Secret Crush

Chapter 7 - [Catch Up]

When I got to school on Monday, I sat at my locker and hugged my legs tightly. I was wearing the necklace around my neck and I couldn’t stop this guilty feeling that was burning inside me.

Did I really deserve to wear this necklace?

“You okay babes?” I heard Val ask.

I turned my head and looked at her, smiling. “Hey!”

She smiled back, walking over to me. “I think you’re worrying a little too much about this.”

I had told her what had happened. Actually, I called her right after I found the necklace.

I stood up and frowned. “I just…”

I cut myself off when I noticed some girls stop what they were doing and look behind me.

That was a clear sign that the royal E-team was gracing us with their presence.

When I turned my head, I saw that I was right, as Gale walked down the hall with a few of his friends.

I bit my lip hard… and even harder when his eyes fell on me.

But I took a deep breath and walked over to him. “Wish me good luck.” I said to Val as I left.

He stopped walking when he realized I was coming to him, confusing his friends, and I saw his eyes find the necklace around my neck.

He looked satisfied.

When I got to him, I looked down at my hands. “I’m sorry.”

Gale didn’t say anything.

“My mom forgot about it completely… she left it in her glove compartment and then never thought about it again.”

Gale just crossed his arms.

I didn’t really know if he was being a jerk or if he was just angry.

So I took the necklace off of me and handed it to him. “You probably want this back.”

“I don’t want it back, Naomi.”

When I looked at him, I saw him smiling.

“It was a gift for you.” He said. “I just wanted you to know that I did actually try and I’m not the bad guy here.”

I nodded my head. “You aren’t.” I said. “I’m sorry for blaming you.”

“Fine… it was still partially my fault.” His smile faded. “My assumption was a stupid assumption. And maybe I should have tried a bit harder to get you back.”

My heart skipped a beat.

His smile returned. “Well, at least we got that out of the way, right?”

I nodded my head. “I’m sorry.”

Gale kept smiling. “You don’t need to say sorry.” He said. “I guess it was all just a misunderstanding.”

I sighed.

“Hey.” Gale called. “We’ve still got to finish the oral part of the project. Why don’t you come over tonight and we’ll finish it. Then we’ll catch up.”

I smiled at him, my heart skipping a beat again.

Though I was so upset about the whole thing… he still managed to make me feel a bit better.

“I’ll text you.” Gale said before he gently punched my shoulder, making me feel like one of his bros, and walked off with his confused friends.

I turned around and watched him walk off. But when he disappeared through the doors, it was then that I realized all of the girls looking at me.

I turned my head… and realized that when I meant all… I meant all.

Did they think this was some kind of show or something?

“People, this ain’t a movie.” I heard Valerie yell as she walked over to me and threw her hand around my shoulder. “Get back to work you lifeless morons.”

I chuckled when most of the people turned away and put my arm around Valerie’s waist.

“So I guess this means I can’t really hate on him anymore?” Val asked.

I smiled. “I guess so.”

Val sighed, but looked at me. “But I still go by what I said last time…” She started. “If he hurts you… he’s going to get smashed.”

I laughed and hugged her tightly.

I didn’t want to admit it… but I was suddenly so happy and giddy.

And I had a ton of butterflies in my stomach.

We did as he suggested that evening and drove over to his place. I couldn’t deny how excited I was to be Gale’s friend again. But at the same time, I was so nervous.

He pulled up into his driveway, parking right in the middle like he always does, and jumped out of the car.

Even he looked a little more excited.

When I got out of the car and closed the door, I looked up at him and saw him grinning at me.

“What?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I can’t wait to hear what you’ve been up to for the past three years.”

I laughed. “Well same goes for you. But first we’ve got to finish that project.”

He nodded as he walked over to the door and opened it.

As we both walked in, I was startled by barking.

“Oh, Blitz!” Gale’s grin grew wider as the huge German Sheppard ran over to us.

I gasped loudly and rushed backwards until my back was against the door because the German Sheppard was coming straight at me.

It got onto its hind legs and placed one paw on either side of me. He had trapped me between himself and the door.

His head was near my chest.

“He’s… big.” I said, chuckling.

Blitz looked up at me, his tongue out and ready to lick me, panting in excitement.

“What a charmer he is.” Gale said, walking over to us. “Totally hitting on you.”

I laughed.

“Pet him.” Gale said. “Don’t worry, he wont bite.”

“I’m not scared of dogs.” I said as I placed my hand on Blitz head and pet him until he got back down on all four legs.

I knelt down in front of him and cupped his face in my hands. “What a cutie!” I squeaked.

Gale knelt down too. “Blitz, shake.”

Blitz immediately held his right paw up, lifting his head up and giving me a perfect sitting posture.

I giggled and took his paw. “Nice to meet you!”

