The Dancer and Her Bad Boy

5. Sydney's POV

Thank goodness it is Friday. I am ready for a weekend of Margie, movies, and mayhem. Speaking of Margie, where the heck is she? She always meets me at my locker before first period. Oh well, I better get my books together and get moving. Just as I shut my locker and turn around, I notice that Greg is looking at me. Our eyes lock and I can't look away. 'Oh God, can he tell I dreamt about him last night?' I can feel my cheeks heat up as my brain reruns the images from my very inappropriate dream last night.

Now I see he is walking over. I drop my eyes and start to turn to make a run for it but I am most definitely not fast enough.

"Hey Syd, you got a minute?" Greg ask as he tries to catch me before I can leave.

"Uh, oh, s..sure," I stutter, trying to hide my embarrassment of my thoughts from a few moments ago.

"I was wondering if you would like to go with me to Pearly's after game party next Friday?" I start fidgeting with my fingers, an old nervous habit I have, as I contemplate if I want to go to a party as a first date with Greg. It would be fun to experience a high school party and hang out with him, but I have heard the rumors. He didn't get the bad boy reputation from just fighting alone.

"I don't know. It's not that I don't want to hang out with you, I am just not the party type of girl." I bite my bottom lip hoping to be flirty and I think it is working. I see a flash of something in his eyes.

What seems to be him looking for a distraction he says, "Well, let's walk to class and talk." He holds out is hand to guide me down the hall. "Have you actually ever been to a high school party? How do you know you aren't a party type of girl?" He smiles at me and asks.

I take my time answering his question. It is not that I am afraid to be direct with him, I just want to make him sweat a little bit. "I can say that I have never been to a high school party. However, I have heard plenty of rumors of what happens at those parties, especially with you, and I know I am not that type of girl." My face blushes again because I know I want to be that type of girl with him, but I would never admit that out loud and never so soon into dating.

"Well, I am sure some of the stories are true, but what if I promise to be a perfect gentleman and protect you from anything that will ruin your reputation? Would you go with me then?"

Wow, not what I was expecting from him. He must really like me or not be anything like the rumors I have heard. Maybe a little bit of both. "Won't that be boring for you? Wouldn't you rather do something we will both enjoy another night so you can enjoy the party without worrying about me?" I want us both to enjoy our first date.

"I'll tell you what, you go with me to the party and let me worry about you and you can pick where we go on the next date?" Wait, what? Did he just say there would already be a second date? I can only imagine the look on my face right now. We hadn't even made it through a whole conversation and he was already asking me out on 2 dates. Could my Friday get any better? I am going to be floating through the rest of the day.

"Deal!" Before I knew what I was doing, I reached up on my tip toes and kissed his cheek and ran off to class. I had to be as red as a tomato right now, but I didn't care. And then it hit me...what was I going to tell Margie and how was she going to react?

*******

It was lunch time now and while Margie and I didn't have any classes together, she usually would have texted me by now. So I was surprised when I saw her sitting at our lunch table waiting for me.

"Where have you been and why haven't you texted me? I was getting worried about you. I need to talk to you." I was freaking out by this point, but I could tell that she also had something on her mind.

"I stopped by your locker but you were gone already, so I headed to class. I have something I need to talk to you about too, but I think we should both wait until this weekend at your house. Do you think I can spend the night tonight and tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, my mom considers you her other daughter anyway, she won't care." It is true. My mom swears we were supposed to be twins but some wires got crossed before conception and she was lucky enough to end up with me. What can I say, mom is weird.

Margie and I quickly got distracted talking about our science project we were going to complete this weekend. We needed to run to the store to get the final items, plus our snacks for the weekend. We talked about what movies we wanted to watch on Saturday figuring we would be up most of the night tonight talking about our big news.

******

Margie and I were walking home from the store when I heard a honk from behind us. I hadn't had a chance to say anything to Margie yet, because she wanted to wait until tonight to talk. Before I turned around I knew it was Greg. I could also see the grimace already forming on Margie's face. "Be nice," I say as he slows down and roles down his window. It is just him and Brad in the car. "Hey Greg, what's up?" I ask as we walk up to the open window.

