DISCLAIMER: I don't own MR. Though I do own the cover.
"See, Lissa, I wanted to ask you about something…"
From where she was hiding, Max gave a sigh of relief. Finally, Fang decided to get rid of the unbelievably wimpy version of himself and man up. She crossed her fingers, and motioned for Fang to carry on, even if he didn't see her.
From where Fang was standing, he wasn't exactly thinking the same. He watched Lissa look up at him, her fingers playing with a lock of red hair. But even if he was nervous, he was obviously not going to mess up. The fact that he did ask tons of girls out back in high school was proof enough.
"So, what were you going to ask about?" Lissa asked, dragging Fang back to reality, and making him aware that he must've made Lissa wait for almost five minutes for a question that he may or may not mess up.
"See, Lissa… I… do you… have… have you seen Max?" He asked, mentally face- palming himself. So much for the assumption that he wasn't going to mess up. From her hiding spot, Max did the actual thing. Maybe Lissa was doing one in her head, too.
Lissa shook her head sadly, her face showing a sort of disappointed look. "Sorry, no. Have you tried looking for her in the dorms?"
"Um, no. Do you mind going with me?" He asked. "You were heading for the dorms, right?"
"Sorry, no. Brigid wants me to pick up some books from the library." She said. "I guess I should be going."
"Oh. Okay."
"Okay. I'll see you soon?"
"Yeah, see you soon."
As Lissa walked in the other direction, Max came out of her hiding spot with a murderous look on her face. And while Fang had seen Max make a lot of murderous faces, this was the serious one. The same look she had on her face when she found out that she would've made a perfect batch of cookies if only Dylan didn't prank her by messing with the oven temperature. That one ended up with her brother almost needing a trip to the hospital.
Max glared at Fang, then glanced at Lissa, and then glared back at him. If he wasn't going to do it right this time, then he was so dead. Fortunately, Fang understood the message and then tried to catch up with Lissa, who was a pretty fast walker sometimes.
"Lissa, wait." He called, and the redhead stopped in her tracks and turned to look at Fang, who was at the brink of sweating. When he finally reached her, he stopped and took a deep breath then proceeded to flash a grin at her. Girls were always too dazed at his grin- aptly named "The Charmer"- to say no.
"I've been thinking, do you want to go out some time?" He asked.
"Well, when exactly is 'some time'?" She asked in reply.
"How about…" Think of a date. Think of a date. "A week from now? Saturday night?"
She flashed an equally dazzling grin. "Why not? Pick me up at seven?"
"It's a deal. I'll see you around?"
"I'll see you around." She said, and with that, she went on her way to the library, secretly doing a little dance inside. Fang watched her go, unaware that Max had followed him a little while ago.
She gave him a pat on the shoulder, which made him jump. "See, that wasn't so hard now, was it?"
He swatted the hand off his shoulder. "Quit breathing, will you?"
Max grinned. "I'm sorry, Fang, but no matter how hard you try, that phrase will never fit me."
Fang was about to open his mouth and give an apology speech, but Max raised her arms, both palms facing him. "I know you're about to apologize, and I know that you know that I'm about to apologize, too." She said. "I'm sorry, you're sorry, I'm forgiven, and you're forgiven. Let's leave it at that, shall we? Besides, you have a date to plan." She started walking, and then stopped. "Wait, do we still have to continue the lessons?"
Fang smiled. That was one of the great things about Max. She was cool about fights and didn't want a dramatic apology scene. He shook his head. "I'm pretty sure I can still find my way."
They walked back to the dorm, Max following close behind.
He finally scored. You think he needs some help? She texted Dylan.
He replied a minute later.
He's going to date. I'm pretty sure he'll need more help than ever.
"He asked you out?"
"He asked me out."
"HE ASKED YOU OUT?"
"I repeat, yes, he asked me out."
Nudge and Brigid squealed in delight, hugged each other, and then ran over to Lissa to envelope her into a group hug. When she was finally released, they both did a little victory dance, and Lissa watched them in a background with a goofy smile plastered on her face.
After that little episode with Fang asking him out, she arrived at the library, tomato red and wanting to do the same victory dance her cousin and her cousin's roommate were doing right now. She couldn't wait to tell Brigid, and when she finally saw her arrive she immediately went up to her room and told her all about what happened, resulting into the little jig they were doing right now. It felt like high school all over again.
Even though one look at her would make a person assume that she was asked out a lot during her high school days, she wasn't. She did get asked out regularly, but compared to all the other girls in her school, she was a Plain Jane. And then there was Brigid, too, who every guy in the school seemed to want, and some of them even asked her out so they could get to Brigid. After all, she did have the whole package: beauty and brains. So she was pretty glad that this time it was Brigid cheering for her and not the other way around.
"When and where is he taking you?" Nudge asked. "You need the perfect outfit."
"He told me that we'd go Saturday night, but he didn't say where we were going. Maybe it's a surprise."
Nudge, who had already opened their closet, frowned. "Well, since this is the first date I'm assuming that it's sort of formal." She said and turned back to her wardrobe, pulling out dresses and skirts."
