Friday night could not be any better, I wished it would last forever but he had to drop me home at the end and I almost invited him in but thankfully a last-second realization hit me, and I remembered my mother.
We stayed in the car for half an hour almost before I finally got out, we talked about soccer matches coming up and Halloween and all kinds of stuff and he finally promised to take me out again for a special date next week.
On Sunday, we had our little family gathering which became a habit since Joe moved to town and she would not stop asking me what happened during our date. She harassed me with texts on Saturday until I promised her that I would tell her everything the next day. She got what she wanted at the end, I even showed her the few photos we took and some I took of the boat and the food he brought.
It felt nice talking to her about my ''relationship'' with James, it made it feel real, unlike the conversation I have with Callie and Ethan which eventually ends up with bringing in Ian and how this affects our situationship.
On Monday, the school started to be Halloweeny, the clubs are already decorating the hallways and classrooms and hanging posters about the annual Halloween party.
"Hey!" That is what I hear just before a huge figure hugs me from behind. He spins me in the air before putting me down and kissing me passionately, I know started getting self-conscious about the kisses we share in public and the stares we get which makes me blush hard and I hide my face in his torso hugging him tightly.
"Hey.." I whisper looking up at him.
"I couldn't stop thinking about you all weekend." He whispers back in such a sensual tone.
I couldn't either, or actually, I didn't have the chance to with Ethan, Callie, and Joe talking about him all weekend.
"You two stop being all lovey-dovey and let's go!" Shawn screams at us dragging us both to our classrooms, they leave me at my classroom and head to theirs.
At lunch, I convince Callie and Ethan to join our table. I do not want to have two different groups of friends, that will be too much work and it will mean I have to choose one over the other at some point.
James and Ian were discussing some upcoming show for a local band, it will be held this weekend and they're trying to get everyone on board, it's not really popular and I have never heard of them but apparently they have great songs and even greater covers.
"Have you heard of them?" James now turns to me.
"Nope," I shrug "but I'll go if you promise it'll be fun."
"It will!" he exclaims excitedly "Let me show you some of their songs."
He takes out his phone and earbuds and I notice that his lock screen is our picture, the one with him kissing my nose, and that is just so sweet that I lean over and kiss him on the cheek while he was googling the band.
"What?" he turns to me.
"Nothing just felt like doing it."
"You should feel that more often." He smiles.
Shawn sighs exasperatedly "I think I should get myself a girlfriend soon, you two are just so much to take for a single person like me."
"Maybe if you stop fooling around then you'd find someone!" James remarks and I feel the need to tell him that he is or maybe has been no different, but Shawn does it for me.
"Don't make me shame you in front of her." He threatens playfully but we all know James, it is no secret how many girls he is dated and how short it lasts.
Michelle finally joins our table, she was the only one still absent, she sits down next to Ian and greets him with a kiss on the cheek.
James has been showing me different songs and covers of the so-called band and I have to admit they are pretty good, but I keep fixated most of the time on the conversation Ian and Michelle were having. They are practically whispering which makes it difficult for any of us to hear them. And then an idea crosses my mind, a stupid one maybe but it does.
"Hey, maybe we four should go on a double date, as the only couples around this table." I say cutting their conversation.
"That seems like a good idea! We'll have fun!" James seemed excited about the idea after he and Ian are getting closer, I can even say that he considers as his best friend and he might even surpass Shawn.
"We're not a couple actually." Ian admits diverting his gaze from Michelle.
I can tell that she is hurt, her mouth hangs as open as mine or everyone else's for that fact. I feel sorry for her but even more for me. Have I been doing all of this for nothing? They have been together for so long now, it was noticed and witnessed by everyone even before that kiss they shared after James' party, what was all that then if they weren't actually dating? Does he actually want to drive me crazy?
The whole table has gone silent, no one dares ask them what that means or what they are especially when it is obvious how hurt Michelle is. After a few seconds, she leaves the table, and he does not even go after her. Anger starts to boil inside me, what he did to me was one thing, but he stooped so down this time.
"Ian can you come with me for a second!" James finally breaks the heavy atmosphere before leaving the table with Ian.
"That was" Shawn starts to comment but then stops searching for the right word "Wow! Now you've witnessed all our dirt and became officially part of our group." He smiles at Callie and Ethan "Bound by shame!" he laughs at his last sentence, and it actually relaxes the atmosphere around us.
A few minutes later, James comes back but Ian was nowhere to be seen. We leave first and I take this chance to ask about what happened.
"Is everything alright?" I ask him holding his arm.
"I don't really know." he sighs "He says that he cares about her, but they never made it official and that's why he said that or something. Anyway, he's off to talk to her and you'll get your double date soon." He finally smiles at me pulling me closer.