Page 73 of Fast

Lev:Hey Zee, I hope your first two classes went well. I was wondering if you’re free tonight, would you like to have dinner with me?

Heat rises to my face, and I know I must be blushing. Heather doesn’t miss that, and eyes me curiously.

I would really like to go out with Lev. But is he asking me out on a date, or is it more like two friends hanging out?

I want it to be a date so badly, but I feel awkward asking. What if he says it isn’t a date? That would make dinner embarrassing. I buy myself some time to think by not committing to anything just yet.

Me:

Zee?

Lev:

Yeah, I’m trying it out. I feel like we should be on a nickname basis before we go on our first date.

So it’s a date. I suppress a squeal of excitement, but Heather has been watching me like a hawk.

“Good news?” she asks.

“Hmm, I guess.” I don’t want to lie to her, but what if she doesn’t like the idea of me and Lev going out? After all, her best friend has had a crush on Lev for years.

I could lie and say it was Mom telling me she and Scott boarded the plane, or something like that. But I immediately discard the idea. Heather has been nothing but friendly since the first time we met, and I don’t want to start our friendship by lying to her.

“Lev asked me to go on a date with him tonight.”

She tilts her head, her curiosity peaked. “And what are you going to say? Do you want to go out with him?”

I nod. “Yeah. I’m sorry if this is weird for you. I know Angela likes him.”

Heather shakes her head. “Don’t worry about that.”

“Really? I don’t want you to think I don’t respect girl code or anything like that. I just… really like Lev.”

Heather takes my hand, squeezing it in solidarity. “You’ve just met Angela. Girl code doesn’t apply to someone you barely know. Besides, I’m not trying to sound like a bitch or anything, but Angie needs to move on. She’s been crushing on Lev since we were in kindergarten. She couldn’t have made her feelings more obvious. She even asked him to our senior prom and got turned down. So maybe you going out with him will be the push she needs to see that she and Lev are never gonna happen.”

I’m relieved that Heather sees it this way.

“Really? Lev said no when she asked him to prom?” I can’t help but ask.

“He was super nice about it too,” she sighs. “He told her he would go with her as friends, but that he wasn’t interested in anything else.”

I smile. Not because I’m happy that Angela got turned down, but because Lev’s kindness is one of the things I like most about him.

“What are you waiting for?” Heather encourages me. “Reply to him.”

I do as I’m told.

Me:

I would love to have dinner with you.

The three bouncing dots appear on my screen, indicating he’s replying.

Lev:

Awesome. I’ll pick you up at seven.

“Ask him what you should wear.” Heather suggests, craning her neck to read my screen.

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