If Only: Chapter 3

3
The next day, class was just about to conclude with three minutes on the clock as Mr. Callway explained away the last chapter of the novel, "The Prisoner of Zenda". As he explained how Rudolf Rassendyll confessed his undying love to princess flavia, I was plotting. Pondering upon my brilliant plan to encapsulate the love of Allison Grey. Allison Grey was the name of the-kitten shirt wearing-girl that I had fallen in love with a month prior. It was thanks to Anna that I at least found out her name. If it wasn't for her I would still be referring to Allison as the girl with the angelic voice. Corny as hell, I know. Nevertheless, Today was the day I was about to do the unthinkable, the impossible. Just as neil armstrong had done in 1969, when he landed on the moon. Just as Edmund Hillary had done when he scaled Mount Everest in 1953.
Allison was the moon to my armstrong,the Everest to my Hillary.
With only one minute remaining till the school bell rang, I started getting nauseous. My breathing was heavy. I closed my eyes to calm myself down. After I opened them, I tried to sneak a peak at Allison to get some motivation. As I slowly switched my Gaze from the board towards her, I realized she was already glancing straight at me. Terrified at this, I glanced my eyes back to the chalk board.
Why was she looking at me? Had she known I stare at her when she doesn't pay attention? Had I been caught red handed?
Thoughts raced through my mind as I contemplated aborting my mission.
Then I heard Anna whisper to me,
"It's alright, Jackie. Allison knows".
As I heard those words escape from Anna's mouth I felt a lump shoot up my throat. It almost became hard to breath.
How Could she have known? Had Anna been the one that foiled my plans? And if so, then how long had Allison known of my unhealthy infatuation with her?
"Don't worry. I didn't tell her anything myself. She came to me. So I couldn't resist", said Anna while grinning.
What does that mean? Had she liked me too? Is that even possible?
"Yes, She likes you, genius", blurted out Anna, almost as if She was reading my mind.
At that moment I felt like my heart was doing pirouettes.
The Bell Rang. The class room emptied. It was lunch time.
"Good luck, baby bird" said Anna as she winked at me and walked out of the class.
"Now or Never, Jack!", I murmured to myself.
I was about to venture off into the land of the unkown. Whether or not I was to make it out alive depended upon one person.
I scoped my surroundings as I walked outside of the class like a lion hunting its prey in the african jungle. Only this hunt was to score a date with the most beautiful girl in my highschool. I saw her standing next to her locker 10 feet away. I started walking towards her locker as I thought of an excuse to start a conversation with her.
"Hey, can I borrow your notes from English class? I wasn't paying attention" No, that would lead her to believe I'm not smart. "Can I Interest you in a good time and some fine dining?" that sounds like I'm offering a deluxe package from some fancy escort agency. What do I say to her that doesn't come off as desperate or corny?
As I approached her, with each step my heart rate increased. In a few seconds the whole hallway was empty as all the kids hurried toward cafeteria because it was sloppy joe day. I was only a couple feet away when I realized she had noticed me because there was no one other than the two of us in that huge hall way.
As I stood right infront of her. Millions of thoughts started rushing in.
Don't look into those blue eyes. Don't flinch or she might think you're nervous. Don't slur when you speak. Don't look at her directly. Those blue eyes. Stop staring and say something. I've never seen eyes so blue.
As the battle within me raged on, I heard her say something.
"What?", I said nervously.
"Well?", she asked eagerly.
"well, what?", I said now a little annoyed.
"Well if you're brave enough to walk up to me, I think you should also have the courage to talk to me"
Shit. Does she know I was about to do this? Had I been compromised? Damn you Anna!
"What do you want me to say?", I said half-smiling and pretending I didn't know what she was talking about.
"What's been on your mind for the past month", She said.
At that moment, I felt my heart drop. I got nauseous. My head started spinning. My mind was boggled to say the least. But my eyes still fixated on her pearly blues.
She already knows God damn it! You've come this far, Don't mess it up now!
"Um, yeah actually I was wondering, Allison..." I swallowed, "If you'd like to..." Gulp. "you know..." Gulp. "Go out sometime... with me...If possible...?"
She gave me this strange look as if I just committed a cardinal sin and she was about to punish me for blasphamy.
"Took you long enough, Jack" she said while giggling.
Her chip tooth popped out of the left side of her lip. Then she gave a smile as wide as my eyes became when I heard her say that.
Was that a yes? Have I been successful?
"Yeah, that was a definite yes", she said while still smiling at me with those pearly blues.
