Be Free, Be You

Okay, so I had chickened out when I went to pick up Steph, but whatever, right? Wrong. Jenna, Brittany and Santana wouldn’t get off of my back for the whole beginning of the school day the following morning. It was now lunch and instead of it being just the three of them hounding me, it turned into our whole freaking lunch table of annoying Cheerios. Fuck me.

“Oh my god, just tell us Val!” Jenna said with a whole bucketful of desperateness dripping from her mouth.

I stood, my tray of trash in hand. “I said no, there’s nothing to talk about yet. Let it alone will you?” I turned swiftly on my heel and tried to get away from them but I ran smack into Artie. I groaned and get myself back on my feet and took time to look at him, with his own trash in hand. “Hey...” I mumbled as we both turned and walked to the trash cans with just enough space between the two of us.

“Hey, uh would you want to have dinner with me tonight?” He said it softly, so softly I had almost missed it.

My eyes flicked over to him as I tossed my trash in the can and put my tray in the collector, “Are you asking me on a date?” I asked with bright eyes as I put a hand on my hip for show, knowing that the girls at my table were watching.

He tried to hide a blush but it came through anyway, “Well only if you say yes.”

I involuntarily let out a laugh, “Sure, and uh, I haven’t officially joined the Glee Club yet, so don’t expect me there today.” Most of me really just didn’t want to sing in front of everyone with them able to watch and judge me, judging Steph/Me was okay but just me was a no-no.

“Meet me at Breadstick at seven thirty?” He asked, hidden nervousness still apparent in his clear ocean blue eyes.

I nodded with a small smile before turning and changing my expression back to my usual blank bitch face as I strutted back to the table. “Why were you talking to Artie?” Santana asked as soon as my butt hit my cold chair.

“Because I was?” I said with ice in my voice. “What is he a possible suspect like Garett from my Chemistry lab, who only asked me for a pencil?”

Santana rolled her eyes at me, “You need to chill.”

Jenna turned to me with bright eyes, “Sleepover at my house tonight starting at six?”

I bit my lip and shook my head, “It’s the first friday without a football game...”

“Duh, but why should we cancel our friday sleepovers?” Jenna asked with curiosity shining brightly in her beady little eyes.

I nonchalantly shrugged, “I have plans, sorry.” The girls opened their mouths to fire questions but the lunch bell rang and I ran away with my bag as soon as the crowd formed.

***

“You two are so cute...” Steph said with a dreamy sigh as she sat on my bed.

“You need to stop saying that,” I said sharply before turning back to my closet. “I have nothing to wear Steph! What am I going to do?” I whined and turned to her, I was in rare form, I knew that but I needed her help. I was trying to get ready for the date tonight and I couldn’t help but think that nothing was good enough.

“What about that jean jacket with your collared white shirt and bl--” She started.

“No that says I’m trying too hard.” I sighed and plopped down on my back beside her on my bed. “This is bad, Steph.”

She looked down at me confusion written all over her pale face, “Why? Artie’s a nice guy...?” I huffed out air as I sat back up and moved to sit at my dresser and looked at myself in the mirror. I had just gotten out of the shower and still had my robe on and towel wrapped up in my hair, Why do I care so much? I pouted at myself in the mirror and saw that Steph had gotten up and moved behind me and was taking off the towel. “Or the fact that you actually care about this?”

“The second one,” I said as I looked down at the makeup i had laid out earlier. “Oh my God, Stephanie I’m turning into you.”

That earned a chuckle from her as she brushed out my knotted and wet hair, “You’re doomed.”

I laughed too and looked at my exploded closet with sad eyes, “Do you think my black floral print pants and my black ducktail tee are too much?”

“Or my idea?” She offered with a smile.

I nodded and rose from my chair, “Or your idea.” I pulled out the clothes from the mess and held them up, “You’re sure?” She nodded happily and I puffed out air again. “Alright then.” I stripped off my robe and put on the sleeveless cream colored penny collared shirt and tucked it into a short black pencil skirt before lastly putting on a cropped light wash jean jacket.

I turned to her with my brow raised, “Stunning.” She smiled widely and sat on my bed as I moved to do my makeup, I decided on just simple nude lips and winged black eyeliner.

By this time I was standing in my doorway with my little black clutch holding my phone and wallet with Steph giving me one last look over now that I had my black studded flats on,“You’re sure I don’t look like I’m trying too hard?”

Steph got up, handed me my keys, kissed me on the cheek and pushed me out in the hall, “You’ll be fine, he’s already crazy about you.”

I blushed, “Thanks Steph.” She smiled back at me and shooed me away even though she was in my room. I raced down the steps and to the front door, “I’m going out, I don’t know how long I’ll be but I’ll text you guys what going on!” I shouted as I ran out to my car and turned the heat on. Why the hell did I let her talk me into wearing a skirt?

The drive to Breadsticks was too short and before I could control my nerves I found myself being led to a back table that Artie managed to grab by an all too eager hostess. I mumbled my thanks to her as she practically skipped away before turning to face Artie. He was smiling brightly at me from his seat in the booth, I noticed his chair was pushed in the corner beside us. He wore a nice button up, light blue shirt that made his blue eyes even more entrancing and dark jeans. His eyes connected with mine and he motioned to the booth seat across from his own. “You’re beautiful.” He said softly as I slid in the seat.

I blushed and motioned to him, “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

He let out one of his brilliant white smiles with his brows raised, “You hair is down.” I blushed and tried to smooth it down and tuck it behind my ears, “No, no,it looks good.”

I smiled at him, “Thank you.”

The smile didn’t leave his mouth as he motioned to the menus in front of the two of us, “Order anything you’d like, it’s all on me.” I raised my brows and opened my mouth to protest btu he beat me to it. “Nope, its a date, I pay, end of story.”

I let loose a light laugh and opened my menu, “There’s so many options and so much of it, what are you getting?”

He shrugged and continued to survey the menu, “Do you want to split a pasta?”

I smiled at him and set down my menu, “Sure, what kind?”

I watched him as he surveyed the options again, “Is fettuccine alfredo alright?” He looked up and our eyes connected again, I managed to nod my head as I got lost in his eyes. “You alright, Val?”

I blinked and looked away with a blush on my cheeks, “Oh, yeah I’m fine.”

Dinner passed in what felt like no time at all and the food was delicious, “Hey, do you want to come over and watch a movie with me?” He asked with cute nervousness playing in his reflective eyes.

I smiled widely, “Sure.”