Dedicated to LoneRanger3 for being a loyal reader once again. Thank you, dear!

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I WAS HALFWAY THROUGH my Math homework when my phone buzzed beside me. It was still a miracle that I could focus on school work even after all this happened, but as it turns out, Math was a great distraction.

Maybe because its problems were surprisingly worse than mine.

I tore my eyes away from my notebook and took my phone, flicking my phone open. It was a text from Barbara.

My heart skipped a beat inside my chest.

My phone buzzed again.

I sighed. Way to be vague, Barbara.

I typed back a quick OK and then flicked off my phone, throwing it back on the bed beside me.

Five hours. It had taken Barbara precisely five hours to arrange this whole thing and invite me along. I just had to take a moment and chew on the fact that she really wanted me to go to this prom. There had been lots of moments during our friendship when Barbara had proven herself as being thoughtful and caring. For some reason, I just didn't know whether this was one of those moments.

Five hours since she had sprung this on me, and now it was already happening - I had less than an hour to get ready and meet them at Domino's.

That meant meeting Barbara, Megan and this guy Will. Two new strangers I had yet to make conversation with and pretend to be the most interesting person in a one mile range in order to at least manage to spark this Will guy's interest so I could - maybe, possibly, eventually - get a new date for prom.

At least that was the alleged plan. The goal for the evening. Even though it sounded incredibly desperate. And thinking about it only made my palms grow with sweat.

However, there wasn't a lot of hope left inside me. The idea of meeting this Will guy didn't stir any other emotion in me (despite the slight nervousness making my palms sweaty) and I couldn't decide if that was simply because I didn't know him, or if that was my intuition's way of letting me know this evening wasn't even worth being hopeful about.

Either way, this whole idea felt utterly peculiar to me. In fact it was so strange that I almost couldn't fit myself into this scheme. I knew Barbara was doing this for me, or at least so I could join her and her date, Marcus to prom, but the sole idea of going to a date arranged by someone else and meeting a total stranger wasn't quite like me.

I wasn't like this. I wasn't used to this. And yet, there was a part of me that wanted to do it. For myself. For Mac. Well, not for him, but I wanted to show him that my life didn't depend on his moody self and that I might just as well find someone else before prom.

I couldn't, or at least I thought I couldn't, but I had to at least give it a try.

And if I wasn't going to find someone, it wasn't the end of the world. Not by one bit.

Maybe third-wheeling at prom wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe it would be something I could even get used to.

I shook these thoughts away and let them float to the back of my head instead. I needed to start getting ready if I was going to make it there on time.

I closed my Math book and notebook, put my pencil back in the pencil case, and moved them all back on my desk table so my bed was clear of any evidence that I'd ever done any Math homework today.

Math fan at day, date-goer at night, I mused.

I ended up spending fifteen minutes in front of my wardrobe, going through the least unbearable outfits and dumped them on the bed.

By the time I was finished outfit-hunting, I had about a dozen tops, three pairs of jeans and one dress, all scattered across my bed in a hefty pile.

I tried all the possible combinations I thought might fit - each blouse with each pair of jeans it looked the most compatible with - and paraded in front of my full-sized mirror so I could horrify myself in four different angles.

Even the strappy black dress I had didn't seem appropriate. It was way too fancy for a hang out or even a date so I quickly squeezed out of it and put it back on the hanger inside the wardrobe.

After a few more tries and groans, I decided that outfit number four - which consisted of a black top and a pair of washed up jeans - was probably the most appropriate. I was also tired of trying on any more clothes and I figured this would have to do.

I checked myself once again in the mirror, took my small backpack and rushed downstairs. I said goodbye to my mother after responding to her quick interrogation regarding my plans for the evening, slung on my jacket and the bag over my back and exited the house.

The air was rather warm, just what you'd expect from an evening in April, and I found myself feeling quite relieved because of this. I've never cared for cold weather.

The sun descending into the sky cast a golden light everywhere - the houses, the cars, the road stretching ahead, even the people come together for a walk. Everything worn a new yellow shade upon it and I couldn't help but sketch a small smile at the sight.

Dusk was definitely my favorite time of the day.

I reached into my backpack and colllected my earplugs. I inserted them into my ears and pressed play on Home by Daughtry on my phone, enjoying my short walk alongside music.

By the time I reached Domino's the third song was playing and I was forced to stop it at minute 1:37, which made the song continue its rhythm inside my head instead.

I opened the door and entered the diner, the smell of freshly baked pizza invading my nose almost instantly. Red chairs and white tables were placed all across the room and almost half of them were occupied by people who were either eagerly waiting for their food, chatting lively - whisked away in their own conversation - or simply eating their pizzas in silence.

And sure enough, none of those people were Barbara. I didn't know about Megan and Will, but as I stood awkwardly by the door scanning the room, I realized the only teenagers present in there were in fact a couple. Either that, or Megan and Will were two very affectionate brother and sister.

They seemed totally uninterested in anything else but their hands clasped together so I figured they were most likely just a regular couple. Or still a very creepy brother and sister.

Looks like you're here first, my inner voice declared. I sighed and chose a random table in the centre of the room where I sat on the small red chair facing the door.

I took my phone out and checked the time. It was twenty-eight minutes past six - I was two minutes early.

Okay then, my inner voice said, all you have to do now is wait.

But I didn't get to the waiting part.

I looked up at the sound of the door opening and saw a smiling Barbara along with a boy and a girl which I didn't know shuffling behind her. And even though I didn't know them, I knew exactly who they were.

The girl was wearing a black Rolling Stones T-shirt matched with black cut-out jeans and sneakers, and her long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her face wearing the softest smile which I found, much to my suprise, somewhat reassuring.

The boy, however, made me do a double take.

His short brown hair and lazy smile along with his blue polo T-shirt and shorts clung over his slender figure, all shot me as strangely familiar and I couldn't pinpoint why.

My eyes remained locked at him as the three of them headed towards the table. I mentally ran over all the places I'd ever visited where I could've possibly seen him. School... Neighbourhood... The mall... Nothing seemed to fit.

And then it hit me.

"Hey, Cece!" Barbara greeted, her excited tone matching her wide smile. I stood up from my seat and she gave me a one-arm hug. "Hope you didn't wait too long."

"Barely a couple of minutes," I said nonchalantly, trying not to glance at the boy next to me.

"Well this is Meghan," Barbara pointed to the girl with the ponytail. "The friend I told you about."

I shook hands with her. "Nice to meet you."

"Right back at ya."

"And this is Will, her brother."

"Hi," I reached my hand for him to shake and I couldn't help the smile stretching across my face. "Nice to see you again... Willie."

Will frowned, confused. He inched his head backwards, his eyes roaming my face, giving it a full scan. He stayed like that for a few seconds and judging by his blank expression, the result of the scan wasn't a relevant one. "I'm sorry, have we met befo -"

Then he stopped. His eyes widened and he suddenly looked an awful lot like an anime character.

And I could tell by the shock flashing across his face that he hadn't seen this coming.

Not by one bit.

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Quite an abrupt ending, huh? Vote on this chapter if I got you curious about what's going to happen next!

Thank you so much for reading!

Next update: Friday

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