Emily, Alicia, Brittany, Claire, Nicole, Jennifer, Haley, and I were making and eating homemade pancakes and planning our shopping trip to get dresses for the dance.
It was hard to imagine all this craziness had started just five days ago, and that school started in just two days. The dance would be three weeks from now, so we were going to go shopping tomorrow, after mass.
"Kayla?" called Ben, walking through the front door.
"Hi Ben," chorused the girls.
"Do not say hi to him," I said, through gritted teeth, "we're mad at him."
"Monday you make out, Tuesday you're mad, Wednesday you make out, Thursday he's mad. I think today you're supposed to make out again, not be mad at him, Kay," said Emily, and if looks could kill she would have been dead on the spot.
"Aww, leave the poor girl alone," Ben said, "But really, Kay, I don't wanna fight anymore."
"Maybe I do," I replied.
"Well then, I hope these change your mind," he said handing me a bouquet of flowers.
"Aww," chorused the girls again. I really needed to stop inviting them over.
"Side-bar!" announced Emily, dragging me into the bathroom that was set off from my kitchen and the living room, "Listen, Ben Hunter does not do flowers. He's not a romantic gestures kinda guy...I know you're stubborn as all hell, but for all your big talk, I can tell all you want to do is run over there and kiss his face off-"
"That's not true!" I interrupted, even though we both knew it was.
"Whatever Kayla. All I'm saying is you should forgive the guy, he's trying here. I think you should go to the dance with Andrew, because you already told him you would, not to mention he and Todd are a package deal, but I think you should forgive him and see where this thing goes."
"Emily?" I asked, "When did you get so smart?"
"Around the same time guys started finding you irresistible. Crazy, huh?"
"Hunter, outside," I said, walking back into the kitchen.
"As you wish," he responded, his smirk back, and the girls 'aww-ing' once again.
"I accept your apology, on one condition," I said.
"Name it."
"You try to get along better with Jack."
"That's your condition? Done."
"Also, could you try not to take anyone too trashy to the dance?"
"What? You're still going to the dance with Andrew?"
"Well, yeah, I said I would before you had asked me."
"But if we're dating you have to come to the dance with me."
"We're dating?" I asked, ignoring his having said I had to do anything.
"Well, aren't we?"
"I don't know, you never asked."
"Kayla Ryan, would you pretty please be my girlfriend?" he asked, jokingly, although I could tell he was serious.
"I'll have to think about it," I answered, standing on my tippy toes to kiss him, "But I'm still going with Andrew to the dance."
He kissed me back, and I knew we'd be alright; for now at least.