It's been around four weeks since Alba and I first met. Over our time together I learned that Alba back home in Spain never been to a school dance. This lit me up with excitement since it finally gave me I guess a chance to ask her out on a date. However, my nerves wouldn't let me. Questions ran through my head like "Is this ok" and "What happens to us if she rejects me" and so on and so forth. It had me turning in my bed as I kept glancing at my phone. Then I noticed that I never been to homecoming which made things tortuous. However, I had two weeks to decide what to do about it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As I walked to school I caught a glimpse of a cat pouncing me in the bushes. I quickly stopped and turned towards the bush and started to make noises with my mouth that I learned when I read a book on cats. The cat slowly approached me with some caution. As it approached I noticed it was missing some hair as if it was balding. It was also missing a collar which led me to the conclusion that it might be a stray. I moved slowly in its direction to close the gap between us. Finally, we closed the gap between us. This allowed me to get on my knees to attempt and pet it. At first the stray very hesitant when I tried to pet it, but after a couple of very cautious glances, it finally allowed me to pet it.
However, after a few pets, I noticed as I looked down at my watch that I was about to become late. I quickly jumped up waving at the cat then headed on my way. At school, I headed straight to class where there seemed to be someone new in our class. He wasn't really new so to say he was just a transfer from another period. His name was James. James and I have a very strange relationship. I wouldn't really call it a friendship or even an acquaintance but instead a mutual partnership. This was because last year James and I took about four classes together, always sitting together. We talked here in there in very awkward conversations. Usually about random things as we tried to start conversations. Now James and I were in the same class again.
However, after a slight moment of hesitation, I took my seat which was right next to where James was sitting. As I set my things down an ominous "Hi" came out of James. This was the first time he's ever started a conversation. I quickly sat down and shot him back with a "hi" and a "How are you". We were like two robots as we tried to conversate. Then he brought up my favorite book which I remember telling him a while back when he asked what I was reading. He told that he finished it and then started to go on and on about the plot and theme. It amazed me. I felt even more starstruck than before as we went on and on about our favorite parts and characters.
James asked me for suggestions of things he should read. I gave him some suggestions which lead him to take out this worn-out yellow journal where he would write everything I suggested. I must have given him a mishmash of genres and books ranging from true crime to romance. We kept talking for about 20 minutes until Mrs.Granger finally got up and started her lecture. However, this was only temporary as James hands me a note. For the continuation of class, we passed notes back and forth. However class ended and we exchanged numbers and went our different ways.
In the gym I found myself thinking about the many things that have occurred in these past couple of weeks. Alba, James, classmates were all things I could only dream of before. It sent me in a mental spiral as we took our run around the gym. "I am no longer alone," I told myself.
We finished our run right at the moment the girls walked into the gym. Alba walked in quickly looking around for me. I waved in her direction which caught her attention. She came jogging with something in her left hand. I tried to think of what the thing might be. When she finally got to me she gave her greetings with a kinda of aire tone.
"Hi Dante"
I said "hi" back in a kind of excited mood. I noticed she looked a bit nervous. I asked her what was wrong with a concerned look on my face. She quickly bounced back with ominous "nothing" like a child hiding something from his parents. However, I didn't press on seeing it as a bit pushy. I then asked what was in her hand. At that moment her face turned red, not mad, but with a sense of embarrassment. She then said, "It's…. a gift." I then noticed what emotion was going through her head at that exact moment. It was a mix of embarrassment and love. She had a crush…
This realization put my mind into a war-like state. Questions started to flash in front of me like Who was it, was this the end, was she leaving. However I needed to compose myself, but the feeling of going back to being alone scared me.
"Dante," she said biting her lip, "Would you accompany me to Homecoming?"
After hearing her this my body heated up. I felt like a nuclear bomb about to blow. My face turned red with a sort of embarrassment. "That was my job," I told myself.
"Yes," I said with a sense of displeasure. That was my job. Over and over again that same phrase would come up. "That was my job"