"He Wasn't Fast Enough To Call "Shotty!""

I really didn't realize what I was in for the day that Rosalina suggested we go to the beach. In fact, I didn't really think that Cooper would let us take the day off. But he did. And that was the day my life sort of changed. In a good way of course.

All together there was twelve of us going. Obviously, the band was going, so that made seven of us, but Alex wanted Juanita, Johnny, and Khalil to go, Cooper decided to invite Miss Scoggins (or Patty, as we now call her), and Rosalina invited her best friend, Kelly.

By that time only Rosalina, Kelly, and Cooper had their own cars. And it was pretty obvious that Nat, Alex, and Juanita would ride with Rosalina, and that Patty would ride with Cooper. But we didn't know who the rest of us were going with. So, we did it the way all teenagers solve these kind of problems.

"Shotty riding with Cooper!" Thomas and Qaasim shouted.

Khalil looked at Johnny and shrugged. "I'll go with them and you go with Alex."

"Thanks dude, you're a lifesaver," Johnny said pounding Khalil's fist.

"Ha, looks like your going with Kelly, David," Thomas said slapping my back. My eyes eyes grew wide and my mouth became dry.

Me? Alone with Kelly? I could barely say two words to the girl without sounding like a complete idiot.

"Sounds good to me," Kelly said with a smile. My heart pounded harder against my chest, and I wiped sweat off of my forehead.

- - -

So we all packed our things into the cars and started the long two hour drive. Well, we've all had longer drives, especially when the band was on tour, but when you're going to the beach the two hours might as well be six.

And when you're riding alone with the girl you like...it's even longer.

"So, are you usually this quiet, or are you only talkative around your friends?" Kelly asked me about fifteen minutes into the trip.

"Um, well, I...I uh, I guess I'm more talkative around the band...sometimes," I said.

"Sometimes?" Kelly questioned with a laugh.

"Well, sometimes when we're all doing our own thing, I just read or draw," I said a little more confidently.

"Wow, you like to read for fun?"

"Yeah. Is it that hard to believe?"

"No, but not a lot of boys do."

"Well, I do," I said. "Sometimes Rosalina and I will discuss the books we've read."

"What books?"

"Well, mainly books that aren't girly ones, ha-ha," I said. "But I can't discuss the 'Eragon' books with her. She doesn't really like that series."

"I know! That's like the only thing we don't have in common," Kelly said. Then she looked at me and smiled. "That, and our taste in boys."

"Wow, someone who's not in love with Nat Wolff," I laughed.

Kelly laughed and gave me a mocking look. "Is it that hard to believe?"

"Okay, mocking is not cool."

"And you are?"

"Ouch! That hurt!" I said putting my hands to my chest.

Kelly giggled and gave me a small, playful push. "You're really a cool guy David. I don't see why girls aren't hounding you all the time."

I shrugged. "Well, I'm not Nat," I said simply. "But that's okay with me. At least I still have all my hair and non-ripped clothes."

"That's always a good thing." She looked over at me for a second and smiled. I smiled back, trying not to let myself blush.

I couldn't believe I was actually talking to her. Normally when I was around her, I'd say a quick "Hi", sounding like an idiot, and run into another room. But I guess that's a little hard when I'm sitting in car going fifty miles an hour.

- - -

We spent a lot of the ride just talking about our favorite books, movies, and sports teams (she's a Yankees fan! Whoo!) And somewhere along the ride we got to the topic of when Nat and Rosalina finally got together in New Orleans four years ago. I didn't really know much about it, just that they admitted their feelings, but apparently Rosalina told Kelly everything. So, she clued me in on what happened.

"Wow. I wish I was in the room for that," I said looking straight out the front windshield. "I bet Nat was really nervous when he saw her standing in the room."

"Yeah, but it worked out for them," Kelly said.

I leaned back in my seat. "Yeah...but I still miss him embarrassing himself in front of her. It was hilarious."

"I think it's cute when boys embarrass themselves in from of girls," Kelly said. She glanced at me quickly. "Especially ones they like."

I swallowed hard and looked down at the black car mat. Did she know about me liking her? If she did, what did she think about it?

I looked up and noticed that we weren't moving anymore. I looked at Kelly and saw that she was looking at me.

And smiling.

I swallowed hard again and noticed that it felt like my heart was about to burst out of my chest. "Look, Kelly, there's something I really want to say..."

"Yeah?"

I looked away and rubbed my hands together. I could feel her beautiful sea-green eyes watching me; watching my every move. I ran my hands through my shaggy sandy-brown hair and looked up at her.

"Well, I was wondering if...if you'd like to go out with me," I said. I quickly looked back down at the car floor, waiting for rejection.

But that never came.

Instead, I felt her hand touch mine, and her other hand lifted my chin to look at her.

"David, I'd love to go out with you."

A huge grin spread across my face and relief came over me. My heart finally stopped beating so hard on my chest. I leaned over and kissed her cheek, and I could've sworn I saw her blush, (but to this day she denies it). She smiled and started the car, and we were back on our way to the beach.

Well, that wasn't exactly the place I imagined asking a girl out; right on the side of the road in a car. But I never would've gotten the courage to ask her if I had ridden with Rosalina or Cooper's groups. It's a good thing I wasn't quick enough to yell out "Shotty!", ha-ha.

End