CHAPTER SIX

I smiled at myself in the mirror and pulled my shirt down a little. After having brushed my hair for the last time, I closed the door of my bedroom behind me. I looked at my cellphone – only half an hour left until Bette’s arrival.

In a way, it felt weird to date Bette, after all we’ve been friends for so long. But it doesn’t feel too strange, because we both know we wanted to get into each other’s pants from the very beginning. I wet my lips and walk down the stairs. I entered the kitchen and had a major heart attack. 

“Daddy!” I said, irritated. “Damn, I hadn’t expected you here, shouldn’t you be… somewhere?”

Dan Kennard stopped eating his yoghurt and took his daughter in with raised eyebrows. He clacked his tongue and shook his head, completely aware of how nervous he was making her. He cracked a mischievous smile, looking every inch like his daughter when she was in a teasing mood. “Why would you want me to be gone, Christina Kennard? Have you got any secrets?”

I blushed. “Uhm… no?” I giggled nervously and cursed myself inwardly. 

“And why are you dressed like that?”

“Dressed like what?”

He pointed his spoon at my V-neck. “Is it supposed to be some kind of basket where people throw stuff in and get a prize? Like a big fat smacky kiss from you, my lovely honorable daughter?”

“Dad! Gross! Ugh!”

“No, really. Where are you going?”

I started playing with the hem of my shirt, biting my lip and blushing. I brought my hand to my neck and started rubbing it, something I always do when I get nervous. “I… well, Bette and I… we decided to… uhm… date?” 

Dan’s face fell. “Excuse me?”

I looked at him in surprise. “I thought you guys liked Bette? At least you know her, what if I was dating some complete stranger?”

“We like Bette – as your friend. Not as the person who is about to dishonour my daughter, who is going to damage the flower that is your innocence, who is going to disgrace your purity…”

I smacked him, knowing he was being witty again. “Shit, for a moment you got me there!”

“Watch your language, young lady. Watch her language, supposed adult man,” my mom said coming in. She gave my dad a stern look and then saw me. I got the same look I got from dad. I looked down to see if my cleavage was really that bad – I didn’t think so.

“Did you know that our little one is going on a date? With Bette Porter? Did you know Bette Porter was the coolest person in school? And that our daughter is going to date her after a few weeks of meeting her when Bette Porter is supposed to be this impossible catch? Huh?” Dad fired at mom.

She smiled. “It was about time the two of you got it together,” Nancy Kennard nodded. “Is she coming to pick you up? When will you be home?”

“Yes and I don’t know.”

I looked at the clock and couldn’t stop myself from checking my appearance in the mirror once again. I saw the happy glint in my eyes, the way they sparkled, the blush on my cheeks. I was more than ready. Dean was at a friend’s place tonight and I didn’t want to know what my parents had planned for me.

My heart started beating faster when the door bell rang. I almost ran to the door and stumbled over my own feet. Luckily, the carpet was soft and dad in the neighbourhood. He helped me up, laughing at me. “I hope for your sake you’re not going to be this clumsy all night!” He chuckled as he went to open the door.

When he did, he immediately shared this embarrassing event. “I’m sorry if you had to wait some time until we opened the door, Bette. You see, Tina was so eager to open – wait, you’re not Bette!”

I got up and looked around dad’s shoulder. To my big surprise, I saw Eric Dumberson with a huge bouquet of flowers in his hand, a smooth but polite smile and impeccably dressed.

What the hell?