Page 22 of Stalked By the Linebacker

“This isn’t a date,” I argued.It isn’t. Is it?She scoffed and stared at me like I should really know better.

“You’re going to a party together! You met his friends!” she repeated, and I rolled my eyes.

“Other girls have met his friends. Remember when he was in high school?—"

“No,” she cut me off. “That was girls who hung with him and his friends. Not where he took them with him.” I had to push my glasses up. My eyes drifted to the small mirror on the wall.

He wanted to take me out to a party? On a date? Me? My reflection blinked back at me. All I could see were the big black frames that covered my face.

“You think this is a date?” Nerves started to prickle and sweat started to form at the back of my neck.

“Yeah. How do you not?”

“I don’t know?” Panic crept up my neck. “I mean, we hang out sometimes. We’re friends. I just thought….” I chewed on my bottom lip. “What the hell am I going to wear!?”

“Breathe,” she instructed calmly, knowing me as well as I knew her. “There is no need to freak out. It’s just Hector. Crank is just a guy. Trust me.” She rolled her eyes. “Now show me what we have to work with.”

“He called you?” I asked as I stood and made my way back to my almost bare closet.

“He wanted to see if I could help you get ready for a party, and before I could ask what kind of party, he hung up,” she shared.

“I think it’s at a frat house.”

“Wow. Okay… not ideal first date place, but we can make it work.”

“Blanca…” I started to say, and she stared back at me. “If you think this could mess up our friendship, I’ll cancel.”

“Libs. Oh, no way! You kidding me?”

“No. You’re my best friend, and I don’t want to––“

“Hey.” Her voice softened and went gentle in a way it didn’t usually sound. Blanca was too much of a ballbuster to be soft on a regular basis. “You and I? We’re friends for life, okay? Regardless of my brother.”

“But what if… what if I’m not what he wants or I mess this whole thing up or––“

“Then it’s his loss. Point blank. But you and I, chica? You and I are friends for life. Okay?”

“Okay.” I breathed a little easier. With that problem resolved, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

I showed her the stuff I had in my closet, knowing very well nothing would work for a party.Why didn’t I buy a dress?I could have thrifted something! I always looked at them but didn’t think it would be a great investment since all I planned for while I was at school was study and work.

“I have never seen so many jeans,” she teased after going through what I had. I glanced at the small cheap watch on my wrist.

“I could try to go buy something.”

“I don’t think you need that.”

“Okay… maybe I can wear the darker flare jeans with a cute sweater?”

“Do you have a cute sweater? Or are you talking about that grandma cardigan back there?” I knew my wardrobe left a lot to be desired, but I was on a time crunch.

“It’s not a grandma cardigan. It’s vintage, thank you very much.”

“It was if a grandma had once been a hippy and her grandma had owned it.” The sweater had obviously been a handmade find. Floral crocheted squares had been put together in every color under the rainbow. It was oversized but cute and colorful.

“Okay, so I might have done something.” Blanca started to confess, and I frowned.

“What did you do?”

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