Chapter 17

Tab was pissed when I told her the reason I was not going to the dance, later that evening.

   "What a dick. I mean, I'm not surprised," she said, into the phone which was pressed against my ear. "I'm sure they've done it before. Want us to boycott the party?"

   "No, no. I'm going to hang out with my mom," I told here, hoping she didn't think that was lame.

   "Oh, okay. Well, maybe we can hang out Sunday? Lunch, or something?" she suggested.

   "Yeah. Let's do that," I agreed, happy that she understood.

   "I'll text you party updates?" she asked, before hanging up.

   I  wasn't sure I wanted them, but I agreed anyway.

The first update was : DARWIN IS ANNOYED YOU'RE NOT COMING. I TOLD HIM HE MAY AS WELL FORGET ABOUT HIS LITTLE BET.

   THANKS, TAB, I sent back.

   It was already after 9P.M. My mom and I were literally hanging out in pajamas and watching a chick flick. She had made peanut butter cookies and we were also sharing a big bowl of popcorn. My mom was happy, I could tell. I wondered what she did before I'd showed up. Was she alone a lot? Did she have a lot of friends? There were a lot of things I still didn't know about her, but I knew she was glad to have me back in her life.

   An hour later, the movie was ending as I got another update from Tab.

   UPDATE: DARWIN MAKING OUT WITH JESSICA TURNER. I GUESS HE'S OVER YOU. HAHA.

   GLAD TO HEAR THAT, I typed back.

   "Your friends go to that party?" my mom asked, surprising me. We hadn't talked about it at all. I nodded at her. "Do you wish you went?"

   "Nope."

   The doorbell rang, surprising me again. I looked over towards the front door. My mom half smiled and stood up, shrugging in my direction. I felt like I was holding my breath for a some reason, but I turned my attention back to the TV. Until she called my name.

   "Kelsey!"

   "Yeah?" I called back, confused.

   "There's someone here to see you," she told me, stepping back into the living room so I could see her again.

   I froze, unsure. Nervous, I stood up and walked towards her. She stepped back a bit while I turned the corner and went to the door. There was Anderson, smiling at me. He had on a white shirt and bow tie, with black pants. His hair looked different.

   "Hey," he said to me, like this was completely normal.

   My mom didn't move. "You two know each other?" 

   "We... met at the BBQ," Anderson answered quickly.

   I nodded, quiet, then said, "Mom, can you let us..."

   "Oh, yes. Of course." Her eyes looked between him and I for a second before she turned and walked back towards the kitchen.

   "Hi," Anderson said again, to me.

   "Uh, hi," I said, then added, "Why didn't you text?"

   "I... I don't know. I just drove here from a party, in Minneapolis-"

   "What?"

   "I was at this party, with friends..."

   I looked at his outfit again, but realizing he was pretty dressed up.

   "A fancy party?" I asked, eyes wide. I was in baggy sweat pants and a long sleeved shirt.

   "I guess, yeah."

   "So..."

   "I just realized that I'd rather be here." His words sounded so sincere, which for some reason made me skeptical.

   "You only came up with three reasons," I accused him.

   "Right, but -"

   "I said ten reasons."

   "I know," he shrugged.

   "Real reasons," I went on.

   "Well... number four... I can't stop thinking about you -"

   "You tried that one already," I interrupted, then smiled.

   "But it's still true." He grinned, then looked down at his feet. Or my feet.

   We were still just standing there in the doorway, so I crossed my arms over my body. The air was chilly. I didn't know if I should invite him in, so what my mom would think. I didn't know what to do, at all.

   "I found out yesterday that some of the popular guys at school were betting on who could hook up with me first," I spat out, without thinking.

   Anderson's expression changed. "Really?"

   "Yeah. And apparently your sister is making out with one of those guys at this very moment..." I added, shaking my head.

   He winced, stepped back a bit. "Uh, how do you know that?"

   "A friend, at the party that's happening right now."

   "But you stayed home?" he asked, giving me a look that I couldn't read.

   "I'm not interested in being hit on by douche bags who just want to-"

   Anderson put up his hand, stopping me from finishing the sentence. "I'll go to my mom's tomorrow. I'll talk to Jessie."

   "What? No. She already doesn't like me," I said quickly.

   "I like you," he smiled, stepping forward again.

   "Anderson... I don't think any of this is a good idea."

   "What?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

   "Us. Doing this," I answered, motioning between us.

   "Well what are we doing?" he asked again, pretending like he didn't know what I meant.

   "You tell me. You just drove here -"

   "Kelsey." His voice was quiet now. "Can we just... hang out tonight?"

   Like I was going to say no to this. He must have known, but I shrugged anyway. "My mom and I were..."

   A few moments of awkward silence passed before my mom's voice filled the air. "Kels! I'm going to bed!"

   Anderson grinned, eyes wide. He waiting for me to talk again.

   "Fine. But I'll need at least two more reasons by the end of the weekend."

   It was too cold to hang out outside that night, and I wasn't about to invite him in. He suggested his grandparents back porch.

   "They've been asleep for hours," he laughed.

   I felt weird being there, for the first few minutes. The wall paper was mint green and there were a bunch of fake pants, as well as one wooden bench. I just sat beside him, breathing in his cologne.

   "You actually left a fancy party to come see me tonight?" I finally asked, after more silence.

   He nodded. "I was with Theo, my buddy, and his girlfriend, andwe were, like, dancing... they were drinking... and I just... I kept thinking how lame it was that I was there on a night that I could be here."

   "That's really... sweet," I told him, smiling.

   "Number five. I really like how you don't know how beautiful you are."

   I swallowed hard. "What? Of course I know how beautiful I am."

   Anderson let out a muffled laugh. "Oh, okay. Sorry."

   "It was just never... like that for me." I shook my head. "I guess I wasn't cool enough, or pretty enough. I didn't stand out."

   He smiled at me, instead of answering. It was quiet for awhile, me trying to decide how this had happened and him just keep his eyes on me. I wish I knew what he was thinking. I wish he would just tell me what he wanted. But he just looked at me, making me fall for him even more.

   He was Jessica's brother. He was a year older than me. He lived over an hour away. And yet there we were, together.