She can read my mind too? God damn it!

It was 5 pm. I was supposed to meet up with Allison in an italian restaurant called La sca Rola. My dad had chosen the place. He apparently had had his first date with mom in this very restaraunt. It was very fancy. Not to mention outrageously expensive. But ofcourse dad loaned me some money. It's not every day your nerdy son gets to go on a date with the hottest girl in school.
I was worried. Not just about the date and how bad it could go if my luck preceded me. But also what worried me the most was the fact that Allison might think I'm trying to impress her by showing of my wealth and money. Well, my parents' wealth and money. I didn't want her to think that I would sway her with money or fancy dinners. If my parents hadn't forced this upon me, I would have taken her to a burger shack.
I left the house at 5:30 and arrived at the restaraunt early where we had made reservations.
"È pronto per ordinare Signore?", Asked the waiter in Italian, Are you ready to order sir?
"Non adesso, grazie". I replied in Italian. Not right now, Thank you.
I had memorized basic Italian communication just for this ocassion so I didn't make a fool of myself infront of whom could possibly be my next girlfriend.
A gust of wind carrying the sweet smell of roses and peaches blew in. After I re- established my vision I saw Allison.
She was wearing a black hoodie with blue denim jeans and white snickers.
I was confused, Did I over-dress for the ocassion or was she not the fancy restaraunt type?
"A bit windy out today isn't it, Jackie?, she said while un zipping her hoodie and fixing her silk-like hair to her left side.
"You don't mind if I call you Jackie do you?", She asked politely.
"I do, actually. Only Anna calls me that. And I hate her for that", I said without even realizing I was being rude.
"well I think it's cute", She giggled.
It is now, I thought.
"You look, uh, nice", I murmured embarrasingly.
"Thanks but I'm not the one wearing a suit to a first date", she laughed.
It was Ironic how I was the one embarrased of my attire while she was the one rocking a pair of white snickers with a black hoodie for a fancy dinner. But that's what I liked about her.
"Oh this? I wear this everyday. I even go to sleep in it", I said.
"I'll bet you do, James bond"
Dinner had arrived. I was starving. But I ate like a fat girl on a diet. To say I was nervous would be an understatement.
I watched her devour a whole plate of pasta faster than I could spell my name. She could eat alot, suprisingly. While eating, she kept talking about what she liked. She loved swimming, hiking, volleyball, video games, dancing and etcetera. I didn't speak at all while I was eating my salad. I just listened to the sweet tone of her voice when she giggled and took in the wonderful sight of her smile while she was telling a story. I was mesmerized. She wasn't like any other girl I had ever met before. She was like something out of a John green book.
"I'm sorry, I'm blabbering like an idiot",She said.
"Tell me about yourself? What are your parents like? What do they do?"
"Well, they're boring adults who like to boss me around the house and abuse their authorities", I said
We both looked at each other and laughed at the same time.
"They're the best. They're both lawyers so I'm mostly home alone with my books", I said while taking the last bite of my salad.
"Oh thats so cool"
" what are your parents like? What do they do?", I asked hoping I wasn't prying.
"They're the best. They're very supportive of my goals in life",She said.
When we were done with dinner I offered to walk her home. We both walked under the moon lit sky together almost a foot apart. Our bodies could almost touch each others. It Felt Exhilirating. I thought of holding her hand but then dismissed it thinking it was too soon or too forward. I didn't want to come off as desperate.
When the silver beams of the moon light hit her sallow skin, I realized she had small freckles on both of her cheeks.
"What are you looking at perv?", she smiled
"Nothing, Sorry", I said.
She laughed. She liked to tease me because she knew I was nervous.
We reached her house after about 20 minutes of walking. I didn't realize that much time had passed so quickly.
"This is where I bid you farewel my sharply dressed friend", she said as the light from the street lamp striked her freckled face. It brought out the brown-ish color of her hair.
"Till we meet again my fine lady", I said.
Why was I so comfortable with her? Anna was the only girl I could talk to like this. Just a week ago the very Idea of talking to her was daunting. What magic has this girl used on me?
"It was fun, I had a good time, Jackie", She winked while giggling.
"Me too", I smirked.
As Fun and Terrifying as it was, it was over. But I wasn't satisfied. I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to know everything about her. She was a mystery to me. A puzzle I had to solve. A hyroglyph I had to decipher. A John green Book I just had to finish. But I wouldn't even read it, If I had any clue of how it was going to end.