When I let go of his paw, he stepped forward and licked my cheek, making me giggle.

“Most of the girls I hang out with hate dogs.” Gale said, getting up.

I smiled. “Well, you of all people should know how much I love dogs.”

“Your mom still hasn’t got you one?”

I shook my head sadly. “I wish.”

Gale chuckled.

He then squatted and hit his knees with his hands. “Blitz!” He called.

Blitz jumped away from me and barked happily, turning to Gale.

“Where’s Gina?” He asked.

Blitz jumped around a bit, barking. Then he spun around a couple times, making me laugh, and finally, he ran over to the door and scratched on it.

“Hmm.” Gale said. “She’s been out a lot recently.”

I started to pet Blitz again when he came back to me. “You think I can pick him up?” I asked, wanting to take him home with me.

Gale snorted. “You can try.”

I wrapped my arms around him and huffed loudly as I tried to pick him up, but as expected, I failed.

Gale laughed. “Weakling.” He said before he kneeled down next to me, wrapped his arms around Blitz and picked him up with some ease. “Lift with your legs.”

I frowned. “You’ve probably had loads of practice.”

“Whatever, weakling.” He said as he held onto Blitz and made his way up the staircase.

For the rest of the evening, we finished that project of ours. We actually finished pretty early and were able to go through it together once.

I was actually a little excited for it now.

Gale got up off of his stool and stretched as he walked over to the paint covered love seat. He sat down and sighed. “So we’ll go through it one more time tomorrow and we’re good for Wednesday?”

I nodded, stretching too and then getting off the chair to play with Blitz who was running around the room on his own.

“Alright, so we’re done.” Gale said. “That means it’s time to catch up.”

I chuckled. “You were serious about that?”

Gale got up. “Let’s go to my room.”

I got up too and followed Gale, but only after motioning for Blitz to come with us.

When we got to Gale’s room, he flicked on all the lights and sat down on the loveseat in front of the T.V. and Blitz jumped up with him.

I sat on the wing chair to the left of him.

He put his feet up and looked at me. “How about we do this. We ask each other questions.”

“Isn’t this a little weird?” I asked as I lifted myself up so I could sit on my hands.

Gale raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

I shrugged. “It’s like… I dunno, it just seems weird.”

“Well, we’ve got two options here.” Gale said. “The first is to start all over again. Or the second is to start where we left off. Which would you prefer?”

“To start where we left off.” I said right away. That was the obvious answer.

“Which means we’ve got to catch up.”

I thought about it and guessed he was right. And I wondered why I was worried about this in the first place.

Maybe because we had just really started talking again and who knows what these questions would entail.

“How about we do this.” I started. “If I ask you a question, not only do you have to answer it, but I have to answer it too… like, if I ask you what your favourite colour is, you have to say yours is blue and then I’ll say mine is purple.”

“You remember my favourite colour.” Gale said, giving me a cute half smile.

I let out a small laugh. “Do you get it?”

“Sure.” Gale said. “I’ll go first.”

I shrugged, though I started to feel even more nervous.

But how bad could these questions get? I mean, he had to answer his own questions too… he couldn’t ask anything weird.

“Naveen and Blake were the only two guys you’ve ever dated, right?”

I knew this question were awkward, but I was surprised he knew who I dated, other then his close friend Blake, of course.

I nodded.

Gale nodded too. “And I guess to answer my own question, I’ve not dated any guys before.”

I laughed.

He grinned at me. “But I have dated Meera, Janette, Sasha, Selene and Amy in the ninth grade…” He stroked his chin and looked up, trying to remember all the girls.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

“Grade nine was hectic.”

“Yeah I can tell.”

“Hey, I was a kid.”

“Alright, keep going.”

“Tracy and Jessie in the tenth grade… Meera again in the eleventh grade… then Ramona and currently Alison.”

I nodded my head with my eyebrows raised, trying to show him my disapproval.

But he just smiled.

“My turn…” I said. “What do you want to do in the future?”

Gale chuckled at my question.

“Still want to take over the family business?”

Now he laughed. “Yeah, my mom wishes.”

I tilted my head. I remembered when we were kids he was all about taking over his parents’ job and being rich.

“I wanna just do art.” He said, shrugging his shoulders and looking down at Blitz, who he was petting.

“That’s amazing Gale!”

He shrugged again. “It’s a risky choice… I mean, it’s not guaranteed that I’d earn a lot… definitely not as much as my parents. So I’m not really sure yet.”

“But if it’s what you like, go for it.”

He looked at me and smiled. “And what are you planning on doing?”

I smiled happily. “Paramedic. I want to be a paramedic.”

Gale chuckled, putting his feet down and leaning forward. “Like your dad?”

I nodded.

“Pretty awesome.”

“Alright, your turn.”

Gale hesitated, but started to watch me carefully, making me feel a little more nervous then I already was. “What happened with your parents?”

