Free Betrothed by Wanda Wiltshire

I told Hil I’d hang out with her on Saturday, so I was wondering . . . if you still want to go, could you invite a friend for her?’ I lost the bubble amid all the others and turned away from the computer before I was compelled to choose another.
    ‘Sure, what about Stewie? He’s single at the moment.’
    ‘Hmm, I was thinking maybe Kyle.’
    ‘He’s a bit quiet.’
    I almost told him that Hilary liked Kyle but thought better of it. She’d be upset if that got around. ‘So’s Hilary,’ I said instead.
    ‘Kyle it is,’ he agreed.
    ‘Do you think he’ll go?’
    ‘He’ll go if I tell him to.’ He laughed. Ah, the power of popularity.
    I hung up after a quick chat and grabbed myself a pear before getting stuck into my assignment. Another hour later the phone rang. I supposed it would be Jason getting back to me.
    ‘Hey, Marla, it’s me.’
    ‘Jack!’ Just the sound of his voice released the tightness from around my heart and brought a smile to my face.
    He said hello and apologised for his behaviour that day.
    ‘It’s not your fault,’ I told him, ‘I shouldn’t have been so pushy.’
    ‘I just know you can do better.’
    ‘But, Jack, no one better has asked me.’ Oh my God! Did that sound like a hint? Was it a hint? I didn’t even know. My feelings were just a big tangly mess these days. I chose a bubble, lost it immediately. The silence on the other end of the phone lingered. Crap. Crap. Crap .
    ‘Look, if you like him, well . . . all right, I suppose,’ he said finally. ‘But I really don’t see the attraction.’
    I exhaled. ‘He’s kind of cute.’
    ‘Whatever you reckon,’ he said, sounding sceptical. ‘I don’t like you being with him, I won’t pretend I do. I don’t trust him and . . . you’re gonna think this is weird, but I feel . . . protective of you.’
    ‘I don’t think it’s weird at all, I think it’s nice.’ I loved that Jack was so protective of me—needed it.
    There was silence for another long moment; not uncomfortable, just thoughtful. And when he broke it with a question, it was difficult to know how to respond.
    ‘Do you ever think maybe . . . you and me, Marla?’ There it was—honest and straight. No lighthearted banter or tangle of clever words to steal meaning from it.
    More silence, not quite so comfortable.
    I wanted to tell him the truth. I wanted to admit that the thought had sometimes kept me awake at night. It would have been a relief to confide that I remembered our kiss with such tenderness that I dearly wanted to try it again. I stopped myself though. Once the words were out, I wouldn’t be able to put them back. And an admission like that would have consequences. Instead I asked a question of my own.
    ‘You’re offering, Jack?’ I made myself laugh to detract from the magnitude of it. But it sounded weak and forced and nervous.
    ‘Wondering, Marla, definitely wondering,’ he answered, without missing a beat. That was the thing about Jack—unlike me, he was sure of himself. And he had a lot more experience too. Girls loved Jack, he could pick and choose. What if we did get together and he decided I wasn’t that girl after all?
    ‘Our friendship means an awful lot to me. I wouldn’t want to do anything to hurt it,’ I told him. ‘But you are tempting,’ I added, then cringed and blushed and wished I could take it back.
    ‘Hmm, tempting am I?’
    ‘Jack, I . . . ’ I didn’t know how to complete the sentence. I felt horribly exposed.
    ‘So what’s the deal with Jason if you’re all hot for me?’ I could hear the grin in his voice and my discomfort slipped away.
    ‘Hot for you! I should have kept my big mouth shut, I’m not gonna hear the end of it, am I?’
    Jack laughed. ‘Probs not.’
    ‘Anyway, it’s not like I’m in love with Jason or anything, it’s just a date. A double date actually: Hil’s coming and Jason’s asking Kyle to go with her,’ I said and then added, just to see what he’d