Can't Make You Love Me - Chapter 3

Getting into the van to go back to the hotel, I was attacked with questions from everyone. Eventually, my entire dance team knew about the whole fiasco. I mean, it's not unusual because we don't have any guys in our dance school, although it's not limited to girls. Everyone on the team knows about everyone else's love life. I guess you could say all 15 of us are like sisters.

We drove home the following day, and on the way, my cell phone began to ring. I looked at the caller's number and didn't recognize it, so I assumed it was Greg.

"Hello?" Dial tone. He must have hung up. I put my phone back in my bag and it rang again. Same number on the screen.

"Hello?" More dial tone. What is this, some kind of joke? I put the phone on my lap, convinced it would ring again. Sure enough, it did, and the same number was still on the screen.

"Are you going to talk or not?" I answered, annoyed.

"Whoa. Calm down!" a voice finally spoke on the other end.

"Sorry, that was real annoying. Who is this?"

"Chris. I kept hanging up because I had no reception on my phone."

"Oh… that would explain it," I reasoned. A thought suddenly came to me. "How did you get my number?"

"I memorized it when you wrote it down for Greg. It's not that hard, considering all the numbers repeat," he informed me.

"Yea, I suppose. So what's new?"

"Well, Greg was telling me about how you live in Manhattan. So I was wondering if you might want to do something sometime, 'cause that's where I live, too."

"Really?" I was amazed. "Yeah, I'd love that!" By this time, everyone in the van had turned around to stare me in the face while I sat in my own little world in the backseat. That is one awkward feeling. I looked around at the girls staring back at me.

"Hey can I call you back in about an hour?" I asked Chris.

"Yeah, sure."

"Wait, what's your number?" At the time, I had forgotten about CallerID, and I wanted to keep him on the phone for as long as possible anyway. He gave me his number as I wrote it down. We finished up the call and I quickly stuffed everything back in my purse, knowing I would immediately be stampeded with questions again.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

I walked into my room late afternoon on Monday and dropped my bags on the floor in front of my closet. I looked around, remembering I still had to paint. The weekend before I left, I had stripped the wallpaper because I absolutely needed a change in my living quarters.

I was planning on painting the walls sky-blue and the ceiling would be painted like an actual cloud-strewn sky. I suddenly remembered I had to call Chris back, but since I was home, I nestled myself comfortably in a chair and used the home phone. I put his number on my speed-dial and called.

"Chris here."

"Hey, it's Allie."

"Oh, hey babe!"

"About getting together sometime… when you wanna do it?" I had been wondering since there were only so many more days until school started up again. Suddenly, my cell phone began ringing.

"I'm sorry, can you hold on for a second?"

"Yup," Chris replied. I picked up my phone, viewing another foreign number on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Greg." Shoot! What am I going to do?! I quickly thought of all my possibilities.

"Hey, you know what? I'm at home now, but I'm on the phone with someone else at the moment, so would you mind giving me your number so I can call you back when I'm done?"

"That's fine. Here's my number. See ya." Greg hung up. Phew… that was close. I took Chris off hold.

"Sorry about that," I apologized.

"No problem. Well, give me a good day for you and I'll tell you if I'm available," he suggested.

"Ok… um… how about Wednesday?"

"Depends on what time 'cause I have plans after five." Chris told me after checking his schedule. "Or maybe I don't… or maybe I do and you could come…" he thought aloud. I smiled to myself.

"Whatever, as long as I get to see you. Did you have anything specific in mind?"

"Just walking around always works. Window shopping after lunch sound good?"

"Definitely! What time?"

"I'll come by your house at 11:30, is that ok?" Chris proposed.

"Ok…" I gave him my address, finished up the call, and called Greg back.

"Hey!" I exclaimed when he picked up.

"Hello! How's my sick friend?" he asked.

"I wasn't sick, Greg, it was all the roller coasters," I reminded him.

"Same difference. Hey, do you have plans for Wednesday afternoon?"