The Two of Us

The Human Ice Cube

Friday started off fantastic.

My dumbass alarm didn't go off, so I was instead woken up by Eddie decorating me with Silly String.

I didn't have enough time to walk to school, so I kind of had to let him drive me.

The experience was terrifying. It felt like the knight bus scene from the third Harry Potter movie, but with alternative polka music playing in the background and the overwhelming smell of Cheetos filling the vehicle.

And it wasn't until halfway through the school day, while I was standing at the bottom of the stairwell talking to Fallon, that I realized I had completely forgotten to grab a fucking jacket.

Don't ask how.

There was no way in hell I was letting Eddie drive me again, so I was gonna have to steal somebody else's before walking home.

"You can borrow my jacket if you want," Fallon offered.

"I appreciate the offer, but there's no way your jacket is gonna fit me."

They were really skinny. I was not. I was chubby and broad-shouldered.

"I'll probably just ask Eddie if I can borrow one of the five jackets he wore today."

"Speaking of which, why did he wear five jackets today? It's not that cold."

I leaned back against the railing of the stairs. "I...don't know. Maybe—aaAHH FUCK!"

I looked up to see whoever the hell had just grabbed my shoulders and scared my last few brain cells out of me, only to find Blair standing there on the stairs, laughing.

"Holy shit, Blair. I don't think I've ever flinched that hard before in my entire life."

"Sorry," she leaned onto the railing, "I couldn't help myself."

"Of course you couldn't."

"But it's actually pretty convenient that I found you here because I wanted to ask you something. You know that new horror movie that just came out?"

"Ghost Grandma IV: The Cookies Are Getting Cold? Yeah. It looks terrible."

I watched the trailer for that movie about seven times and was reduced to tears each time.

"It does. And since we both like terrible horror movies, I was wondering if you'd want to see it with me?"

"Hell yeah. When are you thinking?"

"How about Sunday around six-ish?"

"Sunday around six-ish. I can make that."

"Okay then." She grinned. "It's a date."

With that, she pulled my beanie down over my face and went down the rest of the stairs and out the stairwell.

I knew she was only joking when she called it a date, but I'd be lying if I said that I didn't feel some type of way when she said those words.

I also may or may not have completely clocked out after she left, because I spent a solid ten seconds watching her walk down the hallway before Fallon started waving their hand in front of my face.

"Earth to Baby, are you still there?"

"Uh...yeah," I said. "I think I'm gonna go find my brother before I forget."