Free Minds

Chapter 82.

   Don't get me wrong, I wasn't having second thoughts on whether I liked Dorian or on our date tonight, but experience had just done the sadistic job of reminding me that dates were not my thing. At all.

   Aside the awkward double dates that Talise set up whenever there were Ridgeton High dances or other social functions, I stayed cooped up in my garage, choosing getting zapped for the thousand time while working on my recreations over awkward silences, awkward eye contact and badly constructed lies on texting soon (his lie) and looking forward to another date (my lie).

   This, however, did not mean I never had crushes–Landon remember? There were others after him. I wasn't a robot or anything. To be honest, most of the boys Talise set me up with were not bad-looking at all. I could actually see myself liking some of them... if we weren't forced to tag along on someone's else date like sad chaperones who didn't fulfil their role as actual chaperones–obviously, we weren't 90 year old teachers– but ended up hooking up because their sadness drove them into thinking they should.

   But then again, this was Dorian– my brilliant, annoying, mysterious, secretly caring frenemy of a friend turned openly affectionate, slightly less annoying, still brilliant, still mysterious, great kisser and sleeping partner.

   Also, this was a one-on-one date. With someone I knew and no doubt liked.

"Okay..." Cami's murmur as she made final touches to my face with some foundation. "Make up's done!"

   She stepped aside so I could get a better view of myself in her bathroom mirror.

   I had to blink several times before finally accepting that the girl in the mirror staring back at me with bewildered eyes was, well, me. I couldn't help crediting Camila for the bun she'd tied my afro into while I braid the hair I'd left at the sides of my head into long twists with multi-coloured beads at the ends. It had all turned out great. I had even been able to find the right gel that could lay my edges... for now anyway. After digging through my suitcase of clothes with little to no hope, I was surprised with a stunning, yellow dress that I forgot I had and chose to wear them with some black wedge boots–another surprise. It was then that I remembered who had packed up my suitcase.

   Talise.

   My shoulders slumped as the fact that she wasn't here to witness what she had been rooting for all this time sunk in. I always laughed and brushed it off whenever she swore she had prophetic abilities. Looking at what I was wearing at the moment though, it didn't seem so crazy to believe that she'd packed this outfit and shoes weeks ago with something like this in mind.

"Wow, Beth." Camila breathed as I turned away from the mirror to face her. "If Dorian doesn't appreciate how incredible you look, I'll go out with you."

"I'll hold you on that." I laughed as I put on my jacket and headed for the door.

   I was startled by Dorian's presence on the other end upon turning it open. His fist that was raised over the door dropped. I guess I beat him to the whole knocking thing.

   We just stayed glued to our positions, seconds passing without any of us saying anything.

   Not that I minded. My gawking eyes didn't anyway. Dorian was wearing a burgundy-coloured turtleneck sweater that made the green in his eyes more vibrant and heart-stopping than I'd ever seen them with jet black jeans and white sneakers on his feet.

   It was only when I was awakened to reality that I noticed Dorian's widened stare fixated on mine without blinking. I didn't know how to react to his slightly agape mouth.

   A thunderous slam that seemed to come out of nowhere made us both jump.

   Cami.

   I looked over my shoulder to Camila's room door, now shut, only then noticing that I had never closed it behind me.

"I think that's our cue to leave." The chuckle I released at the end of my statement was shaky.

   Dorian nodded, but both our feet stayed frozen, just like our unblinking gazes at each other.

"You–"

"You–"

   As we stayed silent for the other to speak, my memories took me back to the fact that something similar like this had happened at the Virtual Reality Dance, when Dorian and I had our first real conversation since I came to Zavlon. Thinking about how far we'd come from that was almost humorous.

"You look amazing," he said. More like breathed.

"So do you." I said. More like croaked.

"Shall we?" He held out an arm, reminding me of those old movies Mum was obsessed with.

   Linking my arm with his, I realised my head felt clearer than it had all day.

A/N: Any guesses of what Dorian has in mind?

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