"Wait, it's not going to be an I'm- taking- you- to- Olive- Garden- to- make- this- date- seem- special date, is it?" Brigid asked.
Lissa shrugged. "I hope not."
"Ooh! I almost forgot, your dad gave me a 'first date speech'. I think I'm supposed to say that to Fang. I'm pretty sure I have it here somewhere." She said, and started rummaging through her desk drawers.
"No way; I am not letting you embarrass me with that speech."
"But if your dad finds out I've let it rot somewhere then he's going to kill me." Brigid replied, opening another drawer. She took out the stack of papers and rummaged through them. "Aha! Found it."
Lissa groaned. Fang might not talk to her again if he ever heard it.
"Hey, Lissa, come here, I need you to try on some stuff." Nudge called out from across the room.
Glad that she had an excuse to get away from Brigid, even if it was just ten feet, tops, she ran all the way to Nudge.
"Saturday night. That's in, like, a week, right?" Dylan asked.
Fang nodded.
"Well, what are you planning to do?" he asked, which made Fang realize something: Max forgot to tell him how to plan a good date.
He shot an accusatory look. "You never did cover that part!"
"Well that was because we never got to it! And besides, I wasn't the one planning dates back in high school?"
He looked at Dylan. "I can't take her to Olive Garden or something, because that's like a cookie cutter format. And besides, I never did like Olive Garden."
"Yeah, you can't." Dylan, replied, and then turned to Max. "You have anything up your sleeve, sis?"
"I'm sure I can think of one. I have a week, anyway. What stuff does she like, again?"
"Mix CDs. She likes that stuff the most. And her favorite color is red. She likes lilies, is sort of addicted to coke- the beverage- and hates olives."
"Do you like olives?" Dylan asked. Max and Fang looked at him, both of them with confused expressions on their faces.
"What? No. Hate them, too."
"Okay. I'll help Max figure that out. You do know how to make stable and interesting conversation, right?"
"Of course I do. But a little practice might not hurt."
There it was again, Fang's paranoid side showing. "Fang…" Max began.
"Chill Max. I do have to avoid making dirty jokes, you know."
"Fine. But this will only be a one time thing. You need to let go of that pussy- ness inside you."
Dylan stood up. "Come on. Iggy and Gazzy's going to help you with that."
"How come? Are they good?"
"They are. In a way."
When they reached the door, Max knocked once and Iggy opened the door, his hair disheveled and his glasses almost sliding off his nose. "Fang, my man!" He said, raising his hand for a high- five. Fang looked at it with a slightly amused expression and shook his head. "Fine," Iggy said mocking hurt, and lowering his arm. "Come in."
The three of them went inside, and The Gasman, who was busy connecting wires on the floor, waved. "What's up?"
"He needs help in sustaining a conversation with Lissa without making a single dirty joke." Max said.
Upon seeing the weirded out looks on Iggy and Gazzy's faces, Dylan stepped in to explain. "Let's just say that Fang has his own way of getting to know a girl better, if you know what I mean."
Gazzy nodded in understanding. "Now, Fang, sit in front of me." He said, and Fang did as he was told.
"Wait a sec." Iggy called out. "I'm pretty sure I have a red wig somewhere." He said and started pulling out random things from a box in his closet.
"Shouldn't you be the one acting as Lissa?" Fang asked. "I mean, you're a redhead, too."
"Am not." Iggy said. "Remember, it's strawberry blond. Plus, Gazzy's a better conversationalist. I can't find the wig; go ahead and start."
He cleared his throat. "So, Lissa…"
"What is it Fang?"
Fang, who was tilting his chair back the whole time, lost balance and fell. "What the heck?"
"What? Does it not sound like Lissa?"
"It does! How the freak did you manage to sound exactly like her?"
"It's my special talent."
"Don't worry Fang, once I find that wig it'll be easier to talk to him." Iggy said as he dumped another box's contents on the floor. Once it was clear that there was no sign of a red wig anywhere, he said, "Fuck it," knelt behind the Gasman, and used his overgrown bangs to hide Gazzy's blond hair. "Better?" he asked.
"It just looks even weirder. Never mind with the hair thing."
"Eh, whatever you say." Iggy said, standing up and walking over to where Max and Dylan were watching.
"Don't say we didn't warn you." The Gasman said in perfect imitation of Lissa's voice, and Fang fell out of his seat again.
"On the bright side, Fang's getting less out of whack." Dylan said, and Max had to agree.
Because of Fang apologizing, and the session he had to prepare for a serious date, the catch- up- and- gossip- about- Fang plan they had got moved from the weekend to that night.
"But really, I don't ever want to see The Gasman talk like that again. It just looks so creepy."
"I'm with you on that."
"Hey, what was that about the olives?"
"The olives?"
"When Fang mentioned that Lissa hated olives and then you asked him if he liked them and he said no?"
"Oh. It's The Olive Theory."
"Really, Dylan, another lame theory? What's it about this time?"
"It's like a total opposites thing; if two people are perfect for each other, then one should like olives and the other one should hate them."
"So you're saying that in order for them to work Fang has to start liking olives?"
"I'm not exactly sure. But maybe they're not meant for each other since they both hate olives."
