Why? chaper 2.

Oh my gosh. He's holding my hand!

Jessie and Sasha forced me go to a haunted house with Nathan that Friday. Okay, so 'forced' might be the wrong word. I was thrilled and they knew it, but that didnt keep me from being annoyingly stubborn all week.

"But I don't like him!" I protested for the thousandth time.
"Yes, you do, Marina. Stop being a baby. We got you a date. Be happy," Jessie said, with the air of a parent telling their daughter that she was going to bed and that was final.

Jessie had wanted to go in with us, but Sasha had tactfully led her away to the snack table so Nathan and I could be alone. As alone as was possible when middle schoolers with fake vampire fangs kept jumping out from behind tables.

"Admit it, you like me," Nathan said cockily as my friend Keller screamed that zombies were attacking and we were all doomed.
"Fine." I looked down.
"Ha. Are you going to tell Jessie?"
"Maybe; I think that if I don't tell her eveything, she might sneak into my house in the middle of the night and stab me. And then I'll look like Matt over there." I pointed to a prisoner of war who had a large hole in his shirt dripping with fake blood.
"I'd still think you're cute."
I giggled. I'd make sure to thank Jessie for this later. She was so good at interfering with my life.
"Marina, Nathan!"
Speak of the devil...
"Hi, Jessie." I said flatly.
"Marina and Nathan, sitting in a tree..."
"Sasha!"
"Sorry," she said, still grinning. I couldn't help but grin back.
"Marina, you owe me big time," Jessie declared. 'I got you your first boyfriend!"
"Gosh, Jessie, way to keep it quiet."
"Well, Marina, you're in 8th grade. It's about time you left the nest."
She, Sasha, and Nathan all burst into fits of laughter. Nathan sounds like an angel when he laughs. I joined in laughing when I realized how corny that sounded, even in my head.
"Are we all going trick-or-treating next week?" Sasha asked.
"Sure, I'll go," I said.
"I'll go with you three," Nathan offered.
"Actually, Jesse can't go. she's visiting her grandparents."
"You aren't going?" Sasha asked her. "Who am I going to spend my time with?"
"Me, of course. And Nathan."
"But I should have a date too. You have to help me find one. After all, we got you with Nathan."
"Okay, how about Keller?" I volunteered.
"Okay," she agreed.

I knew Keller would be happy to go, but that he would be jealous too. He was easily my best guy friend, but Keller had had a huge crush on me since before 7th grade, which is why I immeadiatly knew he would go with us. He would go anywhere I was. And, at the time, I didn't care if I made him jealous. After all, it wouldn't be the last time I hurt Keller.