Golden Rule with a Twist

So it's a date.

Yves doesn't know how will he describe what he’s feeling right now. He doesn’t know how will he exactly describe his happiness right now. He can’t find any word that will fit the situation. He just can't believe that he's with Catalina right now. He just can't believe that they will have a date right now, though it's actually a double date and who's Catalina referring to as her 'date' is none other than Blair, not him. Still, he was happy and grateful that he got a chance to be with Catalina. This will be a chance for him to get closer to Catalina. He will definitely not let this chance slip between his fingers.

The 4 finally reached the parking lot, and Yves's instinct told him that he should open the passenger seat door for Catalina to enter. Yves, smiling widely walked towards his car to unlock the passenger seat door. Yves was about to invite Catalina to get in his car when Blair interjected, no way she will let Catalina be alone with Yves.

"I think Catalina should get a ride from us since I'm the one who invited her.”

Catalina agreed silently. She really doesn't want to be anywhere else if Blair is not there. She wants to take advantage of this situation and stick on Blair's side all the time.

"But both Jared and my car are two-seated only so we can't leave using 1 car only."

Yves said, pursing his lips and looked back at Jared, asking for a supporting statement. Jared however didn’t say any word and just nodded his head while staring at her girlfriend.

That statement hit Blair hard. She looked away, lightly biting the nail of thumb while giving it a thought.

Yves was right, they need two cars to go to the Downtown area but still, she doesn’t want Yves and Catalina to be alone with themselves. The ride towards the Downtown area will last for a couple of minutes and Blair is scared that those minutes will be enough already for the two of them to be close. She doesn’t want Yves and Catalina to be close. She doesn’t want Yves to have a chance on Catalina. If that happened, she would die of jealousy and envy, wishing that she also have the strength to do the same on Catalina. But what will she do now? Whether she wants it or not, they will be divided into two rides. What only matters now is who will be 'together'.

If only I have my own car. If only they will allow me.

"Ahm Jared, can I drive your car and you can just go with Yves?"

Blair asked feeling really nervous at that time. Even though she doesn’t have her own car because her parents don’t want her to have one, Jared taught her how to drive and she was confident of her skills. She just really hope that Jared will agree to the idea.

Yves, on the other hand, stared at Blair in disbelief. He can’t believe that his friend is ruining this chance for him. She knew what Jared is feeling for Catalina so he really doesn’t understand what’s going on with his friend’s mind to form this thinking.

Jared was quiet for a few seconds. His eyes that are staring at Blair are not holding any emotion so it’s really hard for the three to have any idea what will Jared answer. Then after a few more seconds, Jared finally smiled that looked so fake but Blair and Catalina can’t afford to care about that fake smile more, what’s only important to them is Jared’s answer to Blair’s request.

"Sure. Just take care."

Jared said and kissed Blair on her forehead after fishing out the car keys from his pocket. Catalina had to look away at that, clenching her fists. Despite sometimes witnessing the two being sweet at the school, Catalina will never ever get used to the sight. That will never be a thing for her to easily just shrug her shoulders.

Will I really survive this day?

"I'll drive Yves. I don’t trust your skills.”

Jared said but not after glancing at Catalina first. Just like earlier, Jared’s eyes don’t hold any emotion. Catalina raised one of her brows at Jared, confused as to why is Jared looking at her like that. Jared didn’t say anything and just averted his eyes to Yves.

Yves grabbed the keys from Yves's hands, and lowly threw them on the air while walking towards the driver’s seat. Yves doesn’t agree at all but he can’t argue about that right now. He doesn’t want to scare Catalina away. He doesn’t want to be seen as pushy. He doesn’t want Catalina to get the whole idea of why is he like that, of course, he wants Catalina to know about his feelings but he preferred if he will be the one who will spill it. Yves just shrugged his shoulders and set his mind that he will have plenty of opportunities later to make Catalina looked at him twice.

Blair and Catalina went ahead and Yves’s car is just following them since they don’t have any idea about the ‘plan’.

“Sorry about him.”

Blair said, sparing the quiet but looking happy Catalina, a glance.

Catalina looked back at her, confused, didn’t understand what Blair said because she was too busy trying to calm her heart. She was too busy daydreaming of what will happen later. She was too busy suppressing herself in smiling, doesn’t want to be seen as creepy.

“P-Pardon?”

Blair gave her a small smile before she repeated what she said earlier. Finally understanding what Blair said earlier, Catalina’s mouth formed a small letter o, and nodded her head.

“It’s okay. I’m the one who should be sorry since you and Jared ended up in a different car.”

