Solo (11 page)

"Yeah, he told me." She grinned.

 I could feel my cheeks tingling. I looked down, thankful for the dark bowling alley.

"Lucas, why don't you add them to this game?" Rachel suggested.

"That's okay; we can wait until the next game," I said quickly.

"Yeah, you only have three more rounds, we can wait," Casey agreed.

"Are you sure?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, we're sure. Besides, we need to get our shoes," Casey replied.

Casey and I went to check out our shoes. When we returned, I took off my hoodie and noticed my shirt was glowing from the black lights. I felt like a glow stick.

Casey laughed, "You really stand out."

"Yeah, more than I expected."

Lucas came back after slamming a strike and did a double take. I was mortified. I looked at Casey and mumbled, "I'll be right back. I'm going to find a ball. I'll get one for you, too. What size do you need?"

"I like a six or seven, whatever you can find."

"Okay, I'll be right back." I rushed away.

"Wait up, I'll help you," Lucas called. "Casey, could you please play for me if my turn comes up before we're back."

"No problem." Casey looked at me, raising her eyebrows.

I waited for Lucas to reach me.

"Eliana, I didn't get a chance to thank you for coming. I started to think you weren't going to make it."

"Like I said, we couldn't find anything better to do. By the way, thanks for telling your cousin I thought you were dating her. Are you trying to humiliate me?"

"Are you seriously upset? I didn't think you would get embarrassed. I actually thought it was kind of cute."

When Lucas gave me his mind-blowing smile, it was easy for me to forgive him. I searched through the bowling balls for the correct numbers. "Well, I was embarrassed."

"I'm sorry." He helped me search for a number six or seven. "Anyway, do you have a date for prom yet?"

I looked up slowly, trying to appear nonchalant. "I told you today, I don't plan on going."

"Yeah, but that doesn't answer my question."

"No, I don't have a date for prom—but I also don't plan on dating this year."

"Don't worry, it wouldn't be a date." His expression turned serious. "It would be strictly friends."

I was peeved and narrowed my eyes. "Lucas Andrews, are you mocking me?"

"Me, never. I just want to be your quote, unquote, friend."

"You're lucky I don't drop this ball on your foot." I turned and walked away.

"Eliana, come back. It's just that you're always so serious."

I turned back around. "I'm glad you find me so amusing."

"Sorry, this is not how I wanted things to go. I'm asking you to go to prom with me, but you're making it so difficult." He picked up a number seven ball.

I sighed, "No, I'm the one that's sorry. It's your prom and I don't want to ruin it for you."

"The only way you could ruin it is if you said 'no' right now." He looked so hopeful.

I rubbed the side of my head like I always do when I'm nervous.

"Oh no, it's the infamous head rub." He looked concerned. "Last time you did that, the outcome wasn't in my favor."

I let out a huge sigh. "Okay, I'll go, but I have to check with my mom first. I'll let you know on Monday."

"I can agree to that," he said with relief.

"Remember, just friends," I stressed.

Lucas smirked, "Sure Eliana, whatever you say."

At that moment, with my impeccable luck, my phone rang. The word "MOM" lit up the display. "You've got to be kidding me."

Lucas looked puzzled.

"Hey Mom."

"Hi honey, I'm on my way to bed. I wanted to check to see if you have a key to the house. I suddenly realized this is your first night out by yourself and your grandmother always locks the deadbolts."

"Oh, yeah, I didn't think to get a key from you. I go through the kitchen and someone is usually there."

Lucas motioned for me to ask her about prom, but I tried to ignore him.

Mom continued, "Well, I'll leave the kitchen door unlocked. Remember to lock the deadbolt and wake me when you get in."

"Okay, I will." I hesitated. "Mom, while I have you on the phone, I want to ask you something."

"What is it?"

Lucas nudged me again.

"Well, Lucas Andrews asked me to prom tonight. I told him I'd have to ask you."

I pulled the phone from my ear when my mom practically screamed. "HE ASKED YOU TO THE PROM? OF COURSE YOU CAN GO. HE'S THE CUTE ONE, RIGHT?"

I looked at Lucas and could tell he'd heard every word. He tried not to laugh. I wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it. "Okay, I'll let him know."

"I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU, HONEY," she continued to holler.

"Mom, I've got to go, my turn is coming up." I resorted to lying so the humiliation would end.

"Okay, honey, don't forget to wake me when you get in. Good night."

"Night, Mom." I hung up and looked at Lucas. "Not that I need to tell you, but she said I can go to prom."

"So, I'm the cute one, huh?"

I stared at him. If looks could kill, he'd be dead. "Not another word or I'll change my mind."

He threw his hands up. "My lips are sealed."

I looked over at our lane. "We'd better get back before they think we're lost."

"Don't worry, most of them know what I'm doing. Lucky for me you said yes. Now I won't look stupid." He grinned and we walked back to the lane.

Casey was smiling. I looked at her confused. "Did you know he was going to ask me to prom?"

"No, not until Rachel told me and when you were both gone so long we figured he was doing it now. What did you say?"

"Like I really need to tell you," I whispered. I looked around and everyone was smiling.

 Throughout the night, Lucas would sit next to me and ramble on about nothing and everything. He asked if I was going to any of the baseball games and if I liked South Umpqua now that I'd been there a few weeks.

We were interrupted when a song came on and the girls squealed. They jumped up to dance to the catchy tune. I sat there bobbing my head and watching their stiff moves.

