Andrea and the 5-Day Challenge (15 page)

“No, it's just my parents think I'm at Amy's and that I'm walking home. They would not respond well to a strange guy bringing me home.”

“You should have told me. I wouldn't have asked you to break any of your parents' rules.”

“I know, but you seemed like you needed a friend tonight.”

A soft smile eased onto his face. “Well, can't you just tell them we left Amy's to get some coffee, and then I drove you home? Wouldn't they prefer that you came home in the safety of a car rather than walking down a dark street alone?”

He imagined I had cool parents, I see. “Remember where you are. The streets are pretty safe.”

“Oh, right. That explains it. So…uh, does this mean they don't really let you date much?”

All of a sudden, I felt like a fifth grader. Yeah, ten years old. I mean, how many sixteen almost seventeen-year-old girls have to get everything approved before they can go out, and instead have to hide the fact that a perfectly great guy like Luke, who would never try anything on them, is taking them home after an innocent cup of coffee? OK, I guess there are probably more than I want to admit and their parents are just thinking of their daughters. However, at the moment, I just felt ridiculous. “Yeah, my dad is pretty strict in that capacity, especially if he hasn't met the guy.”

“So introduce us.”

He grinned the grin that made me feel all swoony, which is totally preposterous, as Angie would remind me if she could read my mind. However, this time I just felt anxiety in my chest.
Oh, help
! That heart attack might be coming on sooner than I feared.

“Uh, I will at some point. For tonight, if you could just let me out a couple houses down from my house that would be great.”

“OK, this time, but next time I demand to be properly introduced.” Luke shut me into the car and jogged back to the driver's side.

What was I doing falling into the trap of all Luke's wonderfulness again? I'd tried to follow Amy's advice, but reality hit me when the car door slammed.

My parents wouldn't be thrilled over the idea of Luke and how he made me lose focus from the goal. I mean, we have fun together. He's a great friend and all that. I guess I should just be satisfied with friendship and not overly consumed with thoughts of anything more. Having a good friend and one who does love the Lord is more precious than some senseless affair of the heart…right?

But right now, I just needed to get home before I missed curfew!

 

 

 

 

 

12

 

We arrived three houses down from my own with only eight minutes to spare before I broke curfew.

I really had to talk with Mom about making some changes to the house rules. It's true that I hadn't really pushed the dating thing before because except for the time of the
incident
, I hadn't really cared. But I had a feeling if Luke asked me out again, I would not be able to turn him down. And I'd feel like a ten-year-old all over again if I had to tell him my regular curfew was 9:30. I mean, I don't think Alisha has a curfew at all anymore, but then her Dad really lets her do whatever she wants these days.

I peered over at Luke and started to open my mouth to thank him for graciously allowing me to spend time with him. I thought that might sound a little groveling so I re-thought my words and grabbed the car door handle, but before I'd settled on what to say, Luke started speaking.

“Andrea, hold on.” He jumped out of the car to open my door.

I'd never in my life had a guy open a car door for me. I really didn't think they did that anymore. I fully believe it's the fault of women these days that men are not as gallant as they once were. In my opinion, feminism has really played with their minds and they're afraid to make the wrong move.

Angie would totally disagree with me and say feminism hasn't gone far enough. I hope she doesn't turn into one of those man-hating liberal feminists who discard their male children.

After I stepped out of the car, Luke shut the door and leaned against it, completely blocking my path. Did he not understand that I had like seven minutes to be inside the house? I guess not because, well, I hadn't told him. And there was no way I was going to tell him unless torture was involved.

“Thanks for tonight…for today,” said Luke. “I had a fun time.”

“Yeah, me, too.” I tried not to smile, but we had just had this exact conversation in the Coffee Cup parking lot.
Too cute.

“I mean it. You've been a real friend to me, Andrea, when I've really needed one.”

I loved the way he said my name. Luke had a deep voice—not like lumberjack deep—but more like feel-it-down-to-your-toes deep—especially when he said my name. I tried to lift the haze I'd allowed myself to fall into. Sure, he said my name so it sounded like the most wonderful thing in the whole world, but I had to get back to reality once again.

