Project Popularity

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

Jamie Vandeviere

“So this boy…”

“Adam,” I corrected my dad for what seemed like the millionth time with a sigh. It was almost six, which meant Adam would be here any minute now to pick me up for our date. Our date. Even thinking the words in my head made me feel giddy.

When I told my parents that a guy from school asked me out on a date, they looked so shocked that it was almost offending. It took a long five seconds for them to speak. Mom gave an excited shrill and hugged me whereas Dad looked as if I had just told him his favorite book was garbage; I would have laughed at their reaction if I wasn’t so nervous. Mom asked me if my change of wardrobe this year- she still thought I was wearing Lucy’s leftovers- was because of Adam, and not knowing how to respond without getting into the whole Operation-Take-Down-Summer story, I gave her a half-hearted ‘yes’. She had been extra cheery around me ever since. I guess she was just relieved that her high school daughter was finally going on dates, like normal teenage girls.

So here we were, the three of us sitting on the living room couch as we waited for Adam to arrive. Mom even closed up the café early today to meet him. Needless to say I was as nervous as a turkey on Thanksgiving, given it was my first date, and my dad certainly wasn’t helping by asking every question he could think of about “the boy.” Wiping my clammy hands on my yellow sundress, I looked over to Mom, silently begging her to divert Dad’s attention. She shrugged, as if to tell me there was nothing she could do.

I stiffened when I heard a car pulling in front of our driveway. I could have sworn I heard Mom give a squeal just as the frown on Dad’s face deepened. When the door bell rang, I all but jumped in my seat when Dad got up to answer the door.

“Adam, come on in!”

Well. At least Dad called him by his name. That was a good start.

“Thank you, Sir.”

Oddly, the sound of Adam’s voice made the butterflies in my stomach subside. There he was, one of the cutest, most popular guys at Roseville High, standing at the doorway of my house, exchanging handshakes with my dad. It sounds so utterly surreal! Adam’s gaze shifted to mine with a smile after he politely greeted my mother, who was beaming at him with curiosity. I waved at him, still feeling a bit too flustered to speak.

Dad invited Adam to sit down before bombarding him with questions like where he lived and what he planned to do with me tonight. It was absolutely mortifying and I kept giving Dad pointed looks to get him to stop while he ignored me like I wasn’t even in the room. Thankfully, Adam didn’t seem to mind, as he answered all the questions amiably without showing any sign of impatience.

Dad let us go when I very unsubtly reminded him of the time. Adam promised to have me home by ten and I blushed when my mom blurted out, “There’s no rush!” right after he spoke. Mom was so eager to get me out of the house that it was embarrassing. I mean, she was probably more excited about me going on this date than I was.

“I’m sorry about my dad back there.” I smiled sheepishly the moment we stepped out of the house. Adam must have thought I was a complete loser. I didn’t need him to think I was cool but I didn’t want him to think I was a complete dork.