"Would you ladies like a ride?" Greg asks.

"Depends on what it will cost us." Margie says sarcastically.

"What are you offering?" Brad asks. If I didn't know better, I would think those two had feelings for each other.

"You two knock it off. I am just offering a ride home," Greg says smiling at me and giving me a devilish wink.

"We'll take it, won't we Margie?" I look at her pleadingly and she groans and nods her head.

The guys get out of the car so we can climb in the back and Greg takes our bags to put them in the trunk. "What are you ladies up to this weekend?" Greg asks trying to ease some of the tension in the car.

"We are working on a science project that is due and then tomorrow we are having a movie marathon." As I answer I look at Margie who is rolling her eyes and stating at me like I am giving away top secret information.

"Well, while I have you cornered, put your number in my phone so I can text you about next weekend," Greg says while handing me his phone. I look at Margie whose eye get very large and whose face is so red I am afraid she may explode.

"Here you go, text me when you get a chance so I can save your number." I say as we pull into my driveway. "How did you know where I live?"

I see fear flash across Greg's face as he realizes his mistake. I already knew why he knew where I lived, but I wasn't supposed to know. "I must have been with mom when she had to drop you off after dance at some point," he used as a lame excuse.

We all got out of the car and Greg grabbed our bags out of the trunk. As he handed them to me, he leaned over and whispered in my ear, "If you get scared home alone, just call, I'll come over and protect you." Then he kissed my cheek and chuckled as I stood there not sure what happened. Next thing I know my phone pinged with a text alert from an unknown number:

Unknown: It's Greg. Really looking forward to next Friday

Syd: Maybe I will need you before then

Greg: A guy can dream

I walk inside to a dumbfounded Margie. I can't tell if she wants to laugh, cry, strangle me, or have me committed. "What the hell was that and when we're you going to tell me?" She is practically yelling at me now.

"I tried telling you at lunch, but you wanted to wait to talk until tonight. Speaking of which, let's make dinner and talk. You first." I say with a smirk on my fave knowing she will want all my dirt first.

"Oh, no way! You get to go first. I need to know everything now so I can fix it. No way are you getting mixed up with Greg Simmons"

"Don't be like this. You are my best friend and I will not lose you over a boy, but you know I have liked Greg for a while. And while yes, I hate his sister with the passion of a thousand burning suns, he is not his sister. I know what I am doing and I promise I will be careful. And if this all goes badly, I will need you there to hold me while I cry and tell me you told me so." She laughs at the last part.

"So what happened?" We make dinner while I explain to Margie what happened before first period this morning and how I am going to Pearly's party next weekend. I tell her she should go too and she turns bright pink.

"OK, your turn to spill. Why are you all pink? What happened to you today?"

Margie turns to me with a grin on her face that reaches her eyes."I was getting my books from my locker and getting ready to come see you today when someone stopped me in the hall. It was Steven Pearly. I thought he had a girlfriend but it turns out that he and Jennifer broke up over the summer and he asked me to go to his party with him. He wants me to come watch him play in the game first and I told him yes. I don't know what I was thinking. He is a Junior and I am a nobody." She spoke so fast if I where anyone else, I wouldn't have understood her.

"Margie, I am so happy for you. Now we both have dates for the party. Just promise me you will be careful." she nodded her head.

"You promise me the same. It is not that I don't like Greg, I just think I don't trust him because we grew up with Nikki." I nodded in agreement.

We sat down and ate dinner gushing over our potential new love lives. Pearly was a good looking guy and I was really happy for Margie. I was excited that we both seemed to be finding our way through the awkward social maze of high school together.

After dinner we headed up to my room to figure out what we were going to wear to the party next weekend. Margie wanted me to go to the game with her and Greg hadn't said anything about that, just the party so I texted him quickly.

Syd: Hey, Margie is going to the party with Pearly and he wants her at the game. We didn't discuss it and I don't want to make assumptions.

