It's been two weeks.
Two weeks since that BBQ, two weeks since Morgan and Chris went on their first date and two weeks since Troy and I went to breakfast.
And now, this is where his plan comes in. He waited a little bit, but it's here.
I'm currently sitting across the table from Troy at dinner with Sophie to my right and Chase across from me to the right as well. Morgan and Chris are on the opposite side of me laughing at something the other one said which is cute, but right now I feel like I'm on a triple date and that's just... weird.
Even if I am into him and insanely attracted, I would never want him to think this was a setup, but Chris made sure not to tell Morgan because he doesn't know if he can trust her yet. It would have been a good test, but whatever. He did. So here were are.
We all went to see a movie, but I sat on the opposite end as him so it didn't feel like a triple date there, thank God.
But now it does.
"What's everyone getting?" Sophie, of course, asks.
"I think I'm going with the fajitas," Morgan is the first to speak up to her, "but I don't know. I've never had them here. Are they any good? I usually only get the enchiladas or the carne asada burrito, but I'm in the mood for some fajitas."
"Oh, girl, they are SO good. Get them and I'm gonna get the enchiladas and we can pick off each others if you'd like," Sophie tells her.
Morgan was up for that, thank God. Now Sophie doesn't have to pick off of my plate, which she's known to do.
And then everyone started talking amongst themselves except for Troy and I. He was still looking at a menu and so was I. Sophie is a frequent diner here but not me so I don't know what to get. I've only been here twice and both times I liked my meal but I want to try something different. I'm always down to try something new. I just don't know what.
"What are you getting?"
I look up at Troy who now has his menu down on the table. "Oh, um, not sure yet. You?"
He looked down at the menu and read off his order, "I think I'm gonna go with a carne asada burrito."
"Oh, that's good. You can't ever really go wrong with those," I spit out some bullshit even though I'm not sure if it's true. Maybe there are some that are gross. I never really eat those so I wouldn't know. "I think I'm just gonna get the tacos or something. Something simple."
"Simple's good," he smiles as he closed his menu, "and so are tacos."
Tacos are so good. Probably one of my favorite foods, ever. So yeah, I'm just gonna go with that. "Yeah, it's my favorite Mexican food for sure."
It's a bit awkward. These two couples are talking to each other and Troy and I are kinda just... here. And I also feel like we're all kind of separated from each other even though we're at the same table. It's hard to explain. The seats are just far apart from each other and so yeah, it kind of does feel like we're all on our own little date with each other.
"You know, this might be a little creepy, but I had a dream with you in it last night," Troy tells me.
Okay, this makes my ears perk up. I look over to Sophie and Chase but they're in deep conversation, she's telling him a story or something. And so I want to know more about this dream. "What happened?"
He grabbed his drink and took a sip before telling me, "it wasn't anything major, you just showed up to my house with your dog and then when you weren't looking, I stole her by locking her in a room and pretended she got out. And I felt really bad about it, but not that bad because I did keep her."
What? HA. I couldn't help, but laugh. He dreamt about me and my dog. That's so funny. And strangely... cute. "I would seriously kill you if you were to do that in real life. Bella is my life."
"Which is why I felt so bad," he laughs along with me, "I could tell she means a lot from the beach that one day."
"Yeah, she does. And that's really funny. You're actually the third person to have a dream with Bella in it," I tell him, "she's a hot commodity, I guess."
He laughed and nodded as he grabbed some chips and dipped them in salsa, "she's really pretty."
It was crazy. He was talking about my dog, but the way he was looking into my eyes, I couldn't help, but feel like he was also talking about me. But that's crazy talk. It's absolutely crazy to think he could be directing that at me, as well. Right? No. Push that out of your head, Gabriella.
So I did. "She is. Thanks."
And for the rest of the night, conversation was light and fun. And I had the best time.
"Let's go to breakfast, I'm starving," Natalie tells me as we exit the doors of church, "I've been wanting to try this new place out."
"Yeah, sure," I tell her, throwing my bag over my shoulder and looking around aimlessly for Troy. I just saw him a minute ago. Where could he be? "Umm, but I have to do something really quick so I'll meet you at the car, okay?"
She gave me a weird look, but went ahead and left me standing there looking for him.
And finally, I spotted him. He was exiting the other way and his mom wasn't near him so I thought now would be the perfect time to ask him.
"Hey," I walk up to him.
He turns to me and immediately smiles, "Hi."
