The Bathroom Stall

The Bathroom Stall|Note Seventy-Three

Note Seventy-Three

From: Jacklyn Weurtz To: Cora Roberts

Having fun yet?

Sent: 9/30 5:56 p.m.

From: Cora Roberts To: Jacklyn Weurtz

I'm currently sitting in the car with SAM. Can someone please say awkward?

Sent: 9/30 5:56 p.m.

I looked over at Sam as I waited for Jacklyn's reply. To my horror, my prediction of being the only single there was almost trued. everyone except for me and Sam had a date so everyone wanted to drive with their respective other, leaving me to hitch a ride from Sam to the restaurant.

"So you excited to party?" Sam asked me as we pulled into the parking lot of L'Amore.

"Uh, yeah. Totally." I replied, trying to keep my tone bright. Sam seemed to notice my effort because he jjust raised an eyebrow and pulled the key out of the engine.

I couldn't help but notice that he still was holding the whole box for his tie in his left hand as we exited the car. "Uh, why do still need your tie box?"

Sam looked down at his hand. "Oh, it's a different tie. I'm still trying to decide between two ties."

Right. "If you say so."

The inside of L'Amore was warm and cozy, a bustling Italian restaurant with smells wafting from the open kitchen. Sam and I walked to the rest of the group who was waiting under the balcony to be seated. 

It didn't take long for us to be seated at a long table in the center of the table. Fate seemed to playing against me, putting me right across from Sam at the end of the table, while everyone else was busy talking to their dates. Tucker was at the opposite end, ensuring that the only person I could make conversation with without being awkward Sam.

"So, what's up?" Sam asked, opening up the menu.

"Nothing much. You?"

"Why don't you have a date to Homecoming? I'm sure a ton of guys asked you."

Stirring my lemon water with a straw, I avoided Sam's persistent gaze. "I didn't want to go with anybody. Is that such a crime?"

Sam raised his hands in surrender. "No, no, it's fine. I don't have a date either so it would be hypocritical of me ."

An awkward silence descended on us as I interpreted his statement, only interrupted by the sound of the busboys setting up some chairs behind our table.

Looking back down at the menu, I picked out the first item that I found appetizing, closing my menu book with a snap and checking my phone

From: Jacklyn Weurtz To: Cora Roberts

Well, just keep this in mind. Never say never, babe :D

Sent: 9/30 5:59 p.m.

From: Cora Roberts To: Jacklyn Weurtz

What?

Sent: 9/30 6:11 p.m.

When Jacklyn didn't answer for the next ten minutes, I tucked my phone back into my bag, a little dejected that I was practically alone. The breadsticks came in the next minute, so I spent five minutes diligently chewing on the end of one, pretending that I was completely fascinated with the tablecloth.

"So is everyone ready to order?" Our waitress asked a couple minutes later, a bright smile plastered onto her face. When everybody nodded yes, she started at the other end of the tale where Tucker was sitting.

"What are you getting?" Sam asked conversationally, shutting his menu closed.

I shrugged." I think I'm just going to get spicy Chicken Alfredo." After a pause, I asked him the same question awkwardly.

"I'm actually getting the same thing." Sam smiled brightly. "What a coincidence!"

By the time the waitress reached us, she had already gone through five sheets of orders.

"Hi, what can I get for you?" She asked me brightly, wiping a hair out of her face.

"A spicy Chicken Alfredo. Thanks."

When she turned to Sam, he gave her a charming smile. "Same thing as her."

The waitress looked from me to Sam, noting our matching colors and broke out in a big smile. "Aw, you guys are getting the same dish. Should I just put it in one big dish so the couple can share it?"

Oh my god.

"No, no, no" I said, "I'm not going with him. We're just acquaintances. I tutor him in math cause he really sucks at calculus.."

"Oh! I'm so sorry." The waitress replied. "I just saw the matching tie and dress and I just assumed that you guys were. Well, if you ever do date, you would look awesome together!"

"Well that was awkward, wasn't it?" I said once she had left. Nobody else had heard the conversation among the three of us, much to my relief.

"I actually thought it was kind of funny." Sam replied with a shrug, tipping his seat back, "But did you have to say that I sucked at math?"

"Uh, sorry about that." I said with a grin. "It' just came out."

From then on, the tension I had towards Sam disappeared slightly, leaving a more friendly air between us as we chatted about basketball and some of The Beatles' songs.

When we got our food, everyone at the table dug in. Conversation still floated in the air, but it dissipated as we all realized how good the food was.

"This is really really good." I told Sam, scraping off the bottom of my plate where a few leftover mushrooms were sitting in a layer of creamy sauce.

Sam nodded in response, wiping off his mouth with his napkin. "Tell me about it."

After Sam finished his meal, he suddenly stood up abruptly as several people clothed in black and holding cases in their hands sat at the table behind us. The buzz around the table dimmed as he, in a cheesy action, tapped his spoon against the rim of his water glass.

"Can I have everyone's attention please?" Sam's voice seemed to be louder than just for addressing our table. In response, half the restaurant got quiet and turned in their seats to watch as Sam cleared his throat.

When the first whispers of classical music floated through the air, I turned away from Sam to watch as a quartet began to play some song.

"What are you doing? What is he doing?" I asked, looking around the table. Nobody else seemed to know what was going on either with their shrugs, so I turned back to look at Sam.

"Could Cora Roberts please stand up?" Sam asked loudly and immediately everybody's eyes landed on me, including Tucker's.

When I did, on shaky feet, Sam bent down a little bit, set down his glass, and took out the small white box, opening to reveal a corsage. Inside were white and pale yellow roses that matched my dress' detailing exactly. Someone must have told him. Immediately my mind flashed to Jacklyn and my fists balled up.

"I know this is a little late," Sam began, and some people around him chuckled as they realized what was going on. "But this really beautiful girl turned me down earlier. So maybe with the encouragement of everybody in here, Cora, will you go to Homecoming with me?"

This was not good.