Caught In The Middle

I’m staring at the ceiling, just like Christopher Reeve did towards the end of “Somewhere In Time” after he was transported back to 1980 and slowly dying from a broken heart. Only I’m not dying, I’m in shock. Seeing Jonathan was great and all, but not during Candace’s wedding unless she had something to do with it. She always tries to make a play for my dating life. After all, it was Candace herself that set Johnny and I up on a blind date.

*January 2006*

I’m in my room, throwing my beanie ball up and down while Justine and Phoebe were quoting lines from “Mean Girls” in my room. As long as I remember, it had always been Justy, Pheebs, and I: The Three Stooges. We’re not as popular as the jocks and cheerleaders but we held our own as just the three of us.

“Nervous about tonight?” Phoebe asked as she turned off the TV. “I mean when the last time you’ve been on a date was?”

“Yeah Mal.” Justy went into my closet and starting to look for something cute to wear. “Besides, your sister is hooking you up with someone from the Sioux! I wish I had a sister like that.”

“It’s not that. It’s just I’m a books obsessed choir priss who’s only popular by association but is a total dork and he’s a jock.”

“Not just any jock… a Sioux! And you’re still reading that vampire book?” Pheebs picked up this book I’ve been reading for

“Whatever, Pheebs! They need to make a movie out of this.”

“So what do you know about him?”

“He’s 17 like us, originally from the ‘Peg but went to high school in some boarding school in Minnesota and graduated a year early. I Googled him and he’s not bad looking. Looks kinda dorky to me but he’s still a jock.” I opened my laptop and Googled the current Fightin’ Sioux team, only to get two girls drooling over him.

“He’s really cute.” Justy continued to drool over him. “Does he have a name?”

“Jonathan. And I thought you’re gonna help me.” Justy remembered and went back to my closet to pick out something to wear for me. At that very moment, Skylar came into the room unannounced. “Skye, I told you to knock!”

“Sorry.” My little sister, all 12 years old of her, was taken back by it. “I’m just letting you know Candace is here.”

“I’m not ready. Tell her to hold her horse.” I pushed Skylar out the door and closed it. “Shoot, I need something now!”

After a few minutes, my friends picked out a cute outfit for me to wear. Justy picked out a cute pink v-neck sweater and jeans while Pheebs found my earrings. I checked myself in the mirror and thought I look a little bit like Candace but deep down I’m all Mallory.

Candace and I were waiting for our dates at the local pizzeria near campus. She told me she was dating someone from her class and thought his underage floor mate should them on a double date. We had fun at the game but I wanted to get this whole date over with. When the guys came in, I was relived how Jonathan is like the picture I saw on Google.

“I guess I’ve done something right.” Candace proclaimed as Jonathan and I stood there, smiling at each other. “Jonathan, this is my sister Mallory. Mal, this is Jonathan Toews. Don’t worry, he’s jailbait like you.” We both blushed at her comment as we shook hands and sat down. Even though he and I didn’t have any privacy, we had a great time with each other.

Jonathan and I decided to take a different direction than Candace and her date, since all they wanted to do is find a nearby room and just bang each other. He offered to take me home on his car since I told him it was a school night and have to be up early for class. We had more in common than I thought, not only in personality but in common interests. He walked me to the door, even though it was below zero outside here in Grand Forks.

“It was really nice meeting you, Mallory.” Johnny held my hand as I continued to shiver in the cold. “I hope to see you again.”

“Me too. I think this is the first time my sister got it right.” I smiled as Johnny leaned forward and gently pressed his warm lips onto mine. I’ve kissed a few boys but this was the first time that I had butterflies in my stomach from it. I asked for his phone so I can program my number in there, hoping he would keep his word before going into his car. My smile never left my face as I walked into my house.

A knock on my door broke my thoughts and I got off my bed and answered it. Candace let herself in with a couple of dresses and placed it on the bed. As much as I want to help her, I need to know the bottom of this.

“So which one will it be for tonight?” Candace asked as we looked at the two dresses. One dress was a hot pink summer dress with a white sash on it, the other was a burgundy cocktail dress.

“The summer one. By the way, what is Jonathan doing here?”

“I invited him.”

“What? We broke up a few years ago.”

“But you’re friends. Plus he’s still very chummy with our family so why not invite him.” Candace grabbed the dress and was heading out the door.

“I know we’re all friends with him but it’s still not right. He’s my ex!” I shouted but Candace kept on walking. At that moment, I see Skylar and Dad in the living room as we looked at each other for a moment. “You have something to do with Jonathan being here?” They looked at each other and walked the other direction. Don’t they realize that it’s been over for a while now?