sweetheart

"Imogen, Shannon's here!" My mom calls to me from downstairs. 

"Okay. I'm almost done!" I yell back to her.

I quickly added the finishing touches to my outfit before rapidly running down the stairs. I chose to wear a gray Paramore shirt, black skater skirt, some black sheer leggings with black polka dots on them, and my maroon Doc Martins. For my makeup, I chose to just wear foundation, winged eyeliner, dark burgundy lipstick, and filled in my eyebrows a bit. My hair was a messy kind of straight.

"Hey Shan!" I call out to Shannon as i walk towards her for a hug.

"Hi bestie! Are you ready?" She asks, as she's giving me a hug.

"Totally."

"Let's go!"

And with that, Shannon and I were out the door.

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When Shannon and I arrived at the bowling alley, everyone was already there.

"Hey Imogen! You look so pretty." Johnnie told me as he gave me a hug.

"Hi Johnnie! And thank you so much." I say, giving him a smile.

Everyone else greets me after Johnnie, except for Alex. And to my Surprise, Kyle.

"Hey?"

"Oh hey didn't see ya there got to go bye" Kyle replies quickly before running off.

Oh no you don't!

I run after him and chase him until we hit a dead end by the men's restrooms.

"Kyle, did I do something wrong? Why are you running away from me?"

"You didn't do anything, Imogen. I was just um, I-I um. I'm n-nervous about tonight?" It sounded more like a question than a statement.

"You're nervous about dating Avery?"

"Yeah I guess. What about you? Are you nervous about going out with Johnnie?" Kyle asks.

"No, not really. He's such a sweetheart! I actually can't wait."

"Wow, Imogen. That's uh, great, I guess."

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"Hey Johnnie." I shyly say.

"Oh hey, Imogen. Thanks for coming, I actually didn't think you would show up." Johnnie replies.

"Why not?"

"Well, I'm not really a guy that girls like. They usually just blow me off like if I'm the dust on their desk or something."

"I, Imogen Beckham, think you, Johnnie Guilbert, is adorable, and I, Imogen Beckham, would never, I mean EVER, blow off a chance to go out on a date with you, Johnnie Guilbert." I reply.

This time, he doesn't reply with words, but with actions.

First he laughs, then he smiles, then he hugs me, and finally, he holds my hand. How surreal.

"Sooooo what movie do you wanna watch?" Johnnie asks.

"Maybe a sca-"

Ring! Ring! Ring!

Johnnie's buzzing phone interrupts me.

"I'm so sorry imogen" Johnnie says as he checks his phone.

"It's a FaceTime request from Kyle.." He informs me.

"Hey, dawg!" I hear Kyle's voice coming through the speaker of Johnnie's iPhone.

This date was supposed to make you forget about Kyle, not make you miss him!

"Hey, Kyle! What's up?" Johnnie asks Kyle.

"Oh nothing. Just checking in to make sure ya'll are okay." Kyle replies.

"Since wh-"

"Where's Imogen?" Kyle asks, and Johnnie turns the camera to face me.

"Hey!"

"Hey." I reply.

"Are you having fun?" Kyle asks in a sarcastic tone.

"Well, I WAS." I reply, putting emphasis on the last word for effect.

"Kyle, are you on a date with me, or your stupid phone?" I can hear Avery's voice in the background.

"What are you even looki... ng at. Oh." Avery says as she sees my face on Kyle's phone screen.

"So that's what you been doing all this time? Making ME look stupid by standing here alone while you're over here face timing with Imogen?!" Avery yells at Kyle.

"N-no I was face timing Johnnie. Imogen is on a date with him." Kyle defends himself.

"Oh. Well I guess since she didn't get you, she had no other choice than to go out with Johnnie, huh?" Avery says hastily.

Before anyone had a chance to reply, I reach over and press the "hang up" button on Johnnie's phone.

"Don't listen to her, that's not true! I'm here because I want to. I like you, and I want to get to know you." I tell Johnnie, hoping he'll believe me. Because all of it, well, most of it, is true.

Johnnie grabbed my two hands into his, looked down at me, and smiled.

"I know."