Unexpected

Gabby the Hot Date

Despite neither Zach or Catrina backing my plan, I relay it to Nicole. Mostly because we share a room that I'm getting ready for a date in, and that alone would make her suspicious.

Needless to say, she doesn't much approve of this idea of mine, but she knows that I'll do it anyway. We may be polar opposites in most ways, but there's a part of me that thinks the reason she accepts me easier than most is because somewhere underneath all the anxiousness to please others, she applauds me. And wishes she could do the same.

"Good god, Gabby! Has that always been there?" She exclaims as I pull out last Friday's date from it's hiding place beneath my bed.

I make a confirming noise of sorts as I finish what's left of the bottle in preparation for an evening with Austin. Once it's empty, I stuff it into my school backpack to dispose of later. Nicole just shakes her head, redirecting her focus to my outfit.

"Not that I'm encouraging this, but aren't you going somewhere nice? Shouldn't you wear something... else?" She asks, eyeing the basic jeans and tube top I wore to school today.

"I intentionally dressed down. If I dress up, he'll consider it a small win. A sign that maybe I do care. He said it himself, he likes the chase. I can't be too easy to catch." I say assuredly, looking over the outfit I picked out this morning in the full length mirror on the closet door.

"This is so fucked up." Nicole states, shaking her head again and flipping onto her side on her bed to unpause whatever she was watching on her laptop.

Not long after, I get a text from Austin saying that he's out front. I don't know if he would have bothered to greet me at the door, since I told him not to due to my strict parents. I don't need them having anything to leverage against me later.

I slip out the front door with a quick, "I'm going to study at Sarah's" then walk towards Austin's beat up looking jeep with a queasy feeling in my stomach.

"Well, aren't you the hot date." Austin notes sarcastically as I buckle into the seat beside him. Once I've settled in, I notice he's also wearing his clothes from school today. Touché, I think.

"I'm here for the food." I say in response, waiting for him to begin driving to the place I picked out. That much is true at least, among other things.

"Right." He says, shifting into drive and leading us out of the neighborhood. The vodka from earlier is doing just enough to dull the thoughts playing through my head as I stick a hand out the window to play with the warm breeze.

Austin glances to me, a small smile playing at his lips as he taps his phone to begin playing J. Cole. A ruse of flattery that's easy enough to see through. I just turn my attention to the passing scenery outside my window, annoyed with him.

"What, I thought you liked him? I'm trying here." He chuckles, handing me his unlocked phone to play something else. I have half a mind to go through his messages instead to see who else he's been buttering up lately.

Instead, I put on some hardcore metal band I most definitely don't actually listen to just to get a rise out of him. As the song begins to blast through the speakers Austin swerves slightly in surprise, hand jolting out to turn down the volume. I grin as he turns to me with wide eyes.

"Jesus christ, woman. Is tonight's date really just a murder plot?" He asks me, only halfway joking as he recovers and takes his phone back to put on something else.

"You got me." I say with a dry smile, still somewhat enjoying his reaction.

He tsks at me and shakes his head with a smile, eyes on the road ahead.