The Minor

Monday, Last Semester of Senior Year

"You two are adorable," Cal beamed and clapped as he motioned for us to spin in circles, making sure we weren't forgetting anything. "The last first day of school for my girls."

"Excuse me," Amber interjected, jutting out her chin & glowering at her boyfriend. "Don't you dare start sounding like my father. It's a huge turn off."

I snorted while Cal smirked. "You love it when I say dumb things & you know it." She punched his arm in response.

Walking away before they could start making out in front of me, I grabbed my bag & keys. "I'll meet you in the car in 5," I yelled back to Amber without turning around. Her response was muffled.

I stomped through the door & practically slammed it before coming to a halt in the hallway. I was going to have to pass Thomas in the lobby if I went down the elevator. It took about 3 seconds of pondering what his face would look like when I passed and what kind of awkward conversations would take place before I turned around & walked down the stairs. At least walking down them was better than walking up.

I nearly had a heart attack when I hit the bottom step and my phone began seizing in my pocket. The thing nearly buzzed it's way out of my pants before I was able to answer it. "What's wrong?"

"Crystal," Kayla laughed loudly, loosening some of the tightness in my chest, "why does something always have to be wrong when I call you?"

"No reason," I closed my eyes with a quick prayer of thanks & took a deep breath. "What's going on?"

"Guess who finally HAS A BOYFRIEND?!" She squealed the last few words three octaves higher than I'd ever heard her squeal before. "He asked me out last night. Well, not really. He kind of just told me that he's like to ask me out. I asked him why he was waiting & get this: he said that he wanted to ask my dad's permission first! Isn't that just the cutest thing! I told him that it wasn't necessary & my dad wasn't old fashioned & wouldn't care a bit, but he said that he cared & it mattered to him, so I drove him home right then & there so he could meet my dad & ask. I can't believe I did that. It's so forward! But he said that he loved meeting my parents so spontaneously & -"

I listened to her ramble for the better part of ten minutes as I walked to my car & sat there, waiting for Amber to join. She hardly noticed when I stopped responding, as she didn't need my encouragement to keep going. "So now we're official & I don't have to keep wondering if I should be going out with other people or like, saying I have a boyfriend or something... because now I know that I have a boyfriend or something! Isn't that exciting? It's all because of YOU!"

That wasn't quite true. Kayla was known to be quite forward on her own & probably would've just done exactly what I had done for herself, had I not been there... but I verbalized my agreement. "I'm so glad that it all worked out for you, Kayla. You deserve the world & I think he wants to give it to you on a silver platter." 

She sighed softly. "I know right? Is it too early to say that I love him?"

I laughed out loud at that. She quickly retracted her statement. "I mean, I obviously don't LOVE him, because that would be ridiculous. We've only been dating for a few weeks & I could never fall in love with someone in a few weeks. Never."

At that moment, Amber opened the other door & swung herself into the vehicle. I quickly explained to Kayla that I had to go & was extremely happy for her & would talk to her later that day before hanging up. By the time the key was in the ignition, Amber had fixed up her hair & makeup in the passenger seat. "Thanks for waiting."

"Didn't really have another option," I joked, which began the barrage of back & forth comments between Amber & I that always seemed to put me in a better mood.