We got into Ian’s car. I could practically feel Levi’s eyes roll into the back of his head when a rap song came blasting from the stereo. I turned the music down.
“So, Levi.” Ian glanced in the rearview mirror. “I heard you’re dating Carrie Pope?”
I didn’t think you could technically call one coffee and one movie dating. But Levi nodded.
“Isn’t she a freshman?” Ian’s interest in Levi’s dating life was making me anxious.
“Hey, pot, are you calling this kettle black?” Levi said with a laugh. I was relieved that he still had his sense of humor.
“No,” Ian stammered. “I’m just saying she’s cute.”
“Hey!” I playfully hit his arm.
“That’s not what I meant. She’s not my type.”
“Oh, so cute isn’t your type?” I countered.
“Sounded like that to me,” Levi announced from the backseat.
“You know, you guys are no fun,” Ian sulked. “Nobody can ever win anything with the two of you ganging up on poor, poor souls.”
“Oh, please.” I turned around and gave Levi a high five just to annoy Ian further.
“Blimey if we can help it,” Levi said in a British accent.
“Ack!” Ian protested. “Enough with that blimey stuff. You guys are too much.”
“I believe he means too much awesome,” I clarified.
“Clearly,” Levi agreed. “Can’t imagine what else it would be.”
“Unless it’s amazing.”
“That’s another word people often use to describe us.”
“And fabulous,” I reminded him.
“Inspiring.”
“Extraordinary.”
“Stop!” Ian cried out like he was in physical pain. “Oh, I’ve got plenty of words to describe you two. Believe me.”
He pulled over in front of Levi’s house. “So, Levi, how about we even the playing field and go on a double date. Then maybe Carrie and I can gang up on you two for a change.”
An odd silence took over the car. Levi and I were no longer joking around. I don’t know why we were both reacting so strangely. It wasn’t as if Levi didn’t hang out with us, but now we were adding a fourth. Would it be uncomfortable?
“Was it something I said?” Ian asked, to lighten the mood.
I tried to grasp on to reality and not overreact. “No, yeah, I think that would be great.”
I looked at Levi, who was studying my face. “Sure,” he said. Although he didn’t sound sure.
“Great!” Ian was way too excited about this. “We’ve got that party at Keith’s next weekend.”
“We do?” I hadn’t known we had that.
“Yeah, didn’t I tell you?” I shook my head in response. He continued. “Oh, well, let’s go grab a bite beforehand and go over together.”
“Ah, okay.” Levi got out of the car and gave me a little wave before going inside.
“See.” Ian leaned over toward me. “Look at me playing nice with your BFF. What does this get me?”
“The privilege of driving me home,” I stated flatly.
He laughed. “You’re something else. You know that, right?”
So I’ve been told.
I didn’t know if it should comfort me that Levi was as hesitant about the double date as I was. I’d met Carrie a couple of times, but I’d tried to give her lots of space. I knew that Levi having a girl as a best friend could be intimidating. She seemed sweet and he liked her, so I wanted it to work for him.
Plus, I had learned to knock before entering rooms, both literally and metaphorically.
The four of us were eerily quiet on the drive over to the restaurant for Friday night fish fry. I gave Levi the front seat, thinking he and Ian could talk about guy things and I could get to know Carrie more.
“I like your skirt,” I offered. Carrie was wearing an orange skirt with an off-white cashmere wrap sweater.
“Thanks. I like your outfit, too,” she replied, although I was only wearing jeans and a basic black top. But she was clearly trying to make an effort.
“Thanks.”
She smiled at me. “And you have, like, the best hair.” She started fiddling with her own long honey-brown hair.
“You’ve got great hair, too.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “My color is so boring.”
Levi turned around. “Seriously, hair and clothing? Way to shatter stereotypes, Macallan.”
I shot him my patented death stare. “What were you guys going to talk about, sports?”
“Well, we’re clearly manly.”
“Seriously? You want me to get in this with you right now in front of Carrie.” I raised my eyebrow, daring him.
He turned back around. “I knew this was a bad idea.”
While I was pretty sure he was saying it in a joking manner, I agreed with him one hundred percent.
I tried to adjust my attitude as we sat down at Curran’s Tavern. We made small talk before the waiter came over and took our orders.
Levi gave me a crooked smile. “Shall I order or do you want to?”
“We always get the same thing,” I explained to our confused companions. “Yes, I’ll have the fried cod with baked potato, but can I please have extra sour cream with that? And blue cheese dressing on the salad. Thanks.”
“I’ll have what she’s having,” Levi announced. “Although you forgot one thing.”
“Oh! Cheese curds!” I practically screamed. “Um, can we start with an order of fried cheese curds as well? Thanks.”
The waiter nodded and turned toward Carrie, who asked for a grilled chicken Caesar salad.
“And I’ll have the cheeseburger, medium rare,” Ian ordered.
I didn’t have to say anything, because I knew Levi would.
“Seriously? Who goes to a fish fry and doesn’t get fish?” He shook his head. “First of all, I will not be sharing my corn fritters with either of you, and I know for a fact that Macallan won’t, either.”
“Preach it,” I encouraged.
Levi leaned in, his face so serious it was almost solemn. “Listen, guys, I never heard of a Friday night fish fry until Macallan’s family took my family. You have no idea how spoiled you are in Wisconsin: fried fish, corn fritters with honey butter, baked beans, bread and butter, coleslaw, potatoes — you get your choice of potato! And did I mention the butter? So much butter! I mean, what more could you want on a Friday night? Ordering something else … It’s madness, madness, I say!”
While Carrie and Ian didn’t look as amused as I was, a strange sense of pride overwhelmed me. If only seventh-grade Levi could see himself now. He was even starting to get a little Midwestern accent.
“What are you smiling at?” Levi inquired.
“Nothing,” I responded a little too quickly.
“Like I would ever fall for that.” He leaned forward and gazed in my eyes as if he was trying to read my mind. I looked away. At that point, I wouldn’t have doubted that he could. “Ah, see, I know you’re up to something.”
“Who, me?” I said in my most innocent voice.
“Please.” He leaned back and put his arm around the back of Carrie’s chair. “Let me tell you a little something about this one, Carrie. Do not fall for the good-girl, straight-A-student façade. Beneath her sweet exterior is a snarky center with quick wit and even quicker rebounds.”
“Which is exactly why you’re best friends with me.”
“Obviously,” Levi agreed.
Ian cleared his voice loudly. “So, Carrie, I think we need to intervene before the Levi and Macallan Show takes over. Once they get started, they don’t stop. Ever.”
Carrie maneuvered uncomfortably in her chair and played with her straw wrapper.
I mouthed sorry to Ian. This wasn’t the first time, nor did I think it would be the last, he’d had to intervene when Levi and I got into one of our epic conversations.