Page 7 of All In
“Is that even a thing?” I can’t contain my amusement as a soft laugh bubbles up from my throat.
“It is now.” Sam’s hand stretches across the table, his palm open and inviting. With his eyes locked on mine, I ease my hand inch by inch to meet his as the tablecloth moves and shifts. The thrill of feeling his touch is growing with each passing second. I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to eat my lunch due to how many butterflies are swarming around in my stomach. My breath is quickening as Sam’s fingertips lightly brush against mine.
“Here you are.” Out of nowhere, Ricky reappears, causing us to jerk in surprise and tearing us away from the moment. On instinct, I pull my hand away, as does Sam. Ricky now has a white paper napkin draped over his arm. He must have forgotten this part of his costume earlier. He gently places the trays on the table. “Please be careful. The trays may be hot. Is there anything else I can get you today?”
“No, that’s all,” Sam counters. “You can go sit with Brittany now. Thanks, man.”
Ricky pulls down hard on the plastic apron, and it snaps in half. “Thank God!” He balls it up and throws it at Sam hitting him in the face. We watch as Ricky trudges off in a huff to his girlfriend Brittany a few tables over. As heapproaches her, he leans in to kiss her on the cheek, but she jerks away. “How come you have never done anything like that for me?” The disgust on her face matches her tone.
Sam and I turn back around, laughing under our breaths.
I take a bite of my casserole, which is by far one of the best things on the menu. “You’ve set the bar kinda high now, Sam. For all the guys.”
“Possibly.” He takes a bite, chews it, and swallows. “But if you really like a girl, you need to go full throttle.” I stop mid-bite and look at him as he winks at me.
What is he saying?Plus, that wink is going to be the death of me.
I lower my plastic fork. “You like me?”
With a slight lean forward, he utters in a quiet whisper. “I’ve liked you for a really long time.”
This can’t be happening.
With every ounce of courage, I muster the strength to ask my next question, feeling my entire world spiraling into chaos. “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”
“You were with that loser, Max.” He takes a bite of his food as I watch him, trying to take this in.
He’s right. I did date Max for a few months, and he did turn out to be a world class loser. But if I had known that Sam was interested … well, I would have broken up with Maxwaysooner than I did.
I take a drink of my Sprite, using the few seconds to compose myself as the bubbles coat my throat. “You said that you have been planning this for months.” I need the details.
“Yep. I was just waiting for the right day. The right time. When I requested to switch to your geometry class, I knew today was the day.”
“Wait.” I shake my head in disbelief. “You switched to my class. On purpose?”
I can’t breathe.
“We didn’t have any classes together.” He says it so casually as he drinks me in with his eyes. It’s the same intense stare he gave me in class and when I arrived here. A stare that is doing crazy things tomy emotions.
I glance away to break the connection. “So, is this our first date?”
He shrugs. “Sure. Why not? But I really want to take you on a proper date if you’ll let me.”
“Are you asking me out?”
“I am.”
As I smile, I can feel my cheeks heat. I glance at my pizza noodle casserole, now cold and unappetizing, as I try to gather my thoughts. I can’t bring myself to look at him because my nerves are completely shattered by now. The words are bubbling up inside me, ready to burst, as I know exactly what I’m going to say. There is no other way to answer this. My eyes slowly meet his again.
“I would love to go out with you.”
The last fifteen minutes of lunch fly by due to the ease of our conversation. It flows. So relaxed. And so good.
The bell rings, and we both frown, not wanting this to end. He gathers up our trays and slips me a piece of paper with his number on it. I give him mine as well, and a promise to eat together tomorrow.
We reluctantly part ways as we each head to our next class.
I leave the cafeteria, walking on a cloud, and I can’t help but wonder … if my life just began.