Ahh. All of a sudden, I'm nervous. "Hey, so um, I'm having a party next weekend. A birthday party. At Sophie's house, actually. And I know Chase is coming so you're more than welcomed to come as well. Bring Morgan, if you'd like. Don't know if Chris asked her already, but yeah. It should be a lot of fun."
Gahhhh stop rambling, Gabriella. You should have just said you were having a birthday party and then let him talk.
"Oh, you are?" he asks, looking genuinely interested in the idea, "when's your actual birthday?"
"Yeah, it's on 17th. December 17th," I say like an idiot as if he already doesn't know the month we're in. Ugh. "But yeah, um, it's at Sophie's. So if you're not busy or bored, you should come. It'll be fun... I think."
I say I think because I haven't put anything together. Sophie and my sister planned it all. And it took them two months. I don't know if it's big and elaborate or simple. I really don't. But I hope he comes. Not only because I'm into him, but because I don't know, I feel like we're friends now. And his friends are now dating my friends so it makes sense. We'll probably be seeing a lot more of each other and I'm happy about that. Also, annoyed because I'll have to see him all the time now and just think to myself how it sucks I can't get to know him on a personal, romantic level... because I realized that I kinda want to.
He smiled and nodded as he put his phone in his pocket and took out his keys, "Okay, cool. I think I'm free."
"Okay," I push some hair back and give him a smile and I'm about to say bye to him but the I realize I didn't tell him an important tidbit about the part, "and not that you were planning on it or even thinking on it probably, but I'm telling everything this... so um, no presents, please. I don't need anything."
"Okay," is all he said.
And then we said our goodbyes as he walked to his car and I walked to mine.
Natalie looked a bit annoyed with me. Which I don't understand why. I didn't even take that long. "Sorry," I climbed into the car and immediately fastened my seat belt, "where do you want to go? I'm starving. I'm good with whatever you want. I just need to eat something."
She's still looking at me and not saying a word which is starting to freak my out a little bit.
Why isn't she talking?! "Nat?"
"You're into that guy," she cracked a smile, "you're so into him. You just invited him to your party."
"How do you know?" I asked, honestly confused and a little frightened. Like how did she know that's what I wanted to tell him? I didn't tell anyone yet. Well, Chris knows. He's the one who encouraged me. I didn't tell my mom, though. "How do you know that's what I was telling him?"
"I heard you!" she exclaimed with a big smile on her face, "oh my gosh, Gabriella, you like someone. You finally like someone again!"
Ugh. Her window was down. That's how she heard. And now I'm scared Troy's gonna hear her because I see him standing outside of his car waiting for his mom inside. Ahhh. "Nat, stop screaming! He's RIGHT THERE."
She turned around and saw him and then flashed a smile back at me and lowered her voice. "You do, huh? You're so into him. I can just tell. I knew it."
"Okay, maybe I am, but it's nothing. From things I do know, the last thing he wants is probably a girlfriend so nothing's going to happen, he's just hot, I like looking at him and his friends are dating mine so might as well invite him, right? Least I could do."
"Ahh, you like someone," she turns around in her seat and reaches for her seat belt.
"Maybe, I don't know, Nat. I really don't know him all that well. But can you please not talk about this here?" I urge her.
She rolled her eyes and started her car, "it's a good thing, Gabs! And he can't hear us. My window's rolled up. He's hot. You're hot. Make the first move for once. Be like Soph. She's so fearless when it comes to guys. And I know he has shit going on, mom makes it obvious, but maybe you'll make him forget all about that. Why not? What do you have to lose?"
Natalie may have a point, but I don't know. It's weird. "I've spent enough time with him to know I'm insanely attracted to him but not enough to know if we even have common interests. But it's useless. And it's probably just a crush that's going to go away soon."
"Well then get to know him, if he has absolutely nothing in common with you, dust it off and move on to the next one. Simple."
"No, you don't understand," I tell her but then I realize that I'll have to spill what his life's like, "no, yeah, maybe you're right. I should huh?"
"Yes!" she looks behind her so she could pull out of the parking space and when the coast is clear, she does, "Nothing to lose. He's hot, you're into him, I'm sure he's into you. Mom might love it because she's becoming fast friends with his mom so you never know. Just go for it. At your party. Make a move."
I'm definitely humoring her. And trying to get her off my back.
There's no way I'm making a move. And I don't know if I'm ready to deal with everything he's got going on.
But man, does he make my heart beat fast...