Greg: Why Syd are you asking me to go to the foorball game with you?

Syd: Maybe. How else am I going to stay warm? Plus I kind of need a ride to and from...

Greg: Oh, I see how it is.

Greg: I will go with you if I can come over for movie night tomorrow.

Syd: Hold on...

I turn to Margie and she instantly says, "No!" I laugh. "You haven't even heard the offer yet." I whine. "Greg will take us to the game and bring us home next week if he can come over for part of movie night tomorrow." I tell her with pleading eyes. "You can invite Pearly," I say as I wiggle my eyebrows.

"Fine, but everyone keeps it PG!" I laugh, "Yes, mom"

Syd: Yes, you can come over. No Brad. Pearly will be here with Margie.

Greg: See you then

Syd: Oh, and we have to keep it PG. Fair warning.

Greg: I will be a perfect gentleman, promise.

******

Margie and I finished our science project and mom was getting ready for work. One thing about my mom and me, we don't have secrets. "Mom, Margie and I both started seeing people recently and they wanted to come over to watch a movie with us tonight. I promise we will behave and they will be gone by midnight."

"Who are they and no alcohol or leaving the house," She gives me the stern look.

"I am seeing Greg Simmons and Margie is seeing Steve Pearly." My mother's eyes go wide at Greg's name.

"When did you and Greg become a thing? You know he is bosses son and Nikki's brother? Are you sure about this?"

"Yes Mom. I already got the lecture from Margie and I promise to be careful. And thank you for tonight. Love you!"

"Love you too sweetie."

I run downstairs and let Margie know we don't have to be sneaky, but we both already knew that. We set the family room up for movie night with extra pillows and blankets. We make popcorn and get the candy out.

Shortly after mom leaves the boys show up. I grab everyone something to drink while Margie throws the movie on. We all get comfy and before long nobody is paying any attention to the movie.

"Want to go somewhere more private that we can talk and get to know each other a little better?" Greg whispers in ear sending chills downy spine.

"As long as you only have talking on your mind." I say as I take his hand and pull him up off the couch.

Margie gives me a knowing look and I give her a sheepish grin back and say, "We are just going somewhere to talk. We'll be back shortly." Margie raises her eyebrow at me and nods.

I lead Greg up to my bedroom and we get comfortable sitting on my bed. Images from my dream play back in mind and my cheeks turn pink.

"So why are you blushing? Have you never had a boy in your room before?" Greg asks with a smirk on his face.

"No, first time and I don't know you well enough to answer that question."

"Well what do you want to know?"

I certainly am not going to ask the first question that pops into head 'Why me?' He'd go running for the hills. "Favorite color?"

"Red. What about you?"

"Purple." I say sweeping my hand around my room that is painted lavender with dark purple rugs and other shades of purple throw pills and curtains.

"Should have guessed that! What is your favorite flower?"

"Hmm, I love Callilies. I think Roses are over rated. What is your favorite food?"

"So no roses, got it! I love pizza for a meal, but if you want to find your way to my heart, gummy bears are my favorite candy."

"Really good to know!" Greg and I spent the rest on the night talking in my room. Other than intertwining our fingers at some point, he never tried anything else and truly was a perfect gentleman. It was almost midnight and I knew mom would be home soon so Greg and I headed downstairs to see how Pearly and Margie were getting on.

"Hey Pearly, you about ready?" Despite giving me the 'you better be good look' we walked in on Margie and Pearly playing tonsil hockey on the couch. "PEARLY!"

They both jumped a foot in the air and Greg and I were rolling on the floor laughing. Once we composed ourselves, Greg let Pearly know it was time to go. We walked the guys outside and to the car. Greg pulled me and trapped me between him and his door. He leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "I had a really good time tonight. Will you let me give you a ride home from dance this week? No Nikki, just us." I sucked my bottom lip in and nodded yes. He reached up and grabbed my chin, leaned in and gently kissed my lips.

Had I not been leaning against the car, I would have fallen to the ground. My first kiss. By Greg Simmons. Pinch me I must be dreaming.