The stupid list

Five hours left for the clock to turn twelve, then there will be no use for this stupid list I made three years ago. It was all a dare by my best friend who also happens to be my crush. He gave me this list of goals to achieve in order to date him, and he gave me three years to finish them.

Love blinds you, and when you’re blind by love, you will do anything for the lover. Fortunately, I finished all of them but one, and trust me when I say, that it is hard to finish this goal, and I only have five hours to finish this goal.

Wandering in the streets, as I reread the goal, and I am getting more stressed as the time goes on. My best friend whose name is Evan, who is also known as the biggest meanie in the world, he gave me this list to date him, but it is only because he has so many girls drool over him, and he wants to make sure that I am the one before he settles with me.

“Mags, I don’t want to hurt you,” he shook his head. “You’re my best friend, and if I ever did anything to hurt you, I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself.”

He sat across from me, we were in a diner, waiting for the rest of our friends. He held my hand and squeezed it two times, probably waiting for my response. But what was I supposed to say to that? This was my first time confessing but he rejected me. I looked down, not wanting him to see the tears that are already begging to fall.

“Mags?” He leaned forward, and he placed his index finger beneath my chin and his thumb on my chin, he lifted my head up to meet his green eyes. “I am known to be a player, Mags, and sometimes I hurt who I am with, you’re the last girl I want to hurt.”

“But you don’t have to,” I shook my head, trying to hold back the tears. “I really like you, Evan, and you know it, because I make it so obvious.”

“I really like you more than friends, Mags, cross my heart and I hope to die,” he crossed his heart, and pretended to slice his neck with his thumb. “But I have this bad boy reputation that is holding me back from you, and no, I am not trying to protect my reputation, but I am trying to protect myself from you.”

“I just wish we are more than friends,” I whisper, looking down again. “I tried to stop liking you, but I can’t seem to find it in my heart to stop, and I know I can’t keep chasing you, so look me in the eyes and tell me that you don’t like me back.”

 I knew I didn’t like him, I loved him. He was my best friend, my ride or die, and I couldn’t imagine a life without him. I had known him ever since we were six, and we took an oath that we would always be together no matter what happened to us, and we would stick to the oath no matter where this world would take us. He stayed quiet for a minute, he was confused, and he didn’t trust himself.

“I will give you a list of goals and dreams I want you to achieve,” he said, grabbing something from his backpack. “I will give you three years to complete these things mentioned in the list,” he handed me a piece of paper, and I read the goals he wanted me to achieve. “Now it’s 2017, if you finish it by the end of 2020, I will date you and give you a promise ring.”

I didn’t believe him at first, but when he squeezed my hand four times, I knew it… He was serious.

I nodded, a slight smile replacing the frown. “But how will you know if I did them all? How will you know if I didn’t lie?”

“Easy,” he shrugged. “You will have to get any item or it can be a picture of anything that includes the goals in the list.”

I was cut off by three of my friends joining us, Kevin, Aaron, and Lydia.

When I went back home that night, I kept on reading the whole list, only to realize that we both wrote this list when we were thirteen. The reason why we wrote this list is, because we wanted to make sure that we finally found the one, whoever is willing to finish it, then they are the one.

There are still stains of tears on the paper, tears of giving up. Well, almost. Back then, I used to recall all the memories we shared together, and how I would want to make even more. These thoughts would motivate me more, and that is how I reached here.

I look at the last goal, and I really don’t know to achieve that one.

20. Sleep with an enemy.

An enemy, I know that Evan has many enemies, but the worst of them all is Kyle. I really don’t know why Evan wrote this, because why would he want his girlfriend or his crush to sleep with a different boy?

To make it clear, we didn’t tell each other what we wrote in our lists, to make it more exciting. I stop in my tracks and read the sentence over and over again, I rub my forehead and I groan. Where will I find an enemy of Evan’s? And why will I sleep with him? And how will I let them agree to sleep with me?

I shriek at the hot chocolate that suddenly is spilled on me, the piece of paper fell, and it is wet now. I don’t know what to cry about, the fact that a total stranger dropped her hot chocolate on me, or cry that the paper is ruined. I look up, ready to fight, but I am shocked to see a girl with tears in her eyes, looking at me with puffy eyes and red face. Her long brunette hair reaches the bottom of her back, she looks like Kendall Jenner with her tall figure and prettiness.

“It’s o-okay,” I stutter, looking down at the wet paper. “It wasn’t really… a big deal.”

