Chapter 14, continued: Uncursed

I was so tempted to open the notebook, but instead I handed it back to Madison. “If Terrell’s not the one who stood you up at the dance,” I asked, “then who is?”

“Once again, I don’t know how you don’t know this,” Madison said, not loudly like before, but almost a whisper.

“Then tell me,” I said, just as quietly, leaning close.

“It was you,” she said.

“Me?” My instant reaction was denial. I thought about it. I hadn’t gone to the dance because I was sick. But I didn’t have a date anyway.

“I never asked you though,” I said.

“Ouch,” she said, “I asked you. You don’t even remember?”

The day before the dance was a little hazy. I’d gone to school even though I didn’t feel well and left in the middle of the day with a fever of 102.

“No, I don’t,” I replied honestly.

“You said yes, though!” she said, “Honestly, you’re the biggest jerk.”

I tried to remember. I remembered Madison walking me to the school nurse’s office, and she was asking me about the dance.

“I don’t have anyone to go with,” I said.

“Me neither,” she said, “We should go together.”

“That would be fun,” I said, and then threw up in a trashcan.

“You asked me while I was throwing up!” I said, “That doesn’t really count.”

“I left before you did that,” she said, “I didn’t realize you were actually sick. I thought you were just trying to get out of class.” Skipping class on purpose was something the old me would have done. Now if I made it to class at all, it was a personal accomplishment.

“You know, you’ve really changed,” she said.

“What, did you like me better when I was a careless jerk throwing up everywhere?” I asked.

“No, I mean, I did like you back then, but I like you better now.”

“Where does that leave us?” I asked. It was still sinking in that I was actually the boy that Madison liked. All the clues had been there; I had just missed them entirely. That must be why she had been so frustrated with me all along. And I realized that even though it began with a curse, I didn’t want our time together to end.

“Do you want to go to the next dance with me?” she asked.

“I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to say yes,” I said. I didn’t want to get cursed again if I couldn’t make it for some reason.

She looked disappointed. “Oh,” she said, “I thought we were bonding. I thought…”

“I mean I do want to,” I said, “But I don’t want to repeat my past mistake. How about we go out for ice cream instead? I think you like cookies and cream?”

She pushed me, “I still can’t believe you read my diary.”

“Well, half of it anyway. In the long run, it will help me to become a better boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” she asked, “Aren’t you getting a little ahead of yourself?”

“Not according to your diary,” I said with a smirk.

The glass bottle in my backpack still hadn’t broken, and my luck was really turning around.

 

The end