Chapter 6

POV: Jeanette

I feel obliged to thank a user named 'lovingrace' for their continuous and supportive reviews. It means a lot to me that someone is actually following this story.

Additionally, I am intrigued by the fact that I have yet to receive one negative review. Perhaps the internet is not as full of haters as I had previously surmised.

The school bell rang. It was time to go home, a time for which I had been waiting all afternoon. I rushed out of the classroom to meet Simon at the gate. He was standing next to the gate, holding a Rubik's cube.

When Simon spotted me, he waved me over and I made my way around the maze of exiting students to reach him.

"Hello." I greeted Simon with a smile, "So, shall we go to my place?" We walked through the gate, and Simon began to speak.

"So how are you going in chemistry? Are you still having trouble?" He asked, fiddling with the cube in his hands.

"Nope, I'm going pretty well now. You really helped me understand it." He smiled to himself.

I wished he could somehow stay with me, but also go to MIT at the same time. Of course, this was impossible without some immediate and ground-breaking advances in cloning technology. It was still all I could wish for.

"So have you been practicing what I taught you last time?" Simon interrupted my thoughts.

"Actually, yes, I have. I can solve the first two layers now." I proudly stated. It was an achievement, since it took patience to learn how to solve the cube.

We walked the rest of the way to my home in silence. I sometimes looked over at Simon to try to see what he was thinking about, but I was no mind-reader. I wanted to ask him, what was on his mind, but I never plucked up the courage.

When we reached home, Brittany was already lying on her bed with her iPod, singing along. She ceased abruptly when she saw Simon and I walk through the door.

"Hey, Simon." She pulled her ear-phones out of her ears, "Jeanette didn't tell me you were coming."

"He only decided to this afternoon, and since I didn't see you, I couldn't tell you." I explained.

Presently, Eleanor walked into the room, holding a tray of cupcakes. Her expression turned apologetic when she saw Simon.

"Oh, if I'd known you were coming, I would've made a bigger batch. Sorry." She set the tray down on the table.

"That's OK, I'm not that hungry, anyway." Simon assured Eleanor, before I led him to my room.

"OK, so I guess we'll start where we left off last time." I sat down on my bead with my cube.

He proceeded to explain to me the next steps in solving my multicolored puzzle, and by the time he had to go, I had solved my cube for the first time.

"You're a quick leaner, Jean." He complemented me. I beamed back at him. "You'll be speed-cubing in no time at all."

"Thanks, Simon. I couldn't have done it without you, though." He looked doubtful.

"I think you could have worked it out yourself, if you had put your mind to it." we walked towards the front door, but Simon stopped at the doormat and turned to me.

"Jeanette, would you like to see a movie tomorrow?" He asked me. I was beyond surprise, considering his reaction to my questions the last time we were at his house. He looked sincere. I looked at him, wondering if he was even asking me on a date. After all, it wasn't unprecedented for two friends to watch a movie. I needed to find out if he was trying to ask me out, but I didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable.

"Um, Simon, would it be a... date?" I started to blush, but I needed to know.

"I suppose it would be a date." He answered. I had to decide quickly. Did I want to go on a date with Simon? Yes. Was I prepared to go with him to a movie after what he had said? Yes. So what was I waiting for?

"I'd love to, Simon." I replied, finally, at which point Simon looked relieved and happy at the same time. I waved him goodbye.

"I bid you fare well, Jeanette, and look forward to tomorrow." He was quite eloquent. I smiled to him, before he started home, and I walked back inside.

"Brit, Ellie, guess what." I exclaimed, "Simon just asked me out to the movies!" I stood before them, almost jumping in place with excitement.

"Really?" Brittany seemed doubtful, but so was I when he asked me.

"That's great, Jean. I hope you have a great time." Eleanor was more optimistic.

I slept soundly and happily that night. I couldn't wait for tomorrow, the day of our first date. It would be a date to remember, I could feel it.

The next morning, I rose to find I had woken up early. I quietly made my way to the bathroom to get ready for school.

I quickly poured some milk into a bowl with cornflakes, and sat down to eat breakfast.

"You're up early today, Jeanette." Miss Miller's voice broke the silence, "Any particular reason?" she asked.

"Nope, I just woke up early today." I replied, "But I am exited about today. This will be my first date ever. What if I screw it up? I could drop the popcorn on the ground, or fall down the cinema stairs-"

"You'll be fine, Jeanette. Just don't worry, and be calm. Everything will work out perfectly." She seemed so sure, but I dared not share her optimism. I couldn't afford complacency, especially on a day like this.

I finished breakfast and packed up my schoolbag. Finally I exited the house and began to walk towards school. By this time it was a more usual time for me to go to school, since I had killed most of the time I had by practicing the Rubik's cube.

"Jeanette!" I heard Simon's voice behind me, "Good morning. How are you?"

"I'm great, Simon. I can't wait for this afternoon, it's exciting." I smiled at him.

"So, what movie do you want to watch?" Simon asked me.

"Well, maybe we could watch Hugo™. Eleanor told me it's pretty good." Simon nodded and agreed.

"Well then, I can't wait." When we reached school we parted, to go to our different classes. I tried to concentrate on my schoolwork, but my mind was elsewhere for the whole day. I was getting more and more nervous, the later it became, until I was almost dreading the date. I was almost certain I would make a fool of myself in front of Simon.

Eventually, the bell rang, and I walked out of the classroom with the rest of the students. The time had finally come.

We're starting to taste the juicy bit now. Remember to review this story, and tell me what you think. Your reviews are the only thing keeping me going.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.

If you review,
I'll continue.

^ It rhymes :)