Of course, that is a total lie, the list is very important and now that it is ruined, I have no clue what to do.

“I am so sorry,” she sobs. “I really didn’t mean to bump onto you, let me make it up to you, I’ll buy you new clothes and some hot chocolate.”

I smile slightly at her, “no, it’s all good, you don’t have to.”

“At least let me buy you new clothes,” she looks down at my outfit.

“Sure,” I nod, giving up.

She grins, wiping her tears with her fingers. “Follow me.”

I follow her to a store nearby, and she starts to look at different long-sleeved t-shirts. I follow her awkwardly, since I don’t know anything about fashion. Every time I need new clothes, I force Lydia to come with me, so she can choose what I wear.

Her phone rings and she pick up immediately. “Hello?” I can’t help but eavesdrop her conversation from her side only. “Cole, I can’t come to the party,” she whispers but I hear her. “Because I am with a friend,” she looks up at me, but I immediately turn my gaze to something else. Or more, someone else.

A familiar face appears in the store, she looks around the shop, and her eyes catch mine. She walks over to me with a grin on her face, she has the same features as her stupid brother. “Maggie, how are you?”

“I’m good, how are you?” I look at her with anger in my eyes, I really dislike this girl.

“My friend’s brother is having this big party, and I am looking for the perfect dress,” she bites her lip, looking around. “And his friend Kyle, you know him, he is going to be there, and I want him so bad to notice me.”

“Kyle Adams?” My eyes widen.

“Yes, but don’t bother yourself,” she chuckles, shaking her head. “You don’t stand a chance, not only because you’re ugly, but because the party is private.”

“Danielle,” the girl behind me mutters. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be ready for the party you’re going to? And what are you saying to the girl?”

“My dress got ruined,” she huffs out. “That’s why I am not there kissing Kyle.”

“You ignored my last and the most question out of the three,” she rolls her eyes.

“The important question here is, what are YOU doing here? You’re the sister, right?” Danielle smirks.

“I accidentally spilled hot chocolate on this girl,” she points at me, smiling. “I didn’t catch your name, I am so sorry, but I am a bit stressed. Oh, and I am Liv.”

“Maggie,” I smile back at her. “It’s okay.”

“You know what? I know how I can make it up to you!” She squeals, she holds my hand and leads me to the dress section. “You are invited to my brother’s party.”

I almost reject the offer, but she lifts her hand up to stop me from talking. “You’re not going to refuse to come, because I am not taking no as an answer.”

**

Two hours later, after she dragged me to her apartment and put make up on, we finally reach the party. The party is held in a mansion, and it’s crazy that this mansion is owned by her brother.

Forgetting about the list, I hop out of the car, captivated by the white mansion in front of me. I can hear Liv chuckle behind me, I see her walk towards the mansion, then she turns around. “Come on.”

I agreed to this, only to try sleeping with Kyle. This is my last goal to achieve for Evan, and I will do it, just for him. I will embarrass myself, just for him. I look at the time in my phone, and I see that it is 9:55. I gasp at my phone and stop moving, I only have two and a half hours to sleep with Kyle, but how long will it take me to find him and talk to him?

I decide to follow Liv inside the mansion, it is packed with people, and I can smell them from where I am standing, and it is stinky. My eyes wander around the mansion, trying to find a familiar face. I sigh, then I groan for not finding him.

That is when I decide to look for him in the entire mansion, I walk faster than before, barging into every room and still cannot find him.

I can clearly remember Danielle’s voice when she told me that Kyle will be there, however; Kyle is nowhere to be seen. I almost give up when I see him, leaning against a wall, looking around the room. I realize that I am in a huge living room. He catches me staring at him, and a smirk forms on his face. I know he knows who I am, and that is why he is walking towards me, until Danielle decides to stop him, as she stands in front of him.

I can’t hear what they are talking about, but I can see Kyle pushing him gently away from her, as he continues to walk towards me.

I freeze in my place, my eyes widen, and I can feel my tongue ties up. He finally reaches where I am, and I can feel Danielle’s glare at me from feet apart. “Maggie, right?”

I do not trust my mouth, so I depend on my head to answer his question. I nod and curse myself mentally. Come on, Maggie, does he really make you nervous?

His wavy hair that is brown reaches his eyebrows, his green eyes looking into my dark brown eyes, as if he’s trying to solve something. “Aren’t you Evan’s girlfriend? What are you doing here? This is Jeremy’s party, and I do not think Evan will like it when he finds out that you came to his enemy’s best friend’s party.”

