Hey guys. I'm starting a new story called 'The Bus Club'. I will start the book once I finish this story. But I might post the first chapter before I finish this story for a sneak peek. Just wanted to give a you a heads up on the story because I'm super excited for it! Anyway, enjoy the chapter. <3 -Planetary
• • •
It was the day we all met up at Caesar's house. I was excited to give my present to Carrie. It had arrived earlier than I thought. I paid extra so it would come earlier.

I was almost at his house. I left tiny footsteps in the snow. The snow reached my ankles.

"What's up, Ariel?" It was Jack.

"Hey. Nothing really."

"Oh okay."

"..."

"..."

"..." We were at his front door now.

"Ariel, can I talk to you?"

"Um, sure."

"I was just wondering.. I've been meaning to ask.. do you want to go out with me?" He awkwardly laughs.

"..."

"This is awkward."

For some reason I couldn't turn him down. I would feel guilty if I did. I didn't even like him like that. I just liked him as a friend. But I couldn't say no. "Um, sure.. I mean yeah."

We stood in silence until I knocked on Caesar's door.

"Hey, guys. Come in." Caesar says when the door opens.

I felt embarrassed to be in front of him. Like I betrayed him. But we weren't dating. I don't think we were.

• • •

We opened our presents one by one until finally Carrie opened my present. She was in awe.

"Thanks, Ariel. You're so sweet!" She told me.

A couple minutes later, I opened my present. It was a bunch of pop art posters. One was a girl with pink hair and bright red lipstick. She was smiling as little hearts surrounded her.

I figured out that Caesar was my secret Santa. I blushed as I said "thank you."

After everyone was done, we hung out. We built a bonfire in his backyard and roasted sausages and marshmallows. After a while, we went back inside before we got frostbite.

Carrie had ran home to go grab her old radio so she could record music for her cassettes. When she came back, we decided to have a sleep over.

Caesar laid down a blow-up bed onto the living room floor and used some machine to blow it up. It made loud noises as it blew it up, so I made my way to Carrie in the kitchen.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey, thank you so much for the present," she said. She opened the cassette slot and closed it. She pressed a few buttons on the old radio until music played. She closed her eyes, "I love old stuff. Like cassettes, Polaroids, records."

"..."

"Can I ask you for some advice?"

"Sure."

"I like Jack. Like a lot. Please, don't tell anyone."

"I won't."

"I wanted to ask him out. But it's weird. Usually the guy asks the girl out and I don't want him to turn me down. And I don't even know if he likes me."

Once she said those words, I got a sick feeling. Like I betrayed not only Caesar, but Carrie. I couldn't tell her I was dating Jack. I just couldn't bring myself to. So I said the stupidest thing I could ever say in my life.

"Just ask him out. I think he'll like you back," I wanted to just get sucked into a black hole. How could I be so stupid?

"You're right. I'll ask him tomorrow."

"Okay," I said as I walked out. Please say that the sound of the machine blowing air into the bed was actually the sound of a truck engine. A truck that was coming closer to run me over.