Mia Cooper was not one for mornings. She was also not one for caffeinated beverages, which only made attending high school even worse. Nevertheless, she found herself entering her locker permutation (it is not a combination) at East Pasadena High School, just like she'd done for years now. Except this time she was met with a small pink woven basket, filled to the brim with Reese's cups, Kit Kats, and Hershey kisses.
Mia, it would be sweet if you went to prom with me. - Eli
She took a brief look over both shoulders, hoping that the young romantic wasn't watching her as she emptied the contents of the basket into the trash container she kept in her locker. She'd been expecting this invitation for a while, and she'd googled almost everything, but there just didn't seem to be any good way to turn down a prom proposal. She was going to have to rip it off like a bandage.
But later rather than sooner. Yeah. Definitely later.
She pulled her phone out of the pocket of her grey fleece zip-up jacket and quickly typed out a message.
To: Aunt Penny
SOS. Eli. Basket of chocolates.
Mia's phone pinged within seconds.
From: Aunt Penny
EOS?
Mia checked her surroundings once more to ensure that there was, in fact, no Eli over shoulder.
To: Aunt Penny
Nowhere in sight.
From: Aunt Penny
Just pretend like you never got the basket?
Lying. Of course lying was the only solution her Aunt Penny had to offer. Mia flipped her pin-straight brown hair over her shoulders and straightened her dress. There was no reason for her to be afraid. It was 2037, for crying out loud. America had had two consecutive female presidents. Women could do anything, even turn down a prom invitation.
It wasn't that Eli was a bad guy. He wasn't! But Mia just wasn't concerned with societal expectations. No college admission boards would ask her how many boyfriends she'd had or how many proms she'd attended. And to add to the disdain, she simply didn't care for social events. They made her feel more awkward and gangly than she already was. She would have been more than thrilled to add Eli to her circle of acquaintances, but he just wasn't content with that. And as far as Mia was concerned, that was his problem, not hers. She had to turn him down.
But later rather than sooner.
"Mia! Mia!"
And apparently 'later' was at that moment. The lanky girl's breath hitched when she saw his hopeful countenance. This was going to hurt her more than it hurt him.
"Hi, Eli..." she mumbled, hiding behind her long locks.
"Did you get the basket?" he interrogated, his eyes glowing with excitement.
She liked to think she was a better liar than her father, the esteemed Sheldon Cooper, but it was times like these that pointed her to reality. "No, what candy basket?" she stammered.
The young boy's shoulders dropped as he nervously adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses. "I didn't mention any candy, Mia."
It was just as well. She was allergic to chocolate. She avoided his gaze, instead toying with her right earring. "Listen, Eli, I- "
"Mia, please," he begged, taking her hand. She snatched it back, embittered. "You don't have to consider it a date, we'd just be two friends having a good time!"
She shoved her hands in her pockets. "Yes, but I know that you still want it to be a date, Eli. You deserve to go to prom with someone who wants to be your date."
"But I don't want to go with anyone else."
"Eli," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "There are tons of girls at this school who are much more socially inclined than I am..." she sucked in a quick breath, "and who probably already have their dresses picked out..." one more breath, "and who would love to go with you. Have your pick."
Mia quickly turned to walk away, but his hand caught her shoulder. She intended to research what qualified as assault in the United States as soon as she got home.
"Mia, please, I'm begging you."
"Eli- " she sighed, interrupted once again.
"One night, Mia. Then you'll never have to so much as look in my direction ever again."
Her front was crumbling. She was caving. Oh God. Oh any deity. Oh anybody.
"Okay."