“I did not,” I clutch my chest.
“It was cute.” He shrugs, “Name’s Noah.” He shoves his hand out to me, “You’re new here, aren’t you?”
A whole kaleidoscope of butterflies erupts in my stomach at the way he is looking at me.
“Yeah,” I reply lamely and take his hand. “How’d you know?”
He chuckles, “I’d remember your face.”
Oh my god.
The final bell rings, and he promptly lets go of my hand, head tilting up to look behind me to where a couple of kids are yelling. “Well, see you around, cricket.”
He steps around me, arm brushing mine.
“Cricket?” I call to him.
He turns and starts to walk backwards, that grin that made my stomach flutter returning. “Well, you never told me your name, and you chirped just like one. It fits.”
“Sidney,” I say, “my name is Sidney.”
“Pretty, but I think cricket may stick.” He winks and then turns, leaving me to stare after his towering figure long after the halls empty and I become late for class.
The memory has my skin flushing. The day after that, he found me during lunch and sat with me, and then walked me to class. That continued for a week, and then two, and then a month, and it just never stopped. We have been inseparable since then.
For that first year of our friendship, whenever I looked at him or even got close, it made my stomach flutter with nerves and excitement. Eventually that settled, our friendship forcing those feelings away, though they never left. I know that.
And to think he felt the same.
All this time.
All this damn time we’ve been pretending to bejust friends, lying to ourselves and to each other because we were both too fucking terrified of what might happen to our friendship.
I finally look down at the text message on my cell and press my hand to my stomach as if I can somehow ease the giddy kind of feeling rising up that makes me want to squeal.
Noah: I’m taking you on a real date tonight, cricket.
No warm beer and pizza for us. What do you say?
Dinner and a movie? Maybe some ice cream
down at the park?
Me: A real date, you say? Will you kiss me
goodnight if I ask nicely?
Noah: I’ll kiss you anytime you
want, cricket.
Me: I’d loveto go on a date.
Noah: Pick you up at seven.
Wear the red dress. It drives me crazy.
Me: I’ll take it into consideration.
