Chapter Two

It’s only nine in the morning, but this day feels like it is lasting forever.

Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? I can hear my ringtone on my phone singing the same lyrics that Hayley Williams sings in Airplanes. Slowly, I reach over and answer.

“Hello?” I had forgotten to even look at the caller I.D. to see who was calling.

“Hey, Brooke! Are you excited to start school tomorrow?” Anthony’s voice was so smooth and calming. Somehow, his simple question calmed down my every worry and doubt about my sophomore year.

“I am if you are,” I reply, trying to sound just as he had without even trying.

“I just have no idea to wear. Do you know what you’re wearing tomorrow?” It’s so cute how Anthony always tries to match me. We’ve been best friends for three years now, and he seems like my perfect match.

“I'm not quite sure. One of my favorite outfits, probably.”

“Oh. You should wear your pink and purple plaid shirt. I got a purple one that would kind of match it, if that’s cool with you.”

“Okay, call me in the morning to remind me!” Excitedly, I almost hung up the phone on him.

“Trying to get rid of me? I have nothing but time to talk to you.” His little comments were so cute. It took a million reassuring thoughts to convince myself that we were just friends. There’s nothing between us, right?

“I would love to waste my last day of summer talking to you.” I hoped that I sounded just as flirtatious as he had. This year, I'm not going to just stay friends with him. We’re too perfect together for that.

“Would you rather hang out?”

I could feel my heart pounding through my chest. The booming was traveling quickly through my body, and it is becoming harder and harder for me to talk. “I would love to.”

Anthony and I haven’t hung out in forever. He was in Italy for a year with his mom because his parents had a huge fight. His dad decided that work was more important than his son, but in the end, it was up to Anthony. He decided to move back here, though he doesn’t live with his father. He lives in an apartment for troubled boys, but he hates talking about it.

“Okay, what are we going to do? There are not that many movies playing right now.”

Movies? Boom boom boom. Couples go to the movies. Is this a hint? “We could find something to watch, it’d be fun no matter what.” And that’s true. We always had fun together, even when we just talk on the phone or make fun of people at the mall �" it’s going to be just like old times.

I could hear his soft chuckle through the phone. “Be ready at one. I’ll come pick you up.”

“Wait, what? What are we doing?” I was so confused, but at the same time, I was incredibly excited.

“You’ll see.” And then he hung up.

 

My heart was racing harder than it ever had before. Is there really a spark between us now? The sundress that I put on previously suddenly looks childish, but I also feel incredibly beautiful.

You’re supposed to wear a dress on a date, right?

Is this even a date?

 

The seconds ticked by, as did the minutes and then eventually the hours. I can’t stop myself from checking the time every couple of minutes �" I am so excited.

 

By the time the clock hits noon, I figure that I should go downstairs and get a snack. I don’t want to eat too much because I have no idea where we are going to be going.

“You look happy,” my mother notices as I open the cupboard. “Is there a cute guy involved?”

“Cute? Yes. But it’s not like that, Mom.” I'm trying so hard to hide my feelings.

“Oh, did Anthony finally ask you out? I remember you telling me that he moved back here.”

“Mom, we’re just friends. But we are hanging out soon.”

The grin that quickly appeared on her face made my heart pound even more. “Just friends? That boy is head over heels for you.” And then she left the room.

Anthony? Head over heels for me? How would she know?

 

I don’t quite remember eating a snack, but the doorbell just woke me from any daydreams or fantasies that I was experiencing.

“Hey there,” Anthony said before I even had the door open all the way. It has been so long that I have seen him. His tan skin looks so much lighter than I last remember, and his dark hair is longer.

“You grew,” I replied. I was trying so hard not to say the words that my heart was screaming.

“Complaining? You can’t be saying that I look worse.”

Oh no, quite the opposite, I think. “You look very nice. Come in?”

“No, we need to get going.”

Did he just wink at me? “Okay, let me just go find my sandals.”

There was that adorable chuckle again.

“What?” I ask, hoping to sound cute.

“They are on your feet,” he replies, trying not to burst out laughing.

I can feel my face burning red, but I can also see the huge smile on his. Nothing can go wrong, I tell myself. We’re just friends, anyways. My hopes can’t get crushed if I don’t have any.

“Bye Mom,” I yell as we walk out the door.

 

Once outside, I see a beautiful red car sitting in front of my house. “You can drive now?”

“Of course. What did you think I meant when I said that I’d pick you up at one?”

Good question. I just smiled, and he opened the passenger door for me.

“So, where are we going?” I ask after he starts driving down the road.

“You’ll see,” he says once again.

Reviews

[Andy Ruffett]

Chapter Two:

'“I just have no idea to wear. Do you know what you’re wearing tomorrow?”' "I just have no idea what to wear"

Side note: I LOVE "Airplanes" The lyrics are so poetic and so true.

'The seconds ticked by, as did the minutes and then eventually the hours. I can’t stop myself from checking the time every couple of minutes " I am so excited.' There should be no quotation.

'By the time the clock hits noon' It would be "the clock his noon" but I believe what would be better is "By the time it was noon"

'By the time the clock hits noon, I figure that I should go downstairs and get a snack. I don’t want to eat too much because I have no idea where we are going to be going.' Remember, it should be past tense. I would probably scan the whole book for this problem.

'It has been so long that I have seen him.' "It has been so long since I've seen him"

My piece:

Mystery, I love mystery. You also space out your paragraphs very well. "Never a dull moment" as the saying goes. Curious about this Anthony character. Miss Diannesam thinks they're the perfect match. What will you do Autumn, will you write the inevitable or will you stretch this little crush for a bit longer? I don't know. You write teenagers very well and even the mother is convincing. Your characters are coming to life on the page and that's what any writer wants. Did I say you also ended the second chapter quite well? No, I don't think I did, but now I definitely did.

Your writer friend,

-Andy Ruffett

[diannesam]

I ADORE Anthony. he seems like the perfect match for her!