And my stomach dropped as my heart rose into my throat.

“Okay.” Gale said, leaning back and suddenly looking worried. I guess my face showed how I felt. “You don’t have to answer that.”

The second he said that, I felt relieved again.

“Another question then…” He said. “Have you lost your virginity?”

“Ew!” I said right away, rather immaturely. But it definitely made me feel more relieved.

Gale’s head jerked back, almost in shock.

“You thought I lost my virginity?” I asked, taken aback and placing my hand on my chest. “Me?”

He chuckled. “It’s a legitimate question.” He said, defending himself. “It’s something best friends know about each other.”

I let out a small laugh.

“And yes, I’ve lost it.”

“That’s not a surprise.”

Gale gave me a funny look.

But suddenly, Blitz, who was resting his head on Gale’s lap, lifted his head up, his ears pointing up.

“Gale Dallas!” I heard an angry voice call. “How many times do I have to tell you not to park your ugly car like that!”

Gale chuckled as Blitz jumped off the couch and ran out of the room, barking happily.

He then got up and jerked his head in the direction of the door.

He lazily walked out to the top of the staircase, hands in his pockets, and looked over. “Gina Dallas!” He called back. “There’s a lot of room on that driveway.”

When I reached him, he turned to me and grabbed me by my waist, startling me. Pushing me against the wall, he placed his finger over his mouth, smiling, and winked at me.

My heart skipped a beat.

He turned and walked back to the railing and leaned over it.

I could see the top of Gina’s head at the bottom of the staircase. “What if we have guests, Gale?”

“No one ever comes to visit us when mom’s in the neighborhood, Gina.”

I saw Gina shake her head. “Gale, don’t pretend you don’t remember what I did to your car when you didn’t listen to me last time.”

“And mom freaked out on you.”

Gina let out a sarcastic laugh. “Yeah, like I’m so scared of mom.”

Gale turned to me. “See how horrible she is?” He asked with a smile. “People think she’s the sweetest person in the world but you’ve gotta live here in my shoes for a bit to understand how she really is.”

“Who are you talking to?” Gina asked as she rushed up the stairs.

When she saw me, her eyes widened.

I smiled at her and waved. “Hi Gina!”

“Mimi!” She squeaked. “You’re here?”

I giggled.

She walked up the stairs, a big smile on her face. “When was the last time you came into this house?”

I shrugged. “Couple years?”

Gina smiled as she came to hug me. “It’s so good to see you!”

I hugged her back. Though I tried to avoid Gale as much as possible, it wasn’t like that with Gina. Of course, I rarely see her.

But since she was dating my brother, he tried to get me to hang out with her.

And the last time I saw her was a couple months ago, in July, for my birthday.

“Is my brother treating you okay?” Gina asked as she pulled away.

I looked at the most beautiful girl I’ve ever laid eyes on. Her green eyes were bright and her brown hair was braided back.

She was dressed in yoga pants and a t-shirt. I guess she had just gone to the gym or something.

It was funny how pretty she could look, even though she looked so plain today. I mean, she had her flaws… like the prominent scar on her forehead which she often hid with her bangs… but she was still so pretty.

And what made her even more beautiful was her amazing personality. She was a human rights activist and has spent most of her summers in different third-world countries helping build wells and stuff.

She also fought against animal cruelty and took part in hundreds of fundraisers to just help people.

According to my brother, she went against her mother’s wishes and went on to study medicine after University. And her goal is to get her medical license and then travel the world to treat the less fortunate for free.

Talk about a beautiful personality, right?

“Has he given you something to eat yet?” She asked.

I hesitated. “I’m good.”

Gina looked at her brother in disbelief. “You’re so useless.”

Gale rolled his eyes and I laughed.

Gina then turned around and rushed down the stairs. “I’ll make you something, okay?”

I was going to tell her it’s okay, but Gale grabbed my arm. “It’s pointless. You’ve unleashed the Gina-nator.”

I raised my eyebrows.

Gale smiled and walked back to his room. “She adores you.”

My brother had told me that before, but I didn’t really understand why. “Why?” I asked as I followed him.

Gale shrugged. “Beats me.”

I didn’t know what to take of that, so I just shrugged it off.

“Okay, so let’s keep our game going.” He said, sitting on the arm of the loveseat. “I think it’s my turn.”

“No, it’s my turn.” I said, sitting down.

“Nah.” He shook his head. “I think it’s my turn.”

I rolled my eyes but let him go again.

“Who’s your favourite singer or band?”

“Taylor Swift.” I smiled proudly.

He snorted into a fit of laughter.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Taylor Swift?” He asked. “Really?”

I rolled my eyes again, and though I tried to explain the reasons for why Taylor Swift was a wonderful artist, he kept laughing at me all evening.