Stepping Out

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I realized that there would be a time when Donovan actually wasn't much older than some of the students around him and developed this chapter based on that thought.

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The school hallway rang with conversations and laughter. It buzzed around Donovan, but he wasn't a part of it. Leaning against a set of lockers with his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat, he was the proverbial fly on the wall, seeing and hearing everything without taking part in it. Outside the front doors snow swirled in small tornadoes, the coldness at odds with the warmth of the school.

Donovan watched the awkward pair across the way with little hope. At fourteen, Link was lanky, bashful, and self-conscious. The girl he talked to appreciated his attention but held a self-satisfied air, believing if one boy paid her attention others would. Link was doomed.

Even from where he stood, Donovan knew that Link's attempts at flirting were poor, but Donovan also knew that if he was by Link it would be worse. He knew that when he stood by his friend, no one seemed to notice Link.

Donovan's focus was diverted when a senior girl approached him. He knew who she was. Everyone did. Kia Mitchell: Valedictorian and Student Body President.

On top of that she was pretty, confident, and driven. She was the type of girl you expected to be President or run her own company. Recently turned eighteen, she was also one of the few students who was the same age as him.

She stopped in front of Donovan with a straight-forward expression. There was no wistful, enamored glint in her chocolate brown eyes. Instead, she looked like she planned to take on an army.

"Hi, Donovan," she said.

Donovan greeted her with his customary silence. Just because she didn't gaze at him with the longing other girls did, didn't mean anything. He'd learned saying nothing at all worked best.

"Okay," she said, not at all offended or fazed by his lack of response. "So I'm going to ask you to go to Winter Formal with me tonight and I know that your answer will be no, but I need to ask it anyways."

This surprised Donovan, but he didn't show it. Kia waved her hand as if he had commented on the strangeness of her statement.

"It's because I wasn't asked to Winter Formal." Donovan had a feeling it wasn't for Kia's lack of attraction, it was that she intimidated most guys. "When I told my mother this, she said,'well you're a feminist, that doesn't mean you can't ask a boy yourself'.

"Which I think is stupid because if I really am a feminist can't I just go by myself? But she doesn't seem to think that's an option. Anyways, I know you'll say no when I ask you and that means I can return home and tell my mother that I asked someone and they said no."

Donovan almost wanted to smile at the explanation. The past two weeks he'd been asked fifteen times. Each time it was an older student and he knew they felt he would be flattered by the offer since he was a freshman. All of them had left disappointed. But Kia's offer was definitely a first.

"Okay, so Donovan will you go to Winter Formal with me?"

"Yes."

"I knew you'd say no and I appreciate...wait what?"

Donovan held her gaze and she frowned. "I don't think you understand. You were supposed to say, 'no'."

"I know."

Kia crossed her arms and huffed, clearly annoyed.

"You're friends with Aubrey Troy," he said.

"Yes, I am."

"Does she have a date tonight?"

At this Kia, rolled her eyes. "No, cause she turned down every offer hoping that Trevor would ask her. Which he didn't."

"If I went with you to Winter Formal, would she go with Link?"

Kia relaxed, understanding what he was getting out. "So you want to go with me, just so your friend will have a date, is that it?"

"Yes."

Donovan knew Link would strike out with the girl he was flirting with and wanted to give him hope. This was the best he could do.

Kia regarded Donovan with pursed lips, trying to figure him out. But he gave nothing away and she slowly nodded.

"Okay, it's a date."

"Does that mean you'll bring me a corsage?" The comment slipped out before Donovan could take it back.

Kia laughed. "No, I don't like you that much. Do you want us to pick you up or meet you here?"

"We'll meet you here."

Kia flashed his mischievous smile. "Okay. Wear something pretty."

As she left, Donovan found himself watching her. For the first time, in a long time it felt like he'd met someone who was on the same level as him. He both wanted more of it while knowing he couldn't let it last. When Link trudged over to him, head down, Donovan put aside his own emotions to deal with the ones of his friend.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"Not really."

"Okay, then let's head home. You have a date to Winter Formal with Aubrey Troy tonight."

Link jerked his head up, shocked. "Really?"

