So I got asked out today. Not by Dylan. By the captain of the soccer team, Connor Pearson.
You see every year the reservation has a little celebration over our heritage, and it lasts all week. There are all kinds of parades, activities, and games. Well, because my grandfather, Billy Black, is the oldest living relative of the last chief of our tribe my family is super, super involved.
Well, Connor just asked me to go with him to the first event that kick starts the whole shindig. The big parade. Actually, I'm still standing in front of him in the middle of the high school hallway and he's waiting for my response. The thing is, I'm in the parade. I'm always in the parade.
Every year since I was old enough, which is since I was thirteen and the parade lost it's luster, I've played the part of the Indian princess for the little kids. There's all these floats that tell all the different heritage stories, and I'm always on the one telling about the princess story. All the little girls go crazy for it. The Indian prince is different almost every year, but I don't mind because it's usually a really, really good looking guy and I get to sit on the float with him, and him alone, for hours. But obviously, Connor doesn't know any of this.
"Well, I would love to go with you to the parade." I tell him sweetly, but he knows I'm turning him down, and his face falls a little bit. So weird that the captain of the soccer team asks me out and then gets sad when I start to turn him down. Anyways, I continued on. "But, the thing is, I'm in that parade." I leaned in to whisper to him. "I'm the Indian princess." I backed away and looked at his slightly fallen face, and felt bad so I decided to make it up to him. "But, I'm free for the game expedition." I offered, and his face lit up again.
It was then that I thought about Dylan. I felt bad, like I was cheating on him or something, but I wasn't. I shouldn't feel bad, we aren't dating. We are just friends. But if that was true, then why did I feel bad for going out with this guy? Maybe I should tell Dylan about Connor. But I really shouldn't have to right? He's not my keeper. Well, protector, but not keeper.
So as I walked away after making my plans with Connor I was deep in thought wondering why I felt so bad. And because of that I ran right into a giant piece of man. Warm, comfortable man.
"Gosh! I'm sorry! Marie, are you okay? I really ought to look where I'm going I guess." Dylan said, as he helped me up to my feet and also helped me pick up my books and papers, that were scattered about the school hallway.
"No, it's fine. I wasn't watching either." I assured him, just staring at him, since all was in order again. He smiled and laughed.
"Hey, you want to eat lunch with us today? You can meet my friend, Ben, who is oh so excited to meet you." He told me chuckling.
"Sure, sounds like fun to me." I responded before adding, "I'll see you then, I'm gonna be late for class." I yelled at him as I walked off and he waved at me, still standing where he was.
"So, this is Danny Call. He's the son of Embry Call, from the original pack, if that means anything to you." Dylan said, while introducing me to the whole pack. "Here is Cody Merez, but you know him, he's your cousin." He added and Cody waved a hand that held a sandwich in it at me, while his other arm was draped over his girlfriend. "And this is Bobby Bronson, son of Jared, from the original pack, his dad imprinted on his mom." Dylan ended and motioned for me to sit at the table near Sammy and my sister.
"Hey! You get to eat with us now!" Lilly squealed, yes squealed. "Your a part of the imprintee club!" She added motioning to Cody's girlfriend, of whom I knew not to be an imprint.
"Janet isn't an imprint." I told Lilly, pleased to know something she didn't.
"Well, we know that. But we still treat her like one, goober." Lilly retorted, rolling her eyes as if everyone knew that. I looked over at Cody's girl, Janet, and she was repressing giggles and looking at me as if to say, just let her have her fun I know.
That satisfied me enough. I noticed that Dylan's friend Ben was not present though. "I thought you said I could meet Ben." I pouted playfully to Dylan, also lightly punching his arm in a playful manner.
"Yeah, I know he's still in line paying for his lunch."Dylan told me rubbing his arm, as if I actually hurt it. We were sitting outside in the little patio area that was a little run down. There were a couple of old picnic tables, one of which we were sitting at and a trashcan near the side of the building.
I looked at the boys and noticed that Sammy also had his arm draped around Lilly's shoulder. Just like she's his property. I thought to myself and smiled a little. They were kind of cute despite the fact that I picked on them constantly. Cody still had his arm around Janet and shoving his face with his sandwich with the other. Bobby and Danny were fighting over some food that was sitting before them and I looked up at Dylan. He was looking off at something, I followed his gaze and was met with a short, rather stout looking boy with glasses that was walking over towards us. He was clearly not a werewolf, so he must be Ben.
Ben had on an old pair of jeans and button up shirt. But it looked awkward on him. He seemed as if he was trying to hard to fit in to some sort of category, I didn't know what though, jock maybe. He had the right brand of clothing for that. But he was clearly not in the right shape for that. He was carrying a plate that was stacked high with chili dogs and had a giant cup of soda and chips clutched precariously under his arms as it took both hands to hold the plate of chili dogs.
"You are not eating any of my food today." Ben said, directing the statement to Dylan and shot him a look as if to say, back off. He noticed my presence, as he came up behind me, I suppose to sit, but from his reaction I believe I stole his seat. "Great, Dylan. You could have warned me that your girlfriend was going to be here." Ben complained as he sat down next to me at the picnic table. He gingerly set down his pile of food and then wiped his hand on his pants before extending it to me. "I'm Ben, Dylan ex best friend." He said as I shook his hand.