Of course, Catalina is not really feeling sorry about that. She’s actually very happy that Blair chose her over Jared. She was very happy that she’s been pinching herself since that scene in order to stop herself from smiling too much. She doesn’t want to look like an antagonist in Blair and Jared’s love story. Catalina is indeed not the antagonist, she believes she is the protagonist and Jared is the one who’s antagonizing her and Blair’s love story.

“You see, Yves actually likes you. You know in a more than friendly way so he will probably take this as an opportunity to get closer to you.”

Catalina actually knew that. She remembered that guy that confessed to her last year but she rejected him, and she’s not being assuming but Yves was pretty obvious. But Catalina is shocked that Blair told her about that, especially how Blair said that without faltering. She means, if he’s your friend, aren’t you suppose to help him and not bring him down more? Catalina is confused and thinking why would Blair do that.

Is she warning me because she doesn’t want me and Yves to be together? Is it because Yves is a little bit playful with girls? Or is it because she actually likes me and doesn’t want me to be with someone else but her instead? Okay- let’s stop overthinking things, she has a boyfriend.

Catalina only nodded her head at the statement, doesn’t really know how will she react to it. Should she bluntly say that she’s not interested in Yves or say that Yves doesn’t seem like a bad guy? Catalina doubted that neither of the two will be a great answer so she just let the peace take over the whole ride, after all, it was a comfortable peace.

The ‘double date’ ended up beautiful with Blair and Catalina sticking up with each other’s side, suddenly getting close. They tried multiple arcade games and there were times that they would even forget that they’re actually there with Jared and Yves. They enjoyed each other’s presence to the fullest, never imagined that they can be close as this. In other people’s eyes, the four are on a double date and the ‘girlfriends’ get along pretty well so their boyfriends are sometimes left out but that’s not the case for the two. Catalina and Blair really believed that they were on a date, but not with anyone else but with each other. What’s worst is just they both don’t know that they were on the same page.

Do you know what’s sad about going on a date? It’s the fact that it needs to end. Sadly, it’s already past 8:00 in the evening and even though it was still pretty early for other people, for them it’s not since they still have classes tomorrow.

“Come on Cat, I’ll take you home.”

Blair said, getting excited at the thought and Catalina is not any different. She was way more excited about that. Who knows how far a Calculus can go? Now she owes everything to Calculus.

“Blair I’m sad you can’t do that. Uncle just called and he’s looking for you. We need to get home now.”

And Jared had to ruin the ending.

Blair doesn’t know how will she react to the news. She wanted to argue. She wanted to be the one who will get Catalina home safely but because her parents are already looking for her, she can’t. She had never ever argued with her parents. When they said her no, then it’s a no. It’s not like she respects them a lot, she’s just scared. Her parents are control freaks. Since the very first day, they were controlling her. She no longer owned her own life. She’s just a puppet. They kept saying that it was for the better but nothing actually looked at least good in her life.

Blair just nod and gave Catalina a sad look which worried Catalina a lot, she had never ever seen Blair be this sad. Blair handed back the car keys to her boyfriend then face Yves.

“Get her home safe.”

After saying that, Blair entered her boyfriend’s car without sparing Catalina a glance, she will just get even sadder and disappointed at herself. 

Yves and Catalina left the place first and Blair has never been this jealous and worried about something.

“What’s that?”

Jared asked as soon as he got himself inside his car but didn’t get a response from Blair.

“You know that indecent thoughts and acts will never be allowed by your parents so I advise you, not as your fake boyfriend but your best friend to immediately stop this. You know that this will not go anywhere else so why still try? Just let her be with someone else, it’s not like Yves is a bad guy. You will just hurt yourself in the process or maybe in the long run. Don’t be stupid Blair. You were supposed to be straight. You even had yourself a boyfriend though it’s just a front. You’re the one who came to me and begged me to be in a relationship with you. To save yourself from getting discovered by your parents and do not have the same ending as your brother. Don’t make your life difficult.”

Blair still didn’t reply. What was she supposed to say anyway? Jared was right. She was just using her own best friend as a front, for her parents not to doubt her sexuality and get disowned by her own parents just like what happened to her brother. Blair suddenly remembered one of her stupidities that this feeling led her to, she's always begging the teachers to allow her to switch class when she discovered she and Blair were supposed to be in a different class. All those years, it was Blair’s doing and not fate. She just failed to do the same stupid act again this year because Jared stopped her. It’s not like Blair has a plan, like make a move in Catalina’s heart. She just loves to see Catalina the whole day. She just doesn’t want Catalina to disappear in her sight after all that’s the only thing she can do, to stare at her from afar.