Aftershock

Once the 8th hour bell rang, I got up and went to my locker to pack up my stuff for the day, still wallowing in shock.

I slowly walked out of the building, as a torrent of other kids quickly followed suit. Though instead of walking, they dashed past the exit like a pack of wild dogs rushing to their mouthwatering prey.

After swiftly moving over to the adjacent sidewalk a few yards away from the main building, I stood alone to wait for Mark. A couple minutes later, I hear his boisterously energetic voice call out from my left:

"Yoo, wassup man?!"

I looked over at him with a bit of a dazed expression (I imagine that's the sort of face I made anyway) before switching my countenance into an upbeat grin.

"Hey man" I said, giving him a high five.

"So..how'd it go?" He asked cautiously (yet also with a small hint of excitement).

Wow, straight to the point. Okay, um...this might be a little awkward. Welp, guess it's time to break the news to him.

I audibly hesitated, before saying:

"Well uh..she..um.."

...?

Wait, what're you doing, idiot?! Answer the question!

Ugh! Dang..I'm still so stunned by the outcome of that whole situation to the point where it's really hard to express it, even more than I imagined (which says a lot coming from me). Regardless, I pressed on, despite my otherworldly, befuddled mental condition.

"She..she..she said..."

Come on, tell him!

I closed my eyes slightly, as I said in a exasperated voice:

"She said yes!"

Right after I said that I opened my eyes, and witnessed a proud grin plastered on Mark's face before he gave me a hard pat on the back.

"For real?! FINALLY! It's about damn time! I told you it'd work out, didn't I?" He said, unabashedly giddy while he laughed heartily to himself.

"Y-yeah, really. And no you definitely didn't say it'd totally work out. Actually, I believe you said something along the lines of "I think"" I stated, critically blunt

"Eh don't sweat the small stuff, who cares? You're totally in there now!"

I shook my head smiling, but internally I was going through a whirlwind of emotions. If you were wondering why in fact I've been acting so strange since that harrowing million dollar question I gave to Penny, well, it's because I couldn't really believe the result myself.

I mean, a 'yes'? She gave me, a comparatively low tier inferior human being borderline seemingly unworthy of my insignificant peasant-esque existence in the wake of her seraphic divinity a grain, no, dare I say an inkling of a chance to get with her?! That HAS to be impossible! There's no way she's just gonna let me casually stroll into her more intimately closer social circles and let down her guard, eventually leading to us kissing, then dating, then...uh..having a very "passionate" night together one fateful evening, sealing our bond forever. And then doing it more, and more, and more..and more..and..more..

Right?

Okay, this is seriously getting way too out of control, I'm starting to even scare myself (yes, you heard that right, it's so critical that I actually gained self awareness for once) at this point. Get your act together, fool!

I smacked my face with the palm of my hands twice, before looking back at Mark.

"Uh, yeah..I guess you were right" I said a little aloofly.

I finally took a long drawn out breath, inhaling and exhaling after what felt like an entire day had passed since the last time I was able to do so.

Soon (or should I say quickly?) after this brief convo, me and Mark begun on our path down the cement route, sauntering leisurely just like always (well not literally, but sometimes we just walk if we don't feel like taking the bus. or Piper will pick us up on other occasions).

"So how do you feel now, pimp G? You finally grew a pair and won for once!"

"Wow..thanks for the backhanded compliment" I replied sardonically, chuckling lightly.

"But yeah..I feel pretty good right now, I think?" I continued.

"You think? What do you mean you think? Nerves or something?" he inquired.

"Kinda, but more like..I just kinda want this feeling to last forever" I said dreamily.

I mean yeah, now that I think about it, I do feel really good. Like, really, really good. I finally gained the confidence to face my cumbrous trepidation at the thought of even walking up and talking to Penny, let alone asking her to be my project buddy for an assignment that'll have to be worked on and toiled over for the next two weeks. And honestly, I think I should feel proud! Maybe I do actually deserve to be with the woman of my most unattainable fantasies, the angel who's wings God himself questions if he could replicate, the girl who-

"Criiiinge. Whaddya think this is, twilight? No homie, that's just ridiculous. Pff..hah!" He audaciously snorted zealously, violently berating me as if I said something straight out of a C-tier Hollywood romcom (which I probably did if I'm being completely honest with myself).

After a few minutes spent laughing to ourselves, we suddenly heard a really fast moving car headed in our direction. Once we turned around, (and to my surprise) we both saw Piper, my older sister, zip right past us.

"Woah, the hell?! I didn't know Piper could drive!" Mark exclaimed, baffled (not that I don't understand, mind you. She is still underage after all).

I huffed, rolling my eyes.

"Yeah..mom lets her when she or dad can't pick her up from school for some reason, which has been happening a lot lately now that I think about it.." I whinged, quite vexed by the situation.

