Stay With Them Tonight

It was Wednesday, and the guys had both taken a day off hanging with us to hang out with their guy-friends. I had the fantastic idea to invite Katie to come over, and we were sitting in my room surrounded by junk and sodas, watching a Glee, marathon, mostly because it was the only thing on and for the songs they sung. Why was it playing on a Wednesday, anyway?

“They are definitely lip-singing,” Kelly pointed out for the third time.

“Who cares! Blaine is hot,” I said, also for the umpteenth time.

“Not for our team, honey,” she replied.

“Holy cheese balls Finn is such as ass,” Katie piped up. We hadn’t been able to keep a single thread of conversation going for the past few hours. Katie had called her dad, who said she could stay for dinner and after, so it was almost nine and she was still here.

We had been on-and-off texting Ryan all night, and even got him to turn on the TV at his place to watch ten minutes. After ten minutes, he declared his eyes were bleeding. Kelly and I had spammed him with angry messages, Katie providing a lot of the ammo we hit him with. He gave in and renounced his previous message, and then we were just talking.

“What time is it?” Katie asked.

I looked at the clock. “9:28.” She started to get up.

“I gotta go. Kelly, do you want me to give you a lift home quick? It’s just down the street, right?”

“Yeah. Al, have you seen my bag?” I fished under my bed, where she had thrown it earlier.

“Here.”

“Thanks. See you tomorrow,” they said when I walked them out the door. I went back inside and continued texting Ryan. After a couple texts, my phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and raised my eyebrow at it.

“Why are you calling me when we’re texting?” I asked Ryan.

“Because I happen to like calling slightly better than texting,” he replied.

“Weirdo. Okay, so what’s up?”

“I don’t know. Are you still watching [i Happy?”

I laughed. He knew it wasn’t “Happy.”

“It’s Glee. And yeah.”

“I know. Who wants to drive tomorrow?”

“Doesn’t matter. You?” I had driven a couple times, and he had too. Kelly and Jason had yet to drive us all.

“Yeah . . .” It didn’t really sound like that was what he had called to ask. I had a feeling he had just called because he was bored.

“What are you doing?” I supplied for conversation.

“Just hanging out in my room with music playing. Hey, do you think we can hang out this Saturday? My friend has this new girlfriend, and he needs me to find out if she’s alright. I’m kinda good at seeing if girls are, uh, right, I guess? He suggested a double-date, and the girl said yeah . . . Only with us, it wouldn’t be a double date. You would just be meeting my friend and his new girlfriend.” He kind of rambled, and I was surprised he had actually called for a specific reason.

“I would, but I’m working Saturday, one to nine. How about Kelly? I know she has this Saturday off.” She worked at a movie theater, which she hated with a passion. I knew he was probably trying to take me out on one of those tester dates Kelly mentioned, but I was honestly worried where it would take us. Besides, I really was working that day. Why not make sue Kelly went on a date with him? She would love me forever.

“Yeah, sure.” He said. I looked down, almost sorry I had refused. He sounded pretty disappointed.

“So is that all you’re doing this weekend? Do you have any more exciting plans?” I continued the conversation, and we talked for an hour about absolutely nothing. I grinned as I fell asleep, and I hoped he would call Kelly soon.

I hoped they would hurry up and get together, so the lightness I felt in my chest when I was around him wouldn’t make me do something stupid.

*****

“Keeeeeelly. Keeeeeeeeelly. KELLY! GET YOUR LAZY BUTT UP!” It was seven thirty, and I had decided to come over quick instead of going straight to Ryan and Jason’s. I had already texted them to pick me up with Kelly. I could not believe she was still sleeping, because I had woken up at four and had been unable to fall back asleep. As a result, I had drunk half a pot of coffee on my own, and my hands were shaking a bit.

She groaned, eyes opening a fraction to glare at me, before turning and burying her face back in her pillow. How did she get ready in less than fifteen minutes? I said her name again, but she ignored me.

“Okayyyyy,” I sung, before jumping on the bed, splaying myself across her middle. “Then Ima go back to sleep too.” She shifted, groaned, and pushed me off, sitting up.

“I hate you, Allie Anderson.”

“I love you too, Kell-bell.”

She walked like a zombie to her closet, taking out her outfit, and going to the bathroom to change and brush her teeth. I Curled up on the bed, fully clothed but without my shoes, and closed my eyes.

“Nuh uh, Allen. If I’m not allowed to sleep, you aren’t either.”

“Buuuuut I woke up around four,” I said tiredly. I really wasn’t at all tired, and my foot was tapping, but it was so warm here.

“Too bad. Why’d you come over?”

“Can’t I just come over to see my best friend in the world at six thirty in the morning? No? Okay, well Ryan’s gonna ask you on a double-date.”

She squealed, and she hugged me so hard I thought I would die. I had told her now because she could act all excited, and anticipate it all day, instead of wanting to restrain herself when Ryan actually asked her. “I love you, Allie Anderson! Wait,” She pulled away, staring into my eyes, very serious all of a sudden. This was her verify-information-at-all-costs face.

“How did you know?” She squinted at me.

“I have my ways,” I teased. Telling her that he had asked me first would definitely hurt her feelings. “But it’s not a date-date, I don’t think. It’s like a friend-date that you’re allowed to be closer to him on. Which means your first real date with him will still technically be your first.” It might not seem all that important, but I knew having her first real date with him solo would mean a lot to her.

“Ah! He’s going to be here any second! When do you think he’ll ask me?”

“Dunno. Let’s go outside, though. And you might have to slap me by the time we get to English. If I make it that long.” I skipped to the door, shoving my feet into my shoes and standing under the porch. I looked around, and saw the guys getting in the car down the street. I waved, but only Jason saw. From this far away, they were almost like mirror images of each other, except for Ryan having short hair.

If I hadn’t known them, I would have thought they would be very alike. Too bad they weren’t identical twins; they were fraternal, but they still looked a lot alike. Even looking so similar, they were as different as peanut butter and jelly. Somehow they still got along.