Donovan smiled. "Yeah, let's go see if we can find something to wear."

**********

"I think I'm going to throw up," Link muttered as they walked up the school steps.

Even from outside, they heard the thump of music emanating from within. Light shone out the front windows, beckoning everyone inside. Students laughed and rushed for the front doors, dressed up and ready to undo all their hard work with endless dancing. As the entered, Donovan's phone rang and he pulled Link out of the foot traffic to answer.

"Take deep breathes," he instructed Link, before saying hello to the caller.

"Donny, everyone's in place, where are you and Link?" James asked.

Donovan turned his back to the flow of sparkling dresses and button-down shirts paired with slacks. He closed his eyes, already regretting his words.

"We can't play a heist on GTA tonight," he said. "...We're at Winter Formal."

James' laugh made Donovan wince.

"Are you serious? Winter Formal! Oh you poor high school boy."

Donovan wished James stood beside him, so that he could throw his brother out a window.

"Did you ask someone to go with you? Please tell me you made a cute sign that said 'Brittany will you go to Winter Formal with me?' No, better yet did you go on the school speaker system and ask her during first period?"

"I hate you."

Donovan hung up on his bother's laughter, wishing he could strangle James. But when he faced Link, all his annoyance with his brother vanished. Link looked ready to pass out. He gripped Link's shoulder.

"It's going to be okay," he said. "Just tell her she looks beautiful. Don't worry about stammering, it will make her like you more."

Link nodded, but still looked nervous. Knowing there was no way to ease his pain, Donovan led him to the gym. Waiting for them in front of the doors were Aubrey and Kia. Both girls looked beautiful in bright dresses, updos and simple make-up. When the two pairs met, Link swallowed, eyes-wide.

"Wow, you look...wow," he said.

Aubrey beamed under the praise. "You clean up nicely as well."

With Donovan's help, Link did look good in a green shirt that enhanced his hazel eyes and slacks. Donovan went for all black, hoping it would help him disappear into the background. But Kia smiled at him, showing that his tactic wasn't going to work.

"Aren't you going to say I look pretty?" she asked.

Again Donovan was stuck by how she didn't stare at him with desire. It was relieving. And for that reason he let himself relax a fraction.

"I'm your date," he said. "I believe it's your job to tell me I look pretty."

Kia's smile widened as a curious spark flashed in her eyes. "Don't be cute."

"I thought I was supposed to be pretty?"

She shook her head. "I'm serious. Don't be cute. In the fall I'm leaving for Harvard and I don't want to think that I'm leaving behind something wonderful when I go."

Donovan slid his hands into his pockets, admiring this girl's bluntness.

"Candid. I respect that."

Kia laughed. "Candid? What are you an eighty-year-old man?" She held up her hand. "Wait, please don't tell me you're a hundred-year-old vampire? Cause you should know I like the sunlight and I don't want you to change me."

"I have the feeling that no one could change you."

Kia shook her head. "Oh, this night is going to do me in, isn't it?"

A hint of a smile touched Donovan's lips. After two and a half years of being surrounded by immature kids, years younger than him, it felt strange to find someone who was on equal footing as him.

"Do we want to head inside?" Aubrey asked the group.

To Donovan's complete astonishment, Link held out his arm to Aubrey. Giggling with delight, she took it and Link led them into the gym. The setup was as Donovan predicted for a school dance and so didn't give it more than a single cursory glance. Already in the center of the gym students danced.

Before anyone could say anything, Aubrey pulled Link towards the dancing mass. Donovan watched, happy to see that Link wasn't completely helpless. In fairness, he danced better than Donovan imagined he himself would. Dancing had never been an activity that he performed growing up.

"Wanna dance?" Kia asked.

"No."

Despite the bluntness, Kia merely smiled. "So you really did say yes because you wanted Link to have a date for tonight?"

"I did."

Donovan could feel Kia scrutinizing him but didn't return her gaze.

"You know that no one can make you out?" she said.

"I wasn't aware that I was a common conversation topic."

That was a lie. Donovan couldn't help notice that eyes followed him at times, baffled by his choice in friend and lack of want to be part of the 'In crowd'.

