Walking Travesty

After pizza we all got back into Alex's car and sang obnoxiously along with the Taylor Swift song on the radio.
"Our song is the slam of screen doors," Alex belts out in a twangy imitation of her voice.
"Wow, I cannot wait to see your country band," I say sarcastically.
"I don't like to brag, but we're pretty fucking amazing."
I laugh, and all too soon we pull into my driveway. Alex walks me to the front door while Emily and Jack make out in the back of his car. "I had a lot of fun tonight," I say as I lean against the door.
He smiles widely, then extends Potato to me. "I give you custody of my beloved pink panda."
I laugh and take the stuffed animal and hug it to my chest. "I'll take good care of him."
A soft breeze causes some of my hair to fly in my face. He reaches up to brush it away and his hand stays on my cheek longer than necessary. I think he's going to kiss me, and I secretly hope he does. He doesn't. "I'll see you tomorrow."
I bite my lip and nod once. "Yep, see ya."
He smiles again, then makes his way back to the car. I open the front door and watch from inside as he kicks Emily out of the backseat. She waves to me and motions for me to call her as she gets into her car.
I close the front door and turn around. I jump when I see my parents sitting on the couch, staring at me. "Where were you all night?" my mom asks with a worried look on her face.
"Um, with Emily," I shrug as I try to make my way towards my room.
"Who was the boy?" my dad asks, and I notice them both staring at the stuffed animal I'm still holding onto.
"Alex. He's um... a friend," I say as I inch towards the stairs.
My mom raises an eyebrow. "A boyfriend?"
I shrug again and laugh awkwardly. "He's a boy and a friend."
My mom smiles, and jumps up from the couch and hurries over to give me a suffocating hug. "Is he cute?"
I pull away from the hug and laugh again. "Mom, I'm not talking boys with you. I'm going to bed." I quickly hurry up the stairs, away from the awkward family time.
I change into pajamas and wash my makeup off, then crawl into bed and pull out my phone just as Emily starts calling. "Hola bitchacho," I greet as I curl up under the warm blankets.
"Jack is sooo perfect," she sighs. "He's like the most amazing kisser ever."
I roll my eyes and hold back from telling her that she's said that about the past five guys she's dated. "Yeah, he seems nice."
She giggles and then asks, "What about you? Did he kiss you? You guys look sooo cute together!"
I frown and pick at a loose thread on my tank top. "Um, no. He just said goodnight. He gave me the panda though."
"Oh," she says, sounding about as disappointed as I feel. "Well that's cute that he gave you the bear. What are you wearing tomorrow?"
We talk for a few more minutes, and then I tell her I'm tired and we hang up. I stare at Potato for a few minutes.
Did I do something wrong? Why hadn't he even tried kissing me? I probably creeped him out somehow
I sigh and grab the stuffed animal and hug it against my chest and bury my face in the fur that reeks of pizza. Maybe he just likes taking things slow
That seems like a better thought. I hope I didn't scare him somehow. I like him.
He didn't say he had a good time , I remind myself. I frown and collapse backwards on my bed. That was probably the shittiest date he's ever been on. I probably looked like shit compared to Em
I sigh again and reach over to turn the light off, but I don't ever wind up falling asleep.