Catch Me When I Fall

I tapped my fingers on my thigh as I waited for Bridget to come out from the fitting room. I pulled out my phone from my jacket pocket and skipped the song that's played. I grinned as Glee Cast's cover of Loser Like Me blasted from the earphones. I glanced at the clock that's hanging on the wall. She's already inside the fitting room for like 25 minutes. What was she doing in there? I shook my head in disbelief and sighed loudly, "Bridget, are you done?" I asked, pretty loud. The shop wasn't crowded so it's fine for me to yell at her.

"No. Not yet." She shouted from the inside.

"You've been there for almost a half hour! You said that you're coming with me to LA, so why don't you buy the dress later? There are a lot of stores that sell dresses in LA." I groaned in frustration and ran my fingers through my hair.

"It's just... I really like this dress but I felt something isn't right." I stood up from my seat and walked towards her fitting room. I knocked and she opened the door. The fitting room was pretty big so it could fit both of us.

"Bridget! What's wrong with this dress?! This is pretty!!" I said to her in a 'duh' tone. She smiled sheepishly and shrugged her shoulders.

"No, it's not, Ella. I felt like... This dress doesn't fit me." She complained and sighed loudly.

"No!! This dress fits you! Oh gosh, Bridget. You look so pretty!" I reassured her and her eyes lit up, "I'm not kidding. You look so pretty in this dress. Now you better go change to your clothes and buy this dress."

"Really? Oh gosh, Ella. Thank you so much!" She smiled and I walked out from the fitting room. I sat back on the waiting chair and waited patiently for her to come out.

A few minutes later, she already dressed in her clothes and came out from the fitting room. She paid the dress with a bright smile on her face and finally, we left the store. It's pretty chilly when we came out. Before going back to the house, we stopped by at Starbucks. Bridget bought a cup of caramel latte for me and strawberry frappucino for herself.

"I'm wondering… Why did you buy another dress? Don't you already have some dresses at home?" I asked her as I sipped my coffee, feeling the warm liquid stream down to my dry throat.

"Well, yes, but I have to buy a dress for my date with Kevin! Actually, it's our date, because you and your date are going to be there too." She said calmly and I sighed loudly at her, watching my breath come out from my mouth.

"Bridget, I didn't say yes to you. I have a dinner with my friend at the same time." I told her once again and she rolled her eyes to me, "if he cancels our dinner, then I maybe go with you. But I’m sure I can’t. He has planned this since a week ago." I actually didn't know how long Kendall has been playing to have dinner with me. But because I have to refuse Bridget, so I said 'a week'.

"He? It's a guy?! Oh my gosh, I should've thought about this after you told me you can't come!" She laughed at herself and shook her head in disbelief, "how long have you dated him? What does he look like?" She continued to ask.

"We're not dating! He's my friend back in junior high. Nothing's going on between us. We're friends." I defended, "what makes you think that I'm dating him?" I asked defensively at her.

"Well, maybe because I never heard you having a dinner with a guy before and never close to a guy. So I think this guy has a chance to be your boyfriend." She said casually.

"I'm not looking for a boyfriend." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh yes, you are."

"No, I'm not. I don't have to have a boyfriend to make myself complete. I can be just single and happy."

"Well, yes, you can be just single and happy and feel complete without a boyfriend, but it's just for a while. I've been through that before, Ella." She said with a chuckle.

"Whatever." I muttered and rolled my eyes in annoyance, ignoring her and didn’t say any words after that.

When we got at home, I walked straight to my room and turned on my laptop. I checked my Skype randomly and waited until it loaded. I raised my eyebrow when I saw Kendall online. I clicked at his name and waited until he accepted to do a video call. While waiting, I finished my coffee and tossed the paper cup to the recycling bin.

“That beanie looks good on you.” Kendall’s voice from my laptop almost made me jump. I took a deep breath to calm myself before walking towards the desk and sat on the spinning chair.

“You scared me!” I glared at him through the screen and he laughed slightly at me, bringing his dimples to show, “And it’s not funny.” I rolled my eyes at him.

“By the way, what are you doing right now?” He asked randomly as I watched the screen moving like he was shifting on the bed.

“I just got home after shopping with my cousin. She needs to buy a new dress for her dinner on New Year.” I shrugged and leaned on the back of the chair.

“Uh that sounds… Boring?” He asked unsure and I nodded my head at his words, “You’re a girl but you don’t like shopping. You’re weird, Ella. Um, no, you’ve been weird since junior high. You’re the only girl who didn’t like wearing skirts and dresses.” He added, making me to roll my eyes again.

“Ah, thanks for remembering me about that, Kendall.” I said sarcastically.

“You’re welcome,” He said with a chuckle.

“You wanna know something crazy?” I asked him and he furrowed his eyebrows in curiosity.

“Um, sure. I bet it’s interesting.”

“You know what, my cousin, Bridget, asked me to have a blind date with her date’s brother on New Year! I can’t believe it.” I shook my head and Kendall laughed loudly through the laptop, causing me to let out a soft laugh. His laugh was ridiculous!

“A blind date on New Year? Was she kidding? That sounds terrible!” He said in an unbelievable tone and shook his head, “Has she ever watched MTV’s Disaster Date? Just imagine if that happens in your blind date!”

“Ew, that sucks! But I rejected it, of course. I already have a plan with you, remember? And when I told her that I’m going to have dinner with a guy, she didn’t believe it. She was like ‘is he your boyfriend?’ and I was like ‘no, of course he’s not!’, but she still wouldn’t believe me. Well, she wouldn’t believe that I’m a happy, single girl.”

“Hey, can I ask you a question?” He asked, changing the topic, and I just shrugged, telling him that he could ask me anything, “How long have you been single? No offense, okay? I’m just curious. Is it really that long?” He said lowly, trying to not make me mad.

“Since sophomore in high school. I decided to give it break and waited until I find the one. But I think, I haven’t found the one until now.” My friend ever told me that you maybe the one for me, but unfortunately you moved away and we hadn’t met again until the New York accident, “Um, actually, I have another reason, but it’s a long story.” I added and looked down at my short-cut nails.

“Well, you know we were pretty close back in junior high, so you can tell me anything. I’ll be listening to you whenever you need to talk and... Um… Well, I’m only a phone call away if you need anything.” He rambled and I gave him a slight smile.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Kendall. Thank you.” I smiled at him, “What’s your-“

“Ella!!” Bridget’s voice echoed and I sighed heavily.

“Ugh.” I groaned, “I gotta go. Nice talking with you and see you in LA!” I said with a warm smile at him.

“Okay, then. See you later, Ella. Take care.” He said with a bright smile. I waved a little at him, which he returned it back, before signing off from Skype. I spun my chair and saw Bridget standing in the doorway with a smirk on her face.

“What’s up?” I asked her and stood up from the chair, taking off my beanie and scarf then put it on my bed.

“The moms need our help to make cookies.” I nodded and walked out of the room with her trailing behind me, “By the way, who are you talking to? It’s a guy, isn’t it?” She asked and I bet a smirk still playing on her face.

“The guy who will have dinner with me.” I answered shortly as we walked downstairs to the kitchen, passing the living room where Matt and the other cousins were playing video games. I turned around and faced her after getting a feeling that she would ask me any further about Kendall, “Look, please don’t ask again about him and tell me to accept your blind date offer. I’m going to have dinner with my friend at the same night and there’s no possibility that he would cancel his own plan. So, I’m not going with you. Well, please just stop asking me something like that. You get it?” I rambled and she just nodded, looking stunned at my words.

“Good. Now let’s move because we have to make cookies!” I exclaimed and dragged her by her wrist to the kitchen.