The Last Virgin Standing

Chapter 17: Hugs

Banner of Sean O'Pry as Tyler Bradshaw.

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Chapter 17: Hugs

"I want one of those!" Luke cooed, looking longingly at the puppies through the window.

We were walking through downtown because there was nothing else to do. "You're not responsible enough. Remember Goby?"

Goby was Luke's goldfish in the sixth grade. He had won it at the local fair one summer. For the first couple days, he diligently took good care of him (at least I think it was a him). After that, he soon became bored of his new pet and procrastinated feeding and changing his water.

"I was eleven," he said dismissively.

"Okay, what about Doodles?"

Doodles was the gerbil he had in seventh grade. It was a birthday present from his parents. If it wasn't for his parents, Doodle would've been dead sooner.

"I thought we agreed to never talk about him," he muttered, walking away from the store window.

"All right, subject getting sensitive here. The point is you're just not mature enough for a pet, Luke."

"You sound like my mom. And besides, it's been like five years."

I shook my head. "And you still haven't changed."

"That's not true," he disagreed. "I have a girlfriend now."

My heart fell. "You have a girlfriend?"

"Don't act so surprised, Charlie. It's you."

My once fallen heart skyrocketed. Luke had just called me his girlfriend. I've been waiting for eternity for this. "I...we're dating?"

"Well, aren't we? You like me, I like you. Let's date."

"Is that you asking me out?"

"Yup. Will you be my girlfriend, Charlie? For real this time?"

As appealing as it sounded, I couldn't say yes to him. I still had my 'senior project' to do. All the hard work I put into it would all crumble in an instance if I agreed. I could still treat him like the others, go on dates with him. It wouldn't really be any different if the Top Four wasn't involved.

"I—I can't."

The dimpled smile fell off his face. "What do you mean, 'you can't?'"

"Can we just do it the traditional way?"

"The traditional way?" he repeated.

"We go on dates before you ask me to go steady."

He laughed. "Go steady?"

"It's a thing."

"All right, if that's what you want."

I grinned and nodded. "It is."

We walked along some more. The white, fluffy clouds parted and let the blue sky shine through, just like in the movies. "Hey Luke?"
"Yeah?"

"I like you."

"Well, I love you."

***