LJ Idol Season 11: I Can't Get Calm
"You sure this plan is going to work?" Cassie asked her two best friends for what felt like the millionth time.
"Of course," Dan replied as he paid attention to the road. "We plotted this out last night, remember? How could this not work?"
Because none of your other crazy plans ever work, Cassie thought as she bit her lip but said nothing. She thought back to the time that Dan was crazy in love with Josh and followed him around the school and had friends leave notes in the poor guy's locker professing his love. Dan had been so sure that was the most romantic way to get the most popular guy's attention...until she, Dan, and their friends Liz and Maria found themselves in the principal's office for a stalking accusation and she had to plead their case on why they should not be in trouble. She got a long lecture that night from her parents on why her friends were a bad influence and how she should not be easily influenced by stupid ideas. Or the time Dan thought he should drive past the 26-foot truck to get in front and make the green light to turn right...which he succeeded at and then also blowing out a tire in making the right turn at such a high speed and hitting the curb. Maria's mom had been livid that she had to come save them to the point where she made Maria stop being friends with them. There was the time that Dan dyed his hair blue and orange and only wear those colors so he could stick out...only for him to not to be able to find any clothes in those colors that he liked.
Liz piped up quietly, "You know...I thought we were just joking around with this plan. I mean, it would be a great idea in theory but so many things can go wrong."
"Yeah," she chimed in. "Besides I'm not ready to tell him."
"You'll never be ready," Dan scoffed as he pulled into the parking lot. "How else are you ever going to tell him how you feel? Besides, it's too late now to back out! And don't worry, my sister showed me how to use the child locks on this car so it can't fail even if he tries to escape! First part of the plan is complete. Now you get out of the car and Liz and I will execute step two."
Taking a deep breath, Cassie shook her head ruefully as she got out of the car and walked to the nearby pond to wait as Dan and Liz sped off to complete part two. She sat down on bench, trying to calm the nerves in her stomach and the shaking of her hands.
....
45 minutes later, Cassie was still shaking and worried as each moment of silence passed. She paced back and forth, only to stop to watch the ducks milling around. She needed something to do with her hands, anything to keep her distracted. She wished she had thought to bring a book to make the time pass or at the very least, some bread to feed the ducks. Logically, she knew if Ben showed up, the worst he could do was say no and she'd live. Oh, it would suck but she'd live. It would be payback for all the times she had teased him in middle school. She knew he also wasn't the kind of guy to be mean to her when he said no; she wouldn't have been such good friends with him in the first place if that was the case. Anxiety however, kept telling her all of nasty things he could say or do to make fun of her and make her life a living hell. And what if he didn't even show up? Was it worse if he showed up or didn't show up? She had not even considered that before now. This was a stupid idea, she thought bitterly. She cracked her knuckles and decided to start walking home, screw the plan, when she heard a voice behind her.
"Cassie? What's going on?" She turned to see Ben standing there with his hands in his pockets. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Dan and Liz crouching behind a tree, their faces peeking out and grinning like fools, giving her a thumbs up sign.
"OhmyGodyou'rehereohshit," Cassie stumbled over her words.
"Of course. Those idiots over there told me you were having an emergency but wouldn't tell me what and when I got in the car, I heard the Child Lock click on. Then they started talking about part three but they won't tell me what the fuck is going on? Cassie, what's going on?"
"Um, well, uh..." Cassie stood there awkwardly. Ben quirked an eyebrow, waiting patiently. "It's like this..." she trailed off.
"Like what?"
"I don't even know where to begin..."
"The beginning is always smart," he replied. "How about you tell me about this plan since I know what part two was but not part one or three."
"Look, I know it was a crazy idea! You know how Dan gets with his ideas! I didn't think we were actually going to go through with it," she cried. "Please don't be mad at me!"
"I'm not mad, Cassie. Confused, yes but mad no," he took his hands out of his pockets and grabbed her hands, stopping her pacing. "Just tell me what's going on that we're standing here now."
Cassie took a deep breath to help calm her racing heart. "Ok. So last night Liz, Dan, and I were on the phone last night and I was telling them how much I had a crush on you and liked you but I didn't know how to tell you. And then we started joking about how cool of a romance novel idea/movie plot this would be if we kidnapped you so that I could tell you and we came up with this idea but I thought we were just having fun! This morning Dan and Liz showed up at my door and Dan told me we were going to do it so I could tell you once and for all."
Ben smiled, catching on. "So part one?"
"Part one was getting me here. I'm here, so check. Part two was finding a way to convince you to get in the car. And part three is..."
"Is...."
"Me telling you thatIlikeyouandthatwestartdatingandlivehappilyeverafter."
"Say that again but slower," Ben pulled her close to him and tilted her chin up to look at him.
"I like you. There I said it! I don't know where or when or why but I have had a crush on you. You're such an amazing person and you're kind, gorgeous, and everything in all in one. And I know you're probably wanting to laugh hysterically for all the times I made fun of you in middle school but here we are. If you don't like me, I completely understand because I was a total bitch to you for so long and I didn't see you for what an awesome person you are. But please, just break my heart as nicely as you can and I hope we can still be..." Her words were cut off, as he leaned down and kissed her. She could hear the birds chirping, ducks quacking, and her friends yelling, "Awwwww!" as she melted into the kiss.
He broke the kiss and smiled down at her. "I like you too. I was even planning to tell you and was working up the nerve and a plan...though nothing like this! Just next time you want to tell me something, call me or tell me and don't kidnap me!"
She smiled as they leaned in for another kiss until another thought occured to her, causing her hands to shake and the butterflies to return but not for a good reason.
"Oh shit, I don't know how to be in a relationship! I've never been in a relationship before! How does one even be a girlfriend? What in the hell was I thinking?"
Note: This is based on a true story in my life. My two friends and I did concoct a plan and followed through to go "kidnap" a guy I liked from his house and brought him to me so I could tell him that I liked him (he went to a different school so it wasn't like I saw him everyday). We plotted it out the night before sitting on three-way calling! I don't even know how they managed to get him to agree to get in that car that day or what they said to him but I do know there was Child Lock involved! The only difference is that in real life, while he told me he liked me too....he also liked another girl at his school and wanted to date her because she was at his school and I wasn't (oddly the girl did end up transfering schools our senior year and ended up in my school, sitting in front of me in AP US History so that defeated his purpose of dating a girl at his school). Location was also different - we used the local elementary school blacktop for my confession which ironically enough, I worked at this school for the past two years in a portable that was built on top of the blacktop that I stood on! Sigh. I figured at least my character should get a happy ending and also a better setting! If you like this story, please consider voting for me and checking out the other stories in the competition!