I used to think of myself as a practical person. I did not get distracted by boys. I did not get lost in their dark-brown gazes. And I definitely did not fantasize about kissing them. Clearly, spending time around Luke had done a number on my head. It was high time I got it screwed back on the way it was supposed to be.

My goal before this week had always been my piano. It's the only thing I'm good at. Why would I want to give that up? Just because this boy was attractive and fun and laughed at my jokes? That wasn't enough. I couldn't get distracted and lose…
focus
.

Ah, and there it was—my dad's favorite word. But he was right. After tonight, I had to get back on track. I had to wow the performing arts school representatives on Saturday. I had to do well enough to eventually get into a place like Julliard. Luke Ryan did not fit into that scenario. He was far too distracting.

“I'm glad, Luke. I've enjoyed spending time with you, too. We should really do it again sometime. Goodnight.” I sounded like a robot. I started to pass by him when he reached out and took my hand. All my intrepid determination vanished at that touch.

He looked deep into my eyes and the street light lit up the confusion in his face. “Goodnight…Andrea.” There he went again—saying my name in that low, knee-trembling tone. It's as if he knew my weakness.

My hands grew weak, and I ended up dropping my house keys on the grass. I got down on my knees to grope in the dark searching for them. Before I knew it, Luke came down beside me.

“Here they are,” he said almost in a whisper as our heads came very close together. It was one those eye-to-eye moments with our faces nearly touching.

I accepted the keys. We both came back to our feet. We were still standing so close that my heart started beating rapidly. I had to get home. Time was ticking away. “I have to go.”

Luke opened his eyes wide. “What's wrong?”

“I'm about to be late for curfew.”

“Go with me to homecoming,” he blurted out before I had a chance to get away.

“What?”

“Come on.” He smiled. “Cut me a break. I've never had to ask out a girl three times before.”

“You better be careful. People will start to talk.”

“So save my rep and go with me.”

Wow! Was this really happening? I mean, how romantic was Luke? I couldn't say no, could I? “OK, I'll go with you.” I didn't know how, but somehow I'd find a way if he didn't laugh at me when I explained he had to be “approved” by my parents.

Luke's eyes twinkled just like the stars above us. Then he took my hand in his again, making my heart soar. It would work out, wouldn't it?

“I really have to go.”

Luke smiled and didn't look like he would let go of my hand, and I almost didn't care about making curfew if it meant I could hold his hand for a few moments more. Did his heart pound as loudly in his chest as mine? Was his head feeling woozy? Were voices singing love songs in his ear?

“Can I call you?” He sounded as winded as I felt.

“Yes, I'll text you.”

“When you get upstairs?”

“Yes.”

He dipped his head to me. “Goodnight, Andrea.” This time his goodnight came across as sweet playfulness. He released my hand.

I raced down the sidewalk. I made it to the porch and glanced back to see Luke slowly drive down the street in front of my house. He stopped and watched me go inside. My heart pounded as I closed the door and glanced at the hallway clock. I'd missed curfew by two minutes, but Mom and Dad didn't quibble about exact time. I relaxed against the wall, but my heart continued to hammer. Between this boy and the running, I'd definitely exercised my poor aortic organ.

I rushed up the stairs to check in with Mom and Dad. Just then, that sneaky guilt sensation returned. I felt so happy and yet wrong at the same time. I couldn't tell them Luke had just asked me to homecoming or that I'd gone out for coffee without permission or anything. They'd ground me for sure. I tried to reason that Luke really needed a friend tonight, but a still, small voice told me that didn't change the fact that I'd broken my parents' rules once again.

As soon as I was sequestered alone in my room, I stripped out of my sweater and draped it over the back of my desk chair. I pulled out the chair and thought about sitting down and texting Luke directly. My hands gripped the cloth backing for a second before pushing the chair under the desk. I wasn't that needy.

