Autumn Leaves and Teenage Dreams

26. Secrets

As the days pass by, I let my little disagreement with Allison slide. We don't act differently toward each other, and the friend group seems at ease, though I still notice Abigail's concerned stare every now and again. I can hear her without her lips moving, begging me to talk to her. But I'm not comfortable talking to anyone yet. Maybe the day will come when I tell Abigail, but for the time being, I figure I will act like nothing has changed.

"Prom in only a few more months!" Hazel excitedly exclaims.

Oh. Right. I blink a few times, wondering what that means for Aurora and me. The school won't let us be official dates, but maybe I can bring her with my friend group, or I can join hers. These are pleasant thoughts, I think. I imagine us in the same place as Colton and me, except we're both smiling, having fun, and actually enjoying each other's company. 

For a moment, I act almost excited about prom as my friends gush about it a little more. Then, I suddenly remember that I'm not out, that Aurora's not out, and going together would cause suspicion and harm both our reputations and relationships. So while my friends continue talking, I keep silent, even if at this point, I would love to open my mouth and tell them all.

I haven't been able to share anything about my new relationship. I would love to hear my friends admit how cute Aurora and I are and tease me until I'm flustered. It's getting harder to hold everything in these days when it's been close to a month since that cold Valentine's Day evening.

"Well, Callie still doesn't have a date," Allison says, and all faces turn toward me.

"That's something to figure out later," I murmur.

"What about that thing on Valentine's Day?" Abigail asks. My initial instinct is to give her a stabbing glare so that she shuts up, but that'll only raise more suspicion. Instead, my lips partially open as I try to figure out how to cover up anything I said to Abigail that day. I'm furious with myself for letting her know I was doing something that evening, as I assumed she would have forgotten it by this point, but I suppose I thought wrong. Everyone else turns to me in confusion.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Juliet wonders.

I suppose I have no choice but to let this conversation play out.

"I asked Callie to hang out on Valentine's Day, but she told me she had plans," Abigail says before I can answer.

"Not romantic plans!" I exclaim.

"Well, you acted all flustered about it. And even now, you're still acting kind of bothered," Abigail states, eyeing me up and down.

"I wasn't going on a date. I swear," I say, because at the time, Aurora and I weren't going on a date, even if it did end up becoming more romantic by the end of the night.

"Well, why won't you say what you were doing that night, then?" Hazel asks, raising an eyebrow.

"It was a family thing!" I argue. "I had to drive Olivia and this guy in her class to the roller rink, that's all. Then, my brother and I hung out and saw a movie."

"Which movie?" Allison further questions.

Easily enough, I just tell her the movie Aurora and I saw. Still, no one seems truly convinced, because everyone knows me well enough to know that if Abigail had asked to hang out, I would have just honestly told her I had family plans. The fact I'm keeping the evening vague makes everyone's heads spin.

"Do we have to push you for details?" Hazel questions.

"Yeah, what does he look like?" Allison asks. "Does he go to Holy Spirit?"

"How many times do I have to repeat this? I wasn't on a date that night!"

"Let's just let her tell us when she wants to," Juliet suggests. "You really aren't fooling anyone though, Callie."