“Nah. He’s not really my style. Don’t get me wrong, that six-pack he’s got going on is h-o-t, but honestly, I’m okay going with y’all. It would be fun. Us, Laurel, Beau and few others. He has mentioned something about asking Sarah. You know, he’s head over heels for her and doesn’t even know it,” she says with a laugh and all I can do is feel his pain.
Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I muster up the courage to lay it all out there, but first I let out a big breath of air.
She looks my way, “You okay? You look like you’re about to be sick.”
“Bella Blu, I know we’re just friends, but would you want to go to the dance with me?” Silently I pray she says yes. Please, pretty please, say yes.
She looks up at me and pauses. “I’d love to go with you, Chase. Besides, going with your best friend beats going with a dumb jock any day of the week.”
And just like that, I’m still in the friend zone.
Belle
Chase didn’t just ask me to the dance and I said yes. What in the world am I thinking? Next thing I know he’ll be asking me to prom, and I don’t want him to get the wrong idea. Don’t get me wrong, I love that boy. He’s been here for me ever since I can remember, but he and I can’t be together. It would be strange. He knows all my secrets, gets me, but it would ruin everything. However, going to the Harvest Festival dance is fun and it’s not like we wouldn’t be going together anyways.
As Beau returns from his conversation, I quickly take a sip of my lemonade and go back to singing the song we were working on. He pauses and looks between us. “What’s up with y’all?” he asks, cutting his eyes at both of us.
“Nothin’. Just going to the dance together is all,” I say as Chase chokes on his lemonade.
“For real?” he questions. Looking to Chase, he shakes his head and is trying his best not to smile. “Well, that’s good 'cause I couldn’t have y’all two being the third and fourth wheel with Sarah and me.”
“What about Laurel?” I ask.
“What about her?” Beau states, confused.
“She can’t go alone.” Laurel is my only girl pal, but since school’s been out she’s been working like crazy at the local diner and never has time to hang out.
“Oh, didn’t you hear?” Beau smirks as Chase and I look between each other. “She’s Tucker Jones’ flavor of the week, but more like two weeks.”
“You’re kiddin’?” I'm not sure how my eighteen-year-old brother knows more gossip than I do. I wonder why she didn’t tell me? Oh, wait. She’s lost phone privileges and been working forty hours a week. That might be why, but that’s got me curious. It’s time to make a stop into the diner for more info.
“Yeah, I'm kiddin’, but then again she might be keeping it a secret so you don’t try and lick his abs or something,” Beau says as he attempts to demonstrate a visual with the mason jar.
“That is so gross! I’m so over him. I’ve grown up, ya know. It’s not always about looks, but anyways, can we move on and write, please?”
We all look at each other. I take a seat with my guitar as Beau hands me a few chords sketched on a paper towel. I hum them in my head as my fingers begin to roam the neck of my guitar. As the chords strum to life, I feel the words begin to build in my soul.
Continuing to play the melody, I begin to sing the words aloud. Closing my eyes, I forget about everything around me and sing, because singing is what sets me free.
Chase
Taking one last look in the rearview mirror, I take a deep breath and grab the fresh home-picked bouquet of flowers for Bella Blu. Walking up the steps, I knock and wait as my hands get clammy.
Opening the door, I’m met by her dad, Max.
“Evenin’, Mr. Montgomery.”
“Oh, drop that mess, Chase, and come on in. She’ll be down in a few minutes.”
Walking into the living room, we take a seat as Beau walks in. “Dang, look at you. You lookin’ all spiffy,” he says as he takes a seat beside me. “Y’all wanna ride together? I’ve got to get Sarah.” Pausing, he looks at me, “Scratch that.