Did It Catch?

“So what’s the catch?”

“What catch?” Aaron attempted to ask innocently.

“There’s no way you would do this for me for free. There has to be a catch, some reward for you.”

“Can’t friends do things for each other just because they feel like helping?”

“They can, but we aren’t friends,” Kaylee pointed out. “We’re basically sworn enemies.”

“What if I don’t want to be, Kaylee?” Aaron stepped closer, looking down at her 5’2” frame, tiny compared to his six feet. “What if I want to be your friend?”

“Friends? Us? No way. It wouldn’t work. We’re just-”

“Just too different? Well, you know what they say, Kay. Opposites do attract.”

“Attract? No, Aaron, not for us. Just because every other girl at this school would fall down at your feet does not mean I will.”

“Why won’t you give me a chance? I want to change your mind about me.”

“Not gonna happen. Go find some other girl to fawn over you.” With that, Kaylee closed her locker door and strode down the hall, her long, dark hair bouncing across her back. Aaron jogged to catch up, putting his hand on her shoulder.

“Fine then,” he said. “If you won’t go out with me by choice, then I guess there is a catch.”

“Too late for that. You already said there wasn’t one, and you can’t back out now.” Kaylee extracted Aaron’s hand from her shoulder, and turned around again. 

“Technically,” Aaron said, “I just asked you what catch you meant. I never said there wasn’t one. Because there is. I want you to go out with me tomorrow. 6:00, I’ll pick you up at your place.”

“Two things. One, this is not the nineteenth century. You cannot just order me around like you own me. I have rights, and if I don’t want to go out with you, I won’t. Which brings me to my second point. I don’t want to go out with you. I’ve seen how you treat your girlfriends. First they’re the most important thing in your life, and you couldn’t live without them. Then, you see some other girl who's prettier or more popular than her, and you ditch your current girlfriend to go out with the new one. Thanks, but I think I’m good.”

“You’re just scared,” Aaron teased. “Worried that we’ll be perfect for each other, that I’ll prove you wrong. But I guess not all chickens can cross the road, huh?”

Kaylee’s eyes lit up, and Aaron knew he started a fire. Good, he thought. If I get her angry enough, she’ll go out with me eventually. He watched her closely, noting her fists curving into little balls and the offensive stance she took. Aaron deflated when he saw her take some deep breaths and calm herself down.

“Insult me all you want Aaron, it’s not going to make me like you any more.”

“Ah, so you do like me. I knew it,” Aaron says triumphantly.

Kaylee just snarls and walks away, leaving Aaron standing alone in the hall with Kaylee’s scent lingering in the air. He shakes his head and turns towards class, all the while coming up with new ideas to change the kind, blue-eyed beauty’s mind about him. And quickly, while he still had time.

“You did not!” Michelle whined.

“I did,” Kaylee said, “And I don’t regret a thing. Aaron’s a jerk, and honestly gives me the creeps! There’s no way I would go out with him!”

“But he’s so hot! And, like he said, you owe him. This is the least you can do.”

“I don’t owe him. He chose to do me a favor, and favors don’t get rewards.”

“Come on Kaylee! Live a little! Go out with him once, and if you think he’s still a jerk, then you’ll never have to do it again. But if it turns out he’s a great guy…”

“Oh, she’s too afraid to find out,” Aaron said as he sat down at the chair across from them. “Scared I’ll make her love me.”

“Oh, hi Aaron,” Michelle said as she made a little wave. “Kaylee and I were just talking about what she was going to wear on your guys’ date. She said she didn’t know if it was cas- Ow! That hurt Kay! Anyway, she didn’t know what she would wear. Care to give us an update?”

“So it’s a yes, then?” Aaron asked Michelle, but his eyes were glued on Kaylee. Michelle nodded enthusiastically, but Kaylee just sat there, glaring daggers at Aaron and Michelle. “Well, I figured since it’s only our first date, we wouldn’t go anywhere too fancy. I can’t give you all the details, because I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise, but casual is fine. We can get all glammed up for our next date, though, if you want to, Kay.” With a wink and smirk, Aaron glanced back up at the teacher, who was now taking role. 

Kaylee stiffened at the mention of more dates. It was bad enough that he and her best friend had bullied her into one, but the idea of going somewhere fancy with Aaron twisted her stomach into knots. The jerk didn’t know when to stop. At least she knew it was going to be a casual date. Kaylee was determined to make this guy stop liking her, even if that meant showing up in sweats and a t-shirt. There was not going to be a second date. Ever.

Kaylee looked at herself in the mirror. An old pair of jeans, a faded t-shirt, no make-up, and a ratty ballcap. There was no way Aaron would want to go out with her again. He would find a prettier girl who cared about what she looked like, and Kay would be free of him. Crossing her fingers that her outfit would elicit the wanted reaction, Kaylee walked outside and opened the door to Aaron’s car. She climbed in, only glancing at him once before turning her gaze out the window. Kay heard Aaron sigh, and could imagine the tiny head shake that came with it.

“You’re going to make this difficult, aren’t you?” Aaron asks her after a couple of seconds. 

“As much as possible,” Kaylee replies.

“I don’t understand why you won’t just give me a chance.”

“Because I already know you. You’re self-centered, obnoxious, and egocentric. Did I miss anything?”

“I can also be kind, caring, and given the chance, a very interesting date.”

“Ah, humble too,” Kay mutters.

Changing the topic, Aaron says, “I like your outfit.”

Kaylee scoffs. “Yeah right.”

“No, I really do. That t-shirt brings out the blue in your eyes.”

“Whatever. You told me casual, yet you’re wearing khakis and a polo. Where are we going?”

Aaron just laughs as he pulls on to the highway, increasing his speed.

“Seriously, where are you taking me Aaron? I can’t back out anymore, why won’t you just tell me?”

“Because I don’t want you to call the cops.”

“The cops!? Why in the world would you give me a reason to call the cops?!”

“Let’s just say that there’s been a change of plans. We’re not going to dinner anymore.”