Faceless Game

15

Chapter Fifteen

October 2014
Quebec City, Quebec

It had been a week since Didi made what she referred to as the biggest mistake of her life. Thinking that she could spend the weekend with Wade had been a mistake. The boy swore like a sailor and had the ego of a jock. Didi thought that he was insufferable and she didn't want to admit it, but she was afraid of him. Afraid of how much he knew about her and how he could read her like an open book.

She tried her best to ignore him and fight the undeniable pull she felt towards him. In class, she sat far away from him and when they walked passed each other in the hallways she made sure she looked the other way.

The one thing she couldn't do was change her seat at the dining hall, because it would look too suspicious. She didn't want Tania or even Arthur to start asking questions. What happened that day, on the street of Saint-Roch was their secret and she hoped it would remain just that - a secret.

It was a glorious Monday afternoon and free period. Campus was ablaze in a fiery cloak of colours, from incandescent-red to lightning-gold. Students were out in the quad, enjoying the warm weather. Didi was seated cross-legged on the lush lawn, working on an assignment for her French class, while Tania was lying on her stomach, swinging her legs in the air and reading a new book she picked up from the library.

The two girls were so caught up in what they were doing that they didn't notice the two boys approaching them, and even as they reached them, they still didn't notice. Arthur had to clear his throat to get the girls attention, Didi's head shot up from the sea of papers in her lap and Tania sat up, her book forgotten as she gazed up at the blonde-haired boy.

"What's up nerds?" he greeted with a smirk. "And before you both object, I say it as a compliment."

"Oh, thanks." Tania smiled.

Didi didn't acknowledge Wade and said to Arthur, "I'm working on an assignment, it's due on Wednesday."

"Is that your way of telling us to leave you the hell alone?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Yes."

"Can I have a minute? Then I'll be out of your hair."

Didi eyed him before standing up. "Only a minute."

They walked over to the old, red oak tree for some privacy. Arthur pulled out a box of candy from his backpack and went down on one knee.

"Daniella White would you like to go to the Halloween dance with me?"

Didi's mouth dropped open in shock as she blinked down at him. Loud gasps and murmurs met her ear and she felt eyes on her. No doubt everyone was watching.

"What are you doing?" She hissed at him, looking around.

Fairly enough, a bunch of students had stopped what they were doing and gathered around to watch. Some girls were green with envy and some had dreamy expressions on their faces, they all wanted to be Didi at that moment.

"I'm not getting up until you say yes."

Didi's gaze swung back on Arthur. "I can't say yes because I'm not going to the dance."

"Why not?"

"I don't go to school dances, they are nothing but distractions."

"C'mon, you have to loosen up a little, you're only seventeen."

"Eighteen." She corrected.

"Still young," he said. "You need to have fun, go to the dance with me. I promise you that you won't regret it."

Didi crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Arthur. She wasn't in the right mind to accept his proposal, not when her mind was still running with thoughts of Wade and about the kiss they shared. As much as he made her angry, she enjoyed the thrill she got whenever she was around him and the electricity between them. But Didi knew that they were no good for each other.

Maybe Arthur is the right boy for me. Didi thought. She knew that every girl at school liked him, but he always gave her his attention and made her feel special. He was also sweet and considerate. She made her decision before she could overthink.

"Okay, I'll be your partner to the dance..."

Arthur finally stood up. "I knew you'd say -"

"But only in one condition." she cut in.

"Anything."

"If I don't like it, I'm leaving."

There was a twinkle in his blue eyes. "Yeah sure."

She turned to leave but Arthur stopped her by wrapping an arm around her waist. The touch was warm and caused butterflies to dance around in her belly, but she didn't feel that tingling electricity that she felt whenever she and Wade touched.

She turned back around and faced him.

He shook the candy box playfully at her. "You forgot your gift."

"I don't eat candy." she said.

"You don't go to school dances and you don't eat candy. You're nothing like this other girls are you?"

She couldn't help but smile. "I'd like to think that."

"You seem to amaze me at each turn." he said, smiling too.

● ● ● ●

The girls were back in their dorm room, freshening up so they could head to St-George Hall for supper. Didi stood in front of her dresser and watched herself on the mirror above it. She spritzed a little bit of hairspray on her springy curls and then tied it up in her trademark high ponytail.

"We're both going to the dance," Tania said from across the room.

Didi glanced at her. "Yes."

"I cannot believe Arthur convinced you to come."

She shrugged like it wasn't a big deal and said, "I wanted to try something new."

"It will be so much fun, the four of us together."

"Four?"

Tania nodded. "Wade asked me to the dance!"

Didi's stomach dropped at the idea of Wade and Tania going to the dance together. She wasn't the most confident person naturally, but she never expected to be so affected by it the way she was in that moment. She couldn't believe that he would do that. That after asking her to spend the weekend with him and kissing her, he would go and ask her best friend to be his date.

Was he doing it to get back at me? She wondered. Perhaps he was jealous that Arthur had asked her to the dance. Didi was as confused as any eighteen-year-old girl caught between two boys could get. She didn't regret saying yes to Arthur, she was really looking forward to the dance, so why couldn't she get Wade Lancaster out of her mind?