside her two friends. "I'm gonna make a fool of myself, aren't I? Please don't let me do that."

"Oh, honey..." Sutton responded softly.

"We're definitely not gonna let you do that—that's why we've shot down all your ideas so far," Jane answered a little too honestly. Sutton elbowed her. "But keep trying. You'll think of something."

"I better," Kat sighed. "The weekend is already over. If I'm gonna do it, I have to do it tomorrow."

"Why?"

"Because I'll lose my nerve," Kat half-joked. "But really, I want to give her time. Prom isn't too far away."

"Yeah, we know..." Jane nodded, earning another elbow jab from Sutton. She and Sutton stood up at the same time. "Well, we'll leave you to it."

"You're leaving?" Kat inquired with surprise.

"I have a shit-ton of homework to do," Jane replied honestly.

"Have fun," Kat sarcastically wished her.

"That's your fault, over-achiever," Sutton pointed out to Jane. "As for me, I have a date. We're going bowling. Or so that's what I told my mom. Not that she cares where I am."

"Have fun," Kat repeated, this time with sincerity. "And I can already tell that that's what I'll be doing for the rest of the afternoon. Having fun brainstorming."

•••

Kat stared at the lollipop with the note attached in her hand. She was standing outside of the studio where Adena worked after having been invited to pose for some pictures, and she was too nervous to go inside yet.

"Excuse me," a girl said from behind her, surprising her. The girl looked to the doors that Kat was blocking with her body, and Kat apologized, stepping aside so the girl could get by. Kat stared up at the doors, trying to will herself into going through them.