Casey sat next to me. "Man, they can really move, huh?"

"Oh, yeah," I said, trying to hide my sarcasm.

Lucas looked at me. "Do you dance?"

"I used to dance, but it's been awhile. I'm a little out of practice." I didn't like lying.

"Were you on a dance team at your old school?" Casey asked.

"No, I actually have never been on any school dance teams." I didn't have to lie with that answer.

I was thrown off by the seizure move they ended with. I couldn't figure out if they really thought flopping like a fish out of water was cute. When they finished, I was surprised when everyone around us started to clap. I joined in. "Way to go!" I hollered.

Lucas shook his head and looked at me.

"What?"

He leaned in and I flinched. "Relax, I was just going to ask if you really liked their routine."

"Oh, it was all right."

He smiled, "Why did you flinch?"

 I turned my head and started a new conversation with Casey. Lucas must have noticed my embarrassment because he dropped the subject. The rest of the night was fun. Lucas would chitchat with me between turns, and he and Casey joked like siblings. You could tell they'd known each other a long time.

I didn't beat my score of ninety-three. I got a pathetic score of eighty-six. Casey blew me out of the water with a hundred forty-three. I couldn't believe I was actually enjoying myself bowling. I was such a club girl on the weekends in California. Now my favorite social activity was bowling. My-oh-my—how things change.

At the end of the night, Lucas walked Casey and me to my car. "Thanks for coming ladies."

"Thanks for the invite. Well, both the invites."

"It's my pleasure."

"Lucas, remember, just friends!" I yelled. I wasn't sure if he heard me or ignored me, because he didn't acknowledge my comment. I looked over at Casey shaking her head.

"He's crazy about you," she grinned.

"Well, he needs to get over it, because I'm not looking for anything serious."

We got back to my grandparents' house shortly after midnight and tiptoed into the kitchen. Mom was sitting at the table. She was so excited about Lucas asking me to prom that she couldn't sleep. Casey and I sat at the table recapping the night for her. She thought it was funny that she happened to call right after he'd asked me.

"So, are you planning on getting a dress tomorrow?" Mom asked.

"Probably. I don't think I'm going to find one in this town, though."

Casey laughed. "Yeah, we have to go to Eugene or Medford for a better selection."

"Oh, I remember," Mom chuckled. "You girls should get to bed if you plan on leaving early."

I showed Casey to my room, warning her not to be shocked by the pink princess paint. She examined all the pictures on my bulletin board while I lay across the bed explaining who everyone was.

"Now I see why you don't like it here. You look so happy in those pictures. Who knows? Maybe you'll be that happy here, too."

I yawned, "Yeah, who knows? I guess a lot can happen in a year."

"Well, you haven't been here very long and you already have a prom date. That's a plus."

I closed my eyes, "It's not a date. We're just friends."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that." Casey yawned and closed her eyes.

Casey and I woke up early. We wanted to be at Valley River Center in Eugene when it opened. Mom had already cooked up a road-ready breakfast for us by the time we came downstairs.

"Eliana, do you have your card?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's in my handbag."

"Try not to spend more than three hundred, okay?"

"I don't think I'm going to get a three hundred dollar dress."

"Well, you'll need accessories, shoes, maybe a matching handbag. Who knows? You might find some summer clothes, too."

"Okay, I get it." I rolled my eyes at Casey. "Ready?"

When we were on the road, Casey started flipping through my CDs. "I can't believe your parents let you have a card."

"Well, it's a debit card linked to my mom's bank account; it just has my name on it."

"They must
really
trust you."

"I don't use it often; mostly for things like this or for an emergency. I know if I get out of control, it's gone."

"You're lucky, my parent's make me baby-sit my cousins and help around the farm for an allowance."

"I help around the house, but I don't get an allowance. They give me money when I need something. I baby-sat when I lived in California. I have some money in savings, but my mom hardly ever makes me spend it."

"I plan to get a real job this summer, hopefully at the supermarket," said Casey.

"I've been thinking about getting a summer job, too, but since I'm taking a trip to California this summer, I'm still undecided."

"Well, you better figure it out soon, there aren't many jobs in Myrtle Creek, and everyone starts looking the last month of school. If you're serious about it, be prepared to jump fast."

"That's good to know."

We sang along through the entire CD. It made the drive seem faster. There weren't many cars on the road and I assumed it was because most people slept late on Saturdays.

"I think we drove here in record time," Casey joked.

We entered the mall parking lot and were shocked by all the cars. It looked like everyone within a hundred mile radius had had the same idea. We had to stay focused on our mission. Prom was only a few weeks away and there was no time to dawdle. Our plan was to go to every store, try on our favorites, and put the best ones on hold.

The first department store was packed with girls looking for dresses. The store looked like a tornado had hit formal wear. Casey and I looked at each other horrified. I loved to shop, but this was insane. We figured we'd start by finding dresses still available in our size.

The dressing rooms were even worse. The line was
so
long, I asked Casey if she cared if we shared a room. She quickly nodded in agreement. We waited patiently for one of the larger rooms to become available. When we snagged it, we changed from dress to dress like we were in some kind of marathon. We didn't say much other than the occasional, "that's looks nice," or "I like that one," or
"no way."

Casey was lucky enough to find two dresses for her "possible" list and put them on hold. She was a perfect size six. I didn't have any luck. Every cute size four dress had already been snagged. I could get into some size twos but I looked way too trashy, and I swam in size six.