Chapter Twenty-One – Homecoming Plans

"Do we have to go?

It had been a week and half since Colin and Amy's argument, and Ryan's attempt to make things okay with Amy. The two girls had managed to slip into their roles, and played them convincingly. Colin and Amy were back playing the happy couple and things appeared normal on the outside. And now, Ephram and Ryan were arguing over the issue of the upcoming Homecoming dance at lunch.

"Yes we do!"

Ephram groaned and pushed his lunch forward. "I suddenly don't have an appetite."

"Oh come on, Ham," Amy said, "everyone goes to Homecoming. We're all going."

"Come on, dude, you don't want your girlfriend to have to go alone." Colin chimed in.

Ryan grabbed onto his arm and tugged gently on his sleeve. "I'm not one to beg, but pretty, pretty please?" She gave him puppy dog eyes, knowing as soon as he looked at her, he would cave in.

Don't look at her, he thought. Don't look at her and you'll stand your ground. Ephram looked over and into those blue eyes, and he sighed and then smiled. "Ok, fine, I'll go." Way to stand your ground. "But it's only because of peer pressure. Weren't we taught not to give into peer pressure?"

Bright looked up from his food. "Give it up, the chick always wins."

Ephram looked over at Ryan and said playfully, "I'll have to agree with that one."

"Hey! How many times have I sacrificed for your comics? I listen to you for hours and still don't know what you're talking about," she said. She looked deep into his eyes and leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. "Thank you, seriously."

Ephram just shook his head as he pulled his lunch back in front of him. "You owe me."

"Oh, I'll make it worth your while," Ryan said, suggestively.

Amy cleared her throat. "Uh, Ryan, we should go dress shopping together."

"Uh, sure," Ryan began. "Don't you have a dress already?"

Amy shook her head. "I've been putting it off and having someone there would be fun and helpful. Plus, dragging Colin along isn't exactly his idea of spending an afternoon. So, we can help each other and those three can use the day as male bonding time, what do you say?"

"Guys day!" Colin shouted, putting his arms up in the air.

"Dude, I'm in," Bright said. They both turned to Ephram.

"Ok, I guess I'm in. I don't know what else I would do anyway."

Ryan smiled. "Sure, why not. I'll give Ephram a break for a day. Plus, he's not going to be allowed to see me in the dress until the actual night."

Ephram suddenly got a confused look on his face. "Why not?"

"I consider it, like not seeing the bride before the wedding day."

"We're not getting married."

"So." Ryan stuck her tongue out at him.

He just rolled his eyes before smiling. "Whatever."

"So we're on?" Amy asked.

"Yea, we're on." Ryan replied, hoping to sound enthused.

This should be interesting, both girls thought. They smiled at each other, in that forced, fake way. The boys, though, were too wrapped up in planning there "guys day" that they didn't notice.

And it was probably better that way.