“Evan doesn’t really have a problem with Jeremy,” I whisper. “And he is not my boyfriend, he is my best friend. Blake, right?”

I blame myself for being nervous, because I clearly know his name.

“Kyle,” he corrects me. “And that’s why he always starts a fight with Jeremy, right? Your best friend’s jealousy… It is disgusting for a man to be jealous of another man,” Kyle shakes his head. “He still did not ask you, did he? Pathetic. Trust me, when he knows what he lost, he’ll regret not taking you.”

“Yeah,” I mumble, licking my lips.

“So, Maggie,” he leans into my ear, and whispers. “Want to go somewhere private?”

If I did not have the list right now, I would’ve slapped him, but because of the list, I nod. He smirks, taking my hand and leading me upstairs. I turn my head to the back to see a mad looking Danielle and a shocked Liv.

He opens the door to a bedroom, and I make my way to the bed. I sit on the edge of the bed, looking nervous as ever, especially with the way he is looking at me right now. The bedroom looks amazing, it is simple with its white painted walls, a king-sized bed in the center, and with a frame of a football team on the wall.

**

Believe it or not, Kyle and I have been talking for an hour, about everything. I do not notice that it’s been an hour until I check my phone, I gasp again when I see that it’s 11:00, I only have one hour to sleep with him. That is when I decide to make a move, I lean in and smash my lips onto his.

I know that he is shocked right now, but he kisses me back immediately. After one minute of kissing, he pulls away and has a shocked look on his face. “W-wait, I thought you were friendly, and you didn’t want to sleep with me.”

Oh my god, that is so embarrassing, I look so innocent and I just sent him an awful message about me to him.

I tell him about Evan, about the list, about the goals, about the last goal. Even Kyle is shocked to know that he is the number one enemy of Evan’s, but gladly, he agrees to sleep with me.

**

After all the talk that happened between Kyle and I, Kyle didn’t seem like the type Evan described him to be like. The good news here is that we did it, and trust me when I say that I enjoyed every second of it, and I was having second thoughts about Evan.

Currently, I am walking with Kyle to Evan’s house, to give him the items and pictures to prove everything. When we finally reach his house, I knock on his door, and that’s when a girl wrapped in a towel answers the phone.

She furrows her eyebrows, “are you Evan’s roommates? My name is Jayden, nice to meet you.”

Maybe she’s just a friend, that’s what I keep telling myself. A second later, Evan appears behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, but when he sees me, he lowers his arms.

“Mags?” His eyes widen. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in New Jersey?”

I shake my head, biting my lips. “Who is she, Evan?”

“I am his girlfriend,” she replies.

“Your girlfriend? You told me that you will wait for me,” I can’t help stop the tears from falling, and it feels like my sight has returned. “You gave me a list to compete by today, and when I finished it, I find you sleeping with another girl?”

“I thought you wouldn’t finish it, Mags,” he argues back.

“THEN WHY WOULD YOU GIVE IT TO ME?!” I yell, I can feel Kyle’s hand on my shoulder. “WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO WHEN WE WERE SITTING IN THAT DINER?”

“Because I didn’t want to hurt you,” he shakes his head. “Mags, you mean the world to me-”

I cut him off, “do not lie to me, I am done with all your lies, I do not want to see your face again, do not show me your face again!” I throw the items and pictures on him, then glare at him. “You’ll never find a girl like me, a girl who is willing to do all of these stupid things for you! Kiss Santa? Vomit on someone? Sleep with an enemy? YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO LOVE A GIRL RIGHT! WE ARE THROUGH!”

That is when I see a fist flying to Evan’s face, Kyle attacks Evan with punch after another. “KYLE, STOP!”

**

Four years later…

“Happy birthday to you, baby,” I kiss my son’s cheek.

“Thank you, mommy,” he giggles, wrapping his tiny arms around my neck. I can’t believe my baby is four, he is growing up way too fast. “Let’s open the presents!”

We are having a birthday party for my now four-year-old son, and everyone is here. My family, his family, our friends including Evan and Jayden who has twin boys, Miles and Noah. Of course, I forgave my best friend, as I said before, I can’t imagine a life without him.

If not for the list he gave me, I wouldn’t have met my husband, who also happens to be Blake’s father. Kyle, we fell in love with each other, and it all started because of a stupid list.