"What? But she's not even sixteen yet right? Didn't her birthday just pass?"

"Yup" I shrugged in reply.

"I don't really care why, to be honest" I continued. "What I care about is why-SHE DIDN'T STOP TO GET US FIRST!"

Mark jumped a bit at my sudden vice shout, before replying:

"M-maybe she's just in a bad mood..right? I mean it's not like she doesn't have a lot of those" Mark reasoned, trying to play it cool. 

It didn't work though. Not for me, anyway.

Who the heck does this chick think she is?! She didn't even stop to say "hey guys, wanna ride home?" or anything remotely close to that! At the very least she could have just waved at us while she passed or something!

"Frick! Dang it! Why now of all times does this gotta happen?! It's too hot outside for this" I shouted lividly (and rightfully so might I add).

As Mark watched my clearly pissed off face become more and more distorted, he quickly tried to console me by telling me: "Don't take it personal, your sisters too fine to just be acting like she didn't just see us without a good reason. I'd let it go if I was you, so just chill man"

He said this simpingly by the way (a term I made just for him).

Oh yeah, now's the perfect time to bring it up: Mark's a simp for my older sister, Piper (if you don't know what a simp is, it's basically just someone who's down bad aka desperate for another person romantically). Shocking, I know. he seems like a cool and chill guy on the outside sure, but this guy simps literally every chance he gets for her! Seriously, he's more horny for my sister than I am for Penny-okay wait-I won't go that far (I mean even I have to admit at some point that I got some very kinky weird issues specifically in reference to my devout quantity of lust for that girl), but still! Mark's a simp if I'm a simp, so don't let him get you to think:

"Oh Mark is way more cool than Greg, the horny 11-year old simp boy who goes around fantasizing about licking a girls hair" because that's only partially true! (Man I am seriously destroying my rep. I gotta stop being so candid)

I sighed. "Alright, let's just get home. I don't have the energy for this conversation anymore" I blurted, completely deflated,

"Okay man, whatever you say" Mark shrugged.

The rest of the walk was filled with relative silence, up until I got to my house and waved him off as I walked inside. After I got inside my room, I took off my socks and shoes, then dropped my book bag on the floor and flopped onto my bed

Ugh..I did it

I chuckled to myself, shifting on my stomach as I reminisced about the Penny event that quite easily could've turned into a fiasco (thank God it did not). I still can't believe I actually managed to have a conversation with her, no strings attached. I wasn't dared into it, nor pressured any other way via some sort of outside entity. It was just me, and her. Just like I wanted it to be.

It's refreshing, honestly. You wouldn't really know it from the way I phrase my life, but most things don't really go my way (especially not this easily), so I'm definitely not going to take this opportunity for granted. Considering the involved party in this instance as well, and I'm bound to end up on my hands and knees praising the high heavens when it's all said and done (heck I'm surprised I haven't already).

I checked my phone absentmindedly as I thoughtlessly pondered on these revelations before my eyes lit up instantly at what I saw.

A message. From Penny.

Penny? Wait, it's from Penny?!

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I ended up getting her phone number too when I asked her about the project..silly me.

Anyway, the message said:

"Hey Greg, I was wondering if you would like to come over to my house tonight around 7? :3"

Naturally, I immediately answered yes. What kinda of idiot would say no to a proposition like that?!

You'd have to be a complete fool to turn down the offering of an angel that grants you a ticket into unimaginable paradise. Now obviously this was strictly for work reasons, and work reasons only. We're just going to go over the project, nothing more.

Of course it's not like I have any ulterior motives to do something passionately intimate or racy with my beloved, of course not. What kind of vagrant do you take me for? You really think I'm the sort of guy who would take advantage of a sweet, innocent girls invitation into her room only to have a night of long lasting pleasure the two of us would never forget? Enthralled by the fiery desire called lust? Certainly not!

Anyway, as ecstatic as I was to read this message, I naturally felt pretty nervous all things considered. I mean, how often is it that you get the most beautiful girl in your school to invite you to their abode? Sure okay, maybe YOU get that sorta play, but I certainly do not, so this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me.

I swiftly jumped up from my bed to get ready to head over there, and prepared in various ways. These steps included: going to the bathroom and brushing my teeth 3 different times (just for extra measure I had to do it two more times), brushing and combing my hair for 10 minutes, 50 pushups and sit-ups, then finally picking out the perfect casual outfit.

After I finished my prep, I went downstairs with my book bag and walk towards the front door. 

"Where are you going?" Sarah asked from the couch, looking over at me with a curious expression.

"Out to a friends house. I'll be back soon"

"Oh, Mark's?"

"...No.."

"Oooo, is it a girl's house then?" she grinned deviously.

"...."

I quickly left the house, hurriedly opening and slamming the door shut.