I looked up at Dylan who was rolling his eyes. "Ex best friend?" I asked him, raising an eyebrow looking up at Dylan for the answer more than Ben.
But before Dylan could say anything Ben spoke up. "Yeah, up until he turned into a werewolf and became Hercules and started dating you." He said as he shoveled in a chili dog. I laughed.
"We aren't dating, Ben. I told you that." Dylan said wryly, shooting him a look.
"Yeah yeah, but you will. All because of your werewolf voodoo love crap called imprinting. All the other couples here are all over each other. I give it a couple of days." Ben retorted with his mouth full.
"Whatever, there is no reasoning with you." Dylan said back, picking up his sandwich and inhaling it. Literally, it was gone in three bites.
"So what is it we have to do for the festival?" Dylan asked Sammy, still chewing his sandwich. I giggled. Boys.
Dylan looked over at me and Sammy answered. "Well, your parents are having the pack party right?" Sammy asked him.
"Yeah, mom's freaking out about it." Dylan answered as he finally swallowed his food and reached over to Ben's pop when he wasn't looking and took a swig of it. Ben saw him set it back down and started fussing about it.
"Somebody needs to be the Indian prince for the parade." Sammy said and I lit up. "Any volunteers? I don't know whose playing the princess." He added.
I swallowed the water that I had still in my mouth and spoke up. "Oh! That's me." I told them.
"I didn't know you were the Indian princess, Marie." Lilly said.
"Yeah I have been for the past like, four or five years. Ask mom and dad." I told her. She raised her eyebrows at me but then just took a bite out of her food.
"Really? That's sweet." Dylan told me. "I should do it, that could be fun." He added.
"Yeah, that would be awesome with you. Usually I don't know who it is that plays the prince." I told him. I remembered all the past years where they guy was so very easy on the eyes and thought, that this year wouldn't be any different in that aspect if Dylan played the prince with me. I hope the costume for the prince this year has him shirtless. I thought to myself. I smiled and looked back at Dylan. There's nothing wrong with thinking that is there?
Dylan's costume is totally shirtless. And I haven't seen him shirtless before, but let me tell you. Wow. We were fooling around with the costume paint and I decided that he should have a hand print on his chest so I put my hand in the paint and slapped it on him. I kept it there for a second, feeling his warmth and steady heart beat underneath my palm before looking up into his face and saw him looking down at me.
He wasn't smiling at me like he usually did. His face had a weird look about it. It was something I was not familiar with. He reached his hand over and gently placed it on top of mine. He let it go and reached up to my face, cupping it in his over sized hand. He held me there, us two staring at each other, for the longest time. He still wasn't smiling.
Oh my god. He's going to kiss me.
So I tilted my head up to his, let my eyelids droop, and parted my lips just the tiniest bit. He leaned down a hair and...
"Shit! Why is all of this shit just lying around?!" Ben started yelling as he crashed into the tool box, stubbing his toe. Dylan and I had sprang apart from each other feigning innocence. Luckily for us, Ben had no idea.
The entire parade route was awkward. Most times I would make small talk with the guy. Not this time. And I even knew him this time! After Ben barged in, we mostly busied ourselves with getting ready in silence. We just waved to the people and pretty much tried to ignore the fact that we even knew each other.
Waiting at the end of the parade route for us was the pack with their fearless leader draped, once again, around my sister.
"Hey! You guys have fun?" Sammy asked us, holding out his hand to me to help me off the float and Dylan jumped off the other side.
"Yeah." I mumbled a little less than enthusiastically.
"Oh my gosh! Aren't you so excited about Wednesday?" Lilly gushed at me, coming to my side and taking my hand in hers. She was literally jumping up and down with excitement.
"Um, maybe? You seem to be." I had no clue what was Wednesday.
"For the pack party, silly. Everyone's going to be there, even mom and dad. Everybody's going to get to meet each other. It's like the hugest party ever." Lilly gushed, swinging my arm around as she made ludicrous hand gestures.
"Oh, yeah, sure. That's the game day right?" I asked her.
"Yeah, Dylan's parents are hosting it. Isn't that cute! Mom and dad can meet his parents." She went on.
"Oh, I kind of have a date on Wednesday." I told her and she stopped dead in her tracks, literally. She spun around to face me and gave me a look.
"What do you mean you have a date? With who? What?" She babbled out. By now the entire pack was staring at me, including Dylan.
"Um, it's Connor Pearson. You know the captain of the soccer team? He actually asked for tonight, but since I'm in the parade I couldn't you know? And well, I volunteered game day." I meekly responded.
"Eww! No way! You can't go with him! He's so... I don't know. But what about Dylan?" She asked me. I was afraid to look at Dylan to see what his response to all this was. Especially after our little altercation earlier today.
He was looking at me, but he was smiling. So I took that as a good sign. "We aren't a thing Lilly. It's not exclusive or anything. You don't care do you?" I asked him.
"No! By all means, do what makes you happy, Marie. When Your happy, I'm happy." He said smiling at me. I smiled back, but I did notice that his smile wasn't reaching all the way to his eyes.
So, so excited! Well, let me know what you think!