I dropped down on the bed and crushed a teddy bear into my chest. I'd just spent a whole hour alone in Luke's presence. It's not like I couldn't resist talking to him again already. I turned my head to glance at the clock.
10:38.
Popping back to my feet, I went over to my dresser and pulled out some clean PJs and dressed for bed.

I took my time washing my face and brushing my teeth before daring to look at the clock again. OK, I guessed it would be OK to send Luke a message now.

I sent the text and waited what seemed like forever, but when I peered at the clock on my desk, it said it had only been a minute. Well, it wasn't like he was sitting around waiting for me to write him. So ensconced was I in my musings about what Luke could be doing besides writing me back, I jumped in my seat when the text beeped.

Hey, finally! I thought you must have fallen asleep.

Were you waiting around for little ‘ole me?

Nah, but there's nothing good on TV, so I thought what the hey. ;)

I'll let you go. It's late. See you tomorrow.

Yeah, tomorrow.
A few seconds later, he sent:
Goodnight, Andrea.

I set down the phone and lay on my bed. Luke Ryan was an interesting variety of the teenage boy species. I mean, how many of them open your door and cause your entire body to tremble just by the tone of their voice as he says your name? And the way he shared his troubles about his parents with me tonight—well, no one had confided in me like that besides the other A-Company Girls.

I slipped under the covers and turned off the light. Just as my head hit the pillow, my phone buzzed with the sound of another text message. Was it Luke again? Quickly, I grabbed the phone in the dark. Amy's name radiated from the phone read-out. I'd almost forgotten about her. Come to think of it, how odd was it that she hadn't tried to contact me in all this time? She had to know Luke and I left together.

Amy's message:
Hello—where is the love?

What?

You and Luke. Come on—dying here!

Coffee Cup and he took me home.

Swe-e-e-t! And??

And goodnight, Amy

Night. Go to sleep and dream of deep brown eyes.

She didn't have to remind me to dream of a certain pair of eyes because, seriously, I didn't know if I could think of anything else as my weary eyelids finally closed, and I drifted off to sleep.

 

~*~

 

I awoke the next morning even before the alarm rang, and for some reason I felt great—like I was rolling along on a sea of bliss. I turned over and a big smile formed. A sigh of contentment escaped me. And then it hit me. Like a rock through a window.

My eyes popped open, and I sat up straight. What had I done? How on earth had I allowed myself to give into all those teenage hormones I have coursing through my body? I'd made a decision—a decision to guard my heart from the likes of Luke. So much for the best of intentions. On top of that, I'd broken my trust with my parents. I'd never really disobeyed them before. Well, not anything this big.

I guess it's true what they say—“be careful what you wish for; it just might come true.” I'd made a terrible mistake and didn't know what to do to correct it. Maybe I could be sick with mono or something until Christmas Break. Luke would definitely have forgotten about me by then.

While climbing out of bed, I knew I had to come up with an alternative plan because if I told Mom I had mono she wouldn't automatically take my word for it. Being college educated and all, she'd probably insist I see an actual doctor. Although, that might work as a stalling mechanism for today.

I threw on some jogging pants and a sweatshirt and decided that a run through the neighborhood might help me to see straight. Exercise gave you endorphins. Endorphins made you happy, right? Or at least they dulled the pain. I really needed some endorphins right now because I was on the brink of falling into unadulterated panic. Seriously, it is sad that I remember more about endorphins from a movie than tenth grade Biology.

 

 

 

 

13

 

October 1
9

 

Dear Lord, I'm not sure what happened last night, but I think I must have lost my mind. Maybe not my mind, but I sure wasn't thinking straight. How could I have agreed to go with Luke? How am I going to get through this day? I know I say this quite often, but really, how? Send me some clarity and peace pronto…and some patience, it seems. It's Day 3 of the Challenge, and I really hope You have great plans for the rest of the week because at this point I am plain tapped out. I know You are trying to teach me things and I probably need to be less self-involved, but I just hope the growth process doesn't kill me in the meantime.