Learning to Fall

I wake up Wednesday morning with a strange feeling. Alex asked me out for next weekend. Alex told me he likes me. It just feels so… weird.

I’ve been waiting for him to just man-up and ask me out and now that he’s actually done it, I feel like it’s a bad idea.

I can only think of one reason for me to feel this way – he doesn’t do serious relationships. Just because he promised he won’t let me down does not mean he won’t. I mean, I know that if I don’t take a risk and go out with him, then I will never know – but it’s still making me nervous. I don’t want to end up hurt.

At school, everything’s normal, which I’m grateful for. It’s as if I expected everything to suddenly be very different.

Kaitlin approaches me at my locker first, and I already know what she wants to ask.

“I’ll tell you about it at lunch, okay?” I inform her before she can even open her mouth to speak.

Instead, she screams. “Something good must have happened!”

“Keep your voice down!” I hiss as a bunch of sophomores look our way. “Like I said, I will talk to you at lunch.”

“Okay… Oh my God, I’m excited!”

She wanders over to her locker and starts gossiping with Rae. I just know they’re going to come up with a list of what could have happened. I hate high school.

I slam my locker closed after getting all of the books I need for the day. I turn to walk towards my first class, English, but Alex is standing in my way. I glance over at Rae and Kait. They’re whispering and pointing at us.

“Hey.”

“Hey Alex.”

“Can I walk you to class?”

I narrow my eyes. He’s being too sweet to be normal. “I guess so…”

“Awesome.”

He takes the textbook I’m holding out of my hands and then grabs my backpack as well. The girls who have lockers next to me are staring. I can feel their eyes on my back. It’s awkward.

“You’re making people stare at me. Thanks a lot.”

“You should probably get used to that… not to be like, arrogant. People are going to stare at you.”

“Why?”

“Like I said, not to be arrogant or anything, but because I’m treating you like my girlfriend.”

“I’m not your girlfriend.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t treat you like it.”

I roll my eyes and follow him down the hallway. He was right – people are giving me weird looks – all because Alex is walking me to class. Is it that unusual for Alex to be nice to a girl that he’s not sleeping with or even dating? Guess so.

“Um, well thanks…” I say when we reach my English classroom.

Alex nods and hands over my bag and my books. “Listen, Stella, I know it must be kind of weird right now, but I’m really trying, okay? I don’t want to be the one to let you down… I can prove it to you.”

“I know…”

I don’t say anything else. I don’t have anything to say. It’s up to him to prove it to me.

“I’ll see you later? Will you sit with me at lunch?”

“Well, I told Kaitlin and them that I would sit with them.”

“Oh… okay then. That’s fine. I’m driving you home, though. I’ll meet you at your locker.”

“Okay… that’s fine. I’ll see you later.”

He smiles at me and kisses me quickly before walking back down the hall, slightly rushing because he doesn’t want to be late for his class. A few people who walk into the classroom behind me give me the look that everyone’s been giving me – the ‘did Alex Gaskarth just kiss you?’ look.