Pull at my Heartstrings

A Forced Date and Surprise Concert

“I guess I forgot to tell you guys this…” Mrs. Crum is sheepishly rubbing her neck as we all sit in our seats. “But they’re about to make an announcement for all students to report to the auditorium, not you guys. In fact, the Kittens will be coming here. So, our dress rehearsal turned into a performance for the school. Heh.”

Welp.

“Now shoo, go get dressed!”

Boy and girls go in different directions to different dressing rooms. She’s lucky I brought my extra dress for this because it’s a dress rehearsal.

After changing, both choirs squish into the same room. The intercom turns on all over the school.

“All students please report to the auditorium for a special performance from our lovely choirs. Thank you.”

We have to wait at least fifteen minutes before my choir gets to leave out on stage for the first song. The curtains are closed, so they don’t get to watch us leave the room.

We all stand frozen in our beginning poses as the curtains part. The crowd of our classmates begins clapping, and when the clapping dies down the song starts.

We’re told to put on a smile when performing, but I can’t control mine as I sing and dance with Dirk at my side. Sometimes I have to rip my gaze away from him so I’m looking in the crowd, like I’m supposed to be doing.

After the first song, the curtains close again, and we leave as Kittens enter.

The last song comes quickly, Dirk and me in our costume changes. And we kiss for the second time.

The crowd goes wild and the curtains close. The entire class comes out and we all stand side by side. Time for the bows.

The curtains open as the class stands in two rows. Row one, the row I’m in, each grab hands with the people next to them. I take Dirk’s and Victoria’s. We throw our hands in the air and bow. Then the second row claps. Edition exits stage as Kittens hurry on, grabbing hands and bowing.

We change back into our clothes and by the time everyone is allowed to dismiss, it’s time for third period.

* * * * * *

Dirk and I climb onto the bus. We head for the back and sit down next to each other.

I check the time on my phone, smiling. By now, the entire school knows that Dirk Knight is taken. And by tomorrow morning, they’ll all know that he’s taken by Amber Light.

After about ten minutes, we get to my house. We both get off, and pause at the end of our driveway.

“Wait a second,” Dirk says, turning around.

“What?”

“I wanna race you.”

“Backwards?”

“No, that’d be dumb. But I’m going to give you a head start. You have five seconds. One…”

********** I take off running down the driveway.

Seven seconds later, Dirk flies past me.

I stumble onto my porch breathing heavily; Dirk pats me on the head, smirking. I hear the bus just now leaving in the distance.

I look at it leave, “Why… are they… just now… leaving..?”

He shrugs, “Maybe they wanted see who would win?”

“They didn’t know what we were doing.”

“It was pretty obvious when you took off running in the first place.”

I breathe a laugh, “Fair enough, I guess.”

He opens the door for me, and I head inside, still trying to catch my breath.

Daisy is sitting on the couch with Bro when we walk in. She turns to look at us, “How was school~?”

“Good,” I manage to say, dropping my backpack.

“What did you do? Miss the bus and run here?”

“No, Dirk raced me down the driveway.”

“Who won~?”

“I can only wonder,” I say sarcastically, as Dirk steps forward claiming his victory. Bro claps and he bows. ***** you,” I say with a grin.

“Well now, that’s not a very nice thing to say to your boyfriend!”

“I’ll say whatever the **** I want to my boyfriend!”

He chuckles, dropping his backpack next to mine.

Last night we’d ended up sharing the bed again. It actually seems to keep me from sleep walking, and Dirk is getting a full night’s rest. And somehow, Bro just knows what’s going on. Daisy seemed to catch on as well when I hadn’t woken her up with my sleepwalking last night.

I walk over to the couch and look at Daisy, leaning against the back, resting my forearms on the top. “Any plans this weekend?”

She thinks it over, “Well, I was thinking we could go swimming, but I don’t know. That depends on what these guys think~.” She looks at Bro and Dirk.

“Oh, I love swimming!” Dirk says, Bro nodding with a smile.

“Good! We have a private pool we can go to tomorrow.”

“What time?”

“We’ll be there all day.”

*******, I was excited to sleep in.”

Dirk looks at me, “What about lunch?”

“There’s a bar there, we’ve got chefs we can call, make sure they’re there as well.”

“Hm. Interesting.”

“All right you two, homework?”

“Nope. Friday.”

“In that case, let’s go.”

“Wait, go swimming?” I’m confused, “I thought we were going tomorrow.”

“We are going tomorrow, silly~. Right now, you two are going on your first date.”

What the ****?!

“Shouldn’t this be something we planned?!”

She shrugs, Bro smirks, “Well, we planned it for you, go get ready.”

We head upstairs, and Dirk goes into Daisy’s room. I find an outfit spread out for me on the bed.

A blue, sequence short dress, blue stockings, and short blue high-heels.

I put it on and look in the mirror. I’ve never worn anything like this, and I didn’t even know I owned this.

I leave my room and carefully head down the stairs, praying that I don’t trip and fall.

I make it to the bottom and Daisy runs to me, “Ohmygod~ you’re so beautiful~!”

“Daisy! It’s not prom night!”

“Oh, you’re right~. But you will have your first prom this year~.”

“I had prom last year.”

“But you didn’t go to it~.”

“ANYWAY!”