"You are," Kia said, clearly enjoying that she got to be the one to break this news to him. "You see you don't make sense. Your looks mean you could be one of the popular kids. You look athletic enough to be part of a sports team, but you're not. You seem to have only one friend and I'll be frank he comes off as awkward and a nerd. You barely talk to anyone. It's said you have the highest grades in the school even though most of the time you're in class you're reading."

At the last comment, Donovan wondered if he should give up the habit. It might make people question how he could have the highest grades without doing any work. He hated the thought of having to bear high school classes for a second time, but he couldn't risk too many questions.

"Is that all?" he asked, uncaring.

"The final thing is everyone is speculating that you are an extremely shy person. It would explain most of the factors, except that it's hard to look at you and think 'shy'. Somehow it doesn't fit."

Donovan nodded. Being shy did make sense of all the oddities he displayed. He wondered how many people would believe that he was shy if he told them.

"I like to keep to myself is all," Donovan said.

"How do you explain your friendship with Link then?"

In the midst of their back and forth, the pair had found themselves drifting to a table and sitting down. At the question, Donovan leaned back in his seat, watching Link move in closer to Aubrey, his confidence growing.

"Our friendship is one of those things that happened by necessity. I moved into the apartment right next to his and he was a transfer student. I became his only friend. It wasn't a easy transition for him. You could say I feel protective."

Kia shook her head and Donovan could see the beginnings of feelings emerging.

"Donovan Keller, you are something else. Where anyone would take the chance to improve their social standing when they hit high school, you've stuck with your friend." She sighed and Donovan could see her trying to reign in her admiration for him. "You're loyal and I hate you a little for being that way."

Unable to help it, Donovan chuckled, but not for long and not very loud. "Why? I thought loyalty was a good quality to have?"

"It is. But it's making me like you more than I should." She twisted in her seat so she faced him. Her expression sobered and Donovan paused, not sure what was coming next. "After night, I can't see you or talk to you."

Donovan raised his eyebrows. "Why?"

Thinking through it, he could understand why. There wasn't a more dedicated and focused student than her. She would leave this school and make a name for herself. A boy would get in the way. And one that was three years behind her. But still, he liked how easy it felt to talk to her and didn't wish for that freedom to go away.

"I don't want a boyfriend," Kia said, confirming what Donovan thought. "They are distracting and too much work. And if I talk to you longer than tonight I might rethink my stance and I can't do that."

"Okay," Donovan said, retreating into himself, knowing he needed to pull back before he could realize how much he missed finding connection with someone beyond his brothers.

Kia held his gaze, almost sad. "You're respectful too. You're really making it hard."

"I could tell you you look ugly and be condescending if that would help."

She laughed. "But I would know it wasn't real."

The sound died away and she sat there, staring at him. After a breath, she shook her head and Donovan knew she'd come to a decision. Disappointment seeped into his chest. Two and a half years felt like an eternity and there still lay before him six more.

"I can't even stay here with you tonight," she said. "I'm going to lose my head over you."

Donovan gave her a sad smile because he knew she would leave. "Can't have that. I think your head looks best right where it is."

Kia leaned forward and kissed Donovan's cheek. "Someday you are going to make some girl very happy."

"Just not you."

She stood and he could tell it took a lot of effort. "Just not me."

When she walked away, Donovan watched her go, feeling the emptiness of the chairs all around him. He might make some girl happy someday, but that day stood so far away he couldn't imagine it ever being true.

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*hands you a puppy*

(Ha! Doesn't seem scary until that puppy poops on your floor and you realize you have to train it! Bam! In yo face!)

Okay! Before you all gang up on Kia tell me what you thought of the chapter! 💭🗯💬🤓

I gotta say, I like Kia. She matches Donovan for smarts and is a strong female. Honestly, if Carter hadn't shown up I'd ship them!

Hey! Don't attack me you all know how the story goes so there's no damage done! Jeez, you're loyal to Carter like a pack of cute and cuddle bears.

Not saying I don't respect you for it but you can be vicious at times. Though I do love you for it! 😘

Vote, comment, follow.

That's right I don't have a lot to say this time around, it's strange. 🤔

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