Gavin honestly hated all the attention from the girls he met at school. He was left speechless, actually. It was overwhelming. It made him grow quiet, feeling he'd never meet any of their expectations.
Sure, he knew they'd do his homework for him. Probably even snuggle his sweatshirt if he were to give it to them. But that just wasn't his MO. He didn't really like taking advantage of anyone anymore, but it was different with Kat.
She hadn't caught the Gavin bug. Possibly, never would. But she was a challenge, and there was something about her he wished he could be more like her. Oh, she was cold, perhaps bitter. But he'd still take her to the high school Valentine's Day Dance.
He'd announced this early on, at supper. "My dad is going to take us." As if that had to be OK in a parent's playbook of teenage dating. Naturally, Kat wrinkled her nose at that. "We'll be home by eleven. Some of my friends are going to meet up at Jade Palace for dinner, so I'll pick her up at five thirty."
He needed this to go as planned so people would understand that he was taken, after all. Of course, he wasn't sure he'd ever be friends with her.
"Well, I'll have to talk to Kat's father," her grandmother said, rather mutely.
"Aw, G.B, say it ain't so!" Chloe spoke up for him. He bit a grin. That little sister was something. He was already a hero in her book. And Kat's brother Theo was only interested in food. Not once had he said anything to him, and they had PE together.
Kat gave her sister a look that said she needed to shut up, but her grandmother texted Kat's dad, who was at work. About a minute later, there was a ding, an OK, as if it wasn't a big deal.
Gavin helped Kat with the dishes.
"So this is what it's all about," she said as he loaded the dishwasher and she rinsed out the dishes.
"Something like that." He didn't want to look too happy about it. He was quiet, and so was she, as if this was going to be a fake date. Nothing more. Nothing less.
She was placed in a detergent pod in its compartment, and he shut the dishwasher door. Kat started the dishwasher.
"So, where is it?" He wanted to know about the Labubu.
"Are you saying I have to have it with me at all times?" She looked at him, stunned.
"Of course, why not?" He looked at her brightly with an impish smile, getting as close to her lips as he could. It did give him a feeling that a kiss was possible.
"I don't want it to get stolen." She swelled a frown, backing away.
"Well, what's the point of having one then?" He winced. His sister in college had given him the blind box at Christmas. It just as well have been a prank to him. He was into collecting Pokemon things, but she had told him as if it were a scheme that he could give it to his girlfriend.
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