Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner

“Come on, Hayliee. You need to forget about that guy!”, Callie shouted, taking a seat next to me.

“Yea.”, Emmy added, taking a seat on the other side of me. “What happened was not your fault.”

“Yes, it was.” I buried my head in my hands. “I could’ve ignored him. I could’ve walked away.”

“You could’ve said no when he offered to fuck you.”, Callie stated, grinning at me.

I threw a grape at her. “You’re so not helping.”

“Hey, I was joking!”

“Yo, guys!” Emmy’s yell brought us back. “Hayliee, your phone is ringing.”

I picked up my phone and checked the caller ID. “I don’t recognize the number.”, I stated.

“Answer it!”, Callie urged.

I glanced at both of them nervously, and they motioned me on with their hands. I took a deep breath, hit the green button, and place my phone up to my ear.

“Hello?”, I asked tentatively.

“Hey.”, a masculine voice answered. “Is this Hayliee?”

“Yes.” Who the hell is this?

“This is Johnny.”

Johnny...why did that name sound so familiar? Oh my God...

“It’s him!”, I mouthed to Callie and Emmy. They looked at me, perplexed, then realization spread across their faces.

“The guy you fucked at the motel?”, Callie whispered. I scowled at her, but nodded.

“Hello?”, Johnny asked. “Are you still there?”

“Y-Yea.”, I stammered.

“Hey, don’t be nervous.”, he laughed. “I just wanted to know if you were free this Saturday. Because, I’d really like to see you again.” The last sentence was a whisper, and it made butterflies erupt in my stomach.

“O-Okay.”, I managed to choke out. I began to twirl my hair around my finger, something I did when I was flirty or nervous. Right now, I couldn’t tell which. “Where should we go?”

“How about...dinner and a movie?”

I loved how his voice sounded, smooth and sexy. It made my heart race. “Sounds great.”

“Cool.”, Johnny said, the relief evident in his voice. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

“Okay. Bye.”, I whispered.

“Bye.”

When I put down my phone, I could feel Callie’s and Emmy’s eyes glued to me. I was scared to look up, not knowing what I’d find.

“I cannot believe you’re going out with him.” It was Emmy who spoke first, her voice filled with shock. “I mean come on, the guy turned you into a regular bar slut!”

“No, he didn’t.”, I countered. “I did. I turned myself into a slut.”

“It doesn’t matter. He fucked you and ran off! Doesn’t that sound familiar?”

“He’s nothing like Jon.”, I snapped.

“How do you know what he’s really like? You only knew him for one night, and I’m pretty sure the only thing you were concentrating on was riding him.”

I tried to hold in my anger, I knew Emmy was just trying to protect me. But I didn’t need protecting.

“Listen, Emmy, I know you’re trying to save me from heartbreak or something, and I’m flattered. But, I don’t need you or Callie to save me from anything. I’m eighteen years old, and I can take care of myself.”

“Alright.”, Emmy said in a strained voice. “But when you come to us because he’s broken your heart, I’m going to tell you I told you so.”

“Well, when that doesn’t happen, I’m going to tell you I told you so.”, I replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go get ready for my date.”

“But it’s not for three days!”, Callie exclaimed.

“I ran my hand through my hair nervously. “Yea, but it’ll probably take me that long to get ready.”

“We’ll help you!”, Callie shouted. She turned to Emmy. “What do you say, Emmy?”

Emmy sighed, then grinned. “Okay, I’m in.”

“Yes!”, I cheered. “Thanks so much you guys.”

. . .

“God, I’m so nervous.”, I fretted. “Why did I say yes?”

Callie walked behind me to finish fixing my hair. “Because according to you, he’s very sexy. And pretty damn good in bed.” I elbowed her in the stomach and she grunted.

“I was just kidding.”, she huffed. “But seriously, you’d better not sleep with him again.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t.” The tone of my voice made it sound like I was trying to assure myself more than Callie or Emmy.

“What do I say? I mean, the last time I talked to him, I was drunk. And we didn’t really talk. We...”

“You fucked.”, Callie supplied.

“Thank you, Callie.”, I mumbled sarcastically.

“Okay, you two. Stop bickering and let’s see if Hayliee’s ready for her date.”, Emmy interjected, speaking for the first time.

She and Callie looked me over. “Damn, Hayliee, you look fine! That boy won’t be able to keep his hands off of you.”, Callie stated.

“He better. Because I really don’t want a repeat of last time.”

I turned to the mirror to look myself over. I was wearing my favorite gray skinny jeans, tucked into my black Uggs. As for my shirt, I had opted for a plain white t-shirt with a small pocket to the upper left of my chest, and over that I wore a long, lose-fitting black vest.

I self-consciously raised my hand to grasp the heart locket my mother had given my before she died fourteen years ago.

“Whoa!”

Callie’s exclamation made Emmy and me turn to face her. She was hanging out the window. “There’s a limo outside!”

“Holy shit! Are you for real?”, Emmy said as she and I rushed to meet Callie at the window. Sure enough, there was a limo parked outside our dormitory. Suddenly, the door opened and someone stepped out. “Shit, is that him?”

“Yea.” I nodded my head, getting a good look at him for the first time. He was dressed the same way he was when I met him at the bar. A black t-shirt and jeans with a short chain hanging from the belt loops. But I didn’t care. No matter how he was dressed, he still looked hot.

I was so caught up in thinking about him, I didn’t notice a knock at the door. Then Emmy and Callie were shaking me.

“Hayliee, snap out of it! He’s here!”

“Shit!” I shook myself and smoothed down my hair. I checked to make sure I looked perfect before reaching out and opening the door.

When I saw him standing there, everything I had planned to say flew from my mind. I stood there gawking at him for several seconds before Callie nudged me.

“H-Hi.”, I gushed.

“Hey.”, he replied, shooting me a smile.

“Well...”, Callie said awkwardly, looking from me to Johnny. “I guess we’ll go now. Right, Emmy?”

“Right.”, Emmy mumbled, still staring at Johnny.

“Let’s go!”, Callie huffed, seizing Emmy’s arm and dragging her from the dorm room.

“I take it those are your friends?”, Johnny asked, jerking his thumb in the direction Callie and Emmy had gone.

“Yea.” I kept my gaze on the floor. “I know they’re weird, but-”

Johnny cut me off. “You don’t have to explain. My friends are worse than that.” We both laughed, and the tension evaporated. “So, shall we go now?”, Johnny questioned, offering me his arm.

“We shall.”, I answered, smiling up at him and taking his arm.