Messed Up Youthful Innocence

(Drew's point of View)

“Hey dad?”

“Yeah?” he said walking into the living room.

“I have a question for you.” I said as Pete walked into the living room behind him.

Petey came back from the bathroom ruining my chance at asking alone. Petey jumped onto
the loveseat and Pete hit him in the back of the head.

“Don’t jump on the furniture”

Petey rubbed the back of his head as Dad started drumming on the top of the high backed chair. I realized that is where Katie and I got that particular nervous habit.

“Okay. Shoot.” dad said.

“How did you ask mom out?”

“Oh” he responded. “Um. Well one day I just kind of did it.”

“Ah.”

“Drew, If it makes you feel any better- he flirted for years before he finally sucked it up and
probably stuttered “want to go out sometime”” Pete joked.

“Something like that.” dad said shrugging.

“Oh, and he left out the part about them being all cuddly for the next 27 years.”

“Ha, yeah… three months before you and Erelin. And in those three months I made your life
as uncomfortable as possible because of all the harassment I took when you were trying to
get me to ask her out.” Dad mumbled

“I remember Andy, I also remember the stories.” Pete sighed.

“Okay one more question. How did you know you loved her… like she was the one you wanted to marry”

Dad looked at me sideways.

“What’s with all the questions?” dad asked

“Who’s the girl?” Pete asked

“Is it truth or is he writing fiction?” Petey stated.

Pete hit him in the back of the head again.

“Don’t be an ass Petey”

“No one in particular” I said blushing like crazy.

“If you really want to know, I knew it was love one morning in college when I woke up and your mother was curled up next to me. It was just perfect.”

“DAD!” I screamed.

“What Erelin was in the room.” Dad said.

“Erelin was in the room?” pete asked.

“Our freshman year in college. I had said it, and meant it before. But something about her being there after not seeing her for two months. It finally hit home. I knew I could spend the rest of my life with her. When I finally figured out we she felt the same way and I was about to start looking at engagement rings. I distinctly remember sitting in Pete’s room and your mom came in and said she was pregnant. I then had to avoid your grandfather killing me.”

“Drew who’s the girl” petey begged.

“So what’s the deal Drew?” Dad asked.

I tried to look innocent as Pete stared me down.

“Nothing. Just curious” I responded.

Just then Kayla walked in the door with mom Katie and aunt Erelin. They were enough of a
distraction to keep eyes off me for awhile. Kayla dropped something at the door and looked over at us. Our eyes locked momentarily. I could have sworn she flashed me a smile. I sort of smiled back. Ever since new years things between us had been a little awkward. I didn’t mean to do it I just… wasn’t thinking. I let my inhibitions down a little too far and kind of led her on.

Before I realized what I was doing I was halfway up the stairs to Kayla’s room. I took a deep breath before I nervously knocked on her door.

“Come in”

I wish she would have told me to wait, or go away.
I opened the door to see Kayla in a white spaghetti strap tank top undershirt thing and a pair of jeans.

“What’s up?” she asked bending over to pick up a red tight fitting polo.

“I, I…I want to ask you a favor.” I stuttered out trying not to stare at her.

“Okay? What do you need?” she pulled the red polo over her head.

“Um… Do you… will you…? Go to prom with me?” I spilled out.

She stared at me for a second, before struggling to pull down her shirt that had gotten stuck. I was convinced her shirt wanted me to look at her chest.

“I mean just as friends, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Still more silence then she licked her lips.

“Drew, I’ll go.”

“Thanks” I smiled.

“What are friends for?” she said in a voice I couldn’t exactly read.

“Thank you so much seriously, you have no idea how much better it will be going with you
then someone else.”

“No problem.”
“Yeah… so. … What’s new…?” I asked stupidly.

“Well I’m trying to change, so can you please leave?” Kayla asked nicely.

“Yeah sure” I said quickly before closing the door and leaving.

When the hell did she grow boobs?

My pocket vibrated and I jumped. I opened my phone to see a new text from Jessica.

‘Wut r u doing 4 prom?’

She really didn’t have any command of the English language

I texted back ‘Going, why?’

A few seconds later I got a response. ‘Do u hav a date? 0:)’

‘Yes, I do. Why?’

‘Since when?’ came back almost immediately

‘Doesn’t matter. She’s going with me, that’s all I care about.’

‘Asshole’

That was mature. I heard Kayla’s door open and looked over at her. She was now in a pair of worn ripped tight jeans.

“What are you still doing up here?” she asked seeing as I was standing quite creepily just outside her door.

“Texting Jessica.” I said making the situation so much more awkward.

“Oh” Kayla sighed.

“She wanted to know if I was free for prom. I told her I had a date.”

“Yes, yes you do.” Kayla said genuinely smiling.

“I didn’t tell her who, just so she’ll stay off your back for awhile.”

“Thanks, I know that’s probably the best idea you’ve had today.”

“HEY!” I exclaimed

Another genuine Kayla smile.

“What? It is. We probably shouldn’t tell Petey for awhile.”

“Yeah, he’ll be all like ‘why are you trying to get in Kayla’s pants’ while he’s attached to some
girl who’s name he doesn’t know.”

“Yeah… but life would be boring without him.”