"That's a load of bull, Dylan."
"But maybe it's not and they'll one day realize that they're not perfect for each other. You'll never know."
Saturday, One Hour before Date
"Iggy, are you sure that this is a fool- proof plan?"
"Max, two master pranksters and a child prodigy constructed this plan. Of course it's fool proof."
"It doesn't exactly look fool proof to me. It's a miracle that I can still read it."
"Oh, come on Dyl. Just because you're twins doesn't mean you have to agree with her. You have to admit, this is pure genius."
"Says one of the three people who can understand what's supposed to be going on here."
"It's just simple. Iggy and my brother will cause a distraction or two, I'll be using my incredible powers of persuasion, and then Max will be using her stealth to sneak up and then you'll be carrying all the stuff."
"Why does it have to be me?"
"For starters, you're the strongest, aside from Max, because she has a different task at hand."
"Yeah. And besides, you're not going to carry everything. Iggy's going to be handling the food, since you're not exactly an expert on that."
"How does one have to be an expert in handling food?"
"Can you balance five trays on one arm?"
"No."
"That's our point. Our rendezvous will be the old tree by the back door, and then Max will give the key to Fang. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Got it."
"Got it."
"Got it."
"Got it."
Saturday, The Actual Date
Key? Check.
Flowers? Check.
Mental list of possible compliments to give? Check.
Hidden earpiece in case he didn't know what to say? Thanks, but no thanks.
Once again, Fang was going solo. Well, not really solo since he had to enlist the help of Max in order to plan an actual date. But when Lissa told him that he should pick her up in Brigid's room instead, he wished that he considered the earpiece as an option.
Nudge had opened the door, and ushered her in, just in time to see Brigid come out of the bathroom. "Nudge, do you mind helping her in there?" She said, pointing a finger. When Nudge was gone, Brigid settled down on a beanbag and told Fang to sit on the one across.
"So, Fang, you're dating my cousin…"
"Yeah, I guess."
"Remember that there are a few ground rules."
"What, you need some valid ID's?"
"Very funny Fang, but no. It's just the typical, no going to places that involves you getting a fake ID. And you can never give her more than three glasses of any alcoholic beverage, since she's vulnerable like that. And if you're planning on… having any additional activity, just tell me first, I'm cool with it."
"Wait, if you're cool with it, how come we still have to tell you?"
"So I can cover for both of you. Also, if I see even a tiny smear of mascara on her face, I will completely blame it on you and chase after you with my shot gun."
"You have a shot gun?"
"Actually, no. But her dad does. And I can borrow it. Bear with me, because chances are both of us will be pursued by Mr. Strud and his beloved shot gun if the two of you mess up."
"Great. Got it."
Thankfully, Lissa chose that moment to appear. And Fang had to admit it was worth the conversation, since she looked hot. Hot as in standing in the fine line between a moderately conservative girl and a slut.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Lissa said, and then gave a pointed glance at Brigid, who smiled and shrugged.
"It's cool." He replied, and then stood up, offering his arm. "Shall we?"
"Be back before sunrise!" Brigid called out as the two of them went out the door.
"She's never going to do that again, is she?" Fang asked.
"I hope not."
"Aren't you going to ask where we're going?"
She thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I'd rather keep it a surprise."
From the student dorms, they walked several more blocks until reaching one area, which contained the Science buildings. They kept on walking until they reached one particular building, which was at the northernmost part of campus.
"Isn't this illegal?" Lissa asked, but then shook her head and answered her own question. "Never mind. It's always more fun when it's illegal."
Fang took the key from his pocket and opened the back door. Unfortunately, since the elevator wasn't in operation and he had no idea how to make it work, they had to climb all four sets of stairwells, with Fang carrying her on his back for the last half. He opened a door and was met with a cool breeze.
"Fang… wow."
The rooftop had been empty an hour before, but now there was a small table covered in red cloth, a vase filled with lilies acting as its centerpiece, with chairs and utensils set for two. A small distance from that was another table, with plates of food, courtesy of Iggy. There was a makeshift stand for a CD player with two or three mix CDs, which Fang made after a quick tutorial from Lissa. Fairy lights added to the romantic effect.
And of course Lissa, being Lissa, headed towards the CD player first.
"That was awesome. No, really. No guy ever took me on a date like that."
Then he was headed for the right track, as soon as he called Max and convinced her to give him some lessons on planning a good date.
"Well I'm glad you liked it."
"Oh, wait, I think we passed my dorm."
"Oh hey, we did. Wow."
They went back, and stopped at the front door.
"So, do you want to do this again sometime?"
She grinned. "Sure." A kiss on the cheek. And then she shut the door behind her, and Fang went running back to his room, wondering if Dylan and Max had any plans on what to do with the key.
So, I've been busy lately, because I have a legit excuse: school.
Well, at least I finally have the cover. I know it looks all wrong up there, so here's a link: .
(And yes, I know that everyone there looks like they're 12 or something. Bear with me, I'm no artist.)
(And I just realized how often people leave out Gazzy's powers of mimicry.)
So, any thoughts? Like, how long do you think this is going to be?
See you in an indefinite number of days =D