“Right, your hair… I was thinking we curl it~…”

“Nah, it looks fine as it is.”

We turn around to see Dirk looking me over. He’s wearing a white dress shirt, black tie, and black dress pants.

I smile and wave at him, he chuckles and waves back.

Bro walks past us, holding his keys, “All right, c’mon.”

We follow him out to the car, getting in the back. We sit in an awkward silence until Bro finally stops the car in the parking lot of a fancy-looking restaurant. Bro hands Dirk a very thick wallet as we get out, and then he drives off after instructing us to text him when done.

We head inside, and apparently there’s a reservation under ‘Knight’.

The lady looks at us and smiles, “Mr. and Mrs. Knight?”

Before I can correct her, Dirk just nods, “Yup.”

We’re led to a fancy table, and we sit. I look at the menu, biting my tongue at the prices.

Dirk looks at me, “Hey, don’t worry about the prices. Bro and I may have lived in an apartment, but we’re still rich as ****. Like you and your sister are.”

True…

The waiter comes over and smiles at us, “Can I get you any drinks.”

“Do you have apple juice?” I ask, Dirk brightens up and nods.

“Um, sorry…” She then whispers, “They think this place is too fancy for drinks like that.”

“Apple juice can be a fancy drink!”

She chuckles, “Is there anything else I can get you?”

“Water…”

“Water,” Dirk repeats.

She nods and walks away.

“Welp, it seems I had to order a tall glass of disappointment,” Dirk grumbles, making me laugh.

It hits me in the face like a bullet.

“I have a boyfriend…” I whisper to myself. “I’m dating Dirk Knight… I’m on a date with Dirk Knight.”

He’s chuckling, “I’m on a date with Amber Light.”

“That’s different! You can get any girl you want! I can’t just waltz into a room, tell a guy he’s going on a date with me, and have him agree!”

“But I can?”

“Yes!”

“So you’re saying I’m so hot the guys are falling for me?”

I chuckle and facepalm, “You know what I meant.”

“Do I~?”

I open my mouth to say something, but the waiter comes with our drinks, “Can I take your orders?”

I settle for an eight ounce steak, Dirk ordering the same.

He raises an eyebrow at me, “Will you be able to eat all that?” He asks mockingly.

“Dirk, I’ve eaten a thirty-two once stake in one sitting. The waiters were laughing at me, because they didn’t think I could do it. But I did.”

“Wow, you’re so proud of that.”

“I very much am.”

Our date continues until it’s dark outside. It’s eight by the time we’re heading out the door hand in hand.

He looks at me once again, “Is that comfortable?”

“Well, it’s kind of itchy from the sequence, but other than that it’s fine. Why do you ask?”

“I just thought it looked good on you, but it doesn’t look very comfortable.”

I chuckle, “I guess you’re right.”

Bro drives up and we get in.

“Have fun?”

“Yup,” I say with a smile.

“Did you kiss?”

“Well, no.”

He says nothing, and just drives us home.

We walk in and Daisy grabs my hands, pulling me around spastically, “Tell me everything~!”

Sometimes I wonder if she’s actually Victoria’s sister, but ended up with me.

She sits me on the couch and I have to explain every detail to her, including the fact that they didn’t have any **** apple juice.

* * * * * *

I went to my room to shower and change, then return to the couch with Daisy. She sits on one side, me on the other. Soon, Bro sits next to Daisy and a freshly showered Dirk sits next to me.

Daisy scrolls through the guide, and eventually turns on a movie. She stands, pausing the TV, “I’m gonna go make popcorn~! Be right back~.”

Dirk looks at me after she leaves, grins and holds out his arm. I smile and roll my eyes, knowing what he wants. I sit up and lean against his side, ditching my shoes and lifting my feet up onto the couch comfortably. He puts his arm around me and sighs with content.

Daisy returns holding four bowls of popcorn. She hands one to each of us, sits back down, and presses play.

About halfway through the movie, Dirk finishes his popcorn and I notice his hand slowly reaching into my bowl.

I thwack his hand.

“Ouch,” he whispers.

“Mine,” I whisper back, “No. You had your’s!”

Every now and then he tries again, and I just continue to slap his hand away.

This time, he looks down at me and whimpers like a puppy.

“Dirk, no.”

“Please..?”

“No.”

“Pleeeaaase..?”

“Ugh, fine,” I offer the bowl to him and he shakes his head.

“Feed me.”

“What the ****, Dirk?” My whisper gets a little louder and Daisy shushes me.

“Do it, and I’ll stop trying to take your popcorn.”

I sigh, rolling my eyes. I grab a piece and place it in his mouth. He smiles at me as he chews and goes back to the movie. He holds his promise to stop.

* * * * * *

When the movie ends, I look down at Amber. She’s cuddled up next to me, fast asleep. On my other side, Bro and Daisy passed out as well.

I know the only reason I’m still awake at such a late hour is because I’ve completely screwed up my internal clock. I shift, trying not to wake Amber up. I wrap my arms around her, and carry her bridal style to her room.

I lay her in the bed, cover her up, and lay next to her. I pull off my shades and place them on the nightstand, pull off my shirt and throw it on the ground, before getting under the covers as well.

I lay still for some time, staring up, until I finally get the confidence.

I lean over Amber, give her cheek a kiss, and fall asleep at her side.